RESTART

chapter 19

It was a bright Sunday morning when Jeevika and Abhiman made their way to the hospital. The atmosphere was heavy with anticipation, but Jeevika felt a different kind of tension within her. She needed to uncover the truth about her stepmother, Kamini, without Abhiman catching wind of her intentions.

Upon their arrival, they were informed that the doctor was caught up in an emergency, leaving them to wait in the sterile, brightly lit waiting room. Abhiman was preoccupied with his phone, responding to a flurry of work messages. This presented an opportunity for Jeevika.

As she sat beside him, a plan began to form in her mind. “Abhiman, I need to use the washroom,” she said, her voice steady despite her racing heart.

“Okay, I’ll be right here,” he replied, his attention still fixed on the screen.

Taking a deep breath, Jeevika made her way down the corridor, her mind focused on her objective. She recalled the nurse she had seen earlier, an older woman who had worked at the hospital for years. If anyone would have information about Kamini’s past and her pregnancy, it would be her.

After a few moments of searching, she spotted the nurse in a quieter corner of the hospital, organizing some files. “Excuse me,” Jeevika approached, her voice low and urgent. “Do you remember Kamini Sharma?”

The nurse looked up, her expression shifting to one of recognition. “Yes, I remember her,” she said, folding her arms as she leaned against the counter. “What do you want to know?”

Jeevika quickly recounted her interest, being careful to frame her questions as casual curiosity. “I just heard some stories about her pregnancy after her marriage to my father. I was wondering if you knew anything about it.”

The nurse glanced around, ensuring no one was within earshot. “Well, Kamini had quite a tumultuous past,” she began. “She was married before marrying your father, and there were rumors about her first husband. There was a lot of talk about her daughter being born only five months after her first marriage—”

Before she could finish, Jeevika’s heart raced with realization. The pieces of her past were starting to fall into place. She listened intently, absorbing every detail.

“—but after her marriage to your father, she cut ties with her first family. They were all a bit shady, if you ask me. I wouldn’t trust them,” the nurse continued.

Just then, Jeevika heard Abhiman calling her name down the hallway. Panic surged through her; she couldn’t let him find her here.

“I have to go,” Jeevika said hurriedly, thanking the nurse for her help as she slipped away. She retraced her steps back to the waiting area, where Abhiman stood, his brow furrowed in concern.

“Jeevika! I was looking for you. You said you got lost?” he asked, relief flooding his expression.

“Yeah, I just… took a wrong turn,” she lied, forcing a smile to mask her inner turmoil.

“Let’s go see the doctor,” he suggested, taking her hand and leading her towards the consultation room.

As they walked together, Jeevika’s mind was racing with the newfound information. She had taken a step closer to understanding her stepmother’s past and the mystery surrounding her family. But now, she had to find a way to uncover more without raising Abhiman’s suspicions.