Shehnaaz was already at the hospital when Siddharth arrived.
"I had asked you to call me. Haina?", he spoke as she raised herself from the chair.
"The stutures are done. He said I am fine. The last of these would be taken off after a week. " she replied moving ahead. The day had been pretty exhausting for her. She was annoyed and agitated, but she didn't know where to direct that. The fact that everything around with Siddharth was a part of stupidity she had never expected of herself annoyed her.
"Kya hua hai?", he spoke as he held her arm, both of them standing the lobby of the hospital.
"Let go off my arm!" She replied, looking at the grip his hand hand.
"Shehnaaz, what is wrong? Did something happen? Kisi ne kuch bola...."
He was speaking when, he heard the voice. "Sidharth?", the familiar voice. He had spent years with the same voice.
"I didn't expect you to be here.", she spoke looking at the woman whose arm he had held. Bhavya and Sidharth had not reconciled, but she had withdrawn the case at family court . Sidharth and his family had supported her with the failing health of her mother and she had been courteous to withdraw the case.
As soon as Sidharth saw her look at his hand at Shehnaaz's, he pulled it back. "Bhavya?", he spoke, looking at her, the word itself formed into a question.
Bhavya was dressed in a saree, similar to her styling. She was always a saree woman, chic and elegant. And perhaps that was the reason, Siddharth could never relate to the Shehnaaz in saree. Bhavya was pretty. A leaner, taller woman, 5.7 or 5.8 maybe, not exactly fairer in complexion, dark hair, almond and deep brown eyes, lips plump and pouty. Shehnaaz noticed that she was beautiful. "Excuse me!" Shehnaaz whispered, moving away from the couple. Neither did she like the woman's presence nor did she appreciate being present with the married the couple.
"I have been calling you. "
"Look, Bhavya, I don't know if" Sidharth began to speak, his fingers scratching the just above his eyebrow. He did not know if his equation with Bhavya had changed.
"Oh, no that Siddharth " she spoke back, placing her hand over his arm. "Mom, had another cardiac arrest, Siddharth. Aaj subah. "She spoke, her eyes hopeful. Sidharth was the only kin she knew other than her mother. And right, even with a the bad blood between them, they still.were a legal family.
Sidharth shook his head. It was complicated. He wasn't even sure if he wanted to talk to Bhavya, but at the same time, he could not deny her. He thought it was his responsibility.
" I am sorry....."
"Not that Siddharth, she's better. But I am scared. I don't know a thing and suddenly I feel so lonely..." she began to speak and tears clouded her eyes.
They were in the middle of corridor, facing each other as they talked. Shehnaaz stood at a distant corner, she did not have to wait, but she stood there. Afterall, had not Sidharth followed her to the hospital. She saw the two of them talk, Bhavya's hand on Sidharth's arm, her talking to him. She saw the woman move closer and place her head on his chest, while he stood still, and then a moment later, his arm gently wrapped the woman. Even with so much done and destroyed, they were still a family. Shehnaaz thought
Sidharth did not really know how to react. Bhavya was the reason he almost hated himself, she was the reason he had no peace. "Hey, please calm down. Please. " he whispered to the woman, as his arm went around her while he tried to calm a sobbing Bhavya.
Shehnaaz was done cleaning the apartment, it had been over an hour since she had walked back into her apartment. The moment she had seen, Siddharth hold Bhavya in an embrace she had walked away. She felt weird, a lot things, anger, lonliness and hunger the most important of that.
