Pyaar ki Takrar

Chapter 18: Unexpected Revelation

Twinkle's hands trembled as she held the phone close to her ear. The tension in the room, already thick, seemed to get heavier with every passing second. Kunj, sensing something was wrong, moved closer to her, his eyes filled with concern. Twinkle's heart raced as she listened to her mother's voice.

"Twinkle... beta, mujhe tumse zaroori baat karni hai," Leela Maa's voice wavered. It wasn't just any call; there was a deep sense of urgency that made Twinkle's stomach churn.

Twinkle swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper, "Kya hua, Maa? Sab theek toh hai?"

Leela sighed deeply, as if the words were too heavy to utter. "Tumhare papa ke bare mein baat hai..."

Twinkle froze. Her father, the one person she had always seen as strong and invincible, suddenly became the topic of concern. "Papa? Kya hua unhe?" Her voice was frantic now, a mix of worry and fear bubbling up.

Kunj instinctively reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as if to assure her that he was right there beside her. Twinkle didn't realize how much she needed that until the warmth of his touch calmed her, if only for a moment.

"Doctor ne kaha hai ke unki tabiyat bohot bigad gayi hai. Beta, tumhe jaldi wapas aana hoga," Leela's voice cracked.

Twinkle's breath hitched. Her mind was racing. She had been so caught up in the chaos of her own life that she hadn't even considered something might be wrong back home.

"Maa, main abhi aati hoon," Twinkle managed to say, her voice thick with emotion. She ended the call and looked at Kunj, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"Kya hua?" Kunj asked softly, still holding her hand.

Twinkle tried to hold back her tears, but one slipped down her cheek. "Papa ki tabiyat bohot kharab hai, Kunj. Mujhe wapas ghar jaana hoga... abhi ke abhi."

Kunj didn't hesitate for a second. "Main tumhare saath chalunga."

Twinkle shook her head, trying to refuse. "Nahi, tumhe apne kaam-"

Kunj cut her off, his expression firm. "Twinkle, tumhe lagta hai main tumhe aise situation mein akele jaane dunga? I'm coming with you. No arguments."

Twinkle looked into his eyes, her heart softening at his unwavering support. She knew she didn't have the strength to do this alone. "Thank you, Kunj."

---

The Journey Home

Within minutes, Kunj and Twinkle were in the car, heading toward her parents' house. The silence between them was filled with unspoken words, but Kunj's presence next to her was enough to keep her grounded. His hand remained on hers, their fingers intertwined on her lap. She leaned against the window, watching the city lights blur by, her mind racing with thoughts of her father, her family, and how everything felt like it was spiraling out of control.

"Papa ko kuch nahi hoga, Twinkle," Kunj said softly, as if reading her mind. "Woh strong hain, unko kuch nahi hoga."

Twinkle nodded, but the worry in her heart wouldn't go away. She desperately wanted to believe Kunj's words, but a part of her was terrified. The unknown was looming over her like a dark cloud.

As they neared her parents' house, Twinkle's heart began to pound in her chest. The familiar sight of her childhood home, once a place of comfort, now felt like a reminder of everything that could go wrong.

When they pulled into the driveway, Twinkle felt her breath catch in her throat. She glanced at Kunj, who gave her hand another squeeze before stepping out of the car.