The door was opened by his younger sister, Siya.
“Hi di.”
She didn't sound very excited like she usually was. That was the first hint that something was wrong. Anjali barged in and moved her eyes around the place frantically.
“Where the hell is your stupid brother? Kaha hai wo idiot?”
Siya looked hesitant to tell her and bit her lip. Anjali wiped her cheek again and sniffed.
“Siya! I'm asking something. Where is Abhimaan?”
“Wo bhaiya-wo apne room mai hai-”
Anjali caught the sadness in her tone and her alarm went off. Something was off.
“What is it? What are you guys hiding from me? Tell me Siya! Your brother had asked me for a breakup this morning. Over text.”
Siya’s eyes widened and she looked towards the door to her brother's room.
“I knew he'd do that. He's shut himself down di. Mujhe bhut darr lag raha hai. Kahi aana jaana band kr dia hai. Pura din bas room mai rehte hai and he doesn't talk to anyone much. He's just too disturbed since his diagnosis that-”
This took her attention. Her eyes snappd up to Siya and she asked in scared tone.
“Diagnosis? What diagnosis?”
“Bhaiya ne bataya nhi aapko apni condition ke baare mai?”
Anjali felt her heart skip a beat. Condition?
“Kaise condition Siya? What happened to him?”
Siya didn't say anything and Anjali felt her throat constrict. She thought the worse.
“Is he-is he dying? Bolo Siya! Say something! Is he dying?”
Siya looked at Anjali shocked. She was about to answer but Anjali sobbed and ran towards Abhimaan's room. She didn't bother knocking and just barged in.
Abhimaan was laid on his bed, covered with a blanket.
“Abhimaan!”
She cried out and his eyes snapped open. He pulled the blanket over him hiding himself completely from her.
“Why are you here? Didn't you get my message. We're over Anjali.”
She heard his muffled voice and sniffed.
“What happened to you? What diagnosis and what condition is Siya talking about? Bolo Abhimaan.”
She heard him sigh but he didn't say anything. A sob escaped her lips and he jolted straight. Anjali felt her breath being taken away when she saw his condition. He looked too weak. He'd lost so much weight.
Her lively Abhimaan was now replaced with a dull one, one who had dark circles. She ran towards him and into his arms.
“Abhimaan! No! Please tell me you'll be fine. Please say tum mujhe chhod kr kahi nhi jaa rhe. Thar you're fine. Oh God! I can't see you dying.”
He looked at her incredulously and then at Siya.
“What the hell did you say to her?”
Siya shrugged and left the two alone.
“Anjali? I'm not dying.”
She looked at him sniffing and asked in a scared tone.
“Then wh-what diagnosis and condition was Siya talking about? And why are you so weak?”
He sighed and wiped her tears.
“I did get diagnosed with a condition but it's not something likr cancer or life-threatening. I'm diagnosed with autoimmune thyroid disorder.”
Her expressions said she didn't know what it meant, so he elaborated for her.
“It's a thyroid disorder which includes both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism depending on what my body wants. Apparently it wants hypothyroidism at the moment and hence, the weight loss. Tomorrow I could weigh a 100 kgs. That's what the condition is.”
Anjali kept silent. Trying to process the information he gave her.
“How-how will the body decide what condition it will be in?”
She asked and he smiled sadly.
“When I take stress, like I have been because of the project and then the diagnosis, then I lose weight. Other times, it's medications and other drugs which result in weight gain.”
“Why did you send that breakup text?”
She asked in an angry tone. He looked away and said.
“You’ve seen my condition Anjali. Look at how I look. I'm not the same Abhimaan from college. The one you fell in love with. Today I'm like this. Kal I'll become fat and chubby. I don't want you to be stuck with someone who won't even look good beside someone as beautiful as you, just because you made some promises in childhood.”
She listened to him very patiently. She knew it was his insecurity speaking.
“Who said I fell in love with the good looking Abhimaan. I did get attracted to him. But I fell in love with my smart and intelligent Abhimaan jo har problem ko itni chhoti bana deta hai ki mujhe uske baare mai sochne ko zarurat hi nhi padti. And I still love him. I always will. You can't take that away from me Abhimaan.”
She started and then cupped his cheek.
“And who said you don't look good? You're the most handsome and good looking man for me. You'll always be meri jaan. I want you and only you Abhimaan.”
“Even if I become fat and chubby.”
“Especially if you become fat and chubby. I'd like that better than seeing you become so thin and weak. I want my man healthy and thriving. Not weak and dying.”
With that she kissed his eyes and he felt a few tears fall from his eyes. It somehow felt like a burden was lifted off his shoulders. She wasn't leaving him. Even after knowing his condition, she was staying.
Although that wasn't the end of his insecurity. At one point of time, he took so much stress because of his project that it landed him in hospital for excess weight loss. He'd given up on his dream project after that. Atleast until Anjali joined and supported him.
“This is something which is not just your dream Abhimaan. It's your life. Reh loge pure zindagi ek aisi job krke jo tum kabhi nhi chahte the?”
He had no answer. It was his life. She was right. But this very life was taking his life. The stress, the sleepless nights, the exhaustion, everything would kill him at this rate.
“I can't. I can't do this anymore Anjali. Nhi ho paa raha mujhse.”
He had broken down in her arms and she'd held him and given him support.
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