Loving Us

I

🎶kuch pakar khona hai
kuch khokar pana hi
jiwan ka matlab to ana aur jana hai
do pal ke jiwan se
ek umra churani hai..🎶

◽◽◽◽◽◽◽◽◽◽◽◽◽

Kabir had just gotten out of shower after a really long day when Nandita, his mother, knocked on his door.

"Your coffee." She gave him a mug of steaming liquid.

"Thanks, maa." He kissed her cheek.

"I talked to Kiara today. Aahan has started to crawl. He is growing up so fast. I am so happy both my daughters found such loving and caring husbands." Nandita said about Mayera and Kiara.

"It is your turn now. When will you bring me a daughter-in-law?" Nandita asked Kabir.

He was almost 29 and there was nothing new about Nandita persuading him to get married. But he was always successful in dodging the topic.

"Maa, can we discuss this some other time?" He was too tired to have an argument.

"Of course. Only this other time never comes and you keep me hanging." She sighed and walked out of his room.

Kabir shook his head at his adorable mother. It wasn't like he had any problem with marriage, it was just that he hadn't found that woman who'd make his heart flutter. Sure, he'd dated in the past, but never fell in love. He didn't know if he'd ever find a girl who'd make his heart go racing just by a smile.

______________

The next day, Kabir was in the middle of a meeting when his assistant, Shreya interrupted him.

"I am really sorry for the intrusion, but Mr Oberoi, your mother is on the line and she is asking to speak to you." She informed Kabir.

"Can't it wait?" Kabir did not like being disturbed while working.

"I am afraid not. I told her you're in a meeting, but she told me it is urgent."

Kabir tensed up a bit. Something was wrong, or else Nandita would never ask for him despite him being in a meeting.

He excused himself and hurriedly came on line. "Maa, is everything okay?"

"Kabir, Sakshi and Shekhar got into an accident. Tejas and I are on the way to the hospital." Her voice was muffled with soft sobs.

Sakshi Ahuja and Nandita Oberoi had been best friends for over three decades now. And Shekhar Ahuja was Sakshi's husband.

Nandita and Sakshi met in college, and became friends instantly. Kabir and his sister, Mayera had grown up knowing the Ahuja family all their life.

"What?" Kabir was shocked. "I am coming too."

Even though he wasn't very close with them, he still respected them a lot. They were really nice people with a heart of gold. And he knew how much Sakshi meant to his mother.

It didn't take long for Kabir to reach the hospital as it was near his office. He enquired at the reception and was given the way where they were taken.

When he reached there, he could see his parents. His father was leaning on the wall, while his mother was sitting on the bench. She had her arms wrapped around a girl. Both of them were sobbing.

Kabir immediately recognized the girl. She was Meera Ahuja, Sakshi and Shekhar's only child. Meera was a 19 year old young girl, who had recently started college. Sakshi had some fertility issues, and after countless medical treatments over many years, Meera was born. She was a blessing for the Ahujas and they loved their daughter to death.

Even though their families were friends, Meera and Kabir never developed any kind of bond. In fact, in all these years, they'd hardly even conversed. Maybe it was their 10 year age gap didn't let them get comfortable with each other, or maybe it was because Meera had always been really intimidated in his presence.

Mayera, on the other hand, had had a few decent conversations with Meera whenever they met at some party or some family dinner, but they weren't exactly friends either. Again, maybe because Mayera was almost eight years older than her too.

But Kabir knew that she was a nice girl, and his heart ached seeing her weep hysterically. So he moved his gaze to his father.

Tejas sighed and took Kabir aside.

"Their car's brakes failed. Shekhar couldn't make it. Sakshi is getting checked by the doctor."

A few minutes later, the doctor came out of the room. "The patient has very deep head injuries. We need to operate on her now."

"Do anything that you've to save her." Nandita said.

"But we have to warn you, the risks of her survival are very thin." The doctor informed them.

A loud sob left Meera's mouth and while she held onto Nandita more tightly. She couldn't believe that it was happening. His father was already gone, she couldn't lose her mother too. It was getting hard for her to breathe. It was like someone was squeezing her lungs.

Nandita saw her and helped her sit. Kabir went to get her some water, while Tejas left to pay for the surgery.

The next two hours were the longest of Meera's life. While sitting outside the OT, she kept chanting prayers to God, begging Him to save her mother.

But the doctor walked out of the operation theatre and said those three words that changed her life completely.

"We are sorry."

Tejas and Kabir stood there transfixed. Nandita yelped out. But it was Meera who had gotten the biggest shock of her life.

She had lost both her parents in a span of a few hours. Yesterday she was laughing with them, sitting comfortably in their home, and today, they were suddenly gone. She was left alone in this cruel world.
She had become an orphan. That was her last thought before her body started to sway and black dots started to appear in front of her eyes. But she felt someone catching her before she fell on the ground. A strong sandalwood scent invaded her nose and she completely passed out.

🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺🔺

Well, that was the first chapter. Let me know your thoughts.

Keep voting.

PS: Tell me, who was the writer that made you fall in love with literature? For me, it was Sidney Sheldon. If you love suspense thriller books, and you haven't read Sheldon yet, what are you even doing with your life?