Chapter 24: Out Of The Woods

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Hey guys. I'm back with an early update. Thank you for the votes and comments in the previous chapter. I hope you all are gonna be happy after reading this chapter and now I guess there aren't anymore flashbacks left.
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"Mrs Rajvansh, Mr Rajvansh had a very close encounter with death. The alcohol had clotted his blood vessels and he barely dodged a cardiac arrest. He's also suffering from acute liver failure. Though medicines will be provided but we don't know whether they will cure it or not." the doctor announced and Meenakshi shuddered at her feet.

" Hey maa Ambe! Abir mene kahaa tha, mat piya kar! ab dekh! " She shouted to an unconcious Abir and the whole family sobbed at the condition.

"Doctor, agar medicines cure na kar payi to?" Parul Masi asked.

"Ma'am fir toh liver transplant is the only option."

" Kunal! " Kuhu stopped a broken Kunal who was leaving the room, feeling suffocated.

"Kuhu I need some time, please leave me alone." He said, wiping off his tears.

Kunal drove back to the Rajvansh sadan, running upto Abir's room and he started searching through all of the room, finding all of the alcohol bottles and throwing them in a pollybag.

He brought a nail and hammer, hanging Mishti's painting away in a corner. He opened the curtains, fresh sunlight entering the room for the first time in 2 years.

He switched on the fairy lights and bulbs that were hanging in Abir's room to make the room more lively. He opened a carton in Abir's attic over the room, taking out various photo frames.

He hung all of those photos on Abir's walls - Him and Abir in childhood, teenage, adulthood; Abir and Meenakshi; Kunal, Abir and Ketki; the whole family photo and then he finally came to pictures of Abir and Mishti - their first Gordhana, their sangeet and finally their wedding. He wondered if he should hang Mishbir's pictures or not and decided not to because she was not coming back..

Keeping the MishBir frames back, he climbed down, the room finally looking as if someone lived here. Taking a deep breath, he sat down on the bed and doctor's words replayed in his mind and he started crying heavily. He couldn't afford to lose his big brother- the only constant person in his life; the person who taught him everything; his parent.

"Kunal." Parul masi caressed his head, pulling him in her embrace. "Maa! Bhai ne esa kyu kiya?" and he sobbed uncontrollably.
....
The next day, Abir was brought back home with a glucose drip on his hand. He was still weak when he entered the room and was surprised to see Kunal standing there and his whole room had turned like it was 2 years ago.

"Nanko yeh-?"

"Bhai, mat kaho aap mujhe nanko. Kunal hi theek hai. " Kunal said without any feelings.

" Nanko? "

"Bhai aap esa kese kar sakte hain ? Aapne ek baar bhi apni health ke baare mai nahi socha na? Aapne yeh socha ki mera kya hota agar aapko kuch ho jaata toh? Maa ka kya hota? NANU ka kya hota? "

" Kunal I-"

" Yeh room mene ese isiliye decorate kiya hai taaki aapko realise ho ki chahe aapko aapki life ki fikar nahi hain, par kuch aur log hain jo aapki bahut care karte hain. Aur agar aapko kuch ho gaya toh yeh sab log marr jaenge. Toh agli baar esa karne se pehele yeh soch lena Bhai ki aap aur kitne logo ko dukh dekar jaaoge. " he said and helped Abir lie down on the bed, walking out of there.

"Gadhedo! " Nanu walked in the room, keeping his composure and sat beside him, holding his hand.

"Nanu I'm sorry."

"Tu sach mai Gadhedo hai. Teri koyi galati nahi hai Abir. galati to humari hai ki hum tera dukh nahi samajh paaye. Tu itna akela padd gaya ki tujhe sharab ka sahara lena pada beta. Yeh nanko bhi! Abir, boora beta tu nahi, hum ek achha parivar nahi bann paaye tere liye. Meri beti ne tujhe aaj tak jitne bhi dukh diye hain uske liye uska baap tujhse aaj maafi maangta hai beta. Maaf karde mujhe. " Nanu folded his hands infront of him, breaking down." Par apne nanu ko itna dukh mat de beta. Mai hoon selfish. Nahi reh paaunga tere bina. "

Abir too started crying," Nanu, I- I know. Aapki bhi koyi galti nahi hai. I'm sorry. Ab mai apna poora khayal rakhunga. Aap logo ke liye. "

" Hum sab ke liye nahi Abir, tu khud ke liye apna khayal rakhega. Tu chhod hum sab ke baare mai sochna. Tu bass apna dhyaan rakh. Hum sab ke liye utna hi kaafi hai. Chal ab araam kar. Mei tere liye khichdi bhijwata hoon. "

Abir wiped Nanu's wet eyes and he did the same when Kunal entered the room and hugged both of them tightly, crying even louder. Abir patted his back, consoling him.

Now, during this phase, Abir started building his business and working for the future of his NGO kids to secure their future if he went away without doing anything more.
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1 year later,
Kunal strolled a weak Abir in a wheelchair inside the house. Parul masi stood there, doing Abir's aarti and putting tilak on his head. Abir just survived a Liver Transplant and now he was about as healthy as he was 3 years ago. Kaushal Mama and Nidhi Mami had returned back 6 months ago, Ketki still in USA.

Meenakshi tied a sacred thread around his right wrist, chanting some auspicious mantra.

"Maa, ab mai theek hoon. Ab toh rona band karo. Operation bhi ho chuka hai ab toh mera. "

" Promise me Abir! promise me that abse tum humesha theek rahoge aur apne parivaar ko ese nahi daraoge jese tumne pichle saal kiya tha. "

Abir nodded, " I Promise. Ab ek group hug ho jaaye?"

The whole family enveloped Abir in a hug and Meenakshi kissed his head innumerous times.

"Ab sab theek ho gaya hai to mai kuch batana chaahti hoon." Kuhu said and everyone looked confused.

" 2 mahine pehle mujhe pata chala tha ki mai pregnant hoon par... " The family was extremely happy except Abir who just smiled. " Par 1 hafte pehele doctor ne mujhe bataya ki mera uterus ek baby ko carry karne ke liye healthy nahi hai. Aur woh baby ab iss duniya mai nahi raha. " She started crying.

" Kuhu tum.. tumne mujhe bataya kyu nahi? "

" Kunal, Abir Bhai bimaar the, aap sab log already itne pareshaan the, mai aapko aur pareshan nahi karna chahti thi. I'm- I'm sorry mai humare baby ko sambhal kar nahi rakh paayi. " Kunal hugged her, he too was crying by then.

" I'm sorry Kuhu. " was all Abir said and then he went away from there.
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Present, after Abir and Mishti's khichdi date.

"Hello Mr Rajvansh, aaj aapka appointment hai aapke regular liver check-up ka. I hope we are seeing you here. "

" Doctor main personal reasons ki wajah se Mumbai aaya hoon and yahaan ki branch ke saath ek appointment fix ki hai. Mai bas wahi jaa raha hoon. " He answered and cut the call, searching for the slip in his pocket but didn't find anything. He started running hysterically to Mishti's place, worried she'd find out about his health in the past.

"Woh! Woh! Meri ek slip reh gayi thi yahaan!" Abir said taking deep breaths as if he was running. He spotted the slip in Mishti's hand and snatched it saying a quick goodbye and running out.

"Thank God! " He said, climbing in the car and driving off.
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A/n
Hey guys. How was it? Yep! Abir is not unwell anymore. he's fine but he's worried of Mishti finding out about it. Also this is an end to the flashback chappies.... For now. Please don't forget to vote and comment on this chappy.
Love,
Misha 💜

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