After all this time

C H A P T E R 12

' Are you going to be okay? ' Mithila's voice was muffled even though her worry was evident.

' I don't know Mithu' Amaya chewed on inner cheek.

Honestly, she had no idea what was going on. A few hours ago, she was giddy and excited about her dinner date with Adhi. He had asked her out for dinner when she was at his place for the book. Since she started to write the alternative story of the mystery book, reading and knowing more about his book became easier.
Whenever there's a scary part of the story, she started to think about the same characters doing entirely different thing in her story. She used the same characters, places but the story was completely different. That way ,her job became more interesting and less scary.
Even though she posted it on her Instagram page, nobody read it except for Mithila and one or two other people.
It didn't bother her much because it still gave her a sense of accomplishment but still it was inconspicuous and somewhat private.
She enjoyed it. Having something to do with passion without expecting anything else from it was kind of liberating for her.
She had finished four more chapters, both Adhvaith's book and her own which is completely an alternative version altogether.

Then there's her birthday, which she had never even acknowledged or celebrated. It was just another day, which she mostly spent at work or alone. Except Mithila and a giggly call from Mili, nobody , not even her Amma wished her. This time, she was happy to receive a birthday wish, from Adhi in the morning itself and she was anticipating their dinner together until she got the call from this hospital, where she was standing at the moment.
Scared to go inside and almost numb to think why her Amma is there.

The caller didn't mention why she was needed to come to the hospital immediately, except that it's about her mother and she was listed as her mother's guardian.
Amaya was restless all the way here and now too. She was pacing around while clutching the phone to her ear and talking to Mithila.

' Take deep breath now... okay? You have to go inside and find out what happened and most importantly, Mili is somewhere inside there Ammu, and she's probably scared' Mithila told tentatively.

' Mili' Amaya stopped pacing for once.
How could she not think about her little girl? She was too indulged in her own fears that it didn't occur to her that Mili is probably worried and scared too...

' I need to go Mithu. I will call you soon. Thank you'
Amaya rushed to the reception desk, almost knocking someone down on her way.
When they directed her towards the ICU sesction Amaya felt the fear settling in her chest.
She walked fast but the corridors seemed never ending. The hospital wasn't a huge one, but still big enough that it took her some time to find the ICU unit.
The evening sunlight barely reached the long gloomy corridor where Amaya stood.
One of the staff nurses advised her to wait there for some time until the doctor came back.
They sent her to the doctor's office which was at the far end of the same corridor.
Amaya sat on one of them , waiting, worrying and nervously looking around. Dr. Madhavan Unni , the name plate read. He is a general physician. She still had no idea why her mother was admitted to the hospital and what is wrong with her. Amaya tried to think about any changes in her mother's appearance recently or any notions of discomfort but she couldn't find anything. Amaya just hoped that it's nothing serious and her Amma is ok .

Mili was there , in the waiting area with their neighbour family. They called her, while she was waiting for the doctor. She was relieved to know that Mili was with her friend and her family.
Amaya wanted to go there but she waited till she gets to see the doctor and find out what is going on.

'Ms. Amaya? Mrs. Maneka's daughter?'
The doctor walked into the room addressing her.
Amaya stood up and nodded in silence.
The doctor smiled at her kindly. He gestured towards the chair to Amaya as he sat down on his own and faced her.