The Second Chance

The Awakening

The hospital room was quiet, with only the soft beeping of the machines breaking the silence. Shaurya sat beside his mother’s bed, his heart heavy with anticipation and anxiety. It had been weeks since Preeta slipped into a coma, and the doctors had finally given a glimmer of hope about her waking up.

Doctor: "Shaurya, it looks like she’s starting to wake up. Stay close and talk to her. Familiar voices can help."

Shaurya leaned in closer, taking Preeta’s hand in his and gently squeezing it.

Shaurya: "Maa, it’s me, Shaurya. Can you hear me? Please wake up, Maa."

Preeta’s eyelids fluttered, her fingers twitching slightly. Slowly, her eyes opened, blinking against the bright light. She looked around, disoriented, her gaze finally settling on Shaurya’s face.

Preeta: "Where... where am I? What happened?"Shaurya’s heart leaped with relief and joy.

Shaurya: "You’re in the hospital, Maa. You’ve been in a coma. But you’re awake now. We’ve all been waiting for you."

Preeta struggled to recall her memories, her face creased with confusion.

Preeta: "A coma? I... I don’t remember anything."

Shaurya: "It’s okay, Maa. You’re safe now. We’ll help you remember."

Preeta looked around the room, her eyes landing on Palki, who had just entered.

Preeta: "Who is she?"

Shaurya hesitated for a moment before speaking.

Shaurya: "Maa, this is Palki. She’s my... wife."

Preeta’s eyes widened in surprise, trying to piece together the fragments of her memories.

Preeta: "Your wife? But... what about Aarohi?"

Shaurya’s face tightened at the mention of Aarohi, but he kept his voice calm.

Shaurya: "Aarohi passed away, Maa. It’s been very hard for all of us. Palki and I... we got married afterward."

Preeta looked at Palki, her expression softening.Preeta: "I’m so sorry for your loss, Shaurya. I’m glad you found someone to help you through it."

Palki forced a smile, feeling the weight of the lie.

Palki: "Thank you, Aunty. I’ll do my best to take care of him."Preeta’s eyes were filled with a mix of sadness and hope.

Preeta: "You must love each other very much."

Shaurya glanced at Palki, his expression unreadable.

Shaurya: "Yes, Maa. We do."

Shaurya and Palki brought Preeta home, settling her into the living room. Preeta looked around, still trying to adjust to her surroundings and her fractured memories.

Preeta: "This place feels so familiar, but it’s like I’m seeing it for the first time."

Shaurya: "It’s home, Maa. You’ll get used to it again."

As the evening wore on, Preeta’s curiosity about Shaurya and Palki’s relationship grew.

Preeta: "You two seem so happy together. How did you meet?"

Shaurya and Palki exchanged a quick, tense glance before Shaurya spoke up.

Shaurya: "Maa, it’s a long story. We had our challenges, but we’ve come a long way."

Preeta smiled warmly, not sensing the underlying tension.

Preeta: "I’m glad to see you both together. It means a lot to me."

Later that night, after Preeta had gone to bed, Shaurya and Palki found themselves alone in the living room. The weight of Preeta’s expectations hung heavily between them.

Shaurya: "Palki, I need to ask you something. For Maa’s sake, we need to pretend to be a loving couple. She needs to believe that we’re happy together."

Palki’s eyes filled with pain, but she nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Palki: "I’ll do it for her. But Shaurya, this can’t go on forever."

Shaurya: "I know. We’ll figure it out. But for now, we need to do this for her."

Palki sighed, the burden of their lie weighing heavily on her heart.

Palki: "Okay. For Preeta Maa.

Preeta was sitting at the breakfast table, looking around with curiosity. Shaurya and Palki entered the room, their expressions carefully neutral.

Preeta: "Good morning! Did you both sleep well?"

Palki smiled, trying to appear as natural as possible.

Palki: "Good morning, Aunty. Yes, we did."

Preeta’s face lit up with a hopeful smile.

Preeta: "I’ve been thinking... I know I’ve lost some memories, but seeing you two together makes me feel at peace. You must love each other very much."

Shaurya forced a smile, feeling the weight of the deception.

Shaurya: "We do, Maa."

Preeta: "I have an idea. Why don’t you both go to the temple today? Offer prayers together. It will be good for you."

Shaurya and Palki exchanged a quick glance, understanding the unspoken command.

Shaurya: "Of course, Maa. We’ll do that."

That's it for today's update
Signing off
Diksha

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