ABHIMAAN TS- SHATTERED DREAMS

Adhure Khwab !!

Three weeks had passed since that terrible night, and in these three weeks, Abhira had felt the unrelenting love and care of Armaan more than ever. Armaan had devoted himself to her well-being, setting aside all else.

Two weeks back, on the day she returned to the Poddar house, Abhira had felt an odd mix of warmth and a tinge of sadness. She had never been visited by any family members except Dadi Sa, Madhav and Chorus Gang. It did hurt her to realise that even when she was in hospital, the family could not keep their indifference aside and atleast visit for the sake of formality. But then she had Armaan’s love and nothing else mattered to her then.

As the car pulled up to the mansion, she noticed Dadi sa standing at the gate, aarti thal in hand. Next to her were Madhav, Krish, Charu, Aaryan and Kiara, all smiling warmly. It was a small gathering, different from the usual grand welcome the family might have orchestrated in happier times. Abhira's heart ached momentarily at the absence of other familiar faces, yet she felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for those who were present. Their smiles and gentle embraces wrapped her in a warmth she hadn’t realized she needed so desperately.

From that moment on, Armaan had become her unwavering shadow. Dadi sa had approved his time away from the firm to care for Abhira, a decision that left her stunned. Armaan’s dedication to her was intense, almost as though he’d made it his life’s purpose to ensure she never felt even a hint of pain or discomfort again. He had stepped into the role of her caretaker wholeheartedly, tending to her every need and giving her attention she hadn’t felt in so long.

“Abhira, don’t sit like that; it’s uncomfortable for you. Here, let me adjust the pillow,” he’d say, tucking cushions around her gently. He’d hover around her constantly, offering reminders that bordered on amusing: “Abhira, don’t eat that; it’s not good for your recovery,” or “Abhira, don’t forget to take your medicine. Here, I’ll get it for you.”

In the mornings, he’d be in the kitchen, preparing meals just the way she liked, always with the chorus gang by his side—minus Aryan, who was occasionally replaced by Rohit. Their banter and laughter filled the house, softening its usual seriousness. They’d fuss over recipes, taste-test for each other, and laugh over small kitchen mishaps, making her recovery time more joyful than she could have imagined.

Every evening, Armaan would sit with her, singing her favorite songs, sometimes off-key, yet with such love that her heart swelled every time. He’d help her change the dressing and bandages, his fingers gentle as they brushed over her wounds, and his expressions so protective and tender that she felt the love radiating from him.

Abhira remembered the first time he had seen the wound and had cried hugging her stomach feeling sry for not being able to protect her. It had taken abhira lot of strength to get her grumpy husband to stop blaming himself and it only fueled his protectiveness for her. For the first time in months, Abhira felt cherished. She had never known how much she missed this warmth, this feeling of being treasured.

One night, they were playing carrom with Krish and Charu, laughing at Armaan’s competitive grumpiness whenever he missed a shot. In a moment of light-hearted conversation where krish had joked about armaan scolding the nurse when abhira had hissed in pain as the iv was removed, abhira being her usual mischievous self, had teased, “I guess I should hurt myself more often to get this much attention from you, Mr. Poddar.”

Armaan’s smile dropped, and he fell silent, his brows furrowing as he stared at her with a pained expression. For the next thirty minutes, he refused to talk, only muttering brief responses whenever she tried to get his attention. It was clear he’d taken her words to heart. She quickly realized her mistake and sidled up to him, whispering apologies and gently nudging him until he finally cracked a small smile.