ᴍɪʜɪᴛʜᴀ-𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓪𝓷𝓮𝓵𝔂 𝓸𝓫𝓼𝓮𝓼𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷

chapter 54

       Author's pov

The sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air, mingling with the soft beeping of the machines that surrounded Mihitha’s hospital bed. Rudransh sat beside her, his hand clasped tightly around hers, the warmth of her skin a painful reminder of the life that pulsed within him and the silence that enveloped her. He had spent countless hours in this room, talking to her, praying for her, willing her to wake up. But today, something felt different. The weight of the air hung heavy with unspoken dread.

The door creaked open, and Dr. Kapoor, the attending physician, stepped in, his expression grave. Rudransh’s heart raced at the sight. He had come to know this doctor well, and he could sense that this visit would not bring good news. “Mr. Ranawath,” Dr. Kapoor began, his voice steady but low, “I need to talk to you.”

Rudransh’s heart dropped, and he instinctively tightened his grip on Mihitha’s hand, as if holding on to her could somehow stave off the reality that was about to hit him. “Is it about Mihitha?” he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

“Yes,” Dr. Kapoor replied, his gaze shifting from Rudransh to Mihitha’s still form. “I wish I had better news, but...”

“Just say it,” Rudransh interrupted, his impatience rising. He felt a knot forming in his stomach, a premonition of the storm that was about to break.

Dr. Kapoor took a deep breath, and Rudransh could see the lines of worry etched on his forehead. “Mihitha’s condition hasn’t improved. In fact, it has deteriorated. The scans show significant brain activity loss, and based on our assessments, it’s unlikely she will regain consciousness.”

The words hit Rudransh like a physical blow. He felt the room spin as the doctor’s voice faded into the background. “What do you mean? You can’t say that!” he shouted, standing abruptly, his heart pounding in his chest. “She’s going to wake up. She has to! You’re a doctor. You’re supposed to save her!”

Dr. Kapoor’s expression remained sympathetic but firm. “I understand your anger, but I’m afraid that the reality is—”

“No! You don’t understand anything!” Rudransh exploded, his emotions surging to the surface like a volcano erupting. “You don’t know what it’s like to sit here, day after day, hoping and praying, only to hear that my wife might never come back to me! You think I care about your clinical assessments? I care about her! I care about our family!”

Rudransh’s voice broke, and he could feel the heat of tears threatening to spill over. He turned to Mihitha, lying motionless on the bed, and the sight of her pale face sent a fresh wave of despair crashing over him. “Mihitha, please,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “You can’t leave us. You can’t leave me. You promised to be there, always.”

Dr. Kapoor watched him with a mixture of concern and understanding. “Rudransh, I’m truly sorry. We’ve done everything we can, but her body is not responding. It’s important for you to consider what that means for her quality of life, should she wake up. She may not be the same person you knew.”

The implications of those words pierced Rudransh’s heart like a dagger. “What quality of life? She’s my wife! I don’t care if she wakes up and can’t remember who I am. I just need her back! Don’t you understand?” His voice was rising with every word, fueled by pain and desperation. “You are supposed to save lives, not decide who deserves to live! Fight for her! Do your job!”

“I am fighting for her!” Dr. Kapoor insisted, his own frustration evident. “But I can’t perform miracles, Rudransh. You need to come to terms with the possibility that she might not come back. And if she does, it might not be the Mihitha you remember.”

“No!” Rudransh shouted, shaking his head vehemently. “I refuse to accept that! You have to try harder. You have to do more!” He took a step closer to the doctor, anger and grief mixing together in a toxic brew that threatened to spill over.

Dr. Kapoor sighed, the weight of the situation hanging heavily between them. “Rudransh, I know this is incredibly difficult, and I wish I could give you more hope, but I can’t lie to you. You deserve the truth.”

Rudransh’s chest heaved with the force of his emotions, and for a moment, he felt lost, adrift in an ocean of despair. “I don’t want the truth. I want my wife!” he yelled, anguish spilling from his heart. “I want my family! Is that too much to ask?”

Dr. Kapoor took a step back, the tension in the room palpable. “You need to think about the best way to honor her, no matter what happens,” he said softly. “Sometimes, letting go is the hardest decision we have to make.”

Rudransh felt the ground beneath him crumble. Letting go? The mere thought of it was unbearable. “You’re asking me to give up on her,” he whispered, his voice trembling. “I can’t. I won’t. I’m not ready for that.”

“Rudransh, this isn’t about giving up. It’s about understanding the reality of her situation,” Dr. Kapoor replied gently. “You need to be prepared for what’s to come.”

Rudransh felt his heart shatter at those words. The reality of the situation crashed over him like a tidal wave, dragging him under. “I can’t do this,” he murmured, tears streaming down his face. “I can’t live in a world without her.”

He turned back to Mihitha, feeling as if he were losing her all over again. “Mihitha,” he said, his voice breaking as he reached out to stroke her hair. “Please, fight for us. You’re stronger than this. I know you are. Just wake up, and everything will be okay.”

But deep down, he felt the cold grip of fear tightening around his heart. What if she never woke up? What if he had to face a future without her smile, without her laughter?

As Dr. Kapoor left the room, Rudransh sank back into the chair, his heart heavy with despair. The sterile walls of the hospital felt like a prison, closing in around him, suffocating him with the weight of his grief. He ran his hands through his hair, frustration coursing through him like poison.

With every moment that passed, he felt more lost, more desperate. The thought of losing Mihitha was unbearable, and the prospect of life without her seemed unthinkable. He needed to fight for her, to keep hope alive, no matter what anyone said.

“Please, Mihitha,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “I can’t do this without you. I need you to come back. We can figure this out together. Just… just wake up for me. For Nila. For us.”

He leaned closer, resting his forehead against her hand, feeling the warmth seep into his skin. The tears fell freely now, each sob ripping through him like a jagged knife. “I love you, Mihitha. I love you more than words can express. Please, don’t leave me. I’m begging you.”

The silence in the room was deafening, and Rudransh felt the weight of his words hanging in the air, unanswered. He knew he would do anything to bring her back, to fight against the darkness that threatened to consume him.

As he sat there, he vowed to keep fighting, to keep praying, and to keep hoping that somehow, some way, Mihitha would return to him. He would not let her go without a fight. He refused to accept that their love story could end like this.

The minutes turned into hours as he sat by her side, lost in a whirlwind of emotions. He couldn’t imagine a life without her, and he wouldn’t allow himself to even think of such a future. She was his wife, his partner, his love, and he would fight for her with every ounce of strength he had left.

And in that sterile room, filled with the sounds of machines and the memories of laughter and love, Rudransh clung to the hope that one day, he would see her beautiful smile again.