Adhura Alviida 2

blessing a curse

super short update today...sorry! will try to double update tomorrow. I'm super sick but wanted to get this chapter up ASAP :)

There were so many moments in Zoya's life where life felt overwhelming, tiring and tedious. However, this was by far, the hardest of them all. Her daughter lay asleep on the bed, tired and tattered from all of her of the turns in her small life. She was just a small child, a celestial little angel sent in her and Aditya's dark and despaired life. Unknown to the griefs and qualms of the world, her little Aadhya always had a smile on her face and the purest of desires in her heart.

Zoya didn't have it easy either. It was as if her life was void of happiness and pain had become an integral synonym with her name. When she was so young, her husband was snatched from her in a brutal way only for her to find out that he was having an affair with another woman. The pain of his betrayal, his vicious attack on her innocent, undying love was too brutal for her little heart. But with his betrayal, brought along one of the best parts of her life. Or so she had thought. Everything with Aditya felt so right. As if it was a fairytale. Her Aditya was brought to her with the worst of circumstances but he loved her with a fervor she had never experienced before. Treated her as if she was his everything. But she should have known that his love was too surreal to last. He, too, left her to fend for herself when calamity struck them. But he left her with the biggest parting gift of them all, her little Aadhya. She had missed eight years of her angel's life as well. And when Aditya and her finally gave their love a chance to triumph over their past, once again he hurt her. She couldn't understand why. Why would he deny his daughter a simple bone marrow for the sake of letting her live? She had seen the love in his eyes for Aadhya that was so palpable. But the confusion as to why he had done such a drastic change in character worried her. More than her own concerns, she was scared for her child. Days were passing and the hospital was unable to locate a bone marrow donor for her anywhere. It was as God was playing some devious joke on her, He gave her her child back only to take her away again. She felt lost and confused, scared at the anticipation of the future.

She was worried for her daughter. Feelings of resentment and hurt manifested itself in her heart towards Aditya. The same man who's arms she longed for, now made her feel hatred and anger. Their child was beloved to both of them, why was he doing this to her? Why was he playing with Aadhya's life in such a deadly manner? Did he want her to die? All of the thoughts flooded her mind and sent her heart into a frenzy of frustration. She had sent divorce papers to him in effort to rile him up, prompt some sort of reaction but to her surprise, he had simply signed them and sent them back without any hint of disagreement. This made her even more furious. It was as if he truly did not care. Little did she know his level of guilt had consumed him to such an extent that it was his last attempt at freeing her from the burden of his captivity. It felt as if she was lost in a quagmire of endless questions. Everything seemed so out of character for Aditya. But more than her worries as a lover, she was worried as a mother. Time was running out for Aadhya and the hospital had not been able to find her a bone marrow donor. And the person who's Aadhya's last hope rested on had turned his back on her in their time of most need.

Resting on the bed next to her daughter, she gently patted her hair, watching her sleeping form. Being a mother was something she had surely dreamt of but hadn't realized the gravity of until it happened. She had missed so much, the first steps, the first words, but her bonded with Aadhya in a millisecond. Her daughter was her savior, a gift sent by God himself, but why was she subjected to such a painful life?

Zoya closed her eyes before placing a gentle kiss on Aadhya's forehead. She would have to be strong for her, because being strong was now the only option left.

**

Aditya restlessly twisted and turned on his bed. In the depth of his sleep, he stretched his arm out expecting to feel his Zoya's warmth next to him, but reality dawned upon him as his hand hit the cold flatness of the bed. His eyes awakened as saw her glowing figure next to him.

"Zo—"

She smiled at him with those eyes that seemed to take all the pain in his entire life away.

"Why so shocked, Mr. Hooda?" She giggled watching him as she lay down on the pillow next to him. He looked at her with misty eyes. "Zoya." He whispered. "I know you're not here."

"Main toh hamesha tumhare saath hoon, Aditya." (I am always with you) She smiled, then narrowed her eyes to his chest. "In there." She pointed.

"I'm sorry, jaan." He cried. "I didn't want to sign them. Believe me. I love you. I love you and Aadhya more than I have loved anything in my life."

"And we love you more than anything else. But until you stop pushing us away, none of us will leave in peace. Not you, not me and nor Aadhya..."

"And if I don't push you away then believe me, neither you or Aadhya will ever love me again once you know the truth."

"No truth holds the power to separate me from my Aditya. Even if God himself tries to separate us, then I will go against him too."

He smiled at her...reaching out to her with his hands.

She vanished, just like always.

**

"Ammi! Are you alright?" Aadhya asked her mom who looked at her with blurry eyes. She was so confused over the turn of events in the last few days. First her dad hitting her, then her mom leaving, them shifting to a new home and her constant hospital visits. It felt so strange and overwhelming to her poor little self. She couldn't understand why her father who loved her more than anything had done that to her and why they had to leave.

She watched as her mom sat on the couch, trying to catch her breath. Rushing to the kitchen and back, she got her a glass of water as her mother drank it in one sip. "Ammi, you look so sick."

"No, baby. Just a little tired." Zoya insisted. The last thing she needed was her already ailing daughter to have any concern over her. Aadhya remained unconvinced but still continued eating her breakfast as her mother instructed her too.

Zoya sat at the table and took a bite of her meal, the food tasted almost rancid to her. She felt like throwing up, but maintained her composure. She looked at Aadhya who was busy eating her breakfast as something registered in her mind. She gasped inaudibly.

**

Aadhya was at school as Zoya paced back and forth in her room. She looked at the clock, then at the stick laying on the counter top. Her anxiety was ever present as her heart was thumping against her chest loudly. She felt as if she would pass out any second from the nervousness.

Realizing the minute was over, she ran over to the countertop, she grabbed the stick in anticipation as her face widened with horror.

She was divorced and pregnant...once again.