Flaws ; OS✔

Don't leave me

Annika looked lovingly at her husband asleep beside her. An intelligent and handsome face the man had. Dr.Oberoi was one of the best known doctors in the city. His complex surgeries were always the talk of the town. Annika had been married to him for a month now. It had been an arranged marriage though Annika had fallen for this man the first time she had met him. He was the definition of the perfect gentleman. Always helpful and sweet. Annika considered herself lucky to have got married to him. She kissed the top of his head and went to get his breakfast ready. Within the next one hour Shivaay was at the table reading the paper. 'Good Morning Annika'said Shivaay , the breakfast is excellent. Annika blushed at the compliment. Shivaay held her hand and asked her to sit down . 'Annika , I have been thinking, we should go and have dinner tonight at some place nice. It's been a long time since we spent some quality time together said Shivaay , watching her on tenterhooks. Annika blushed so deep at his request that she looked like a fresh tomato. She nodded her head and said 'I would love that Shivaay , I will be ready by 9:00 p.m.'
Shivaay said 'Brilliant And wear that yellow saree will you . You look like an angel in that'
He gave Annika a peck on the cheek and left for work. Annika jumped a bit and touched her cheek where Shivaay's lips had touched her skin. It burnt.
By the time it was eight , Annika had finished all her work and went to get ready. She got ready. She looked amazing in the yellow saree and the diamond danglers just enhanced her beauty. She had done up her hair in soft curls and was applying a light pink colour on her lips and cheeks. She heard a car park outside. She looked out of the window and saw Shivaay. She bit her lip in excitement. Shivaay came up but something was odd in his looks. Annika went to him and asked him 'Are you Okay Shivaay ? You look a bit odd'
Shivaay shook her hand off and screamed 'Don't you dare kill me. I will call the police. Don't come near me'
Annika was taken aback at this behaviour of his.
She said 'Are you joking Shivaay. I am your wife'
She took a step near him and Shivaay shouted 'Didng i tell you to stay away from me. Go away . I know all of you want to kill me'
He started breaking everything that his hand could reach. Annika looked horrified. What had happened to her husband. She ran out of the room. She locked herself in the next room. She was so scared of Shivaay now. She could still hear things breaking next door.

The next morning, Annika was scared to leave her room but she did , very cautiously she stepped out of the room. She went to the next room and found Shivaay sleeping peacefully there. After some time when Shivaay came down , Annika asked him 'Would you care to explain your last nights behaviour?'
Shivaay looked at her amazed "What happened last night . I don't remember anything '
Annika lost it now 'Shivaay is it some king of a joke . Do you want to leave me And is that why you are doing all this '
Shivaay was stunned 'Honey , honestly I don't know what you are talking about . Have I done something. Are you not feeling well?
Annika looked puzzled. She trusted her instincts that told her that Shivaay was not lying. But then , what could explain last nights behaviour.
Shivaay came close to her and said 'If there is a problem, we will sort it out together but I have to rush now'

