Righting the wrongs

Chapter 1

“In the end we only regret the chances we didn't take..”

*****

March 2023,

"AARU!!" She heard someone scream while she was on call with someone. Perplexed, she turned around to see their car approaching her, Akshara on the driving seat.

Aarohi's eyes widened as she stood there frozen, unable to move out of fear as Akshara kept screaming at her to move out of the way because she couldn't control the car.

The car made an impact with her body, causing her to fall and her head collided with a rock placed on the road, making her lose consciousness.

"Aankhein khol." She heard faintly as her head was held by someone but she couldn't make out who, her world was slipping away slowly.

Slowly, she felt herself reliving her life but in reverse. The thieves she caught with Akshu, her moments with Abhir, how happy they all were.

She smiled faintly, too hard to notice for the others because of the state of panic they were in. Slowly as moments passed, her smile faded, she remembered how she used to behave with Akshara, always demeaning her for killing Sirat.

She wished they could've spent more time together, staying happy like their mother wanted them to, just like the sisters they were. She missed her childhood and teenage with Akshara because of the decisions she made.

"Aru tu thik ho jaayegi," She heard Akshara, her voice laced with panic "saans le, saans leti reh. Hosh mein reh. Please baat karti reh mujhse. Hosh mein reh."

"Inform Dr. Verma, OT ready hai chalo." Abhimanyu appeared. Aarohi had wronged him too, hid the fact of him having a son, tried to get Akshara to leave and still the man was always there for her and her daughter.

"Haa, Aru." Akshara breathed, hope reflecting in her eyes, hope thay everything will be fine.

Aarohi gazed at two, she knew it wasn't going to be fine but her sister had Abhimanyu with her and Roohi had her Poppy and Maasi, eventually they will be fine.

"Matashree!" She faintly heard her daughter say, followed by a series of people exclaiming, "Roohi!"

She tried looking at her daughter, wanting to tell her that everything will be okay but she was wheeled away.

She heaved a breath and gathering all her strength muttered, "Roohi..."

"Teri beti bhi teri tarah strong hai Aru, tujhe uske kiye theek hona padega. Tu samjhi? Tujhe uske liye theek hona padega." Akshara stated, not wanting there to be a choice, only one option was available and that was to get better, live.

"Nahi hoga." Aarohi sighed, her energy slipping away as Akshara scolded her, "Bakwaas mat kar Aru, hum hospital aa gaya. Tu abhi theek ho jaayegi. Faaltu baatein mat kar."

"I-" Aarohi said, her voice catching in her throat, "I can't make it." How funny destiny was, things were finally well between the sisters and again, they stood on opposite ends, fighting. One fought for the other's life whereas the other tried to convince her of the reality.

"Aru mujhse baatein karti reh tu, please. Please hosh mein reh." Akshara pleaded her to have hope, to power through everything for her, for her daughter, for their families.

"Meri bacchi ka khyaal rakhna, Akshu." Aarohi's voice trembled as tears welled up in her eyes as realisation sunk in, she will have to leave her Roohi, her soul, the one reason of her existence.

"Mat bol Aru aisa, tu theek ho jaayegi." Akshara said, irritated with how Aarohi was hell bent on making her believe that she won't make it.

"Roohi ka khyaal rakhna." Aarohi cried, she needed Akshara to say it. "Aru aisa mat bol please!" Akshara scolded her, wiping away a tear on her own cheek furiously.

"Meri Roohi ka khyaal rakhna." Aarohi repeated, not giving up. "Aru tu khud khyaal rakhegi uska hum sabke saath. Tu theek ho jaayegi." Akshara tried to reason with her and muttered, "Tu theek ho jaayegi" again, more to herself, to make her believe everything will be fine. Abhimanyu's worry increased seeing this.

'Dr. Aarohi Neil Birla' she read as they walked past her cabin, below it was written 'Heart Surgeon'. A heart surgeon whose own heart was broken beyond repair, her heart yearned for Neil every second but still kept beating furiously for Roohi all these years.

She saw a glimpse of her picture with Neel in her cabin, him with his arms crossed as she had placed her hands on his shoulder. The man who accepted her even after knowing all her flaws, even when he didn't have to.

'Ae chipkali.'

She heard Neil, making her smile as the pain she felt started getting numb.

'Chamgadad.'

She replied as Neil appeared before her, with that charming smile of his, a hand held out for her, making her entire being feel peaceful, and she gladly accepted his hand because kisi aur ka haath thaamna kabhi seekha hi nahi, zarurat hi nahi padi.

Aarohi's hand slipped out of Akshara's grip and fell limp as the nurses stopped wheeling the stretcher, knowing they lost her.

Akshara's eyes widened as she stared at her now empty hand, eyes filling up with tears as their family rushed towards them.

Her gaze fell on Roohi.

Roohi.

Aarohi's soul, and again she let her down.

She couldn't protect Roohi's Matashree.

Akshara held Aarohi's hand, silently begging her to come back as she cried, cried for the times they lost, the moments they could've had, the sisterhood they could've shared now that everything was fine.

Aarohi looked back, one hand tied to Akshara's and the other holding Neil as Aarohi waited for her to come to terms with what happened, waited for her family to gather themselves because Aarohi swore to never leave them alone in difficulties.

'Kya hua?' Neil asked as Aarohi stood there, sadness reflecting on her face as she looked at the state of her family as she remembered every wrong she did to them and how she was still fortunate to be a part of their family till the very end.

Aarohi shook her head, "I wronged them and still..." She trailed off, not able to form words.

"You got better for them and maybe you can borrow some more time?" Neil suggested.

Aarohi chuckled knowing she lost time with her family because of stupid decisions she took, a smile lingered on her face as her soul was still attached to her physical being by a thread, "I can't. Sadly, sometimes it's too late. And that's the thing about time, we cannot get it back."

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Chapter one out!

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Love,
Writer!