The Exchange

Dr. Kunal Khera

Abhimaniyu had waited outside the hotel the entire night. He had sat awake on the bench, waiting for the moment when his Akshu would exit those doors walking alongside Maya. And when that happened, he would confront both of them together...this was it. The final night before he got to the truth...the final night his Akshu was away from him. No matter what bitter reality he discovered tomorrow, he would fix it. He would fix it for his Akshu, he would fix it for himself...he would fix it for THEM. 

And when morning finally came, he stood up in anticipation of the moment his heart had been waiting for for the past year. He stood up in anticipation of his answers. He knew deep within his soul that his Akshu could come outside at any minute...he could feel her so close to him. He held his necklace in his hands, praying to Mahadev..."Mahadev...aaj mera saath dedena...please Mahadev..bas aaj apne is bakth ka saath dedna...mujhe aap ki zarurat hai....please Mahadev." 

And after the most painful year, after the most bitter 365 days of his life, his Mahadev finally heard him. His prayers were interrupted by someone saying her name..."Akshara" he heard...but when he looked around, he did not see her...he did not see anyone. But then, near the back entrance of the hotel, he saw his Akshu...and like he had expected, he saw her with Maya. He saw the two of them walking to a white car waiting for them...he saw his Akshu carrying a guitar while Maya strolled carelessly beside her. His blood boiled, his heart screamed at the way his love, his life was being treated. He would ruin Maya if it was the last thing he ever did...he would make her pay...whatever her game was, today was the day it ended. 

But, right as he was about to run up to them, to stop them from wherever they were going, to tell Maya that his Akshu was coming with him, he saw a man exit from the back door his Akshu just had. And while he was too far away to tell who he was, for some reason, the man looked familiar...he could make out his face, but not his build. He saw the man telling his Akshu something, snatching the guitar out of her hands. Who was he? And what was he doing with his Akshu? Was he the reason...the real reason his Akshu had been away from him this entire time? Was he the reason for their pain...for HER pain? 

Without making himself known, he got closer and closer to the back entrance. He felt his heartbeat speeding up, his pulses increasing. In the pit of his stomach, he knew his Akshu was in danger. And, he could not take any impulsive actions...he had to control himself. He could not put his life, his love in danger. 

And when he was finally within viewing distance, he saw his face. He saw the face of the person Akshu had brought to him a year ago...the person she had unearthed from whatever corner of the world he had been hiding in. The person who had healed his hand only for him to never use it again. The person, whom he now knew was his Akshu's culprit. Dr. Kunal Khera.