The Stigma Called Love - Chapter 58

Nishant’s subconscious mind tried its best to keep awake but as the drugging liquid got mixed in his blood, everything went completely black. All his senses were again back to not feeling anything. He slipped into a traumatic and unwanted sleep.

Dhruv looked worriedly at his bunched forehead. As his head twisted to the other side, he knew Nishant was dreaming again. Somehow his subconscious mind had realised something was wrong. A couple of days more and he would be fully awake. And, then a storm would turn everything upside down. Dhruv closed his eyes and tried his best not to worry about the turn of events in the past days.

“Look what that wretched woman has done to my son,” Meera Naik said as she came and sat next to Nishant’s bed.

“Don’t worry, Aunty. Now that I am here, I’ll take care of him. I know he does not love that woman. Nishant only has me in his mind. I know it,” Rushali replied pressing his hand between her palms almost trying to brand him as hers.

Nishant’s body jerked with violent spasms the moment his drug-induced mind realised it was not Aparna’s hand holding his.

Scared Rushali let his hand go and moved away.

Meera Naik held his hand and tried to soothe the spasms but nothing happened.

Nishant continued to twist from side to side as the images of the past events flashed through his mind. He saw her standing near the window with Prakriti in her lap, waving to him. But the moment he moved towards them, they jumped out and disappeared.

“Aparna!” he shouted with shock and pain.

“Shhhh! It’s okay. They are safe. Calm down,” Dhruv said placing his hand on Nishant’s forehead trying to soothe his agitated state.

Slowly he calmed down and drifted into a drugged yet disturbed state.

******************  

Aparna pulled the covers on Prakriti and looked at her sleeping face. Tears slipped out as she remembered everything, which had transpired in the past days. Her life had again turned upside down and she was again at fault.

She touched her daughter’s small hand and closed her eyes, and apologised for the ordeal she had gone through. And, all because of what? Because she wanted to find happiness again?

Bullshit!

Aparna got up from the bed and hugged herself. Breathing hard, one by one she buried the time spent with Nishant in the deep confines of her heart.

You can dream, but you should never wish all your dreams to get fulfilled.

And, Nishant was one of them.

As the hurtful voices of Rushali and Meera Naik played in her mind again, everything started to burn. Gradually her whole being got engulfed in flames and his name also flared up with her until only ashes remained, and then the ashes also disappeared.

Only Prakriti remained.

Aparna slid to the bed and hugged her daughter tightly.

I belong to you and only you.

The next morning, Harish entered her bedroom and saw her playing with Prakriti. Aparna saw him and asked, “You got the tickets?”

He nodded and gave her the tickets for Darjeeling. Although, she had wanted to leave this place as soon as possible but the doctor had said that Prakriti could only travel after a month.

An unbearable month in Delhi!

An unbearable month of breathing the same air as them!

An unbearable month of trying to forget everything!

And, an unbearable month of blocking his memories!

******************

Nishant turned his head from one to side to another as his mind tried hard to wake up. The pain in his body was nothing compared to the anxiety in his heart. He wanted to feel her. He wanted to know she was okay.

Somehow, this time his body listened and every small tendril in him jerked awake. He opened his eyes and blinked twice trying to focus with the bright light signing right in his eyes. Groaning audibly, he closed his eyes again. He tried to raise himself but something was obstructing his body movements.

Nishant blinked again and raised his hand, and looked at the IV tubes connected to his veins. Irritated and confused, he raised his other hand to take them off when Dhruv rushed to his side.

“What do you think you are doing?” he asked placing his hand on Nishant’s stopping him from taking the tubes off.

“She needs me. I need to go,” he replied raising himself from the bed.

Dhruv placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed him down.

“They are safe and you are going nowhere until the doctor says so.”

Nishant looked at him with loathing and shook his head.

“You don’t understand. I need to see Aparna.”

“No, you don’t need to. She and Prakriti are absolutely fine. Now, please rest. You need it.”

“Dhruv, I need to go to her. Please,” Nishant replied and again tried to get up.

“Nishant, stop it.”

“Okay, I’ll not go anywhere. Then call her. I need to see her.”

Pushing him back on the bed, Dhruv turned away from him. He shook his head knowing well what would happen if Nishant came to know the truth.

“Nishant, she can’t. Prakriti needs her.”

Somehow Nishant believed him and finally rested his head on the pillow, and closed his eyes.

Phew!

Dhruv let out a sigh of relief and went out of the room. Siraj was standing outside observing everything.

“He will again ask about Aparna Ma’am. What will we tell him then?”

“Definitely, not the truth. Not until he is absolutely okay.”

****************

Seconds, minutes, hours, days and weeks gradually passed as Nishant patiently waited for her. Not once had she come to the hospital to see him. Every time he asked Dhruv about her, he was told that she was okay but Prakriti had yet not recovered properly.

Although, he found her behaviour a little strange but still he understood her psyche. Had it been him in her place then he would have also stayed back at home with Prakriti. Right now, she needed her mother the most. And, it was only a matter of some more days. She will be by his side the moment he is discharged.

Sighing, Nishant got up from the bed and sat down on the chair near the window. Although his wounds had almost healed, the doctor had still not given him a clean chit to go.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the movement of somebody running past his room.

Siraj!

He got up and walked outside.

“What the hell are you saying?” Dhruv said looking at Siraj with shock.

“She is leaving. I just got the news from Avinash. I had told him and Keshav to keep an eye on their house. And, that’s where they got to know that they are leaving Delhi.”

Shifanjali Naik was standing some steps away but she heard everything.

“We got to stop her. But, Dhruv, what will happen if Nishant comes to know all this,” she asked as she came and stood next to Dhruv.

“No, he can....” he stopped the moment he noticed a shadow behind Siraj.

He rounded the corner and stopped short.

“Nishant!”

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