Connected Heart

friendship or something more #8

Chapter-8

Sneha started to struggle for freeing herself but their grip became powerful, throwing water at her attempt. 

One of them folded her sleeve and took out an injection terrifying her.

Her face color drained, a shiver ran down in the spine, "I will steady, but please don't inject me," murmur could be listened to by them, but ignoring her ward boy injected her. She hissed painfully, tears rolled out from her eyes.

Nearly after 10 minutes, they left her laying at the bed, she was still murmuring "it is paining."

"She's dangerous, whenever I need to come here I pray thousands of times hoping Sneha must be asleep but most of the time she remains," one of them mumbled.

"I agree, she is even unpredictable. Sometimes behaves like normal but in the next moment like mad, also ends up harming Abhinav sir who does so many things for her," others said.

"What can we expect from her? She is mad then behaves like that itself," the first one replied.

Unknown to them Sneha who wasn't properly lost consciousness heard all that, she stopped muttering crying over her deeds.

It was true her state wasn't good but sometimes she can understand things well, and whenever that moment comes to her heart pain and tries to correct mishap but then her body betrays her.

Abhinav opened his eyes telling her condition, he can't match eyes with Nisha's as he can get a grip of her situation well.

Nisha's condition was worse than what Abhinav presumed. She was neither crying nor speaking anything.

She recalled how much Sneha was bubbly and used to behave sensibly but the way he told her it seemed she's someone else.

A question arose in her heart, shall she be happy or sad? She should be happy, her heart answered.

"Yes, I am happy at least she is alive and about her health then I know once she will be with us, she will be fine," her lip curled in smile thinking this but soon it faded, her expression turned stern.

"Why didn't you inform us?" Nisha asked angrily, she doesn't want to misunderstand his intention now nor is she doubting his words but if he had informed them then at least they could not be in despair for 2 years.

"You should've told us that moment itself when you admitted her in the hospital, how much my child felt alone there. She must want us near her, even if she isn't well but the truth is she is our family. We could have dealt with her and I believe our care wouldn't have gone to waste," Nisha said after not getting any response from him.

"Doctor told me the chances are less than a percent for her being normal, and then I thought at least I should inform you but when I came here. I saw you're burning someone's body and addressing Sneha, and someone was there in a hoodie who was keeping eyes on your activities. I went away thinking Sneha will not be safe here, also at least you both could move on thinking her dead," he said guilty over his deeds, whatever he had reasons he shouldn't hide about Sneha from her family.

In these two years, he saw their pain, but after coming here he felt it and the truth is even then he hadn't planned to disclose the truth, it just happened.

"But that body was exactly like her, yes it was not identical, but DNA matched," Nisha asked suppressing her anger over the fact someone had fallen so low.

"A big game was that someone did not want anyone to investigate her and at that time my priority was her, so I didn't try anything," he said.

"Still you did wrong, my child was in pain and here we were busy in our life," Nisha fell on the floor and held bed crying.

"No," Abhinav endeavored to say but was interrupted by Nisha.

"But why now?" She asked next.

"Now she's somewhat stable, because of that a hope raised inside me so I came here to know more about you all, using all that I can help her and can't come here normally because I am afraid for her also, I have some other purposes," he said washing her all anger, she is ready to forget his every immaturity.

She closed her eyes and muttered, "thank you, God."

"My Saira is alive," happiness content inside her realizing now no more tension, she will bring her here or she will go to Saira only and first hug her.

A lot of plans she builds in a few seconds, seeing her face Abhinav can understand what is going inside her mind, he happily lets her plan everything.

Nisha was about to ask more as she was excited to see her Saira but stopped by the bell ring.

"Siya must have come," Nisha said, seeing his gaze.

"Please don't reveal anything to anyone," he hopefully joined hands.

"Why?" Arching her eyebrows, she asked.

A doubt of seed again implanted in her eyes which little hurt Abhinav, but he chooses to understand it rather than getting on arguments.

"Saira can be in danger if it is reached by more people. I guess her killer is someone close to you or Aunt. I don't want to doubt your close people but also I don't want to put her in risk, after so many struggles she is improving if even a single stressful thing or bad situation then I can lose her," saying it, he hopefully looked at her.

"But Siyali deserves to know the truth, and if it is about others, you can be in assurance as more than you, Sneha is our family, none of our actions could be dangerous for her," anger can be visible in her words which somewhat made him furious.

"I just want Sneha safety, and about Aunt then you can tell her once I catch Sneha's culprit or Sneha become fine, well I leave this decision up to you," saying it he went from there as he doesn't want to show his arrogance side, it is not like he didn't understand her intentions but it is also true he cares for Sneha if not more than them, not even less than them. And in these years he well knows how much danger he faced for her safety.

Not getting any response, Siyali entered the house with the help of a duplicate key.

"Ma, Abhinav," Siyali yelled worryingly. Nisha came there, behind her Abhinav too, he was silent as well as in tension.

