yun hi tu mere saath rehna

Chapter Three

“Akshu!” Mishti cried out, waking from a nightmare. 

“Mishti, it's okay,” Abir assured her, pulling her into a hug. “It's okay,” he repeated, kissing her head. Mishti was crying, clinging tightly to him. He could feel the sweat from her head on his neck as her tears stained his tee. 

“Sir! Everything okay?” Abhira asked, rushing into the room, panicked. Abir was confused to see her for a second before he remembered how Armaan and Abhira had talked them into spending the night at the outhouse. By the time they'd been done with dinner and the million things they seemed to want to say to each other, it had gotten too late to go back to the hotel. Armaan had also said something about how he'd feel better if he knew there was someone staying with Abhira, and so, Mishti had agreed. Abir was only too happy to follow suit. 

“Nightmare,” he mouthed to Abhira who was looking at Mishti, extremely worried.

“Abir… Mujhe bohot bechaini ho rahi hai. Bilkul uss tarah jaise ek saal pehle hui thi. Akshu ko humaari zaroorat hai,” Mishti explained. “Humein uske paas hona chahiye, Abir. She needs us.”

“I know, Mishti. I know,” Abir answered. “I promise, main humaari Akshu ko dhoondke waapas launga. Phir tum usse khoob daant lagaaana. Aur hum usse kabhi apne se alag nahi hone denge, okay?”

“Lekin humein uske paas abhi hona hai, Abir. Baad mein nahi,” Mishti sobbed. “Itne saal ho gaye. Pata nahi meri bachchi kis haal mein hai. Kaise guzaare usne itne saal akele. Main… Main Taima, Naira Di, aur BF ko kya munh dikhaungi, Abir? Main Badi Maa aur Bade Papa ko kaise face karungi? Unhone mere liye sab kuch kiya… Aur main Akshu ke liye kuch nahi kar paayi.”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Abir pushed her back so that he could look her in the eye. “It's okay. Maine kaha na. Akshu ghar waapas aayegi, Mishti. Phir sab theek ho jaayega.”

“Abir… Mujhe Akshu wala gaana sunaoge? Please. Mujhe uski bohot yaad aa rahi hai,” Mishti mumbled. 

“Of course,” Abir whispered. Taking a deep breath, he sang the song that Akshu used to love. 

“O Kanha, ab toh murli ki,

Madhur sunaa do taan…

O Kanha, ab toh murli ki,

Madhur sunaa do taan…”

He had a beautiful voice but Abhira didn't register anything after that first couplet. That was her mother's song. How did Abir know it? Were they talking about her mother when they said Akshu? Akshara… Akshu. Were they her family? Was that why she'd felt such a deep connection to them the moment they'd met? Abhira didn't dare hope. She couldn't. Her mother had been her only family.

“Abir, tumhaare partner se kaho na ki humein jaldi apni Akshu se milwa de. Woh meri baat toh nahi sunn rahe, lekin shayad tumhaari sunn jaaye,” Mishti murmured once she'd calmed down a little. 

“Main roz unse yehi toh maangta hoon, Mishti. Bas Akshu ghar aa jaaye. Mujhe aur kuch nahi chahiye. Pata nahi kis haal mein hogi woh. Abhinav se vaada kiya tha maine ki Akshu ka poora khayal rakhunga main,” Abir replied. “Aur tumhe pata haina, main vaada nibhane se kabhi peeche nahi hat'ta. Yeh wala bhi nibhaunga.”

“Abir Sir,” Abhira whispered, scared beyond belief, hoping beyond hope. The coincidences were just too many. They had to mean something more.

“Oh, Abhira!” Abir exclaimed softly. “I'm sorry, main bhool hi gaya tha ki tum yahaan ho. Tumhe disturb karne ke liye I'm so sorry.”

“Aap sorry kyun keh rahe hain? Aap please sorry mat kahiye,” Abhira replied. “But… Main aapse ek baat poochna chaahti hoon.”

“Haan… Poocho na,” Abir encouraged. “Tum kuch bhi pooch sakti ho. Hichkichao mat.” He didn't know why but he felt compelled to tell her that she could always come to him.