Don't ask me what I am doing! This one is more of a promise to myself that I am definitely gonna write a part 3 for the series. Trust me, I am working on it and it will come out in a few months!
Starting from tomorrow, I am gonna be slightly inactive because the Diwali vacations have officially ended and though my uni doesn't commence full swing but I gotta study for my upcoming exams so watty is a big no-no. (This year is imp, damnnn!)
So yeah a small sneak-peek in the life of Raichands! Let's go!!!
Enjoy!
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"Oh fuck!"
The liquid oozed out on the floor, staining the once white marble in a dark shade of red. An ear-piercing scream followed, that could make even the bravest of hearts palpate.
"Bhabhs!" Meher was by Anjali's side in a blink of an eye. The fall from the stairs had been nasty and the sheer amount of blood lost was definitely pointing towards a bad news. She kept a hand below her head, hoping to cease the flow of blood but no such luck. In a few seconds, her bhabh's blood dripped on the floor, flowing through her fingers.
Anjali's breath hitched as the sudden contractions hit her. Her hands flew to her stomach, a shudder running down her spine at the mere thought of the consequences.
She was in labor.
Her hands gently slid down her abdomen as she felt the wetness in her lower body. Her water broke. But what concerned her even more was the thick, gooey fluid sticking to her fingers.
Blood.
"Meher, rush me to the hospital." she said at once.
Meher was at crossroads. She looked outside the window. Heavy storms, a dead landline and good for nothing connection later, she was clueless. Adding on to her dilemma, a pair of feet ran towards her.
"Chachi!" Inu called out in horror with widened eyes.
Both the women wanted to comfort the scared child but found themselves unable to. One was a bit too pain-stricken and other was plainly clueless.
"Meher kya soch rahi hai!" Anju nearly yelled, balancing the pain in her head and abdomen.
"Bhabs mausam bohot kharab hai. It's not safe to drive. Ghar pe bhi koi nahi hai." she said, her voice trembling.
"Meher, nothing could get worse now. Just take me to the nearest hospital. NOW!"
Meher took in a deep breath and looked at Inu whose eyes were filled with tears.
"Inu, shona, I want you to be strong now, okay?" she asked him seroiusly.
The 8 year-old nodded his head, still struggling with his breath.
"Take the car keys and open the door. Bua chachi ko car me leke aa rahi hai thodi der me, okay?"
He nodded again and made a run for the car keys.
»—»
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"Dimaag kharab hai tera? Aisi halat me drive karke le aayi tu usse?" Rishi yelled at her.
Meher flinched and closed her eyes, all ready for the blow that she knew was coming.
Except, it never came. Arjun came between the two and pushed him back. Vnash immediately took Meher in his embrace.
"Rishi, hosh me aa! She did not have a choice." he tried to talk some sense into him.
Rishi sat down the nearby chair with a thud, his head in his hands. He knew it was not her fault. She was just a pawn in the hands of the cruel destiny. His heartbeat skyrocketed at the realization. The destiny was yet again going to be unfair to him. For all he knew, he could lose his unborn children even before getting to hold them once.
Arjun kept a gentle hand on his head- "Rishi sambhal khud ko."
"Kaise bhaiya? Anju waha andar najane kis dard se guzar rahi hogi. Mere ba-bacche najane kis haal me honge. Aur mai? I can't do a bloody thing to help them! What kind of a man am I?" he completely broke down in tears.
Sakshi kept a hand on his shoulder- "Ek aurat bohot strong hoti hai, Rishi. If she has the strength to give life, she also has the power to protect that life. Aur jab ek maa apne baccho ki raksha karne pe aa jaye, toh duniya ki koi takat usse rok nahi sakti."
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"Inke pati kaha hai?" the nurse asked as soon as she stepped out of the ICU.
"J-ji?" Rishi stood up at once.
"Her condition is very critical. Hum ya toh maa ko bacha sakte hai ya toh bacche ko." she told him.
Rishi frowned- "Bacche ko matlab? She is pregnant with twins."
"She lost a child due to excessive bleeding."
Rishi staggered. If not for Arjun, he would have fallen down.
"M-Mai nahi maanta! Usse yaha lana hi nahi chahiye tha. We'll take her to the Birla hospital. There are better doctors and--"
"Rishi!" Arjun shook him, "We don't have a choice. You need to make your decision. We can't risk Anju's life."
"Save my wife." he did not hesitate. The fact that he had lost a child had momentarily unnerved him. But that did not mean he would prioritize anything above Anjali's well-being.
»—»
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Meher glanced around, feeling the fierce winds whip through the air, swirling in every direction. The sky darkened ominously, rumbling as the weather once again took a turn for the worse. Her eyes desperately searched for Shivin, her heart beating rapidly against her chest.
While everyone was sitting outside the ICU, she was quick to notice Inu's absence. Without concerning anyone, she had slipped out quietly and had been searching for him for a good five minutes now. However, she was starting to grow restless now. As she was about to go in and alert the other, her eyes fell on a hooded figure leaning down.
She squinted her eyes, only to spot a slight silhouette of another little figure. She walked over closer to the duo and her eyes widened in realization.
"Shivin!" she nearly yelled at the little kid and marched straight towards him.
Inu turned around with a nervous look, a chocolate clutched in his little hand. Meher's eyes blazed as she noticed the close proximity between the two.
"Dimaag thikane pe hai tera? How dare you talk to a stranger like that?" she scolded him harshly, making tears rush to his eyes. His bua never scolded him!
"Take it easy." a deep voice said smoothly, "Baccha hai. He was upset so I offered him a chocolate."
Meher turned her attention to the hooded figure but not before snatching the chocolate from Inu's hand and throwing it on the ground.
"Hume humare bacche ko sambhalne ke liye aapki madad ki zarurat nahi hai." she stated in clear terms.
"Aapke ghar ka baccha bahar baitha ro raha tha." the man's silken voice cut through the air like a knife, "I was just trying to help."
Meher's eyes narrowed. There was something about the voice that felt familiar. A bit too familiar.
"Aapne jo kiya, uske liye thank you. Don't bother yourself, now." she said and held Inu's hand, leading him towards the building.
"As you say, Rehem."
Meher's eyes widened and she turned around with the speed of a lightning bolt, shielding Inu behind her.
At that moment, a flash of lightning illuminated the dark sky, revealing the man's face. He wore a black mask beneath his hood, leaving only his piercing eyes exposed. Meher's blood ran cold at the sight of those eyes, deep grey and hauntingly familiar. They stirred up a flood of horrifying memories, echoing the nightmares that had plagued her for so long.
Before she could react, the man took several steps back, disappearing in the darkness.
"Bua," a similar pair of grey eyes looked up at her and questioned,
"Rehem kon hai?"
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Lol, happy guessing!
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Ujala (Raichand Siblings Saga-Book 2)
ActionArjun Raichand, the ultimate beacon of strength and resilience, lost his light the day he saw his sister getting consumed by the blazing fire. He has set out on the path of vengeance leaving behind his happily settled family life. Rishi Raichand, on...
