Love Deal

7. Devotion

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"Anvi, enough. You need to rest. Anyways, you cannot write the mid-semester exams in this condition. You can barely walk without getting tired," Sita yelled out of frustration while snatching Anvi's book from her. 

This was a new issue that cropped up. Even after requesting, scolding and yelling a thousand times, Anvi is adamant about writing her exams. How she will do it is anybody's guess. She could barely hold a pen.

But for Avni, this was like losing her sole purpose in life. She cannot give up after coming so far. It is too late to give up. She was just another semester close to her Rudra.

"Sita, please give me my books back right now." She tried yelling, but it was a weak voice that came out.

"Your life is more important than any exam, Anvi. Please try and understand.  Why are you being so stubborn?" Sita pleaded.

"Please, Sita...please, you will not understand. Please,  my life depends on this. Give me my books back," Anvi replied with her plea.

"I said NO", Sita could not help but yell again. This triggered the tears and sobs that Avni was holding back till now. She folded her hands. 

"Please ... please" " she pleaded in between her sobs.

"Ma...Dua..roi roi?" A sweet voice interrupted the hostile situation in the room. Little Gola was looking concerned. 

"No baccha, Bua is a strong girl. She will be alright." Came the voice that Anvi longed for so many years now. Rudra was carrying Gola. Both of them were standing at the threshold of the door.

Anvi was not expecting to meet Rudra, at least not like this. He cannot see her like this. She looks ugly, she feels ugly, and she is no way going to show her bald head to Rudra. 

"Go away!" She yelled in panic while covering herself and her shaved head with the blanket.

"Sita, take Gola to papa. He is in the living room." Rudra said while he passed Gola to Sita. Sita, although confused, did not ask any questions. She did what she was told to do.

"Anvi", Rudra called Anvi after Sita left with Gola.

"Please go away...please" Came a muffled plea.

"Anvi..please...talk to me."

"No...go away."

"I  am not going anywhere unless you talk to me, Anvi."

"Please, Rudra, you cannot see me like this."

"Anvi, if you do not willingly come out of the blanket in the next 5 seconds, I will be compelled to use force," Rudra warned her.

Anvi peeped out of the blanket. Her eyes were brimming with tears. When Rudra saw her peeping out, he tore the blanket away.

"Why are you hiding yourself? And why are you being so stubborn? What is wrong with you? " Rudra said while gritting his teeth.

 He could see bones poking out of her skin.

As a trigger to his question, Anvi broke down completely. But before she could hide her face in her hands, Rudra pulled her to his chest and engulfed her in his arms.

"I am so t..t..tired Rudra, I aa..a..am so tired. I..I..I.. can't do t..th..this anymore. I c..c..can't take this a..a..any...m..more Rudrra.." She was wailing in his chest while he held her together. "I can.. c..can't l..l..lose you...I cannot."

Rudra closed his eyes in pain. He could not see her so vulnerable. He held her tighter and kept kissing the crown of her bald head to calm her down. He knew the whole family was standing at the door, but he cared less. All he could see was that Anvi was in pain, and she needed him.

"Calm down Avni, I am here. I am not going anywhere. You will always find me here, with you....calm down." He consoled her with kisses.

The whole family sat in the living room. Rudra was still in Anvi's room. He was trying to make her sleep. He cooed her like a baby, rocking her in his arms while humming a soothing something. After several minutes, he could hear soft snores. He sat there for a couple of more minutes admiring her.

Everyone in the living room is sitting silently. They had no idea what was going on. Why did Rudra barge in unannounced and calm Anvi down? Everybody's heads shot up towards Rudra as he entered the living room.

"So it was you who was messing up with my sister?" Raghuveer roared as he charged towards Rudra.

"RAGHUUUU"

"VEERJI"

"Raghu, leave him"

In no time, Raghuveer and Rudra were holding each other collars while glaring at each other.

"Raghu....leave him. Are you out of your mind?" His mother was trying to prey his hands from Rudra's collar.

"Ma, because of this man, our choti is in this condition." Raghu screeched. 

"I think you are least qualified here to talk about situations which involve messing with others' sisters", Rudra said while he shot a look towards Sita. She lowered her eyes.

"Don't drag Sita in this," Raghuveer warned. 

"Why does it hurt so much? After the cooked-up love story you both made, I don't see any love between you two..." Rudra narrows his eyes.

"RUDRA...she is your sister", Rudra's father reminded him.

"Yeah, a sister who does not trust her own family." Rudra jerked his hand from Raghuveer 's collar, causing him to step back. He could see Sita running towards her room.

"I knew she was trying hard in school, but I did not know she was on a suicide mission." Rudra turned towards Anvi's patents. "I went through the reports, and her typhoid medication is taking a toll on her health. Her physical and mental fatigue is adding to this. She needs care."

" We think we are not taking proper care of her?" Raghuveer asked.

"You cannot make your wife happy. How can I trust you with my soon-to-be wife?" Rudra's voice was laced with sarcasm. 

" You...." Raghuveer was cut mid-statement. 

"ENOUGH ... .enough....my baby is suffering..please", Anvi's mother interrupted them with tears.

Both the men had guilt painted all over their faces. Both backed off.

"Rudra, we are trying our best, but please understand she is stubborn. She won't listen," Anvi's mother said.

Rudra held both her hands in his. She could see the pain in his eyes.

"Let her write the exam," He said.

"But..." 

"I will take care of her...I will stay this time," He assured her. "Let her do this for her satisfaction."

The day they made the deal, Avni committed herself to Rudra, and Rudra devoted himself to Avni.