WIFE : BOUGHT AND PAID FOR

SHOT 34

Aryamann's POV:

I watched as Bhumi walked back and forth in the hospital waiting room, next to the room where Sammy had been taken. A nurse had appeared an hour ago and informed us that they needed to perform some tests before the bone marrow transplantation surgery. Abhi had been taken to the room for his much-needed sleep, and Chiara, the babysitter, was with him.

"Bhumi," I called out gently.

"Yes?" She asked without looking at me.

"Stop stressing, Bhumi," I told her softly.

The look she sent my way was ferocious.

"My little boy. My handsome little boy, who never had a mean bone in his life, is fighting for his life. Stress? Well, forgive me if I seem a little stressed," Bhumi snapped at me angrily.

As soon as the words were out, she shook her head.

"I am sorry, Aryamann. I shouldn't have shouted at you. It is not your fault," she said, her voice breaking.

"It is nobody's fault, Bhumi," I told her.

"If I had noticed it before. If I had paid a little more attention," Bhumi spoke in self-recriminations.

"Sammy would still be ill," I pointed out the obvious.

Another couple entered the waiting room. The lady was sobbing hard, and the man had his arms around her, holding her tight.

Bhumi paled even more, seeing the couple. I cursed softly and reached for her in a moment. A big fat tear rolled down her cheeks as she watched the anguish on the other couple's face.

"Let's go get some fresh air," I said, marching her out of the room.

My eyes connected with that of the other man, and an understanding passed between us. We are both fathers, heads of the families, trying to hold their family together from falling apart.

I took her to the hospital cafe and forced her to drink a glass of warm milk.

"You need to sleep, Bhumi. It's close to midnight. Go to Abhi and sleep with him. I will stay with Sammy tonight," I told her sternly.

"No. I can't. I can't sleep, Aryamann," she said, and a sob caught her throat.

"Bhumi," I called out softly.

"No. It's okay. I am not going to cry," she said, shaking her head.

"Maybe you should," I told her.

"What?"

"Cry it out, darling. Don't keep your emotions in. It is unhealthy," I said, and she let out a sarcastic laugh at that.

"Look who's talking? You, who have never expressed any emotion in your life, are talking about unhealthy? Funny!" Bhumi said, and I couldn't retort to that because what she said was true.

"Fine. Have it your way then," I told her.

"I am sorry. That was uncalled for," Bhumi said apologetically, and I waved it off.

"I wish I could do it for him," Bhumi said after a few minutes of silence.

"I know," I said because that's exactly what I feel. If there is any chance that I could switch places with Sammy, I would do it without a second thought.

"This hospital is one of the best here. You can trust them, Bhumi. And I have flown in the best surgeons from Delhi and Mumbai," I said.

"You have?" Bhumi asked in surprise.