Jayant

Day 9

It was 3AM in the morning. The world outside was silent, drowned in the kind of darkness that felt heavy. I pushed open Alisha's door softly. She was asleep, her breathing slow and fragile, For a moment, I just stood there, watching her. Every rise and fall of her chest reminded me how cruelly delicate life could be.

I leaned closer and pressed a kiss on her forehead. "I'll try my best to save you," I murmured. Then corrected myself, my voice cracking against the silence. "No... not try. I will save you."

I walked out quietly, but my heart stayed there - beside her.

By the time I reached the office, the city was still asleep, yet Vijay was already there, waiting. "All set, boss," he said, adjusting the laptop. "The call will connect in a minute."

I nodded and sat down, staring at laptop screen. My reflection in the glass looked like someone I barely recognized - desperate, exhausted, terrified. Then the call connected.

On the other side appeared Dr. William Carter - one of the world's leading neurosurgeons and medical researchers. His face was calm, but his tone carried the weight of brutal truth. I already send him to the report of her but still I explained everything about Alisha's condition - every scan, every symptom, every night she'd woken up gasping for air.

He listened quietly before speaking. "There's no permanent cure for this kind of tumor," he said, his words hitting me like a slow, sharp knife. "But I'm working on a solution. It's experimental, still in development. It'll take time - and your patient doesn't have much of it."

My throat tightened. "How long will it take, Doctor? How much time do you need?"

He hesitated. "Maybe a year. Maybe a decade. I'm not sure."

Something inside me broke. "Please," I said, my voice trembling, "do something... anything."

"There's surgery," he replied softly. "It might buy her time - a few months, maybe more if luck stays on her side. But it won't save her life, Mr. Patil. Surgery only buy time... not life."

The line went silent after that. I stared at the screen until it went dark, my hope collapsing under the weight of his words.

For the next several hours, I called every renowned hospital I could think of - from Mumbai to Boston, Tokyo to Zurich. Each conversation ended the same way: no permanent solution.

Neurostoma - a stubborn, merciless tumor. No matter how many times it was cut out, it found its way back. Like death itself... refusing to let go.

And yet, I wasn't ready to stop fighting. Because she was still breathing. And as long as she breathed... I still had a reason to fight.

<•∆∆∆∆∆•>

When I reached Alisha's home, the house was alive with Alisha's soft humming and the faint clatter of dishes. The smell of something delicious filled the air. As soon as she saw me, her face lit up.
"Where were you?" she asked, her voice bubbling with warmth. "Look, I made World best-paneer tikka, wanna try?."

I forced a small smile. "Oh wow...Ofcourse, let me just freshen up first," I said, trying to sound casual.

But before I could move, she stopped me. "Jayant," she called softly and stepped closer. Her eyes searched mine. "Why do you look sad?"

For a moment, I couldn't find words. My throat felt tight. I quickly turned my face away and forced a laugh. "Sad? Me? Not at all. Just... a bit of work at the office."

Her face brightened instantly. "Oh, so you went to the office today? I'm glad, Jayant. I'm really glad you've started working again."

I nodded, reaching out to gently touch her cheek. "I just got back," I murmured.

Before my voice could tremble, I pulled away and walked toward the bedroom, leaving her standing there-still smiling, still believing everything was fine-while my heart felt heavier than ever.

I was still in the bathroom when I heard Alisha's voice calling out, half playful, half impatient-
"How long are you going to take? Come out quickly!"

"Just a minute!" I called back, forcing some energy into my tone.

When I stepped out, still drying my hair with towel, I froze for a second-Rishi was already sitting at the dining table, devouring the paneer tikka with both hands as if he hadn't eaten in days.

"When did he came here?" I asked, surprised.

"That's why I was calling you!" Alisha laughed. "If you don't come soon, Rishi will finish everything!"

She turned toward him, pretending to scold. "Rishi! Leave some for Jayant at least. You've already taken over the whole plate!"

Rishi grinned like a child caught stealing candy. "It's your fault, Alisha-it's too good! I can't resist."

I sat down beside them, and Alisha served me with care. The paneer tikka was Really perfect-soft, smoky, just the right spice. We ate together, teasing, laughing, fighting over the last piece like kids again.

