EMBRACING THE DESTINY ✓

•Sixth•

Staring, At the Ceiling, Walls and the same faces of the Nurse and Hospital staff was the only way for Raghvir To kill his time .

Waking up to these light blue walls was not his To-do list for the week. He had had enough of these walls in past three months, For all sorts of treatments under Pathak .

Exaggerated ?

Yes, Because he only had Radiation therapy past months .

His doctor of a friend had him holed up in this hospital for an entire day, in name of treating him. He had lied to his daughter, extending his stay in this hell hole, Using Business trip as an excuse.

And Now? Now that Akriti has had the curtain up from his secret, He had hardly seen her, Just a mere minute, Yesterday when She came and sat near him, And he under the effect of Sedatives had fallen to sleep .

His stars were up today, As the said person walked in the room . Wearing a Navy blue printed shirt, Blue loose fitting denims, White Snickers , her waist length hairs tossed up in a bun and her eyes shielded with Brown rimmed reading glasses . She hardly used them for a year .

“Muffin” He called her, She walked towards him with a small smile, an utterly fake smile .

“dad, How you Feeling?” Her question was weak, To make as much a conversation she can from her End .

“Refreshed and Healing up” He stated more as a fact, She still had an emotionless face .

“Good” She muttered in a low voice .

“You don't wanna talk to me, I take it” Raghvir winced at her lack of initiative in the conversation. He added “Nor even see me”.

His blatant remark had her completely of guard, when she walked In, She had her mind running all sought of questions she wanted to throw at her father, Ask him an explanation for all his Actions and then Cry to his arms at last, Get a hug from him, she missed him too long .
Pathak Uncle had already dropped the bomb of Information on her, Two days before, and For straight 18 hours she had kept herself locked a room, trying to process everything, Calming her nerves after taking the blow .

If it wasn’t for Nakul she wouldn’t have came out . His constant coaxing and him being a gentle back up was what she needed, She strongly ached for .

“I…I” could she just complete, Or more enough spit out her feelings .

“Akriti, I know I should have…” Raghvir was already mid way apologizing for his dumbass behavior .

He thought pushing Her, His only daughter away would might protect her from his condition, But the outcome was totally unexpected.

The way Pathak narrated his cabin scene clearly broke his heart, His daughter was scared, feared and then was in complete denial until Pathak had used his stern voice . His I’m the doctor tone .

“A heads up would have been better dad, Rather dropping it as catastrophe” Her simple statement with those glassy eyes clearly shatters his heart .

“Betu, I didn’t wanted…” Raghvir had his voice shaky and….Unsure .

“I was never a glass doll, You always had me ready to face the worse, But then seeing you lying Lifeless was never in the List” She confessed, In utter Honesty and Fear, Evident in her tone .

“ I’m sorry muffin” She quickly rubbed her palms on her face, Any sign of tear vanishing from sight.

“I never wanted you to see me Like that, I wanted to keep you away from this, All of this” Raghvir so wanted to take her his arms . He slightly moved his right hand but couldn’t, The therapy was surely taking a huge toll in his physical strength, He was no longer the Energetic person he once claimed to be.

“I was scared Dad, So much that I didn’t know if it was a nightmare or Reality” Akriti muttered, biting her inner cheeks to not burst crying. 

“ I know Muffin, I have you a scare, I promise to never do that again” Raghvir couldn’t keep his emotions at Bay .

“I wanted to ignore you, Not talk to you for at least” She thought for second “ An hour” .

“that’s too much of a penalty to pay,  m'Lord” Raghvir tried his attempt on jokes. Much better to hear him Chuckling off like that .

“ I’m here to declare cease Fire” A voice boomed in the Room, Someone standing on the door and his hand stretched out, opening the door . Akriti rolled her eyes, Drama queen .

The figure walked in, Dressed in light blue pin-stripped Button down shirt and black chinos. Nakul Dixit.

Walking in his usual playful smile and those sharp features . Even the female staff had stopped to turn and give a glance to this man specimen.

Sure.

Nothing is burning ?

“British boy, The firing is already dropped, The treaty is supposed to be sign, soon” Raghvir greeted him with the same name he usually call him .

“Didn’t you two came together?” Raghvir questioned him, Feeling Akriti’s glare at him.

“You might Bust into spontaneous combustion”  He whispered in Nakul’s ears, Giving him a quick hug .

Nakul looked at the source and could see her clipped lips and Eyes burning holes in his head .

“Where were you stuck?” The fuel to the Fire . Raghvir grinned at his misery .

“Having a heart full chat with Zara, Right Nakul” She taunted him. Her eyebrows wriggling and eyes boring holes .

“A work Related call Uncle” Nakul added .He could clearly see the smoke out of her ears .

“A busy man He is . Right Muffin?” Raghvir was having the time of the Day . Akriti Glaring and Nakul being all innocent. 

“Who’s Zara? Your Girlfriend?” Nakul had to spit the whole water out, coughing . Akriti was fuming but still walked around Raghvir’s bed, thumping his back, For him breathe back normal .

“Nah… no, My secretary” He said after few minutes, Breathing out slowly . He murmured a thanks to Akriti . But couldn’t muster up the courage to look squarely in her eyes .

“Oh, Then Why you Jealous Muffin?”  Now it was Akriti’s chance to be baffled . Her eyes wide, Lips parted and eyes danced in embarrassment . Nakul bite back a chuckle seeing her at a loss of speech. 

“ah…I..I…am not, Not Jealous” Akriti stuttered her reply back, Her cheeks flushed and eyes on the floor .

“oh I misread” Raghvir said Nonchalantly, Acting all innocent and that was the last thread of Patience as Nakul felt a Roaring laughter erupting from his deep inside .

The Booming sound was soon enough joined by Raghvir, His chest vibrating from the laugh . Akriti admired the sight in front of her. Two important men of her life, having tears in their eyes because of laughing this hard . Their happy faces where forever engraved in her heart .

This moment needs to be captured .

Pulling her phone out she quickly shot few candid Clicks, though the eruption of Laughter was on her Expense .

“Okk, Enough Now”  She tried in stern voice, Trying her best to show her my sulking face but them looking at her and again bursting into a set she could nothing but shake her head at the insanity of these two people, supporting a huge grin on her lips and her cheeks turned tomato. 

“Am I missing something?” 

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To be Continued....