Adhura Alviida 2

ain't no sunshine when she's gone

brownie points if you know where the title's from!

also: you might want to have a tissue box ready for this one. just a warning!

Aditya looked at the doctor in horror as the words left her mouth. His mind could not fathom what she had just said. Maybe he had misheard. He shook his negative thoughts away and questioned her again.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" He asked in confusion. He tricked his mind so well that he had not heard her, as if it would change what she just said.

"You cannot donate your bone marrow, Mr. Hooda. You are a schizophrenic patient; your blood count is altered by the drugs administered to diminish your symptoms. Your daughter's health could worsen receiving a bone marrow from you." The doctor said with a stern face.

Aditya's heart sank as he heard her. "No, no—I'll stop. I'll stop the pills, please. She's in her third stage of cancer. We're supposed to start treatment tomorrow. Her mother isn't a match. I'm her only hope." He shook his head as if calming himself down. "I can stop with the pil—"

"Mr. Hooda, I'm afraid that isn't an option, you have been taking them for so long that the effect would take perhaps a few months to wear off. It would be a while before your blood count returns to normal, and more so, studies have shown that it isn't a smart thing to do. Schizophrenics who have received bone marrow donations have reported being "cured" of the mental illness, but I can only imagine what the reverse procedure would mean. I wouldn't risk it if I were you."

"So...i-if I go ahead with the donation, my daughter will be like me?" He asked, his voice almost cracking at the last word. He said the word 'me' with so much disgust for himself. Only he knew about those nights he suffered with his demons, his hallucinations, how he pushed his own daughter away from him because he was petrified of hurting her. He had read so many articles on how parents with schizophrenia were unfit to take care of kids themselves, which contributed to the majority of the reason why he so heartlessly removed himself from Aadhya. Only he knew the pain he suffered at nights, in the office and at random times when his hallucinations would strike him. The agony coursing through his veins as he battled his inner demons.

"You will have to kill her before I do, Adi."

"She doesn't deserve a life like this. A father like you. Poor thing doesn't even have her mother, what will she do with a mad father? Make it easy on her, Adi, kill her."

"Everyone you love dies anyway, she will have to die too."

The memories of the awful things he heard flashed through his mind again. Only he knew how he was surviving such a gruesome reality. If Aadhya had to go through that as well, he would never be able to forgive himself. But how was he meant to? He felt torn and tattered. He had just been blessed with the happiness of Zoya coming back, his family finally being together. But just when he thought all was well he found out his daughter had leukemia and he had never known all because she hid her symptoms from him. He was such an awful father. For once in his life, he thought he would finally be able to do something right by donating his bone marrow to her and helping save her life, but he couldn't even do that. Where would they even find another bone marrow donor for her? What if something happened to Aadhya?

Aditya left the doctor's office in a state of confusion and dismay. He had no idea what he would say or do. His poor child was waiting at home for him to save her, she didn't even know what was happening to her. And he would have to go hold her hand and shatter her willpower. He felt lifeless as his misty eyes clouded his vision while driving home. He had felt incompetent in his life many times before but never so much as now. It was as if his soul was sucked out of his body. He wished there was a way to take all of Aadhya's pain and suffering. He would die a million deaths if it meant his daughter and wife got to live a healthy life.