When the final tikka remained, both Rishi and I reached for it at the same time, bickering like idiots-
"It's mine!"
"I saw it first!"
And in that chaos, Sumit slyly grabbed it and popped it into his mouth.

For a moment, the table fell silent-and then erupted with laughter. Alisha's laughter rang the loudest, bright and full of life.

After dinner, the night turned into a blur of joy-games, hide and seek, a few rounds of video games, and the sound of carefree laughter echoing through the house. For those few hours, everything felt normal. Almost too normal.

But when Rishi finally left and the house grew quiet, the silence hit me again.

I sat alone for a while, Thinking. My chest tightened with a thought I'd been pushing away all day-
I had to talk to her. I had to convince her for the surgery.

But how... how do I tell her that her smile-the same smile that keeps me alive-might fade away if I asked anything about the tumor.

<•∆∆∆∆∆•>

After dinner, Alisha and I went for a walk around the building. The night air was soft and cool, Streetlights painted long shadows beneath our feet as she spoke beside me, her voice calm and light.

"Today was... perfect, wasn't it?" she said, smiling at nothing in particular.

I glanced at her, hands tucked in my pockets, and nodded. "Hmm," I hummed in agreement.

She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Ramya called today," she said. "She was asking about the final draft of the book."

"And what did you tell her?" I asked.

"That I don't feel like writing lately."

"Why?" I teased, looking sideways at her. "Does a writer need the right environment to create?"

She laughed softly, brushing her hair back. "Maybe something like that," she said with a shy smile.

Just then, a bike sped past us, its horn blaring sharply through the quiet night. Alisha flinched-before I could react, she instinctively pressed her face against my chest, her hands rising to cover her ears.

I froze for a moment, then gently brushed her hair away from her face and tilted her chin up. "You got scared?" I asked softly.

She shook her head, looking up at me with fragile eyes. "No... just sudden loud sounds-they... they echo in my head," she said quietly. Her voice trembled slightly.

I could see the sadness flicker through her-small, brief, but real. And I hated it. So, before the silence could turn heavy, I changed the topic.

"Then let's fix that," I said with a faint smile. "Let's go somewhere peaceful. Somewhere you'll want to write again."

She blinked, a small smile tugging at her lips. "But where?"

"Anywhere you say," I replied. "Wherever your words decide to wake up again."

She looked at me for a moment-really looked-and then said softly, "Okay... we'll think of something."

As we reached the building gate, I slowed my steps, the words heavy in my throat.

"Alisha..." I began quietly.

She turned to me, her face faintly lit by the light. "Hmm?"

I want to talk to you about the surgery... -but the moment her face turned to me, my lips, my voice broke. I stopped midway. I couldn't say it.

Her expression softened, but her eyes held a quiet plea. "Please, Jayant," she said, her voice trembling ever so slightly. "Don't say anything that will ruin this night. ruin this beautiful day."

I looked at her for a long moment. She was right. Tonight was beautiful-peaceful, almost unreal. The kind of night she deserved to remember without the weight of fear pressing against it.

My face relaxed, and I nodded slowly. "Hmm," I whispered. "Sahi kaha."

And before I could say anything more, Alisha stepped closer and wrapped her arms around me. Her warmth pressed against me, fragile yet so achingly real.

"Thank you," she murmured against my chest. "For staying with me."

Those few words pierced deeper than anything else could. I closed my eyes and held her tighter, as if by doing so I could protect her from everything that waited beyond this moment-from pain, from time, from the cruel truth neither of us wanted to face.

Under the dim light, in that silent embrace, I realized that sometimes love isn't about promises or grand gestures-it's about holding someone close, even when you know you might lose them.

<•∆∆∆∆∆•>

Day 10

It was early morning-when I walked into Alisha's room. Just check her. Half opened curtain, sunlight spilling across her face. But something felt... wrong.

Her chest wasn't moving.
No rise, no fall.

For a second, my world just stopped.

"Alisha..." I whispered, my voice breaking. When she didn't move, panic surged through me. I rushed to her side, shaking her shoulders. "Alisha! Wake up!"

Nothing.

My heartbeat thundered in my ears. Breath caught in my throat. "Uncle! Sumit!" I screamed, my voice echoing through the house. My hands trembled as I cupped her face. "Please, Alisha... open your eyes," I begged, tears already stinging my eyes.

And then-A sound.

