Ishqbaaz: Inseparable

|| 16. Shock ||

Annika felt her legs give away. She felt herself loosing her hold on Shivaay. But when she saw Shivaay falling on the bed, she became aware and held him before he collapses. He was still conscious and could hear her. She shook her head and asked with disbelief.

"You are joking, right? Shivaay, you are not in your senses. You don't know what you are saying. You sleep now. We will talk tomorrow okay? "

She attempted to put him to sleep but he resisted and held her hands. He wiped her tears and said to her, "Believe me Anni, I had to gather a lot of courage. And that is why I drank today Annika. I didn't have enough courage in me to tell you this when I am sane. I drank as much as I needed to break this news to you. I am scared Annika. Very scared. I don't want to leave you. I don't want to."

He hugged her so tightly that even she got hell scared. She, with utmost difficulty broke the hug and asked him, "Shivaay, you are really scaring me. Tell me exactly what has happened. What was the result in your reports? Tell me."

He looked into her eyes and started speaking. His voice was still slow and slurred but Annika could decipher what he was saying.

"The reports came today Anni. The doctor called and told me that my heart needs an urgent transplant and they will find a suitable heart. But the chances of survival are very less. I am really scared Annika."

"What?"

"Yes Annika, the doctor has given a deadline of three months Annika. I can't do it. I can't."

He again buried his head into her neck and Annika could feel the wetness of his tears there. She still wasn't able to process the life changing news he had just given her. Suddenly, she felt the heaviness increase on herself. She realized that Shivaay has slept. She laid him down on the bed and covered him with the duvet. She sat beside him and caressed his face and kissed him all over the face numerous times as if she was in trance. She slowly slept beside him and snuggled into him and hugged him very tight as if, if she leaves him, she will lose him forever. She didn't realize when sleep overtook her.

When the morning rays entered the room, they broke Shivaay's sleep. He squinted his eyes open and saw around the room, only to see it empty. His head ached but he did remember some snippets of their conversation yesterday. But what he clearly remembered that he had disclosed about his illness to her. He heard noises around him and saw Annika enter the room with a lemonade in her hands. But what caught his attention was that she refused to meet his eyes. She quietly came to him and kept the glass beside him and was about to leave when Shivaay held her hand. As a result, she fell on the bed. He held her hand and made her look at him.

"Anni, I am sorry for what happened yesterday. I didn't mean for this to happen the way it did."

"And you just think that coming home drunk and dropping an atom bomb on your wife would make things easier?"

"I am really sorry Anni. But I couldn't look into your eyes and tell you that. I just couldn't. I know I shouldn't have drunk but I didn't have any other option."

"Do you even realise that alcohol can be more damaging to already damaged heart? Don't you ever think about me, Shivaay?"

"I know Anni. I just drank as much as I could tell you the news. I didn't drink excessively but I understand it is still wrong."

"Of course it is. Now let me go. I am really angry with you. I don't want to talk to you."

She was about to get up when he again pulled her back and this time hugged her tight.