Rooh (Book 2 - Singhania Brothers)

Part 24 : Lifeline

When Arnav opened his eyes, he saw his family around him, looking at him with concerned expressions. His eyes flickered due to sudden luminosity. Someone dimmed the light and he opened his eyes back groggily.

"Aaram se, Arnav." Ashi rushed to his side when he tried to sit up.

"Kya hua?" Arnav asked. He was puzzled on finding himself lying on the bed.

"Aapka bp drop ho gya tha," Ashi almost whispered. "You had high fever."

That was when Arnav noticed the tremble in her voice. And then he remembered he had been getting bad dizzy spells since morning. He must have fainted. Before he could think of anything else, Ayaansh leaped over and hugged him tightly.

Arnav hugged him back and looked at others. "I'm fine, Bachcha."

Ashi and Aniket looked away, while Aryan quietly walked out of there.

"Why didn't you tell us that you were not feeling well, Bhaiya?" Aniket asked, managing to hold back anger from his voice. "For god's sake, you were burning up with fever."

"I'm alright, Ani.."

"When are you not alright, Arnav?" Ashi snapped. Arnav's carelessness towards his own health scared her beyond she could verbalise.

"Ashi..."

"Don't, Arnav. You bp had been off the charts for whole week. And doctor said you must have skipped your medicines for your bp to drop down so suddenly."

Arnav remained silent. He could see the concern and fear behind her anger. That made him guilty on all accounts. "I'm sorry, Ashi..." He tried to apologise.

"You are not." Ashi's eyes filled up. "you don't care about our feelings, Arnav. You were unconscious since morning. Doctor said it could have been worse. What would I do if something..."

"Kuch nhi hua na, Ashi." Arnav tried to hold her hand but she pulled it back.

"You've no idea how scared we were." She blinked back her tears.

"Jitna gussa karna kar lo, Ashi. Stop crying please?"

Ashi looked away. She wanted to lash out, but couldn't do that right now. She composed herself and spoke in calculated voice. "You need to take medicine. I'll send your meal."

Saying that, she walked out of the room. Aniket glared at Arnav. "Rula diya na? Chup reh kar sun lete unki daant, Bhaiya. Vaise bhi galti aapki hi hai," He said and followed Ashi out without waiting for a reply.

Arnav was bewildered. Wasn't that exactly what he was doing? His brothers had definitely made it clear who they preferred.

"Bhabhi is right, Bhaiya. You can't keep scaring us like this." Ayaansh spoke.

Arnav sighed. "I'm really sorry, Ayu.."

"I can't see you like that, Bhaiya. I can't lose you..." Ayaansh's voice choked. He knew he was being paranoid, but the fear of losing something that he had gotten after so many years wasn't something he could deal with.

"Mai thik hoon, bachcha..."

"I lost Mom and Dad, Bhaiya. I could survive that." Ayaansh looked at Arnav with a wealth of emotions. "I can't survive losing you. I can't survive losing my father and being an orphan all over again, Bhaiya. Please don't do this to me.." Tears spilled over his eyes. It was difficult to even verbalise that fear.

"Kya keh rha hai, beta?" Arnav pulled Ayaansh in his embrace. He felt horrible for making Ayaansh go through that pain. "I can't survive without you either. I love you a lot, bachcha."