Wrecked Souls

Chapter 29- Inaana

My heart cracks as my eyes take him in. His hands shake on his thighs, as his wrinkled forehead collect sweat.

The moment we got to Yash uncle, we found him on the ground holding his left side. He was immediately rushed to the hospital and now as the doctors treat him, we, Aarav, Papa, Harsh and I wait outside the operation theatre while Khalid, who came along, said he would take a call and be back. Earlier, Papa was persistent to send me home but I told him that I would lose my mind if I don't stay in the hospital too, he reluctantly let me have my way.
Hence, now I sit on the chair beside Aarav, while Harsh and Papa stand opposite to us chatting.

Aarav fists his palm to reign in his composure and that alone, breaks my heart. This wealthy man, so strong and powerful yet so weak to show his emotions to the world. I cannot convey how much I wish that he knows it's okay to cry when it hurts, but I don't think he would just accept it openly. Assuming he would probably laugh at my face and ask me to conceal my emotions better, so I let it slide because what other options I have?

Khalid joins Papa and Harsh soon and they talk for a bit before everyone is interrupted with a female voice, "How is he?"

I recognise that voice, though it's been a long time since I last heard it but I remember the familiar owner of that voice. My glance roams, shifting to Mrs. Avantika Malhotra.
She looks like an example of elegance in a pair of white blouse and blue pants with a lighter shade of scarf wrapped softly around her fair neck. However, although her face appears to be ageing like a fine wine, her eyes, they look like there's so much behind them and there's no one well-educated to read them.

Her eyes travel all over the room until it settles on her son, who has not once acknowledged her presence. She starts to walk towards us with strong steps and taking that an indication that she might want to talk to Aarav, I leave my place and stand up. She gives me a smile with a soft hand on my shoulder, so I feel obligated to smile back at her. But my smile falters when they move from her, settling at my initial seat, to seeing Aarav glare at me with clenched jaws and tight fists.

"Aarav?" His mother calls him but not only he ignores her, he does not even chance her a glance as he continues looking at me like I might have wronged him. How? I have no idea.

Aunty looks from her son to me before I break the eye contact and excuse myself.
I go to stand with the men and hear them talk while secretly trying to catch glimpses of Aarav at time who keeps his eyes on either the door to the operation theatre or the floor, but not once, do I find him paying attention to his mother sitting beside him. She tries to break the ice constantly, but seeing no progress after a few words conversation, which must have been intense, she simply sits back and wait, like we all do.

After a while, the doctor emerges from the room, catching all of our attentions. Aarav is the first one to notice him which is obvious since he refused to divert his attention from the room. As we all cather around the doctor, he informs us that Yash uncle has a serious heart condition and that the attack was a minor one, it could have been very big of a deal if he wasn't brought to the hospital at the right time.
The moment those words comes out of the doctor's mouth, a gasp leaves from aunty's mouth as she stumbles back a back. She might have fallen, had Khalid not held her. She excuses herself immediately after the doctor take his leave, and papa follows right after, probably to help her cope well.

Khalid pats a hand on Aarav's shoulder but that lasts for only a mini second since Aarav sit back down with a calm face. Resting his head against the wall, he closes his eyes. I look at Khalid to ask what should we do but when his eyes catches mine, he literally says nothing like he too is finding it difficult to converse with his best friend.

"Why don't you sit down, Insaan? Don't worry too much." Khalid says after a while with an encouraging smile and that's when I realise not just uncle's actual family, but my own breathing has shallowed and my mind is flooding with scenario of uncle's condition and what could have happened.
Harsh nudges me towards the seat beside Aarav who refuse to open his eyes, let alone talk.

As I sit down, for a moment I feel Aarav has probably drifted to sleep or is unconscious but then the soft voice of his ragged and struggled breathing comes and that alone is like a dagger through my chest.

I don't think of anything else when I move my hand towards his and wrap my fingers around his last two. As my soft fingers wrap around his rough ones, I think he would jerk his hand away or anything but then he interlinks our fingers and rests them on his thighs. I know it's not the time but I cannot help the wave of electricity that runs through my nerves when I register the touch.

"He'll be fine. You'll make sure that he is healthy." I clear my throat and say it in a hushed whisper and this time, he does give me his beautiful eyes.

"Not a question?" He asks to which I shake my head because I know, he would do that and I or anyone else would be stupid enough to even question something like that.

He looks at our linked hands before he covers it with his another palm and raises it to rests his forehead with closed eyes against it. My eyes widen and I turn to Harsh, only to find him looking away from us, talking with Khalid who has a hand wrapped around my brother's shoulder.

I try to very subtly to remove my hand but Aarav's voice stop me, "Don't."

"But, Aara-"

He looks at me so abruptly that I don't even finish, although I must have pleaded with my eyes because he sighs heavily before taking his jacket to cover our hands.

I don't pull away my hand anymore though the fear of being caught by Papa makes my heart beat faster. I know exactly how important and needed it to to have a comforting touch in moments like this from maa.
While Aarav keeps looking at the hospital room, perhaps hoping that his father will emerge from inside on his own feet, I really look at him.

I always wondered what really had me catch feeling for him and now I truly understand the reason. Aarav might be a cruel person to people he doesn't care, he probably wouldn't care if you suffered at his expense if you were a mere existence for him. But when he cares, when Aarav actually loves, this man would go extents to protect and secure you. He would be right with you in every step, help you move through every obstacle.
Like how he does for his father, whom he loves and care for.
Like how he did for me, but he probably only cares for me, just care.

But when I think about the time when he got to our house so quick, on hearing of the accident, or the other time when he knew I needed a job and offered me one, despite the one too many complications with dad, or when he always, whenever necessary stood up for me infront of Papa and made me feel important and value, it raises a question. He was and has always been good to me.
All these things, is all of it is just for the sake of care?