"Where were you? I rang so many times but no one opened," Siyali asked.

"We were watching television, sorry," Nisha said, giving relief to Abhinav.

"Really?" Siyali doubtfully asked.

"Yes Aunt, you go and fresh. See how much you seem tired," Abhinav said, pushing her in the room.

He turned toward Nisha and mouthed thanks. She didn't say anything, only left from there. Abhinav shook his head and went inside his room.

He was about to lay but stopped seeing Sneha's photo, smilingly he touched that whispering, "Sneha, I'll soon reach the truth then I promise I'll not leave anyone whoever is the reason behind your state."

"But till that does not come before me, I have to concentrate on my other plans. My first target is Payal Kapoor, and her lover or I should say my lovely cousin Vivek Agnihotri. I'll not only destroy their dreams of living together but also destroy them so their families can feel our pain. Kapoor's are the reason for your miseries and Agnihotri are mine," his eyes turned red recalling their miseries.

.............................

"Aunt, see I took care of my house, and you know I also cleaned the kitchen," he said, making Nisha roll her eyes over his acting.

"That's good, I bought something for you," Siya said he started to jump happily.

"Can anyone doubt him?" Nisha mumbled seeing his actions.

"Clothes?" His eyes glistened, Siya nodded in yes.

"You're the best," he said, clapping.

"First check, and tell me did you like it or not?" Siya asked.

He hurriedly took that and started to check on himself.

"I'll look like a prince," he praised himself, rotating with a t-shirt making Nisha, and Siya emotional.

"Oh gosh, this skirt I'll be like a princess." They recalled Sneha's words; their eyes filled with tears. Siya excused herself but Nisha angrily glared at him making him confused.

"Why do you act like her?" Nisha asked.

"I, when?" He asked with confusion, waving his hand through his hair.

"Don't act, when Siyali showed you clothes you acted like Sneha," Nisha tempestuously uttered, inflicting him, he clutched his hand and banged on the wall fiercely giving hurt to himself and inducing fear in Nisha's body.

"I know what Sneha means for you both, but you can't abuse my feelings for her repeatedly," his aggression gave her quiver but somewhere in her heart contented prosperity arose.

"I am sorry for my words but it is hard for me to trust you fully, I know about Sneha whatever you said is true but it seems you have some motive behind all this. I do not mean to question your friendship but it is also true I have seen my daughter breaking because of someone uglier motive, I just want assurance that you will never hurt Sneha or Siyali," saying Nisha's looked down, Abhinav sighed saying, "I understand but you also think if I had some uglier motive then I never saved Sneha or risked my everything for her."

"What do you have a relationship with her? Only friendship or?" Nisha tried to ask but he interrupted, "Beyond any relation."

"Excuse me," he emotionally said.

Nisha closed her eyes recalling her own words, "my faith says you'll get someone who'll forget himself for you, he will have only a motive keeping you happy."

"I don't know he's that person," Nisha muttered going in Siya's room.

"Ma, why did she leave us? She went through a lot. My Sneha was only 10 years old when I came here, breaking ties with my husband as he was alcoholic and used to treat us badly. I bore everything thinking how my child will live without her father, but he crossed his limit by selling her for alcohol. I divorced him and came here but Kapoor's made her life worse. Their taunt used to penetrate her innocent heart. She remained strong, and always stood with us saying they're her life and she'll never leave us then why? I hope just for once I get to see her," Siya cried.

Nisha felt helpless, she wanted to tell the truth about being alive but can't say anything until she herself did not see her. Also, that condition which he described would break Siya's heart.

"Don't worry, wherever she's; she will be safe," Nisha whispered, hugging Siya.

"Hmm, I'm fine. You go and rest. I'll prepare dinner for us. I'm not liking the way Abhinav reacts with his mother. That lady seems good," Siya tried to say but was interrupted by her.

"We don't know reasons, and without knowing we can't judge his actions. You leave that, and rest today I'll prepare dinner for us," Nisha said, caressing Siya's hair as well as amazed at herself realizing she took his side whom she still can't trust.

Abhinav entered the room sadly, sat at bed taking mobile in his hand thinking something deeply, "our relation? The pain only bounded us. I had my family's betrayal, but your pain was even more than me. You taught me to keep smiling even when your heart is wounded, never show anyone your vulnerable side else they'll use that only," His eyes were closed, tears were sliding on cheeks. He composed himself muttering "Be strong Abhinav?"

"In all this, I forget how all of a sudden Sneha's father vanished? Someone is in my game and helping me or coincidence," he ruffled his hair thinking about Sneha's rather sudden disappearance, but soon he smiled idiotically dancing with a t-shirt sensing someone was coming.

"I shall nominate you for Oscar," Nisha said, glaring at him.

"That is great, yes I'll call you on stage in a speech saying an old fat lady is responsible for my fabulous career," he said, teasing, making Nisha furious.

"Who's old? And fat?" She angrily said, he started to run yelling she's, Nisha fumed.

...............................

To be continued.