Siren of Hearts

20. Path Which Deferred

Inside the small living room, the atmosphere was heavy with the weight of unspoken truths. Shraddha's quiet sobs filled the air as Siddharth paced in frustration, grappling with the repercussions of Ishita's unexpected appearance. His grandmother, sensing the tension, searched for clues, trying to decipher the turmoil that had engulfed her grandchildren.

Sighing deeply, Siddharth finally addressed his sister, the frustration evident in his voice, "What was that? What were you saying?" 

Shraddha, her eyes filled with a mixture of pain and anger, glared at her brother, "Are you planning to hide that truth from her forever?" 

Siddharth sighed, attempting to calm his nerves, "That's all in the past, okay? We have moved on, right?"

His sister, looking down, nodded in agreement, her voice shaky with suppressed emotions, "Yes. But when I saw her at the door, I couldn't control it. Whenever I think of her, I see your face, laced in blood in the hospital bed." Tears streamed down her face, and Siddharth, torn between his own pain and the need to console his sister, struggled for words. "Shraddha," he began, but the depth of the emotional turmoil rendered him speechless.

Shraddha continued to pour out her heart, her bitterness evident as she mentioned the past, "You were in the hospital for a month, bhai. I used to cry, hiding from everyone. I didn't want to worry grandma much, so I kept silent. Your roommates, Raj and Deepak, came to help you. But where was your girlfriend?" The word 'girlfriend' dripped with bitterness, and the unspoken anguish of abandonment echoed in the room. Siddharth, grappling with the painful memories of the past, found himself unable to offer any solace to his grieving sister.

Shraddha's tearful lament continued, each word carrying the weight of the past. "She was in America, pursuing her dream. Left you without any message, no call, no text. As if she vanished. But here we are. She is back in this country; it's fine. But if she tries to stand in front of our door? Then, no. That's not happening. Because... because... I won't let her, or even anyone, I won't let her hurt you again." Her cries intensified, punctuated by hiccups, and the raw pain in her voice echoed through the room. "I can't see you in a hospital bed." More tears, more sobs.

Unable to bear her anguish any longer, Siddharth, though grappling with his own emotions, enveloped his sister in a tight embrace. Her face found solace against his chest, and in that vulnerable moment, he could feel the delicate softness that belied her apparent maturity.

 Meanwhile, their grandmother, a silent observer, let a single tear slide down her gray eyelashes. Witnessing the painful yet poignant bond between her two grandchildren, who had weathered loss from the very beginning of their lives, she felt a surge of pure pride for the resilience and strength displayed by these young souls supporting each other. It was a moment of shared pain, vulnerability, and unspoken love that transcended the wounds of the past.

Ishita, lost in her thoughts, was startled by the unexpected knock on her car window. As she turned her head, she found Siddharth standing there, gesturing for her to step out. Uncertain but compelled, she rolled down the window, allowing the cool breeze to fill the car.

Siddharth looked at her, his expression a mix of concern and something more complex that Ishita couldn't quite decipher. Without saying a word, he motioned for her to join him outside. Ishita hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to face the storm she unintentionally stirred or retreat into the safety of her car. But something in Siddharth's eyes urged her to step out and confront the situation. With a deep breath, she opened the car door and got out.

The air between them hung heavy with unspoken words and unresolved emotions. As Siddharth confronted Ishita about her unexpected visit, his calm demeanor belied the underlying tension. "Why are you here, exactly?" he inquired, searching her eyes for an answer.

Ishita, feeling a surge of vulnerability, gazed up at the sky, collecting her thoughts before responding. "Honestly, I don't know. What was I expecting? I don't have those answers. I just know that... I missed these streets, this neighborhood, the people here, your grandma, Shraddha, and, of course, you."

Siddharth sighed, sensing the complexity of the situation. "Where are you going with it?" he asked, a mix of frustration and curiosity in his voice.

With another sigh, Ishita attempted to share her feelings. "Did something happen to you when I was gone?" she inquired, trying to understand the unspoken troubles that might have unfolded in her absence.

Siddharth, clearly agitated, shook his head and delivered a stern message. "So, you're not gonna say anything clearly. Then, hear me out. Don't ever come here looking for me." His words were sharp, cutting through the air with a finality that left Ishita in a state of shock.

She began to speak, but he didn't allow her to start, continuing with a stern tone. "I don't care about myself these days, really. I do care about my family and my duty in the station. So, I don't want to disappoint any of them. Both of them will be influenced if we keep those unsolved things between us. So, you do well in your own life, and let me do the same."

In desperation, Ishita tried to call out to him, "Sid..." But he cut her off sharply, "It's Captain Gupta for you, and for me, it's Dr. Raichand." With that, he turned around and walked away, leaving Ishita hurt and speechless on the quiet street, the echoes of their unresolved past lingering in the air.

The stillness of the early morning was shattered by the blaring sound of the emergency sirens, echoing through the silent streets. It was around 3 in the morning when the loudspeakers in the emergency rescue station crackled to life, delivering a terse announcement that set the entire station into motion.

The alarm siren, a haunting melody of urgency, jolted every firefighter from their sleep. In a matter of seconds, the usually tranquil atmosphere of the station transformed into a hive of activity. The instructor swiftly gathered information about the location of the incident, his experienced eyes scanning the details with precision.

With a sense of purpose, three firetrucks rumbled to life, their engines roaring in the open NH (National Highway). The darkened road became illuminated by the vibrant hues of red, blue, and green sirens that painted a vivid streak of urgency. The rhythmic wail of the sirens reverberated through the silent and cold early morning, awakening everyone in their path.

Amidst the orchestrated chaos of the emergency scene, Captain Siddharth and the instructor coordinated with precision, addressing the pressing issue at hand – a gas-line leakage in a society building. The night watchman's swift action had already set the gears in motion.

As the firefighters worked diligently to evacuate the residents and ensure their safety, Siddharth and the instructor took charge of the operation. Through a mobile loudspeaker, they announced the evacuation instructions, the urgency in their voices cutting through the night. The residents, clad in various states of sleep, were guided to safety, with some firefighters assisting in the process.

In the midst of this controlled commotion, a woman in her fifties voiced a concern about a missing neighbor, a young doctor residing in flat number 104 of B-wing. The secretary of the society attempted to locate the doctor, but the absence created a ripple of panic.

Siddharth intercepted the situation, questioning the secretary about the missing doctor. The mention of flat number 104, B-wing, City Hospital, new in this building, struck a chord in his memory. The realization dawned on him – could it be Ishita?