|| Carefree For The Moment. ||

|| Part Thirteen. ||

The hospital room's door opened & Abeer looked up from his phone in his hand to see Mishti was walking in, but not meeting his gaze. "There you are." He sighed, putting his phone down, beside him. "I just tried calling you. Why didn't you pick up?"
"Mm?" She said, distracted by the state of the room, picking things up here & putting them down there. "Yeah, sorry. I was talking to Badi Maa." She said, her back to him.
"Kunal came in" Abeer smiled to himself, recalling the conversation he had with his brother.
"He did?" She asked, gathering the magazines on the table & fixing them in a pile. "What did he say?"
"He was just remorseful about everything that happened. I think the accident scared him. But he seems like he's ready to turn a new leaf"
"Wow! That's great news, Abeer!" She said, still not turning to face him.
"I know" he sighed. "Things are finally starting to look up for us, Angry Chorni"
"I'm so happy for you" She said, walking over to the other side of the room & took the spare blanket from the end of Abeer's bed, & began folding & re-folding it. Her eyes still refusing to meet his. He raised an eyebrow at her. What was going on with her?

"What's wrong?" He asked her, suspicious of her behaviour as his eyes followed her fumbling with the blanket. "Mishti!" He said, catching her attention so she stopped what she was doing & turned to face him.
"Sorry, did you say something?" She asked shaking her head as if she was trying to zone back in to what was going on around her. He raised an eyebrow. Something was definitely up.
"Come here" he beckoned her over.
"Abeer" She sighed, "I have a dozen things to do, first Naanu asked me to go & get your medicines but I said I'd come & make sure you didn't need anything. Then once I get your medication, I have to wait for Badi Maa to send the food she's gone to make for you. I have too much-" She said, throwing her hands up in the air, walking towards the door.
"Stop!" He called & she stopped her in tracks, sighing. "Here, Angry Chorni. Now" He told her & she pulled a face before turning to face him, attempting the best smile she could possibly manage.

But he wasn't buying it. "Are you going to tell me what's on your mind or shall I just start guessing?"
"What do you mean?" She asked, dismissively, wringing her hands."Really?" he asked, raising his eyebrow at her. "You think I don't know when something's on your mind?"
"I was just worried about you, that's all"
"Okay" he nodded then held his hands out for her to look at him. "but I'm fine now. So what's really on your mind?"
"Abeer, please" she pulled a face, not wanting to open the can of worms.
"Fine, you don't want to tell me." he sighed. "Was it Maa? Did she say something to you?" He asked but she shook her head. "Okay, there's something then. & now you're worrying me because you're not yourself" He said. "Something's clearly happened since you were last in here... hell, the other day you weren't yourself either. What is it?"
"Abeer" she made her way over to him, taking his hand in hers. He saw fear in her eyes when she looked up at him. "You know how much I love you, don't you?"
"What's wrong Mishti?" he said taking her hand & sitting her down on the bed, in front of him.
"Answer me" She said softly. "You know, right?"
"Of course I know." he said, obviously. "You love me as much, but not more than I love you" He said & she tilted her head at him in disbelief.
"Really, Ajeeb Rajvansh?" She sighed.
"Yes, really!" he said proudly & she shook her head at him. "Now answer me. What's wrong?"
"I-" She sighed, looking down at their hands. "I need to tell you something. But I don't know if you're ready to hear what I'm about to say-"
"What is it?" he asked.
"You trust me?" She asked & he gave her a wry facial expression.
"Sabse zayada." he repeated a line he'd said before. When she exposed Ved's true nature. He had trusted her more than anyone that day. & now that she was his. Even more so.

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Mishti, you're worrying me" He said softly & she opened her eyes to see the fear in his eyes.
"You remember how I gave you a hard time about hiding Kunal's truth" She said & he looked down at their hands, for shame. "No!" she said touching his cheek so that he would look up at her. "I'm not saying it to taunt you, I promise"
"Then what is it?"
"I just realised how wrong I was to lash out at you like that." She said. "I don't even know why it's taken me so long to tell you, but-" She sighed. "But you were right, you were trying to protect me. & then I just threw it back in your face like it was your fault. But it's not. I realise that now. You were just in a difficult position. But-"
"Mishti" He took her cheeks in his hand, causing her to stop what she was saying. "why are you bringing all this up now? What's the matter?" He asked & she sighed.
"I should've told you what I found out before. Granted, it's not much. Because I didn't know the full story. I still don't." She sighed. "But you deserve to know. & it's my fault for keeping quiet. I thought you'd hate me. You won't hate me, will you Abeer?" She asked, the desperation visible in her eyes as she continued to ramble.
"Mishti" he said firmly. "Talk to me"
"It's about your baba..." She said & he looked at her, confused, as she sighed.

The words had finally left her mouth.