Closure

6. Mistake

Abhi stepped out of the ICU, his face reflecting both exhaustion and relief. He said, "The patient is out of danger. Nothing to worry."

Akshu's face lit up with a wide smile. She wanted to hug Abhi, but mindful of their surroundings, she restrained herself and simply said, "Thank you!"

Later, the family was allowed to meet Manish. As the Goenkas slowly moved toward the room where Manish was, Swarna looked back at Akshu and signaled her to stop. "I don't think you should go inside. He is out of danger but still weak. Clearly, you are the reason why he ended up here. Who knows, looking at you might trigger him. You can see him later when he is stronger."

Akshu stood there, stunned. Abhi, being Manish's doctor, was right there and heard it all. He saw the pain in Akshu's eyes and felt it himself ten times more. Akshu, on the other hand, kept replaying "Clearly, you are the reason why he ended up here." in her head and then fainted. Abhi caught her in time.

She attempted to sit up, but Abhi gently stopped her, "No, I'll feed you. You don't need to move." With tender care, Abhi fed her small bites like a doting caretaker. Akshu couldn't help but smile at being treated like a little baby, the sight of Abhi next to her warming her heart. However, the events of the previous night flooded back to her, causing her smile to fade.

Once Abhi had fed her, he began to speak slowly, "Akshu, our families are like Montagues and Capulets. I don't want our story to be a tragedy like Romeo and Juliet's. All I want is to be with you. So," he got down on one knee, "will you marry me? We can leave all this mess behind and find happiness together."

Akshu was taken aback, "Abhi, I do want to marry you. But with the blessings of both our families."

"Akshu, we've waited for months hoping things would improve, but they've only worsened," Abhi said earnestly, holding both of her hands while kneeling before her. "Ma will support us, and she can visit us. Your family will come around in time."

"Abhi, Bade Papa is not well. How will he feel if I elope with you? I want to be with you, but not like this."

"You're saying no," Abhi concluded, feeling the sting of rejection, and began to move away.

Akshu tried to stop him, calling out his name, but he walked out, the door closing behind him.

Outside, Abhi replayed their conversation in his mind. He realized he had misinterpreted Akshu's words and overreacted. Resolving to clarify, he turned back to go towards the room.

Inside, Akshu was confiding in Kairav, pouring out her heart. "I blame myself for Bade Papa's condition. I wish none of this had happened. Can we turn back time and go back to when we were all happy?"

Unbeknownst to Akshu, Abhi stood just outside the slightly open door, overhearing her words. Misinterpreting her plea as regret over their relationship, he felt a wave of devastation wash over him. Feeling crushed, he silently left.

Akshu continued to wrestle with her emotions, her heart heavy with convoluted thoughts. "But if I turn back time, I'll lose my Abhi, and I can't," she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I can't lose my Abhi. I love him with every fiber of my being. Losing him would mean losing myself. How can I make everyone understand and accept this?"

Meanwhile, Abhi walked away with a heart heavy enough to burden the heavens themselves. Akshu's words reverberated through his mind like a relentless echo in a cavern of despair. "If I'm a mistake, Akshu, then let's correct it," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, each syllable laden with the weight of his anguish. His eyes burned with a fiery pain that threatened to consume him whole.