aurore - an unusual love story √

part eighty two

⚠ - If you haven't read the previous update owing to my super fast updates, dare miss it before reading this one.

•~~•~~•~~•

The hospital whites.

Jai hated them. Like he hated this very moment.

He had always suffered from white coat syndromes, since childhood. Jayant used to make fun of him, laughing till he dropped.

Jai grew up... to somewhat overcome the fear.

But it returned heavily, today, while he sat on the benches, dejected, perplexed.
Unable to decide what he should be doing now, or, next.
Or, forever.

It was five in the morning.

His father had been shifted to the ICU, after undergoing medical procedures. Thankfully he was stable, hadn't lost any of the functional body parts to paralysis.
He was asleep now.

Jai pressed his eyes, because they were welling up.
Where was he caught exactly?
Did he fall in love, only to stand at this crossroad?

The door to the ICU right in front of his eyes, opened.

Siddhi Raichand walked out, terribly devastated. She looked like she had not slept for ages altogether.

Jai wanted to reach upto her, but he couldn't move. Before him did Maya. She ran from the other end of the corridor, to hold her mother's hand.

Siddhi and Maya slowly walked upto Jai. Maya made her sit on the chair beside him. They both stared at her anticipatingly.

" He's .... woken up.
His speech.....is slurred... " , Siddhi couldn't control the sob anymore. Maya hugged her.

Jai looked away. He couldn't take all these with a brave heart. He didn't want to be brave anymore.

" Jai....
He was calling your name... " , Siddhi placed a hand on his shoulder.
" Go inside once, beta...
He wishes to see you.... "

Her eyes oozed immense plead.
Jai looked down on the floor, then at Maya. She nodded reassuringly.

He slowly....got up.

•

The beeps inside the ICU almost stabbed Jai right at the heart.

He felt giddy. He hated this place. He wished to run away, the very moment.

Rows of white beds with deformed patients on most of them, made him weak on the knees.
Meanwhile, he was guided by a sister to one of the beds at a corner.

Jai kept standing at the foot end of the bed, staring at the man who lay still, covered with a white sheets.
Oxygen mask adorned his face, and his eyes stay shut.

Jai found tears trickling down his cheeks. He rubbed them off instantly. And took a deep breath.

Slowly approaching the bedside, he sat on the stool beside, and kept staring at the man in front.

Moments ticked away. He now put his long fingers across his forehead, and caressed his hair, lovingly.

Raghav Raichand stirred on the bed.
And slowly, he opened his eyes.

Jai faintly smiled.

But Raghav didn't. He kept staring intently at his son, unperturbed.

Jai almost choked on his breath. A deep sadness gripped his heart. He wanted to scream out loud,