Don't leave me behind

Leaving me behind all alone

When Virat reaches the bus accident site after getting a order from upper level, to check the situation. Tragically finds it to be same bus one on which Sai got on when finds her luggage in pile to items to be claimed, and starts disparately searching for Sai and his son, later finding the scrap of Sai sari, breakdowns, coming to the worse conclusion. Further on searching on every list of  deceased, alive and rescued, and transferred persons to the nearby hospitals, decides to visit each and every one he could, but meets disappointment only. 

His wife and his son is forever lost to him. Somehow he find himself bone crushingly tired but still wandering listlessly in the hallways of the last hospital on the list, and there hears cries of a baby coming from the NICU section.

Approaches and stand to observes from the big window in the wall separating them. Sees a flurry of nurses present inside trying to calm down a red faced crying baby. His hearts breaks, already shattered from the tragedy he find his life becoming. Heart clenching at the piercing cries. 

Virat's breath hitched and he thought, he will never get to soothe his son's cries, give him comfort, never to see his grow. 

Virat get startled lost in grief, when an elderly nurse taps at his shoulder from back. "Umm. Sir what're you doing here?"

"Umm..I.. I.." 

"Oh Are you that baby's father." She sympathized.

"I.. I..lost.. lost my..." wife and my son but those words get stuck as if saying it out loud would make it actual reality. He has lost his whole world. As few tears escape Virat's eyes.

"Come. Come. Here wash your hands." As if seeing the emotional disaster Virat has become, the nurse taking hold his shirt sleeve gently directs him through motions. 

"Let's go reunite you both." Before Virat even could protest any further or clear the misunderstanding taking place. Transfers the still wailing baby from the tensed nurse on the duty into his arms. "Here take him."

And the gateway of his sorrow opens, his tears are no longer restrained, flows out freely. He thinks of Vinayak.

But the baby calms down slowly, soft hiccups still coming. Virat find his body automatically doing what he did whenever his Vinayak used to cry, rocking him gently and humming and mirroring lullabies Sai sang to their son.

As a sob finally breakthrough, he sobs out. "Sai... Sai... Vinu... mera Vinu..." The nurse that brought him here still there observing, when sees him sobbing. Tries to console him.

"Hey. He is okay now. See how he stopped crying with you. He know he's fine." Gently patting him on his shoulder, continues her talk.

"He came here today after that big bus accident, won't stop crying after getting treated and waking up. I felt sad when no one came for him. But no god want children in pain, so now you here, see he is soothed finally now and trying to sleep in your arms peacefully." She continues. 

Virat carefully handling the baby, wipes his tears that made his sight blur, look down to the baby really sleeping peacefully now.

Then his head snaps upwards as he catches onto the words just being said, shock clear in his eyes. "What did you just say? Can you repeat... Please... please." He begs shamelessly. 

Repeating herself in confusion. The nurse adds. "See, told you. Was just waiting for his daddy."

A hope blossoms in his heart, "Did anyone else came with him? His Mother?"

"The baby was referred here from small clinic but came here alone for follow up care, no one else was there as mother or guardian." Nurse replies sombrely. Agony burns through Virat but he still pushes through.