What's Written In The Stars [H.S]

Part 74

"We've already started our descent procedure into the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. We expect to land at 19:20, 30 minutes before our scheduled time. The local time is seven O'clock in the evening and the temperature is 26 degree Celsius." The captain announces.

I look at my reflection in the mirror of this tiny bathroom. My hair is messy, my misty eyes are red and puffy. Dry tear stains on my flushed cheeks.

I turn on the tap and wash my face and dry it with the tissue paper.

"Excuse me." There's a slight tap on the door, "You'll have to vacate the toilet, we're about to land."

I let out a sigh and walk out of the bathroom and close the door behind me. The airhostess nods her head and locks the door. I walk back to my seat and sit down. Aditya and Ali are asleep where as Harry looks at me with concern etched over his face. Harry interlocks his his fingers with mine and gives me a hopeful smile. I try to smile back but just couldn't.

How can I, when Salman is the hospital, fighting for his life? When he's been suffering so badly for the past few months, while I've been having the time of my life.

"I think you need to sit down for this." Dad says seriously.

"Dad you're really scaring me. Is everything okay?" My heart thumps harder.

Dad looks at Aditya and then at Harry. We were at the cruise when Dad called me asked Aditya and I to come back home immediately. Harry quickly drove us and here we are standing in the living room. Dad looks at us, as if thinking how to frame the words in a non shocking way.

Dad plops down on the sofa and I sit down next to him. Aditya comes and sits on the coffee table in front of us.

"I think I'll leave." Harry turns around.

"No son, wait." He stops Harry and Harry nods his head understandably.

"Dad, please. I can't bear the suspense anymore." Aditya says.

Dad looks at me, his eyes big and sympathetic, "You remember how I told you that I had hired a private investigator to find out where.....where Salman was?" He speaks softly.

This can't be good, my stomach tightens as I feel something bad coming.

My heart beats faster, "Y-yes." I swallow the lump forming in my throat.

"Is he okay?" Aditya asks with his eyebrows furrowed.

"Well, the invegator called me a while back." He pauses and sighs, "Salman is at the hospital, he has been very ill. He was.... He was diagnosed with... leukemia. He's been treating it for the past few months. But it seems that he has only gotten worse. They had to sell the house to pay for his treatments."

And I feel the world stop spinning. I feel my lungs constrict and the lump in my throat becomes bigger. Tears start flowing down my cheeks before I even know it.

"Aditi, you need to be strong." Dad rubs my hands but I feel numb.

This can't be happening. This isn't happening.

"Aditi, breathe." Aditya gives my shoulder a squeeze. I try to breathe but I can't feel the air go into my lungs.

And that was the last thing I remember before passing out. When I woke up today morning in Aditya's bedroom, he was packing a suitcase. Dad had booked the earliest flight for the both of us. Aditya wanted to be there for Salman as a friend, who he has known for so long. He said he didn't only want to be there for Salman but also for me. He also texted our friends back home informing them of the situation. He had also informed Ali, who immediately booked a flight along with us.