WICKETS AND WIDGETS

Setting Things Right

"Raghav," Kabir acknowledged with a subdued tone, nodding towards him.

I was taken aback. "What are you doing here, Mr. Adani?"

He offered a gentle smile as he closed the door behind him and approached silently. "Please, no need for formalities. It's just Raghav."

I laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of my head. "Right, Raghav."

He returned the smile, his eyes filled with concern as he slowly made his way to Sana's bedside. His gaze softened as he looked at her, so peaceful yet fragile under the sterile hospital lights. The rhythmic beeping of the monitors was a constant reminder of her fragile state.

He reached out to brush a stray strand of hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear with a tender touch. "Any improvement?" he asked, his voice filled with hope.

Kabir shook his head. "None."

A sigh escaped Raghav's lips as he exhaled deeply. "She's strong, Kabir. She'll pull through. Don't lose hope."

The emotion in his voice resonated in the quiet hospital room, a testament to the bond he shared with Sana and Kabir.

"I'm not worried," Kabir confessed, his eyes flickering to me. "I have someone to talk to now."

Raghav caught the glance and smirked. "Ah, Aryan, what have you two been cooking up while I was away?"

Confused, I asked, "What do you mean?"

Raghav elaborated, "I mean, what's been going on between you two?"

I shrugged, trying to downplay it. "Just some conversations before all this happened. Nothing major, really."

"Hmm, nothing exciting, then?" Raghav prodded.

"Not really," I replied, keeping it simple.

Changing the subject, Kabir asked, "Why are you here?"

Raghav let out an offended noise. "What do you mean 'why'? A close colleague of mine just went through a terrible accident. I'm here to see her. That was a thoughtless question, you know."

Sensing the tension, I lightly nudged Kabir's stomach and whispered, "Be quiet, don't upset him."

"But I didn't mean..." Kabir started to explain, but I interrupted, "Let's leave. Give him some time alone with Sana."

Kabir seemed hesitant. "But why?"

"So he can have a private moment with her," I suggested.

"Sana's in a coma, she won't hear him anyway," Kabir pointed out.

"Let's respect his emotions, okay? Come on," I said playfully, tugging at Kabir's arm and leading him out of the room, despite his reluctance. As we left, Raghav gave me a wink, and I rolled my eyes in response.

After leaving the room, I took Kabir's hands in mine and led him to an empty corridor. Pressing him against the wall, I leaned in closer. "You never mentioned that Raghav knew about your relationship with Sana."

He responded, slightly taken aback by my sudden actions, "Well, he's my best friend, so it's natural that he knows about her, right?"

"Don't give me that," I challenged. "You sent him to act in that movie Sana was in, to keep tabs on her, didn't you?"

He sighed, his expression troubled. "It's not like that. I wasn't keeping tabs on her. Yes, I knew Raghav was working with her, but I didn't ask him to take on that specific role just so I could keep an eye on Sana or anything like that."