Can't Be Without You!

1. Broken souls

5 o clock in the morning. Abhimanyu stretched his hands as he heard his alarm clock ringing. He got up and rubbed his eyes with his rough fingers. Just like any other day, he freshened himself and then went infront of the little sculpture of Mahadev he had set in his little room of the hospital quarter. He prayed for almost an hour. By 7 o clock, he got ready and headed towards his hospital.

As he reached there, he saw some decorations. His father, whom he had disowned by all means was busy with the decorators, instructing them to put the most expensive decorations. He had no idea of what's going on, neither he cared. He went in towards the OPD ward and decided to look at what's going on, since he had no surgeries planned for today. Hrashwardhan Birla, his father noticed him but felt helpless. His son hadn't spoken to him since 3 years. It seemed that his soul left the body, the day his Akshara went away from him. Actually, Abhimanyu never talked to anyone except when it came to his patients. He was sincere towards his work and that was the only thing that kept him going. After taking a round of the whole hospital, it was lunch time and Abhi came back to his cabin. A helper at the hospital knocked his door.

"Come in!" Abhimanyu replied.

"Dr. Abhimanyu, actually Harsh sir has asked me to distribute these pizzas to all the hospital staff."

"You can keep it here." Abhimanyu replied calmly and pointed towards his table. The helper kept the pizza where directed, and left.

He opened the pizza box and then smiled to himself. 

"Do you remember Akshu? This same corn pizza you ordered for us, when we had our first date post marriage, in his same cabin." He took one slice and closely observed it. "Akshu I miss you yaar! Please come back na." he whispered to himself and tears started forming in his eyes. 

But he quickly wiped them. "Abhi! She'll never come back now. It's been three years, and you've been still thinking about her? She left you Abhi. She left you without even informing. She left you even when she knew you cannot survive without her. She killed you Abhimanyu, she killed you internally." his conscience reminded him.

"No! She did not leave me. My heart will never accept this. I can never stop hoping Akshu, hoping that you come back to me, only you can heal me Akshu." All of a sudden, he went behind in the memory lane and was now crying profusely.

Harsh was passing from infront of his cabin and immediately went inside on hearing his son crying. He hugged him tight. Abhimanyu too hugged him back and cried his heart out "Why papa? Why it had to me? Did I not deserve her?"

"No bacha no! Not again. It has been 3 years Abhi. You cannot fall weak now. See I've done all preparations for tomorrow. Please don't think about Akshara anymore and cry like this because-" 

Abhimanyu heard her name and came back into consciousness. He realised his condition and immediately pushed back Harsh. 

"No! Please don't." he said as he struggled to get up. With great difficulty he found some balance and left the room shutting the door behind.

Harsh felt tears in his eyes too. It was too heartbreaking for him. His heart had melted over the years. He loved his son a lot but over the years had loved Akshara too. That day she had won his heart and changed him forever. He was a perfect man with a perfect heart now. But at that moment he could neither hate Akshara nor love her. He was confused, he was devastated.

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It was evening and two sisters were packing their bags in a hurry.

"Akshu I asked you to come early na? Still you're late. We have an early morning flight and he have just started packing. What the hell were you doing in the NGO since so long." Arohi chided Akshu

"Arey sorry na baba. Actually there was a little boy whose guardian came for adm ission just when I was about to leave. My signatures were important for the papers, that is why I had to stay back."  Akshu tried to make her understand.

"Okay okay! Whatever! Acha by the way, I've applied for 1 week's holiday in my hospital. It is sufficient na?"

"ONE WEEK? What will I do there for one week? Please I only agreed to visit Udaipur because I saw you crying that day, missing home. You don't even have an idea how heartbreaking this will be for me. To be back in his city, where he lives with a broken heart. It will always remind me of what I have done to him and how much he would be hating on me." Akshara broke down. Arohi rushed towards her sister and quickly hugger her. 

"I'm sorry Akshu. I understand. And trust me, it's not important for us to visit there. I told this to you a lot of times but you were the one who insisted. One last time Akshu, tell ne if you actually want to go back?"

"Yes bacha, if you sister has promised something, she will fulfill it. You have already made a big sacrifice for me by agreeing to come here, now atleast I can do this for you?" Akshu went to hug Arohi

"Akshu, sacrifice to tune kara hai." Arohi hugged her back and cried.

"I never knew what love is till I witnessed that. That incident changed my thinking towards everything and I realised how much my sister needs me. That is why I'm here. Do not ever think it was a sacrifice. Akshu smiled at her sister and lightly kissed her head. 

The sisters continued packing and Akshu got her hands on her wedding pictures. She kissed her Abhimanyu in those photographs and held them close to her heart, weeping. After a few minutes, she took them and kept it in her suitcase. 

"Abhi, maybe fate did not want to keep us together, but nothing can separate our souls connected to each other. I love you and I miss you so much. I wish to see you when I reach there, but also I wish you never see me. Abhi, I know you hate me and rightfully so, but trust me I had no other option.." and she straightened herself before she would fall extremely weak again.

"So Akshu for how many days are we going?" Arohi enquired again.

"3 days" Akshu replied.

"Fine. Acha Akshu, sleep now. Our flight is at 4 am tomorrow. We need to complete our sleep as well na?" Arohi said while climbing up her bunk bead.

"Yes bacha" Akshu replied with a smile.

With this Akshu went to sleep hugging a photograph of herself and Abhimanyu.

"I don't know why Abhi, but today I just cant stop thinking about you. Maybe it is the excitement, or rather the fear to face you again. I just wish you don't hate me now." she murmured the last words and finally drifted to sleep, unaware of what's coming up for tomorrow.

So here's the first chapter guys! Now this was mostly about abhira's present condition and character sketch. The main story starts from the next day. Though, I'd love to see your feedback on this.

Thankyou and lots of love <33