AKSHNAV FF- Piya tose naina laage re

Chap 12- The leap

MIDNIGHT 12 AM

THE NURSING HOME

Baby Abhir was put on a feeding tube and a canula was inserted in his vein to administer injections as he was having laboured breathing. The medical staff was attending to him while Akshara and Abhinav were worried about his safety.

"Its all messed up Abhinav ji," Akshara said as Abhinav helped her sit up to drink some milk.

"I had thought that I would go back to Udaipur and tell bade papa about my baby. And honestly speaking, I even felt that maybe Abhimanyu...................my ex-husband would........I mean that maybe we could reconcile..........."

"Akshara ji.......why are you so stressed? You can speak with your family even now!"

"No Abhinav ji. Now that I am seeing things clearly for what they are.....If my ex-husband gets to know about my baby, he might snatch my child away from me! I dont want to go back home! But what do I do? I lost my job and now............I have nowhere to go!"

Akshara put her face in her hands and wept. Her whole life seemed to her like a big question mark. Abandoned by the man she loved, blamed for her brother-in-law's death, with no one from her family willing to take a stand for her..............................Akshara felt hopeless!!!

"Akshara ji," Abhinav said softly,"shayad aap galat darwaaze ki taraf dekh rahi hain. Kuch darwaaze aur kuch raaste hamare liye hamesha band hi rehte hain. Unki taraf dekhkar hamara kuch bhala nahi hota. Nazar us band darwaaze se hata leejiye Akshara ji. Tabhi toh khule huye darwaaze nazar ayenge aapko."

Akshara looked up and looked into his eyes. She knew that he was right. She knew that no matter what, Abhimanyu would never come looking for her. She knew that Manjiri would snatch away her baby from her if she ever found out the truth! She knew it all. And now, it was time to face her bitter reality.

"Sir," said the nurse coming in," please come with me. The doctor wants to speak to you."

"But why to him?" Akshara said," I am the mother, the doctor should speak with me."

"So, isnt he the child's father?" the nurse asked Akshara.

"N.............." Akshara stopped and looked at Abhinav. She then looked at the nurse and said," Yes, he is. What I meant was that I also want to speak to the doctor."

"All right mam," said the nurse," I shall ask the doctor to come here then."

"Why did you lie Akshara ji?" said Abhinav once the nurse had left.

"I dont know," Akshara replied honestly.

SIX YEARS LATER..............................

It was a pleasant autumn morning in Kasauli. The small town was flooded with tourists and it was a great time for business. A young British couple had boarded a taxi and were now on their way to the hotel where they were supposed to spend the next few days.

"What do you think about Kasauli Sirji?" Abhinav asked the Britisher," beautiful, isnt it?"

"Yaa......" the man replied," and peaceful too............How long have you been living here?"

"My whole life sirji," Abhinav said.

"Are you married?" the British lady asked," do you have kids?"

"Dont mind her," the man said," she is just too interested in people's lives."

"No worries sirji........no worries!"

Abhinav stopped the taxi in front of a majestic looking hotel. The couple got down and paid him his fare. His phone beeped and he saw that there was a text from someone he had saved as "Mrs." on his contact list.

"Abhir school se laut aaya hai," the text said," Use khana khila diya hai. Uski demand par gajar ka halwa bana rahi hoon. Aap bhi jaldi aa jaaiye."

Abhinav smiled and put the phone back into his pocket.