A laugh.

I froze. She was laughing-laughing. Loudly, uncontrollably.

My entire body went rigid. I looked at her, disbelief flooding through me. "You..." I could barely form words. "You were joking?"

Just then, Uncle entered the room, alarmed. "What happened, Jayant?"

Before I could respond, Alisha jumped from the bed, ran to him, and said playfully, "Papa, look at him! Jayant got so scared!"

Something inside me snapped.

"Do you think this is funny, Alisha?" I yelled, my voice sharper than I intended. "Do you really think this is a joke?"

The room went still. Her smile vanished, replaced by a tremble on her lips. "I was just... playing," she said softly.

"Playing?" I repeated bitterly, but before I could say more, Uncle stopped me. "Jayant, enough."

I clenched my fists, swallowed my words, and turned toward the door. My chest burned with frustration and fear. But before I could leave, I heard her faint voice behind me-broken, childlike.

"Papa, what did I do wrong? Jayant never shouted at me before... I want to go to Maa."

I froze mid-step.
Maa.

The word hit me like a blade. I turned slowly. "Maa?" I whispered to myself. My stomach dropped.

Uncle looked at me, equally alarmed.

Before we could react, Alisha ran out of the room, calling, "Maa! Maa, nobody loves me anymore. Even Jayant shouted at me!"

My chest tightened. Not again.
Not the hallucinations.

I ran after her, fear twisting in my gut.

She stood in the living room, speaking into the empty air. "Maa, why does everyone scold me? Why doesn't anyone understand me?" Her eyes glimmered with tears, but her face lit up-like she was seeing someone truly there.

Uncle started to step forward, but I stopped him. "Don't," I whispered. "If we try to break it, she'll lose control. Let her believe it... at least she's happy right now."

He looked at me, torn. "But this is not real, it's just a lies, her mind playing with her."

"Yes," I said softly, "but some lies are kinder than truth."

We watched silently as Alisha smiled, talking to the air as if her mother stood before her.

Then, suddenly, she turned to me. "Jayant! You're not listening. My mother is saying something to you."

My throat went dry. "What... what is she saying, Alisha?"

"She says... she says you should apologize to me," she replied earnestly.

"I'm sorry alisha" I said.

"I'm not gonna forgive him, maa" alisha said to her mother.

I dropped to my knees, my eyes filling again. "I'm sorry, Alisha," I said, voice cracking. "I shouldn't have shouted. I'm really, really sorry."

She frowned, confused by my tears, and rushed to me, wiping them away with her trembling hands. "Jayant, why are you crying? Don't cry, please. You can scold me as much as you want, but don't cry like this."

"Papa, say something," she pleaded, glancing toward her father.

But Uncle's voice was lost. His eyes glistened; his lips trembled. Soon he was crying too-softly, helplessly.

And then Sumit began to cry.

Alisha looked around, panic replacing confusion. "Why are you all crying? Are you joking with me? Tell me you're joking!" Her voice cracked as she stepped back.

Then she whispered, "It's my fault... I shouldn't have played that prank..."

Before any of us could stop her, she ran to her room and slammed the door shut.

The echo of that door filled the house, leaving behind a silence so heavy it hurt to breathe.

<•∆∆∆∆∆•>

I stood outside her door-silent.
My hand hovered mid-air, ready to knock, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. For a long moment, there was only the sound of my heartbeat and the muffled hum of the ceiling fan inside.

Then, slowly, the latch turned.

The door opened.

Alisha stood there-eyes swollen, face pale, but when she saw me, she didn't say a word. She just stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered against my chest, her voice trembling. "I'll never joke like that again. Not even by mistake. Bhalu..."-the name she used only when she felt small, fragile-"...death is a terrifying thing. I'll go one day, I know that. But giving that pain to the people who love me before it's time... that's something I have no right to do. I'm sorry, Bhalu."

My arms tightened around her instinctively. For that one fragile moment, I didn't care about anything else. She was here. Breathing. Warm. Alive. And that was enough.

Later that evening, we were all sitting in the hall-the air heavy, but calm. Sumit broke the silence first.

"Di... you scared all of us today," he said quietly, his voice cracking "I've never seen you like that before."

Alisha reached out and pulled him into a hug. "Don't worry, I'm fine," she said gently, stroking his hair like an elder sister would a frightened child.

