Destiny Tales

Chapter 20 : Truth

How could things go so wrong? If only Khushi had never decided to move to Kabir's apartment. If only they never kissed. If only they never fell in love. Kabir would have been with Rheesa, minus complications. And Khushi? Well, she would still be chasing her dreams without realising that there was a twisted future that awaited her.

In a snap Khushi is brought back to reality. Resting in a room with blinding whiteness, she is almost back from death it seems. Her eyes search for Kabir, and they find Ahir. He is sleeping on a chair. Uncomfortable. But that's how Ahir is. He can do whatever it takes to be by the side of his loved ones. She tries to move and the subtle noise wakes Ahir up. He rushes to be by her side. All the saline and glucose make her woozy and she looks at him, searching for answers. "He is in coma Khushi. But the doctors have hope. He should get better. But you need to pull yourself together Khushi. You can't give up on him like this. You are strong. You battled so much. You have fought with yourself to be here today. And you are letting this accident win? Your love is stronger than that right?" he explains.

Khushi looks at him. Does he really mean all this? Ahir had never told her explicitly about his feelings but she knows. And he knows that she knows. Perhaps, Ahir has been telling all this to himself as Khushi was drifting in and out of consciousness in the past few hours. Perhaps, all the thoughts that were boiled up in his heart were coming out to soothe her. She smiles. She thanks her stars. What did she do to deserve all this. The fate that Kabir met. The love that Ahir has. She doesn't deserve it. She doesn't deserve this sorrow, or this love. She wants everything to be like before. She wants to go back to the life where there was no Kabir or Ahir.

As Khushi tries to get up, Ahir calls a nurse. The nurse guides her to Kabir's room and Khushi slowly glides towards him. Ahir looks on, as he needs to be careful. Khushi is still weak and needs to rest. But he can't say anything. He has no right on her. The sleepless night that he spent, means nothing right now. All it means for him is to see her smile and rest a bit.

Khushi looks at Kabir. That face is almost untouched. Fate has been less cruel. That gorgeous face looks peaceful. Khushi had never noticed the mole on the right side of his lips. She caresses the mole and goes on to kiss it. Ahir turns away and leaves the room to give them some privacy. The touch of her lips is now replaced with tears, falling endlessly. "I am sorry Kabir. I am sorry for everything. Come back to me. This is not the end, Kabir. You cannot be serious. Why do you always have to leave me midway? Why? Do you think it's a game that you are playing? How is this possible? Every time you make me cry. Do you really like my sad teary face so much? Well, then I will cry everyday! Just wake up Kabir. If not my smile, wake up to see my tears..." her voice is replaced by the incoherent sobs.

Ahir rushes in and takes her away slowly. She leans on his broad shoulders and cries uncontrollably. The next day, she is discharged and Ahir decides that she cannot live alone. Either she lives with him or with a friend. Khushi smiles. She doesn't have any friend who can take care of her like Ahir can. She is blessed. And she needs to count her blessings now. Enough of complaints. Enough of living life with regrets.

She bids goodbye to Kabir. It's time for her to get going. She promises that she will be back. As Ahir loads her luggage in his car, he pauses for a while. This is going to be difficult, he decides. But this is the right thing, he concludes.

Every day, Khushi visits Kabir, talks to him and puts him to sleep. She believes that she is putting him to sleep even though he is in a coma. On the fifth day she notices a movement in his index finger. She screams out of joy and tells the doctor. He tells her to keep doing what she is doing. Kabir is responding to her.

Every day, after Khushi comes back from the hospital, Ahir comforts her with home cooked food, freshly made bed and unconditional support. She goes to sleep thinking about Kabir and thanking Ahir. This is strange. How can she feel this way. A heart full of love for both of them. But feeling different things for both? On the tenth day, Khushi comes back but Ahir isn't at home. She is missing him. Where is he? She opens the door with the extra pair of keys she has but she is not home in her heart. Where is Ahir? His phone is switched off and he is nowhere to be found. A pang of fear tugs her heart. Is he fine?

In exactly ten minutes, she hears the door open. It's Ahir. She runs to him and hugs him tightly. Her heart racing, she complains about his absence. He is confused. How can she miss him? She sees him every day. He smiles and pushes his feelings to the deepest corner of his heart. He doesn't want to be hopeful. Things can go awfully wrong that way. She looks at him with tears in her eyes.

"I don't know why I was scared Ahir. I cannot lose you," she confesses. Ahir looks at her with love in his eyes. His hands don't move, neither does his lips. But Khushi's does. She leans in and her lips touch his. He is shocked. He doesn't reciprocate. It's not right. She is vulnerable. He cannot give in to his feelings. He needs to be the mature person here. She is ashamed and shocked. Both.

"I am sorry," she says and turns away. Ahir cannot take it anymore and hugs her from behind. Khushi closes her eyes. This is peaceful, she concludes. As they are knit in a close embrace, Khushi asks herself, will she ever feel this way with Kabir? He is the storm in her life and Ahir is the calm. What does she need the most? Is love enough? Her phone rings and the trance is broken almost immediately.

"Is it?" Khushi jumps out of joy. It is from the hospital. Ahir deduces that it has to do with Kabir. He smiles. Khushi suddenly realises what just happened. She broke that wall between them. Now which side is she on? Which side will she choose?