Abir walked back to CCU with two cups of black coffee to the isolated corridor...
It was the second night of Rajshri being admitted in the hospital.
Yesterday the doctors had said that her tumour had started metastasising....slowly but steadily invading her organ systems...
It was hard for him just listen to those words....and Mishti....she was crumbling before his eyes....
It had taken him all his will not to take her in arms and soothe away her agonies if they could alleviate them in any way....
And the thought had shocked him so much that he could not bear to stand beside her....and had left her in Kunal's hands....
As he walked further his eyes fell on the tired frame of Mishty...she was sitting on the steel chair meant for bystanders, and his legs felt as if it weighed tonnes...
Mishti sat with her elbows on knees...her palm supporting her forehead.
She had much more in hands than Badimaa......
The only relief of the day was Badimaa's tired smile...Abir and she were allowed to visit her in CCU just for a couple of minutes....but it was like a lifeline for Mishti to see her badimaa fighting off the treacherous enemy within her...
Kuhu..she had a gash on her shoulder when a branch struck her hard in the storm last day and several bruises as a result of falling down a bit through the steep trail...
Abir had taken her to ER to do the stitches and made her take the tet shot...
Then her friends ,their families...all had dropped in the hospital to check on them and to comfort them.... Badimaa was so well known in their locality for her kind and pleasant nature and Mishti could see the shock upon their faces to know that she had brain tumour...!
Her mind wandered to the conversation she had with Avi's mom....
Avi's mom was a nice woman and she had known her for some years...after comforting her about her Badimaa she had discreetly apologised for her son's actions.... then she saw Abir come with Kuhu.....
Mishti had moved to help Kuhu who looked very weak...and it was then Avi's mom asked her who he was...
"Actually aunty ...this is ...umm...Abir.. a family friend..."
She had explained shortly, trying to hide her quiver in voice...Avi's mom nodded with a polite smile to him, taking in the explanation...
But Abir had swiftly corrected her...
"No aunty, I am family..Haina Mishti?.".
The depth of his voice was synonymous to the depth of emotion in his eyes...and she was left without any words....
He was right ...he was family....wasn't he?
She had chewed down the bitter feeling that welled up in her for a moment.
