Through Time And Expectations

Midnight Call

It was late at night, the air thick with the biting chill of December. The fog outside blurred the city lights, leaving the sky a murky red. In her room, nestled under a powder blue quilt, Krishvika lay sprawled across her bed, the faint glow from her bedside lamp casting a soft shadow on her cream-colored walls. Her night suit—an oversized white sweatshirt and powder blue fluffy pajama bottoms—was warm against her skin, the soft fabric hugging her petite frame. Her long, straight black hair, which fell to her waist, lay messily across the pillows. She had barely closed her eyes after hours of prepping for the New Year's Eve party.

It was the second last day of the year, and only a few minutes into December 31st when the sudden ringing of her phone pierced the silent room. Groggy and disoriented, Krishvika blinked at the screen, the name "Bander"*appearing with a cute monkey and heart emoji—a nickname for Luv, her little brother like friend.

"Why is he calling at this hour?" she wondered, rubbing her tired eyes. They had just spent the entire day together, laughing, teasing, and prepping for tomorrow's no...today's party.

Her fingers fumbled as she reached for her phone, but the ringing stopped. Confused, she placed the phone back on the nightstand, her heart settling, thinking he might have called by mistake. She adjusted her night suit, tugging the hem of her top as she shifted back under the quilt, trying to get comfortable again.

But then, a sudden clatter from downstairs made her sit up straight. The floorboards creaked as hurried footsteps approached her room. Just then, her phone rang again, the shrill sound intensifying her worry.

She picked up the call, the confusion on her face deepening into concern. "Luv, kya hua?" she whispered urgently into the phone. Before Luv could respond, the door to her room swung open. The sudden light from the hallway spilled into her room, illuminating the worried face of her father, Barun Bansal. His eyes locked with hers, instantly reading the shock in her expression.

"Luv... kya?" she began, her voice trembling slightly as she pressed the phone tighter to her ear.

His boyish voice was shaky, tinged with panic. "Didi, Dadu... heart attack... Chachi's not answering her phone... I don't know what to do!" The worry in Luv's tone cut through her grogginess, sending a chill down her spine.

Barun stepped closer to her, his hand extended. "Phone mujhe do," he said gently, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Krishvika passed him the phone, still reeling from Luv's words. Her father took the phone and spoke in his usual calm demeanor, "Luv, beta, calm down. Your Garima Chachi hospital ke liye nikal gayi hai...she will reach in a few minutes. The hospital contacted us. Sab handle ho raha hai. Tum tension mat lo, bas shant raho...stay strong and gather the necessary documents from Uncle's room. We are also reaching in a few minutes to pick you up from home."

The weight of her father's words eased a bit of the tension knotting in Krishvika's stomach. As Barun reassured Luv, he explained that her mother, Dr. Garima Bansal, a cardiologist and Luv's grandfather's doctor, had already rushed to the hospital when she got the call. Lakshya and his father, Rajeev, were out of town on a business trip, leaving only Maitri, Luv, and Dadu at home when the heart attack occurred.

As soon as her father hung up, he turned to her, his voice urgent but calm. "Krishi...put on a jacket quickly. We need to leave for the hospital."

Krishvika's heart raced. Her thoughts swirled, but her immediate concern was Luv and Maitri Chachi. She couldn't imagine what he was going through, being home alone with when something so terrifying happened. Quickly, she grabbed her fluffy white jacket, zipped it up, and shoved her feet into bunny slippers without caring about her appearance. Her fingers shook as she reached for her phone and followed her father downstairs.

The moment they stepped out of their apartment building, the night's chill hit her like a slap to the face. The fog was dense, and the city was eerily quiet. Barun was already in the car, waiting for her. She slid into the passenger seat, the cold leather beneath her making her shiver.

As the car sped towards the hospital, her mind was overwhelmed by concern for Luv. her focus was solely on comforting the boy who had always looked up to her like a sister.

"Luv is probably freaking out right now," she thought to herself. Her heart ached for him, imagining him pacing around the house in fear and helplessness. She remembered how close the two of them were, a solid trio with his younger brother and her own sister. Even though there was an age gap between them, she always felt responsible for Luv, like an older sibling.

"Will Dadu be okay? He was doing so well since the last two years..." she mumbled under her breath, barely registering her father's glance in her direction.

Barun's voice broke her thoughts. "He'll be fine, beta. Mama is with him. You know she's the best at what she does."

Krishvika nodded, but her mind was still on Luv. She reached for her phone, contemplating whether to call him, but decided against it. He must already be stressed, and her father's words should have calmed him down.