But her tone changed as she looked around us. There was something distant in her eyes-something that felt final.

"I need to tell you all something," she said, sitting straighter.

Uncle's expression tensed. "What is it, beta?"

Alisha took a long breath, as if gathering strength. "For the past few days... my condition has been getting worse. I used to dream of beautiful places-dreams that felt so real-but now, when I wake up, it's like my body refuses to believe reality anymore. I can't live like this around everyone. I can't pretend I'm okay."

I frowned. "Alisha... what are you saying?"

She didn't look at me. Her voice was soft but steady. "I have two options left now. Either I get admitted to a hospital... or I live alone and wait for the end."

"Alisha!" I shot up from the couch, unable to hold back the anger-or maybe the fear.

She stood too, facing me head-on. Her eyes were wet but unwavering. "It's the truth, Jayant. I can't keep dying a little every day and make all of you suffer watching it. I'd rather go somewhere far away."

"And what if I don't let you go?" I asked, my voice breaking between helplessness and rage.

She ignored me completely, turning to her father instead. "Papa, I'll go to Mumbai. To my flat. I'll lock myself in and stay there quietly."

Uncle's face went pale. Before he could answer, I said firmly, "You're not going anywhere, Alisha. You're going to have the surgery."

She snapped her head toward me, eyes blazing. "Surgery won't change anything! Why don't you understand?"

"I understand everything," I shot back. "The surgery can buy us time-one year, maybe two. That's enough. In that time, something might change. Some cure might come."

"There is no cure!" she screamed, her voice breaking. "Do you hear me, Jayant? There's no miracle waiting for me. I'm dying!"

"Then trust me," I pleaded. "Please. Trust me."

She laughed bitterly through tears. "Trust you for what? To stretch my death a few months longer? To live on borrowed time?" Her tone trembled, raw. "Kal ki Marti, aaj mar jau, kya hi fark padta hain."

("What difference does it make if I die today or a year from now?")

And before I could say another word-

Slap!

The sound cracked through the silence like thunder.

The sound cracked through the silence like thunder.

Uncle had struck her. Hard. His hand still hung in the air, trembling.

For a second, nobody moved.

Alisha just stood there, eyes wide, tears spilling down her cheeks-not from the pain, but from the shock. Her lips parted, but no words came. The entire room went still.

And then, without saying anything, she turned away-her face blank-and walked out.

"Aapko Aisa nhi karna chahiye tha" I said to uncle.

("you should not have do that")

"Alisha!" I shouted, running after her, but she didn't stop. The front door swung open, then slammed shut.

When I reached the gate, she was gone. Nowhere to seen.

"Alisha! Alisha!"

I searched for her everywhere - around the building, across the road, calling her name again and again, my voice echoing against the walls. "Alisha!" But she was nowhere.
My chest felt heavy, panic creeping into my veins. Then I heard hurried footsteps behind me - Uncle came, breathless, his face pale with worry.

"Alisha mili?" he asked, voice trembling.

I turned toward him slowly, anger simmering beneath my skin. "Aapne kya kiya hai aapko pta hai na" My voice came out cold, bitter - the kind that cuts deeper than a shout. "Aapko pta hai woh bimar hain, har din woh kaise lag rahi hai khud se, fir bhi aapne hath utha diya."

("Do you even realize what you've done?
You knew she wasn't well, that she's fighting every single day to stay alive - and still, you raised your hand on her?")

Uncle's eyes widened, guilt flickering for a moment before pride took over. "Tumne suna na usne kya kaha." he snapped.

("You heard what she said, didn't you?")

"Haan suna," I said sharply, stepping closer, "Par iska yeh matlab nahi tha ki aap hath uthaye uspe. Aapne kabhi alisha pe hath nhi uthaya fir aaj kyu. Khud ko roka kyu nhi aapne?" My voice grew louder with each word until the tension between us felt like fire ready to explode.

(I did, but that doesn't mean you can hit her! You've never raised your hand on her before - why couldn't you stop yourself today?")

His jaw tightened. "Jayant tum mujhse aise baat nahi kar skte."

("Jayant, watch your tone. You cann't talk to me like that.")

