Shivika SS : The Ties that Bind

Part 3

Shivaay opened his eyes 5 days after his life saving brain surgery, and saw the teary relief in all of his family members. There they all were; Mom, Dad, Dadi, Om, Rudra, some unknown girls.

Wait, was someone missing? Feels like it. But who?

Who?

But they are all here. All who matter.

Then who was missing?

Oh God his head hurt something fierce. He couldn't take so much of the fussing and crying and immediately succumbed back into the cold darkness.

***

Rudra paced the corridor outside Shivaay's room. Om stepped out, gingerly closing the door.

"O... OMG Bhaiyya can't remember Bhabhi??! And we don't know where she is !!!" Rudra was beside himself in horror. "Veer had taken Bhabhi, and Bhaiyya had gone with the cops when they got her location. That much we know. But after that horrible encounter with the mob, only Bhaiyya was found. Shouldn't we be searching there for Bhabhi, in case she was hurt as badly as him? Oh God.."

"I just spoke with Commissioner Khan, he's sending a forensic psychiatrist to speak with Shivaay, to try and see what he can elicit in way of clues as to what happened to them both. Police are already scouring the place in search of Bhabhi. Veer is still on the run, so she's not out of the woods safe yet."

"O, if Bhaiyya was aware, he would be so upset and angry right now..." Rudra spoke of irony, watching his badly injured brother asleep through the window.

"We'll find her for him, don't worry, once she's back it'll all come back to him. We have to get her back. I just hope Veer doesn't get to her first."

***

Late into the night he felt a soft hand touch his face.

"Shivaay..." a beautiful female voice called out to him, but he couldn't wake up. She wept over him, he could feel kisses all over his face. The pain in his head ceased somewhat, as he grasped for more of her words. Surely she was a dream, a beautiful dream.

"I'm so glad you're alright Shivaay. Please get well soon. I love you..." she cried too much, the beautiful voice, he wondered why. But he couldn't move his hands to comfort her, had to be content with her warm presence in this dream.

He woke up to cheery sunlight in the morning, feeling like he'd slept well after such a long time. The machines beeped in a calm assuring manner as he found the room empty. So the beautiful voice was a dream. He loved the way she spoke his name. Was she someone he was in a relationship with?

The door opened and a strikingly attractive woman walked to his side with a sunny smile. He watched her in rapt attention as she fussed over his things and pillows. His eyebrows shot up when she took liberties to combing his hair just the way he usually did it. But he just let her, for some reason.

"Good morning SSO !" she drawled with a smile, "I got you nicely cleaned up, didn't I. Now you're looking spiffy again like you always do." she winked and he couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you ... Nurse?" he replied tentatively, reading her face for reaction. Her face froze for a second, uncertainty marring her pretty face, before sheepishly laughing it off. "You and your jokes! This is not the time for cheapde thoughts ok!" she giggled.

Cheapde? How is it that he understood such a weird term?

"Um, May I know when the doctors will arrive? I'd really like to be discharged home today. I can't sleep in this place." He watched her face fall, the shattered look in her eyes scared him a little, he felt horrified that he had offended such a caring person.

"Look, I meant no offense.. See, I seem to have lost some memories and I have patches of things I don't remember so please don't be upset. " he pleaded earnestly as he watched the beautiful stranger's eyes flood with tears. Her voice broke with her sobs, and he couldn't make out what she was telling him, suddenly she was getting up and leaving, and he tried his best , unable to stop her. She rushed out of the room as he protested, the sudden wake of silence after her departure deafening.

Who was she? Why was she so upset with him?

Barely minutes later, Rudy walked in and Shivaay made him run out and find the crying girl who just ran out, hoping for resolution of the mystery, but she was gone.

***

"Mr. Oberoi, I am Dr. Sinha. I am a psychiatrist, do you mind if we have a chat?"

Shivaay, who had a great trust in doctors, welcomed the man to a seat, hoping he could trigger something to fill all those empty holes in his memory.

They chatted about his childhood, his brothers, his university life, his family, his profession. He remembers being engaged to Tia for the longest time, but can't remember them ever getting married. A pounding headache began as soon as the topic started. Waves of sickness and blinding light in his head.

The psychiatrist backed out of the topic. Tried asking about the night he got injured. As to which he remembered nothing. Absolutely zero. The session had to be called off when Shivaay started throwing up with the severity of the headaches he was experiencing. Dr. Sinha cut short his meeting and left.

Meeting Om and Rudra, he spoke gravely, " I'm afraid your brother is in so much trauma over what happened with his wife that night, he seems to have consciously blanked out that portion of memory. It's all there, it gives him massive migraines when he tries to recall."

"But he's the only one who would know where we can find our Bhabhi...!" Rudra said anxiously.

"I know, but he's not well himself, and I cannot risk his wellbeing for information at this moment. We'll have to find other leads. I'm sorry" Dr. Sinha shook his head thoughtfully.