ABHIMAAN TS- SHATTERED DREAMS

Chaoro !!

The early morning air was still and silent, a quiet calm settling over the room. The sky outside was a deep blue, untouched by the first rays of dawn, as the world slept on. Abhira stirred, her body feeling the faint ache from the uncomfortable position she and Armaan had fallen asleep in last night. Her head rested against his chest, his arm wrapped tightly around her waist as though he feared she might slip away in the darkness. She blinked, glancing up at him, taking in his sleeping face—a mixture of fierce protectiveness and vulnerability.

As she looked down, her gaze fell upon the crumpled medical report still held between her fingers. The edges were wrinkled, softened from where her grip had tightened on it last night, and faint stains of dried tears marked the paper, a painful testament to the truth they had uncovered. A wave of sorrow washed over her as she realized that this paper, fragile and worn, was all that remained of the life they had lost—their baby, their dream.

She drew in a trembling breath, letting her thumb graze the paper gently, as though afraid even to hold it too tightly, fearing it would crumble further. This was the only connection she had left to a memory she hadn’t fully realized until last night.

Abhira lifted her gaze, her eyes falling on Armaan’s face. In the gentle pre-dawn light, his features were softened, yet there was an unmistakable shadow beneath his eyes, a weariness etched into his expression even as he slept. He had held her through the night, fiercely protective, refusing to let go as if he could shield her from the sorrow that lay between them. She raised a gentle hand, her fingers brushing lightly over his cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin beneath her touch.

A fresh wave of emotion surged through her as she looked at him, truly seeing the weight he had carried alone. For weeks he had borne this grief in silence, the pain and the memories locked away in his heart, all for her sake. He had endured it, held himself together, and given her everything he could without ever letting her see the cracks in his own spirit. How much he must have suffered alone, fighting against the crushing sorrow, hiding his tears so that she could be spared.

A pang of guilt settled within her. She felt selfish for not sensing the turmoil that Armaan had hidden so carefully. How could she have missed it? How had she not seen the moments when his eyes lingered a little too long on her, the sleepless nights, the quiet pain in his voice? She had failed to see the strength he had shown, the sacrifices he had made to shield her from even a fraction of the pain he bore.

A tear slipped down her cheek, and she reached up to brush it away, careful not to wake him. She didn’t want him to see her crying; he had already seen too much of her sorrow. Her heart ached with a mixture of gratitude and guilt, realizing how he had held their world together even when he was breaking inside. She leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead, her lips lingering as she silently promised him that she would be strong for them, just as he had been strong for her.

Abhira closed her eyes for a moment, resting her head against his, her hand still softly cradling his cheek. She whispered a vow to herself that she would carry this burden alongside him, that she would be the support he had been for her, even if it meant facing her own grief head-on. They would walk through this together, the way they should have from the start. The guilt would not define her, but instead, she would let it remind her of the love they shared, a love strong enough to bear even the deepest wounds.

As Abhira leaned close, her silent tears slipping down her cheeks, Armaan stirred, feeling the warmth of her hand on his face. His eyes fluttered open, instantly locking onto the tears tracing paths down her cheeks, and his heart clenched at the sight. Without a word, he pulled her closer, his hand gently brushing away a stray tear.

“Abhira…” he murmured softly, his voice carrying a mix of love and concern. He reached up to cup her face, his thumb wiping away the evidence of her silent pain. “Why are you crying, hmm? You don’t have to carry this alone.”