I took a step closer, eyes burning. "Aapko pata nhi hai main uske liye kya kya kar skta hoon, aur kya mene kiya hain. Mujhe fark nhi pad rah aap kya soch rahe hai abhi, kyuki abhi mere pas time nhi hain kisi aur ke bare me sochne ka, mujhe alisha ko dudana hain. Aap dua kijiye woh safe ho, agar woh nhi hui" I paused, my voice trembling with suppressed rage, "-main bhool jaunga ki aap uske pitah hain."

("You have no idea what I can do for her... what I've already done. I don't care what you think, Uncle - right now, I don't have time to argue with you. I have to find her. Just pray she's safe... because if she's not-I might forget that you're her father.")

Uncle stared at me, stunned - as if he couldn't believe the words coming out of my mouth. But I didn't wait for his response. I turned away, my pulse pounding, my throat dry with fear and fury.

For the second time in my life, I was angry with Alok uncle.
But tonight... it was different.
Tonight, I wasn't just angry - I was terrified. Because somewhere out there, Alisha was alone, hurt, and fading...
and every second she stayed missing felt like my heart was being torn apart, piece by piece.

I searched like a madman - every street, every corner, every shadow that even looked like her. Rishi and I had turned the whole of Delhi upside down that night. Every place Alisha could've possibly gone - cafes, parks, old college street, even the small bookstores she loved - we checked them all. But she was nowhere.

By the time the clock hit midnight, our legs ached, our throats were dry, and our hope had started to blur into desperation. The police refused to file a missing complaint - "Twenty-four hours haven't passed yet."

So, we split up - Rishi, Sumit, and I. Each of us took different routes, praying that one of us would find her before the night ended.

And then, suddenly, a memory hit me - a flash from Bangalore. The night she'd been kidnapped by those local goons... how, after losing her memory, she kept asking to go to the Shiv temple.
That was it. Maybe she'd gone to a temple again.

I rushed to every nearby Shiv temple I could think of. Each one felt emptier than the last. The priests shook their heads, strangers stared as I stumbled in asking for her, my voice cracking each time I said her name.

I ran from one to another - every Shiv temple in the area - my eyes searching every face, every corner, every shadow. But she wasn't there. Not anywhere.
And just when hope began to crumble inside me... another memory hit me.

"Jab main tumko kahi na milu, tab main yahi milungi." she had once said as a child, while seating at the bank of lake

("If you ever can't find me, look for me here.")

I froze. The temple by the lake side.

Without wasting another second, I drove straight there. I ran up the temple steps. But she wasn't inside. My last thread of hope broke. My heart dropped to the floor of that empty temple.

And then - I heard it.
The faint splash of stones hitting the water.

I followed it, I reached the lake's edge - and there she was. Sitting by the water, lost in her own world.

"Alisha," I called softly.

She turned. And the next second, she was running - straight into my arms.
She held me so tight, I could feel her heartbeat racing against mine.

"Tum aa gaye," she whispered against my chest, voice trembling but full of relief. "mujhe pta tha tum aaoge. Main tumhe kahi nhi mili to yaha jrur milungi. Tumhe yaad tha."

("I knew you would come. If you don't find me anywhere else, you will definitely find me here. You remembered.")

I froze. That same line. She remembered. The same words from years ago. She could forget her memories, her pain, her past - but not this. Not us.

I cupped her face gently. "Alisha, you can't disappear like that without telling anyone. We were-"

Before I could finish, she leaned close, her breath warm against my ear.
"I love you, Jayant," she whispered.

For a moment, I forgot how to breathe. My heart just... stopped.

"Alisha?" I said, almost afraid.

"I love you, Jayant."

"Alisha... Mat bolo" I whispered again, but she only repeated it - her voice soft, rhythmic, like a broken lullaby.

"I love you, Jayant... I love you, Jayant..."

Each time she said it, something inside me cracked open - pain, love, fear - all bleeding together.

I took a deep breath, trying to hold myself together, then said softly, trembling, "I lo..love..I.. really do."
But before I could finish, her body went limp in my arms.

"Alisha?" I said, shaking her gently. "Alisha!"

No response.

Her body was cold - her lips pale.

Panic shot through me as I lifted her in my arms. Her head rested against my shoulder.

I carried her all the way home, praying, begging the universe to give me one more chance. Give me a chance to save her, I can't imagine my world without her.

___________________________________________

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