AKSHNAV FF- Piya tose naina laage re

Chap 1- Kaisa sulook zindagi tu kar rahi hai

Akshara walked down the stairs of Birla house barefoot. Her white dupatta embraced the marble floor taking her mind back to the day she had entered the house as a bride. An innocent young girl full of dreams, she wasnt very wise or a medical intern like her sister.  Her sister Arohi was the career oriented ambitious woman, a dedicated doctor and the kind of partner her father-in-law Dr. Harsh Birla had desired for his son. But Akshu was different. She had always been a bright student, but chose music above all other subjects.

While she was still trying to figure out how to make a carrer out of her passion and qualifications for music, she met Dr. Abhimanyu Birla, fell in love with him and...............After a series of ups and downs, they finally got married.

In the blink of an eye, everything was over. She was no longer Abhimanyu's wife, she could no longer stay in the house. She reached the exit of the house and stopped on seeing Neil's garland adorned photo.

She had lost her brother, her babies and..............And her husband too.

"Abhi ko lagta hai ki uska dukh mere dukh se bada hai," she whispered to Neil's photo," par bhai toh maine bhi khoya hai, bache toh mere bhi nahi rahe........Toh phir kaise.........."

She sobbed as she covered her mouth with her dupatta to prevent herself from crying out aloud.

MEANWHILE, a taxi driver was taking money from his customer. He had dropped off a young couple at Udaipur airport and they were paying him his fare.

The driver thanked them and dialled his sister's number.

"Muskaan!" he spoke happily," Udaipur is treating me so well. I am earning good money here. I promise that I will earn enough to send you to college."

"Muskaan......."Neelamma spoke from the other end of the line," apne bhai se keh ki ab apni shaadi ka bhi kuch soche. Taras gyi hoon use ache jeevan saathi ke saath dekhne ke liye."

The driver smiled and disconnected the call.

"Mr. Abhinav Sharma?" a middle aged passenger called out to him. He turned around and greeted the passenger.

"Yes sirji," Abhinav said," I am supposed to pick you up. Come, give me your bag."

Akshara had refused to go to her bade papa's house. Arohi was there and she was constantly blaming her for Neil's death. There was nothing new about it. First, she was blamed for Seerat maa's death and then..............But she couldnt take any more of it. Arohi had her family and she had faith that they all would take good care of her. Bidding her goodbyes to everyone except Kairav(who was out of country at the time), she walked away.

Akshara walked towards the nursing home absent-mindedly. She couldnt think properly. Her body was extremely weak too. The doctors had told her that her babies were no more and they needed to perform a medical abortion to remove the dead fetus' from her body. But she had rushed to the ICU on hearing about Neil's condition.

She decided to visit the nearest nursing home to get the procedure done.

"Thats your stop sirji," said Abhinav as he stopped his taxi outside "The Kilkaari Nursing Home". If you dont mind me asking this sirji, but is someone from your family expecting a baby?"

"My sister Sharma ji," the man replied with a smile.

Abhinav took only half the fare and said,"The rest is for the little angel from my side sirji."

Abhinav had always longed for a family of his own. But he was so burdened with the financial responsibilities of his family that he had decided against it. Money was never enough and he thought that it was best to use it on Muskan's education.

Akshara arrived outside the Kilkaari Nursing Home and slowly walked inside. She took an appointment from the receptionist and waited patiently.

"Ms. Akshara......" the receptionist called out her name motioning her to go inside. She got up and went in.

"We need to do a repeat ultrasound," the doctor said," I mean........this one isnt very clear and......I want to be sure about the gestational age, placental location.......See if there is..........."

Akshara had stopped listening at this point. She was too absorbed with sorrow to hear anything.

"Ms. Akshara.......Ms. Akshara," the doctor said. She looked up to see the scanning machine as the doctor moved the probe across her belly.

"Do you see this?" Dr. Amita said," we have lost only one fetus. The heart of the other one is still beating!"

Akshara stared at the monitor with wide eyes. She instantly got up and hugged her womb area.

"My baby is alive," she spoke with wet eyes.

"Yes," the doctor said.

"Thank you doctor," she said getting up. She immediately took out her phone to dial Abhimanyu's number. She called him several times but there was no response. He finally answered on the eleventh call.

"Abhi......" she said," I need to tell you............."

"Why Akshu," he said," why cant you let me live in peace? I dont want to hear your voice!"

"Fine," she said wiping her tears," but you have got to hear what I have to say. Our baby...................."

"Your stupidity killed our babies,"he said angrily," and my brother too. Now please please please leave me alone!" And he disconnected the call.

Akshara stood still for a moment. She wiped off her tears and walked out of the nursing home. She recalled reading an advertisement about one of the top boarding schools in Kasauli wanting a music teacher. She couldnt recall the name of the school, so she looked up online.

"Yes Neelamma," Abhinav said over the phone," Today is my last day in Udaipur. I am returning tomorrow. In fact, I am leaving tonight. We have to send Muskan to college. And once she is gone, I will be there to look after you."

"But," said Neelamma," you are earning so well there. Then why come back? I am quite all right all by myself."

"The Sacred Soul Residential School Kasauli," Akshara said reading the information online," they want a music teacher and the salary is good too. I....I have to do this for my baby. I will raise my child in a home free from all hatred and evil. I was cursed and blamed my entire life. First by my own sister, then by the woman I considered my mother and now even by the man I loved the most. I wont let this happen to my child. I will never ever return to Udaipur again."

Gone was the wounded wife. In her place, there stood a strong and fierce mother ready to battle all odds for her child's sake.

"I need to go to Kasauli soon," she thought," maybe I can get a bus or a taxi..............."