Shivani looked up at the sky, her eyes brimming with tears, and whispered to herself, "Papa! Today your daughter has lost. She has been defeated by this cruel world. Papa! I am sorry! Today, I am breaking the promise I made to you." She wiped her tears, and just as she bent down to pick up Aditya, darkness clouded her vision, and she collapsed right there.
Aditya, seeing her fall, panicked. Dropping to his knees, he shook her shoulders desperately, trying to wake her up. But despite his repeated attempts, Shivani remained unconscious. Frightened, Aditya ran to the passing cars, pleading for help, his innocent face reflecting pure fear. But no one stopped. His small hands kept waving, his voice kept begging, but the world moved on, ignoring his cries. Exhausted, he returned to Shivani, shaking her gently, "Didi! Please wake up! Please! Aditya promises he won't ask for food anymore. Please wake up!" He sobbed, shaking her shoulders as if that alone could bring her back.
Meanwhile, Jai parked his car to the side of the road and stopped a man riding a bicycle. Showing him Shivani and Aditya's picture, he asked urgently, "Excuse me, have you seen them anywhere?" The man glanced at the photo and nodded, "Yes!" Jai's heart skipped a beat. "Where?" he asked, his voice trembling with hope. The man replied, "I just saw them on the bridge a little while ago." Hearing this, Jai thanked him and raced back to his car, speeding towards the bridge.
As Jai reached the bridge, he saw Aditya sitting beside Shivani, crying and looking desperately at the passing cars. A wave of pain and regret crashed through Jai's heart. Quickly, he parked his car at the side of the bridge, crossed the road, and rushed toward them. Aditya, seeing Jai approach, cried out, "Uncle! Look at my sister! What happened to her? She's not waking up!" Jai knelt beside him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Son, don't cry. Your sister is going to be fine. Stay here; I'll carry her to the car." Saying this, Jai lifted Shivani gently into his arms, cradling her as if she were made of glass, and laid her carefully on the back seat. He hurried back to Aditya, picking him up and placing him in the front seat, securing his seatbelt. He then got into the driver's seat, started the engine, and drove off at full speed.
Jai's voice softened as he asked Aditya, "Son, do you know what happened to your sister? Why did she faint?" Aditya, still sobbing, recounted everything that had happened, every painful detail. Jai listened in silence, his heart shattering with every word. He whispered to himself, "I'm sorry, son. This is all my fault," and tears spilled from his eyes. Determined, he pressed down on the accelerator, rushing towards the nearest hospital.
Upon reaching the small hospital, Jai parked the car, unbuckled both his and Aditya's seatbelts, and gently lifted Shivani from the back seat. Aditya followed closely behind, his tiny steps quickening with fear. Jai carried Shivani inside, where the medical staff placed her on a stretcher and wheeled her away. Aditya clung to Jai's hand, his eyes wide with worry. Jai knelt down, lifting Aditya into his arms, wiping his tears away. He stroked Aditya's head gently and whispered, "Your sister will be fine. I promise." Aditya, comforted by his words, nodded and rested his head on Jai's shoulder, eventually falling asleep.
After a while, a lady doctor came out after examining Shivani. She attached an IV drip to her arm and gave instructions to the nurse before stepping outside. Jai hurried to her, desperation clear in his eyes. "Doctor, what happened? Why did she faint?" he asked, his voice cracking. The doctor smiled reassuringly. "There's nothing to worry about. She's fine now. If she had been left for a little longer, we might not have been able to save her baby." Jai's eyes widened in shock. "Baby?" he repeated, disbelief coating his voice.
The doctor nodded. "Yes, she's pregnant. But she's very weak. I think she hasn't eaten since yesterday, which caused her to faint. I've given her an IV drip. She'll regain consciousness soon." She turned to leave, but Jai stopped her. Hesitating slightly, he asked, "Doctor, how far along is she?" The doctor paused. "I can't say for sure, but based on my experience, I'd guess about a week. To know accurately, we would need to do a sonography." Saying this, she excused herself and left.
Inside the room, a nurse was injecting medicine into Shivani's drip. Shivani slowly opened her eyes, blinking at the ceiling before looking around. In a shaky voice, she asked the nurse, "Where am I? Who brought me here?" The nurse smiled warmly. "You're in a hospital. Your husband brought you here." Shivani's eyes widened in disbelief. "Husband?" she repeated, confusion evident in her voice.
Shivani asked again, "What happened to me, sister?" The nurse chuckled, "You don't know? Alright, I'll tell you. You're going to be a mother." Saying this, the nurse finished adjusting the IV and walked out of the room, saying she was going to get an injection. As she stepped outside, Jai, who had been holding Aditya, rushed to her. "Sister, is she awake?" he asked eagerly. The nurse nodded. "Yes, she's awake." Saying this, she walked away.
Hearing this, Shivani's eyes filled with tears. Jai entered the room and saw her crying. He stepped closer, his voice soft and tender. "Why are you crying?" he asked gently.
Shivani looked up, her eyes locking with his. "Sir... you?"
To be continued...