RUINS

12.

Agastya stayed silent, holding Amrita who held onto him like her life depended on it. To be honest, it did. Agastya Gautam is her whole life. Unhealthy or not, Amrita doesn't have a life outside him. Surely, she has a great career... Or atleast, she had a great career. Convenient fame. Too many awards. Too many connections. Too much of money, along with the inheritance that can help the next 3 generations survive without having to lift a finger. But without Agastya, its all a waste. Amrita never shied away from being completely dependent on her man. If anything, his presence is the thing that made her feel alive. She was ready to leave it all, and just be with him. Stay right beside him, in his every step of life. 

But he insisted on her having a career for herself. Even at 20, he didn't let her give up on it. Once she understood he wouldn't budge, she chose theatre instead of business. Theater had always been her passion but once she had Agastya, she only wanted to prioritize him. But Agastya being Agastya, he wouldn't let her not have an identity of her own. 

She was brought out of her thoughts, as she heard the door open, and Advitya peeked inside asking, "All well? You have been inside for like, 2 hours."

"Two Hours?" She sat straight, and looked at Agastya, only to find him sleeping. She didn't realise he slept. He slept on their conversation??! On a conversation like that?? Where she was drowning herself in guilt?? Where he was super angry at her? Where he lashed out at his girlfriend who woke up from Coma after 9 months? Is he okay? She gently placed her hand on his forehead, to check his temperature, and relaxed once he seemed all fine. He must have been really exhausted to sleep like that. She got up from the bed, and tried to make him sleep comfortably, but Advitya intervened and did that for her. 

"He didn't sleep last night." Advitya whispered, as he caressed Agastya's forehead, to ease the frown. 

"And many more nights." Amrita added, her voice thick with tears. Advitya turned to her with a frown, and one look at her face, he knew she is drowning herself in guilt. He knew that look all too well. It's been almost 8 years, but he can never forget what his Bhabhs can do to herself in guilt. She will be miserable. And her face right now, looked exactly how it was 8 years ago. 

"Stop it." He said, shaking his head, as if he is not ready to deal with her guilt. 

"Stop doing that to yourself, Bhabhs. Stop being an idiot. You've been an idiot once, and you know how well that turned out. Just... stop it. You just woke up. Don't burden yourself with guilt that is completely unnecessary. Bhaiyya will snap, and he will snap... really bad!"

She looked away, blinking back the tears, "He already did that." 

"Great! All cool then?"

She took a deep breathe, and nodded, "Yes. All cool. If roles were reversed, I would have done that for him too. No guilt. I get it." She affirmed, and Advitya nodded - the kind of nod which says, Its hard to believe you, but I do anyways. So she added, "I really do, Adi."

"Yes. Yes, you do. You have to. Not like bhaiyya will give you any other choice."

"Right." She ran her fingers through her hair, "So, He told me about Harika. And he also told me that he had bring her home..."

He intervened, "He didn't tell you why?"

She shook her head, "Does it matter?" She asked.

"It does, actually. Ask once he wakes up."

"Okay... You sound suspicious. What are you hiding?"

"Do you want to hear it from me? Or bhaiyya?"

"Him. Always him."

"Exactly!" Advitya took a pause, "Akshat is still sleeping. Harika is resting too. Bhaiyya is sleeping. None of us really slept last night. Would you mind if I sleep, Bhabhs? I.. want to give you company. I take it, you don't want to sleep, now that you woke up after 9 months... But you see, my head.. its..."