Tum Prem Ho

Chapter 16

As Vrinda read the paper, her heart sank. The report was about her mother, Sharvari, and it revealed the devastating truth: glioblastoma. Panic washed over her as she absorbed the information, tears spilling down her cheeks. Each moment spent with her mother flashed through her mind, and the weight of every cherished memory felt like a heavy stone in her chest.

Rushing to her mother's side, Vrinda clutched the report tightly. "Mummy... yeh kya hai? Aapne toh kaha tha reports nahi aaye... yeh kya hai, mummy?" Her voice trembled, choked by sobs.

"Beta, tum rona band karo pehle... yeh report mera nahi hai," Sharvari said softly, but Vrinda could see the pain in her mother's eyes.

"Mummy, please sach bata dijiye... kitna jhooth bolengi?" Vrinda's plea was filled with desperation, her hands shaking as she clung to the report.

At that moment, Sharad walked in, his face reflecting immediate concern. "Vrinda... kya hua, beta? Ro kyun rahi ho?"

"Papa, aapko yeh pata tha??" Vrinda asked, showing him the report, her hands trembling uncontrollably.

"Beta... woh..." Sharad struggled to find the right words, his eyes filled with sorrow.

"Papa, aapne kyu chhupaya mujhse? Main roz puchti thi... aur aap bas 'sab thik hai' kehte the... kyun nahi bataya?" Each word dripped with hurt, her voice rising with emotion.

"Mummy, yeh sach nahi hai, na? Yeh sach nahi ho sakta... please, mummy, bolo na yeh sach nahi hai?" Vrinda's voice wavered, searching her mother's eyes for any glimmer of hope.

But Sharvari's nod, a silent acknowledgment of the truth, felt like a dagger to Vrinda's heart. She collapsed, feeling utterly lost.

"Papa... kuch toh kar sakte hai, na? Doctor ne kya kaha... kuch toh treatment hoga?" Hope flickered in her eyes, desperately seeking answers.

"Nahi beta, doctor ne kaha... yeh last stage hai. Maine bahut koshish ki, par kuch nahi ho sakta," Sharad said, his voice cracking under the weight of his helplessness.

Overwhelmed, Vrinda turned and fled to her room, shutting the door behind her. She curled up on her bed, tears streaming down her face, haunted by the thought that her mother didn't have much time left. The thought twisted like a knife in her gut.

When Anish called, she didn't answer. After several agonizing minutes, he tried again. "Tum kaha ho?" His voice was laced with concern.

"Ghar pe hi hu..." Vrinda managed to reply, struggling to keep her voice steady.

"Tum thik toh ho na?" Anish pressed.

"Haan..." she said, but the word felt hollow.

"Call kyu nahi uthaya? Accha, chhod do. Free ho toh milte hain aaj?"

"Main aaj nahi mil sakti... main busy hoon..." A sob escaped her lips, betraying her resolve.

"Ghar pe ho na?" he asked again, sensing something was off.

"Haan..." she repeated, but it was a lie, a facade crumbling under the weight of her grief.

Concerned, Anish ended the call, but not before promising he'd check in on her.

A short while later, Anish arrived at her house. "Aunty, Vrinda kaha hai?" he asked Sharvari.

"Uske room mein hai," Sharvari replied, her voice heavy with worry.

"Kya aap usse bula sakti hain?" Anish requested, hopeful.

"Mujhe nahi lagta woh aayegi. Tum hi jao," Sharad said, his own heart aching for his daughter.