||MishBir TS: The Aftermath||

Chapter 1

Beep.. Beep..

It was the only sound that resonated through the otherwise silent room. And it constantly reminded Abir where he was. White is usually the color of peace. It helps one to calm down. But the white walls of the room in which he was, did nothing to calm his nerves. All he wanted to do was to take her away to the safety of their room that drowned in much darker shades and hold her safe in the cocoon of his arms. He wanted to shield her from any hurt that is coming her way. He wanted to protect her from all the physical and mental torture that she went through. Protect? A bitter chuckle escaped his lips. How is he going to protect her when he could not stand by her at the times she needed him the most? All he ever did was make tall claims and beautiful promises, only to break them brutally by his own hands. He broke her trust... and her heart.

He looked at Mishti who lay in the hospital bed before him. She looked like a porcelain doll deep in sleep. He held her hand gently for the fear that it might break her if he held any tighter. She looked so delicate. And the machines attached to her just added to it. She seemed to be lost somewhere in between the array of wires and machines. Her forehead was covered in a huge bandage and her left hand was encased in a cast. Since she was covered with a blanket till the midriff, the plaster on her right ankle was not visible. Half of her face was covered by an oxygen mask and the ECG machine was connected to her via multitude of wires. Two drips were attached to her right hand – one providing her with blood and the other with essential nutrients. She looked so weak and pale.

But how can she be weak? She is his Angry Chorni. She is one of the strongest people he has met in his life. She is a warrior who faces any problem that comes before her head-on. But maybe she got exhausted at last? Maybe she got tired of fighting for herself and for everyone around her. Maybe she finally gave up? And that thought was like a whiplash for Abir. "No Mishti, you can't give up! You can't give up on yourself; on us. Come on Angry Chorni! You are my fighter. Fight back! Don't let anything break you. Please Mishti... Please!" He caressed her head softly while silent tears made their way down his cheeks.

Somehow he too was responsible for her current state. He failed to be the person he promised to be. And that guilt was eating him up. It felt like someone had stabbed him in his heart and is now twisting the knife in the wound. The pain was so real that he felt it physically.

He took out his mobile with one hand while the other still rested on her arm. He just didn't want to remove his hold even for a second. He feared that she would just disappear into thin air if he did so. He opened the chat and stared at the audio clip that Naanu had sent him this morning. It was an old audio clip that Naanu had recorded without his knowledge. Naanu had sent it just to tease him. But it was like a wake-up call for Abir. He felt like a cold bucket of water was splashed on him.

He clicked the play button once again and his own voice from a not so distant past echoed through the speakers. "Naanu, this is not the Mishti who fought with the entire world two times to save Ketki. This is not the Mishti who stole money from her father which he acquired by blackmailing her Badi Maa. This is not the Mishti I fell in love with!!

I'm weak Naanu. I wish to search for my father. But whenever the time comes, I stop myself. I get scared. Mishti is not like me. Mishti calls a spade a spade. I wish to do the right thing, but Mishti does the right thing. Be it about courtship or about Ketki, Mishti always takes a stand. No matter how brave and strong a girl is, our society and family always try to snatch her individuality from her. We want her to fulfil only those roles which we gave her. We only want her to be a good daughter-in-law, a good wife and a good daughter. Mishti's individuality and point of view is also being snatched from her Naanu."