That night the incidents were repeated and  again in the morning Shivaay was normal and couldn't remember anything. This thing went on for two weeks continuously.By this time Annika had completely broken. Every night she was accused of hurting the man she loved and every morning she had to face denial. Every day she had to see her house get destroyed And next day pretend it had not happened.She was going mad. She was so broken that she wanted to commit suicide. She didn't understand what was going on. She thought maybe Shivaay's parents could help her out.
The next day she headed towards her in-laws place. Her mother in law greeted her and served her tea. She said 'Is everything okay Annika? Why did you come suddenly?'
Annika gulped her tea and put down her cup and then very slowly she said 'Aunty,Shivaay is behaving in a very strange manner from the last two weeks' she gave an entire description of the event and said 'Did you know about this? I really can't face it alone anymore.' She was close to tears. Her mother in laws face was flushed and she got up and bought a small bottle with her 'Give this to him when he goes his mad self. They are sleeping pills'
Annika looked shocked and angry . She said 'So you knew about this all along and you never bothered to tell me that he has an illness. Why did you hide it from me? Why did I have to receive a shock and deal with it alone? And now you come with sleeping pills and say that he will get all right with this. Don't you understand he is mad. He needs a doctor maybe.' Annika was screaming as she said all this. Her mother in law stuttered as she said 'Yes, he has had this problem since he was twenty one. But we didn't tell anyone because the society would have laughed at him and if went to a psychiatrist people would have mocked us. And he is such a successful doctor and his attacks happen only for some days in a month. Why don't you just stay quiet and deal with it. Because we won't let you get him to psychiatrist. It will be too shameful'
Annika was shaking with anger now
she said in a shaky and grim voice
'Aunty whether I stay quite or not is my decision. And you are the most despicable person I have ever seen. You live with your son's fame yet you can't accept his faults. And you want me to take care of him while I crumble apart. I have my own life too.' With this Annika threw the sleeping pills on the floor and went out of the house. She howled and cried. She was so weak now. She felt betrayed and angry. She had got a wreck for a husband and her in laws were the worst people she had seen. She couldn't live with Shivaay anymore. Either she would die of madness or she would kill Shivaay in rage. She clutched her hair and her face. Her nails scratched her beautiful face. She went home , tired and sore from the burden she had to bear.Shivaay was still at work. She went up to pack her things. As she was packing she looked at photograph of Shivaay and her. It was their wedding photograph. All the memories and vows she had made at the wedding came back to her . She sat down. She took the photo and hugged it . She couldn't leave Shivaay. It wasn't his fault he was like this. She had to get him treated. After all when things were like a bed of roses for her she hadn't complained and now when there were some thorns on the road she was giving up. She took her phone and called her friend Dr.Mallika. Only she would be able to help her now.

Mallika was a psychiatrist and Annika's best friend. As she clutched the cup of coffee in one hand she heard the whole story and said 'Annika, not many people have the guts to come to a psychiatrist. There are lot of social stigmas attached to it. But you are one brave girl. From what you told me I understand that Shivaay is suffering from Schizophrenia. It's a genetic disorder or a chemical imbalance of the brain. The person has various symptoms and being scared of a person causing harm to him is one of the most common symptoms. Get him to my clinic tomorrow. We will do some tests and then start his treatment. It will take some time. But I assure you with proper medications like anti-psychosis drugs and counselling we will be able to treat him'

So Shivaays treatment began. Annika visited him everyday in the hospital with his favourite dishes. Annika had stared working because she had to pay for all running expenses of the house. For ten months the treatment went on.

After ten months

Dr.Mallika smiled and said 'Annika , Shivaay is cured now . I can't say that he is completely cured because these symptoms can appear again. But these are the medicines that you have to give him and bring him here at the first instance if you spot something dangerous'
Annika held Mallika's hand and said 'You have been amazing Mallika . I can't thank you enough for what you have done'
Mallika smiled and said 'Well you can call me for dinner soon to thank me properly. Now here comes Shivaay. Take care of him.

Annika held Shivaays hand and led him to the car. Shivaay sat down and took Annika's hand and said 'Even when my parents turned their backs at me , you helped me. You saw my flaws and yet you loved me in the same way. I made your life hell yet you didn't give up on me. Why Annika ? Why didn't you leave me and go ?
Annika looked at Shivaays handsome face and ran her hand on his face. She said 'I wanted to leave you but then I remembered I had promised that I will stand by you in sickness and health. You have always given me love and affection. How could I leave you when you needed my help? And my heart told me that had you been in my place you would have held my hand throughout my tough time , then why can't I.

Shivaay didn't cry but said 'Do you know what I pray to god for ? That may I die before you because, I won't be able to live without you by my side.
Annika said 'And I pray that may we both die together because we both are each other's support and one can't live without the other.
Shivaay said 'Shivaay And Annika will remain together forever.
'Always'said 'Annikao

Shivaay took Annika's heart shaped face in his hand and sealed their pact of togetherness with a Kiss.

True lovers never leave each other even in the face of death. If you enjoyed this story then do comment and vote.