Chapter 1: THE TRAGEDY
1020 Words
The night had already been gloomy with the winds blowing haywire that night in Mumbai, but the corridor outside Central Hospital, Mumbai seemed gloomier. A women in her late twenties was sitting on the seat outside the operation theater, so quiet like she had never known words. Her cheeks were damp and her eye lashes wet, but her eyes were occupied with fear.
" Tara?", Another male voice called her and she turned her face to him, watching him forward her a cup of tea.
She shook her head, she did not want tea. All she needed to know was her husband, inside that operation theater was okay.
Kabir sighed, he had always treated Tara like his baby sister, since their college days. And now, watching her so desolate, broke him too, but he knew he needed to be strong for her.
The red bulb outside the operation theater was switched off, and the team of doctors came out, with glum faces. One of them walked to Tara, who by then had stood up, her heart anxious and her demeanor sweaty.
" I am really sorry to inform you Mrs Tara Khurana but the blood loss had been too much. The patient had been in irreversible shock already by the time he was brought in. We could not save your husband", the words of the doctor echoed in the hospital Ward and Tara felt her world gone numb.
She sank into the chair behind her and for a second everything went blurred.
How could this happen? Today was supposed to be the best day of her life! She finally thought she could move on, that she also could have a family! How did they reach here?
Tara watched them bring Shiv's body on a stretcher, and she ran to him, trying to wake him up. Tears were running down her cheeks as she shook Shiv's frail body.
" Wake up Shiv! You can't leave me. You said you will stay, you promised me a forever Shiv. Get up!", Tara was getting paranoid, but the ache in her heart won't lessen.
Kabir ran after her and held her shoulders. Tara looked at him with red eyes and a crestfallen face.
" Ask him to wake up Bhai (brother). Ask Shiv to get up. Tell him I need him", Tara sobbed into his chest, while Kabir bit his lip to stop his own tears. He knew it was hard for her, but she needed to hold herself.
It was only when he felt her entire weight on him that he realized Tara had fainted.
" Doctor!", His scream echoed in the corridor as he supported Tara's limp body in his arms. Watching his little sister like that burned him alive, but he had no other option but to stand strong for her.
He knew it was only the beginning. There would be a lot more in the future that was threatening to destroy Tara and her soul!
In the similar time zone, in another part of Mumbai, a tall handsome man in his late twenties was standing in the centre of his bedroom, rocking a little girl in his arms, trying to make her fall asleep. The baby girl, Pari, as she was fondly called by her father, yawned as he hummed a melody in her ears.
Ten months since his wife died in labour, and Ved's life had never been the same again. Siya Singh, his wife, left him alone in this world, leaving behind the responsibility of their daughter on him. It was true that Ved probably had never loved Siya, but it was also true that he had never loved anyone more than he loved Pari.
His little bundle of ten months was the reason of his existence, his will to live these days.
Life had never been fair with Ved. What else could be expected from his life when destiny had given parents worse than enemies. His father, a rich business man never took out a minute out of his numerous business trips to see how his wife and son were doing, if they were alive or not.
While his mother, used Ved all his life to extract Money from his father. She didn't pat his head ever, or hug him. Sometimes he wondered if he really was their son, but some questions don't have answers. The only relief in his life was his best friend, or rather ex Best friend, Tara, and that too had been snatched from him.
Ved sighed as he lay down Pari on the bed, and set pillows around her for support. Leaning in, he pecked her forehead.
" Good night baby", his voice was soft, and mellow, as he ran his fingers through her baby hairs.
" All I wish is to be a better parent that Your grandparents, and I hope I will live upto this promise", he smiled at a sleeping Pari, before his phone began vibrating.
Kabir calling.
Ved looked at the time, it was past ten. Kabir should have been home, why was he calling him when they shared the same home?
" Hello?", Ved picked up, and was greeted by a panting Kabir.
" Ved, we need you!", Kabir pleaded, his heart in his mouth, because he knew this was going to be difficult.
Ved and Tara were not on talking terms, yet the only person who could help them handle Tara was Ved.
" Shiv met with an accident, could not survive. Tara is hospitalized, we can not seem to handle her", Kabir uttered all in a single breath, while it snatched the ground beneath Ved's feet.
Shiv was no more?
Tara was hospitalized?
His hands trembled as he dropped the phone down, his vision Beginning to blur.
What else could he do, his heart constricted again at the knowledge of the fact that the girl he had madly loved all these years, was mourning her husband's death, and he was expected to handle her?
Life had indeed had never been fair to Ved Singh, and he could only be certain of it every passing minute!
- Writer
