The Angst

Chapter 4: Thou Shalt Not Cry

His phone was ringing incessantly. He was irritated by the fact that he was being disturbed in a meeting... by none other than Mishti. Why the hell was she calling him for? Didn't she have his bhai to pester? And his bhai even indulged her. Kunal kept on ignoring her call for the next half an hour. Finally, he picked up her 36th call.

"Why don't you understand I don't want to talk to you? I am busy."

He was about to disconnect the call when she blurted out "Abir is hurt. I brought him to the hospital."

"I am on the way... be on the line. Don't disconnect the phone."

Meenakshi was discussing a project with her AVP when she noticed him rushing down the corridor, into the stairwell. He didn't even wait for the lift. She caught hold of his secretary and enquired what the emergency was. She was informed that Mishti, his ex- fiance had called and Kunal left the meeting abruptly, while talking to her. She wondered what it must be that Kunal was responding to Mishti's call in this way. But where was he headed in such a hurry? She decided to track him. She could see him driving down towards the city centre. She checked Mishti's location. It was a hospital! What was Mishti doing in a hospital? And where was Abir? Mishti and Abir practically spent their whole day in each other's company. Afterall, they worked together. She tried to call Abir. He didn't pick up. But his location did show at the hospital. If Abir was with Mishti, why would she call Kunal there? Must be something related to Kuhu, she thought. But Kuhu's location was showing a saloon... in the exact opposite direction to where Kunal was headed... towards the hospital. She was getting restless. This was not related to Kuhu. Meenakshi was now worried for her son. Why was he not picking up the damn phone!

Kunal could have won a formula 1 championship that day. He drove like a maniac. He covered the half an hour long journey in just under 10 minutes.

The minute she saw Kunal rushing in towards the OT, Mishti collapsed on the ground.

When Naman pulled the trigger, little did he know that the bullet will find its mark. He had only intended to scare Abir and Mishti. But he ended up hurting Abir. As soon as Abir got hit, a panicked Naman dropped the gun and ran off from the scene, leaving a shell shocked Mishti to deal with the situation.

Abir was hit. He dropped to his knees, and collapsed on Mishti who was frozen in disbelief on the ground. A few random onlookers helped her to gently put him down on the ground. Someone flagged down a passing auto rickshaw and Abir was then taken to the nearest hospital. By the time they reached the hospital and Abir was rushed to the emergency, Mishti was soaked in his blood. She had tried her level best to contain the blood loss with her scarf. At the hospital, she mechanically went through the paper work, simultaneously trying to call Kunal, Abir's brother.

Abir was being shifted to the OT when Kunal finally answered her call. He reached in no time.

"What happened? When I asked about bhai at the reception, they said gun shot victim. How did you end up here? Who shot at bhai?"

Mishti couldn't find the right words, she was traumatised by the whole incident. The doctor came out of the OT and addressed Mishti. He said, "Ma'am, you have signed the consent forms but it's my duty to remind you... it's a grave injury. We will try our level best to extract the bullet, but God forbid if anything untoward happens, please don't hold the doctors and staff responsible. "

"Why are you saying that?" Kunal went pale at the thought of losing his beloved bhai.

"Sir, it's a serious injury and there was excessive blood loss. We might need more blood. Please arrange. The nurse will brief you shortly."

Meenakshi was continuously calling all the three numbers. Abir was not picking up. Mishti and Kunal it seemed were still on call with each other. She thought of calling one last time before heading out herself. She was about to redial when Kunal called.

By the time Rajvansh family reached the hospital, the operation was underway. Meanwhile, the Maheshwari family was wondering about Mishti's whereabouts. Her phone was continuously busy and her friends didn't have any idea where she had gone. A quick call to the NGO confirmed that both Mishti and Abir hadn't been there since morning. Vishambhar and Shaurya decided to head out in search of Mishti when the landline buzzed. Mishti had finally called home.

When the Maheshwari family reached the hospital, police were already present and Mishti was being questioned about the incident. She had regained her composure and narrated the whole incident.

Everyone was shocked to know it was Naman. Rajashree Maheshwari was on the verge of crying. She had taken a liking towards Abir as if he was her own son. And to have him shot at was her worst nightmare. She felt as if life was coming back a full circle. She had been through this harrowing ordeal once before, when Naman had shot at her son in law. She asked haltingly, "But how? He was supposed to be in jail. How did he get out?"

"No idea mother. Abir and I had personally ensured that he will stay there for a long time. God knows who bailed him out!" Shaurya wondered aloud.

Meenakshi Rajvansh was distraught. She didn't know how to react. She was numb with shock. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought that her plans would backfire with such disastrous consequences. Her son was practically on a deathbed and it was her doing. Had she not been this over confident, had she listened to Parul's advice, this could have been averted. She wanted to reach out to her son, to wipe out his pain. She wanted to see him hail and hearty... full of life, just like what he had always been. And she had neglected him. Fought with him. Tried to manipulate him. No, she wanted to be with him. Give him all her time. She wanted to tell him how proud she was to be his mother. Above all, she wanted to shower him with all the love she had for him.

Kunal had been frantically trying to arrange for blood. His bhai was a rare gem. But his blood group was even rarer. They needed O negative. He should have reached here much before. Had he taken Mishti's call earlier, he could have had more time to search for blood. WHY? Why did he not talk to her right away when she called for the first time? His arrogance and his ego didn't let him take that call. If bhai didnt get blood in time... if bhai didn't wake up from this sleep ever... it would all be his doing. His hatred for Mishti had made him take such drastic measures... how on earth will he be able to redeem himself, if something happens to his beloved bhai!!