Closure

20. Remember

Akshu hurried back to Udaipur, her fingers nervously tracing the ring Abhi had given her as she prayed for his safety. Upon arriving at the hospital, she found Abhi lying unconscious on the bed. The sight was too much for her to bear, and she fainted.

When Akshu regained consciousness, she was in another room, and Manjiri was by her side. With a heavy heart, Manjiri explained what had happened. Abhi had been riding his bike when a speeding car collided with him. Though he was wearing a helmet, it came loose, and his head took the brunt of the impact. The doctor had diagnosed him with retrograde amnesia, meaning he couldn't remember recent events. There was a chance he might regain his memories with time, but nothing was certain. They couldn't rush the process, as pushing someone to remember could heighten stress and anxiety, potentially hindering the recovery.

Akshu's voice trembled as she asked, "But he's alright, right?"

Manjiri nodded gently. "Yes, he just regained consciousness a while ago."

A wave of relief washed over Akshu. "Can I go see him?"

Manjiri's expression turned somber. "Akshu, I don't think he remembers you. We know him well enough to know that if he did, he would have asked for you the moment he woke up. He hasn't mentioned your name even once."

The realization hit Akshu like a blow. Abhi had forgotten the past, including their relationship. He didn't know who she was, let alone that he loved her.

Despite this, Akshu clung to a sliver of hope. Maybe seeing her would trigger some memory, some recognition. She grabbed a tray of medicines and went to his room. Their eyes met, but there was no spark of recognition in Abhi's gaze. Heartbroken, she placed the medicine on the table and turned to leave when Abhi spoke.

"Excuse me?"

She paused, her heart racing. "Yes?"

"Can you please ask Dr. Sinha to visit soon? I have some questions."

Akshu swallowed her disappointment. "Sure."

She conveyed Abhi's message to the doctor and then saw Manish sitting outside. Slowly, she walked over to him, sat down, and rested her head on his shoulder, the tears finally spilling over. "Why me, Bade Papa? Why me?"

Manish, aware of Abhi's condition and his loss of memory regarding Akshu, wrapped an arm around her, letting her cry out her grief. "Akshu," he said softly, "even if Abhi's mind doesn't remember you, his heart will. I can't predict when or if he'll remember you, but I'm absolutely certain he'll fall in love with you all over again if he doesn't. His mind might falter, but his heart stays steadfast."

In the days that followed, Akshu stayed home, deeply affected by Abhi's accident and partial amnesia, which caused her considerable stress and fever. It took some time for her to gather her thoughts and recuperate.

Once she felt better, Akshu made her way to the park by the lake, the place where she and Abhi had shared many cherished moments. She decided it was time to open the tin box they had buried on one of their dates. Never before had she felt so distant from him, nor had she ever missed him so deeply.

Inside the box, she found the letter from Abhi. His words were a balm to her soul: "Akshu, you are the greatest blessing in my life. I will never forget the moment I heard you sing for the first time, the instant I fell in love with you—a love that has transformed my life into something extraordinarily beautiful. I love you, Akshu, and I promise to love you until my last breath, and beyond."

Akshu read the letter repeatedly, each word sinking deep into her heart. She held it close, closing her eyes as if to capture the essence of his love.

Abhi's heartfelt words infused her with newfound strength—the strength to persevere. Though cautioned against pressuring Abhi to remember, the medical team had encouraged gentle stimuli to aid his memory recovery. Determined, Akshu made a pivotal decision: she would join Birla Hospital as a music therapist, hoping her presence would help jog Abhi's memory of their shared past. Despite the heartbreak of his current state, she remained resolute in her resolve to help him remember their love.