Raat Akeli Hai | 𝒂𝒏𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒋

XXXXIV. choose you

vanraj :

We were at the hospital, agitated while Sumedh was inside, being operated upon.
Anupamaa sat very silently on a seat while I strode up and down, in silence.
My heart pacing wildly.
Anupamaa refused to get the dressing done on her wound until she heard Sumedh was fine.
Dimpy was here with us, sitting on a seat, constantly wiping her tears and praying.
The others had been sent home to manage the media and other things.

The news would not go out.

I tore my gaze off the OT door and looked at her.
She sat very still, glassey eyes.
I gulped.
I had heard how she had broken down on Samar's death, I had watched her run down the stairs calling is name and falling unconscious on the ground through the blur of my tears. She had fought tooth and nail to get him justice.

Yet, I never understood how she had moved on so quick back then.
That is where my feud with her started.
Anupamaa and I had always been two sides of the same coin, two edges of the same stick, our ways were different but we always ended up together in tragedy.
Yet, I had been in a rehab and she had moved on to manage the Kapadias back then, along with my Baa Bapuji.

After a month or so, it just seemed like Samar was an almost forgotten piece of her life.
I gulped, driving off the thoughts.
They stung, the thought of them stung.
Maybe it was my guilt that still haunted me to this day, but to her it was her beloved child.
Her favourite, her soldier, her everything - yet she had moved on.
She had forgiven the man who had caused it.
Had Anuj not fought with drunk men that day.. my son would have lived.
The bullet had not been for my son, yet he had run to save Anuj in hope that the man would always love and respect his mother.

But things do not go the way we assume, do they?

How long had it been until the same man had let go off her?
Another year and he had replaced her with another woman.
And yet, she considered him the better man.
I was still the bad guy, and she would still choose him over him.

Hatred soared through me as I tore my gaze off her, drawing in a cold breath.

But how could I turn away this way?
Her hand was bleeding and she couldn't care less.
She might just catch an infection.

I walked down to the nurses and asked them to get me a first aid box.
Taking it, I went and sat beside Anupamaa.
She seemed dazed.
I edged closer to her and removed the saree over the wound. It was just a graze over the skin, but it bled.
I took her arm, she did not resist.
I gently applied the antiseptic lotion, it obviously burned, but she did not react.
I put the bandage around her arm carefully.

"Will he live, Mister Shah?", She asked softly.
I looked up as I finished with tying the bandage.
She turned to look at me.
A tear finally escaped her eye.

My heart wrenched.
I had seen her cry so many times, a lot of times because of me - yet today it ached differently. This was the first time she had tears of sadness after she said yes to marrying me.

I immediately edged closer, wiping her tears.
"He will be fine, Anu.. Don't worry.", I whispered as comfortingly as possible.
She stood up abruptly and walked down to the door, looking in.
Something about her seemed off.
As if she wasn't really in her senses.

"Mister Shah.. call Kapadia ji.", She said, sounding unsettled.
I stared at her.
Dimpy looked up too.
"Anupamaa-"
"Call him! He-he can help.. I.. I need him..", She mumbled.
I continued staring at her, feeling voiceless for the first time.

And as if it was a celestial misery moment, Anuj rushed down to us.
"I-I heard about Sumedh from Aadhya.. is he fine-"

He could not complete.
Anupamaa ran down to him, wrapping her arms around him.
Breaking down.

He froze.
Shruti rushed in behind him, and froze as well.

"See-see na Kapadia ji.. Samar.. Samar is still not waking up.. But-but he is alive..", She released him, wiping her tears.
"You said he.. he was dead.. He.. He is not dead.. He is alive..", She added.

Shruti rushed in and pulled her away from Anuj.
I immediately edged forward to hold her, but she regained balance instantly.

"Stay away!", Shruti snapped.
Anuj stared at Anupamaa awkwardly.
Shruti looked at me, accusatorily.
"Handle your girlfriend, Shah! How dare she touch my husband?!", She snapped.
I did not seem to find logic.
"What?! Who's girlfriend?! What are you saying?", Anupamaa shouted back, panicked.

"I..I am married to Anuj.. I-I love him."

Had someone pushed a dagger through my heart, it would have hurt less.

She turned to look at me.
"Where is Kavya? Where-"
"Anupamaa Joshi, are you insane?! What-"
"Shruti!", I snapped at her, feeling tears well up.
"What?! I told you! Your girlfriend has no intentions of marrying you! I am pretty sure you are just timepass.. she is just waiting for my marriage with Anuj to end and she will run back to him!", She snarled.

"Homewrecker.", She added coldly.

"Miss Ahuja!", I snapped louder.
"Please take your man and leave.", I added, gulping.

"Her man?! What-what-"
"Anu calm down-", I tried to edge closer to her but she pushed me away.
"You are back to it, Mister Shah?! How can you?!", She snapped.
Anuj walked down to me, inhaling deeply.
"I think it is the shock Vanraj. She is thinking it is Samar inside.", He said.
I nodded, he did have a point.

"Look, I do not intend to come between both of you. Not anymore. I understand her happiness lies with this family, I am just concerned. I have found myself peace with what I have. I don't need any more complications.", He added.
I stared at Anupamaa, she looked at Anuj helplessly.
"Anuj let's go.", Shruti said coldly.
"No! No.. Anuj.. I-I need you.. Please..", Anupamaa said, almost begged.

Why had the mafia not hit me? Why was I outside and not on a hospital bed?
My breath caught up.
I felt helpless.
My son was inside, on the hospital bed.
And the woman I loved did not seem to remember that she loved me.

"Anuj, please stay.", I mumbled, "For this evening."
"But-"
I joined my hands, feeling defeated.
"Please."