Threads of Friendship, Bonds of Marriage

Chapter: 39

{Asha Multispecialty Hospital}

Nandini: Navya, who is he? The report didn't list his name. Do I know him?

[Navya's eyes brim with tears, and her throat constricts, unable to form words. She just stares at Nandini, her face a mask of desperation and sorrow. Nandini feels a chill settle over her, her unease growing as she witnesses Navya's panic.]

Nandini: (voice softening, almost pleading) Navya, you're scaring me. Please... who is he?

[Without warning, Navya pulls her into a tight hug, clinging to her as if trying to protect her from something unspoken. The suddenness of it startles Nandini, but she doesn't pull away, sensing that whatever is unsaid is deeply painful.]

Navya: Nandu, you can't go in there. Please... just stay out of this one.

Nandini: (growing frustrated, pulling back) Navya, I'm assigned to this case! I need to know who he is so I can help him.

[Navya only shakes her head, and before either of them can say another word, Abhimanyu appears, his face somber. His gaze flickers between the two women, his lips pressed into a tight line, before he finally speaks.]

Abhimanyu: (quietly) Nandini... it's Manik. Manik is the patient.

[Nandini feels the ground shift beneath her, the air escaping her lungs as Abhimanyu's words settle. Her clipboard slips from her hands, clattering to the floor. The bustling hospital fades into silence as her mind zeroes in on one word: Manik.

Memories flash through her mind—his laughter, his voice, his warmth—all twisted by the horrible reality that now confronts her.]

Nandini: (in a hoarse whisper) Manik...

[The scene becomes surreal, her vision blurring as she stumbles back, feeling herself breaking from the weight of disbelief. She sees his face, pale and bruised, lying on that gurney. The gravity of the moment engulfs her, and without another thought, she pushes past everyone, running toward the Emergency Ward. Her heart pounds wildly as she rushes down the hall, ignoring the shocked looks from colleagues and staff.]

Nurse: (approaching her, concerned) Doctor, are you alright?

Nandini: (voice cracking) Where... where is he?

The nurse's expression shifts, understanding dawning as she nods.

Nurse: They've moved him to ICU 4.

[Nandini doesn't wait for more, bolting toward the ICU. Her feet move with a sense of desperation she's never felt before. Bursting through the doors, she's greeted by the sight of Manik on the ICU Bed, his body still, surrounded by doctors working with grim urgency.]

*********

{Outside the Emergency Ward}

[The hallway outside the Emergency Ward feels like a prison. Harsh fluorescent lights cast an unforgiving glow over Cabir, Abhimanyu, and Navya as they huddle together, each trapped in their own swirling thoughts, but united in shared grief. The sounds of the hospital—a faint heartbeat monitor, hurried footsteps, the occasional announcement—fill the silence, adding to the oppressive atmosphere.

Cabir's usually strong demeanor is gone; he leans against the wall, his hands trembling as he stares at the closed doors, a storm of emotions brewing within him.]

Cabir: (whispering to himself, a hint of despair) She knows now, doesn't she?

Abhimanyu: She had to know, Cabir. It's better this way... even if it's breaking her heart.