Tender Storm

Chapter 14

The last time he had spoken to her was when she had gone back to her parents. He received the call wondering if her father had tortured her again.

"I've to take this" he told Deepa who had seen the name on his phone screen "who's Sakshi?"she asked in a curious tone.

He wasn't ready to tell her yet "a friend" he said and got up from the couch and moved towards the balcony.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"he asked after receiving the call. He could hear Sakshi's sobs on the other end "you're scaring me" he yelled slightly "will you tell me what's going on? Where are you?"

"Aman? Can you come to the city hospital?"she said, her voice breaking down "it's papa...he's..not well..please can you come? I'm so..scared!"

He could feel the desperation and realized it was very serious "is he alright?"he asked.

"He's taken inside the emergency room!"she cried "I don't know..mama's going crazy and I'm so scared!"she kept repeating.

"Okay..I'll be right there" he hung up, feeling distraught.

Deepa was still in the couch when he returned "you look upset...is everything okay?"

He held her arm gently "I hope so" he smiled "I hate to leave you like this but I need to be somewhere and it's urgent" he kissed her palm "I'll explain later okay? We have to plan that date too remember?"

She giggled and kissed his cheeks softly "I'll be waiting..I've postponed my Delhi flight anyway".

She couldn't have looked cuter when she said that and he kissed her briefly but with passion.

"I'll be right back" he said, pocketing his car keys. She watched him go with a feeling of adoration.

They were finally meant to be. He was hers and there was no changing it.

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Aman reached the hospital and made his way towards the emergency room. He spotted Sakshi who was leaning back on one of the benches in the waiting lounge.

He approached her and saw that she had closed her eyes. "Sakshi?"he called softly and she turned to look at him. "Where is he?" Aman asked, sitting next to her.

"They've taken him for angiogram" she explained and caught his perplexed look "it's to check for heart blocks"she added "maa went with him and asked me to rest...I was too tired to walk".

"What happened?"he asked as her eyes welled with tears. She wiped her eyes "he was fine and atleast looked happy to see me back. I'm not sure what exactly happened but my aunt and his sister called and he was speaking to her on the phone. She told him she was coming to visit and he didn't look pleased with it. I was in my room going to sleep when I heard my mother yelling that he had collapsed on the floor. He had vomited a lot and clutched his hand to his shoulder. I suspected a heart attack and we rushed him to the nearest hospital".

She took a deep breath and continued "I was so panicky and didn't know what to do, whom to call...then I remembered you and..." she paused to consider her action "I'm sorry for bothering you...I'm sound so stupid right now..."

"Hey!"he caught her hand "you did the right thing okay? I asked you to call me if you need anything..and you did just that. Don't worry about feeling sorry and stuff".

"I should have listened to you" she shook her head in desolation "I shouldn't have gone home...it's all because of me".

He clasped her hand "stop blaming yourself...it was bound to happen". She removed her hand from his "can't you see it? My father's struggling for his life because of me! I almost cost him his life! I'm to blame for everything that's been happening!"