Rajeev's POV:

"Please be ready with your presentations next week-

This is important for your semester grades-

Marketing-"

"Raj- Raj-"

It was actually Manish's voice that I heard clearly after I don't know how long did I blank out.

"Hmm-?"

"You are so off since morning, is everything okay?"

I did not know how to answer that question. Frankly speaking I really was not.

Thankfully the bell rang and we could have a more convenient conversation. Manish and I slowly started taking a walk towards the famous entrance, where I was meeting my wife.

Somehow I felt I could trust Manish with my pain.

"It's complicated, Manish-"

"Which problem in life isn't Raj?", he asked me upfront.

Fair point well made.

"Well, it's not about me, it's my wife."

"Is everything okay between the two of-"

"Oh, yes yes! It's not that!", I spoke in the midway of his sentance.

Manish sighed in relief. Maybe he felt that the problem I am going to share is a bit more solvable!

"Pavi's father has been diagnosed with cancer and she has been beating herself up since then. Her exams are on the way, and then there is Dev, me and the house. It's taking a toll on her, I can see it, but she is just tucking it all in-"

"OMG- dude?"

"Yeah! I know, right?"

"Which hospital?"

"Now he is in the hospital where Pavi studies-"

"Oh!"

"I just couldn't take much leave from college and so, in the morning my parents or her mother takes care and in the evening it's Pavi and me-"

"God! This must be so hard!"

"Yes, previously he was in a nearby hospital but thankfully Dr. Malhotra, his doctor helped us shift him to Pavi's place, so now it has gotten a bit better."

"But Raj, you sound so sleep deprived and we have work to be done. I don't think you listened to what the professor told in the class."

I chuckled, because that was absolutely true.

"Okay, let me tell you something, why don't I come over to the hospital today while we take care of your father-in-law, let's work on the presentation!"

"Dude, that would be-"

"Amazing, right?"

"A lot of trouble, I meant!"

"What? Are you even kidding me? You would have done the same for me Raj!"

I sighed. This argument cannot be won. I surrendered to Manish's words and nodded.

God does find his way to help us, doesn't he?

Suddenly, my phone started to buzz. As I urgently slipped it out of my pocket, I immediately recognised it was my wife.

"Pavi-??"

"Ji-", and after that all I could hear was heavy breaths and nothing else.

"Pavi, what happened? I really cannot hear anything. Is everything okay?"

"Ji, please come- here-"

"Pavi, okay I will rush in as soon as I can- but please calm down, will you?"

I then heard the doctors calling out her name as she abruptly hangs up on me.

Manish quizzingly looked at my face as worry conquers him.

"Is everything okay?"

"I don't know Manish, but she asked me to come to the hospital immediately-"

"Okay, don't panic- let's go-"

"What-?"

"Dude, you think I am going to let you drive?"

---

We rushed to the hospital and I led the way towards the Oncology section. As my eyes gazed around in search of my wife as it particularly paused at a woman who even through all the worry looked so beautiful.

I sprinted towards her called her name out loud to grab her attention.

"PAVI-?"

She turned to look at me and grabbed me into a hug. Without able to take it anymore, she broke down and wailed on my chest.

"Baby, is everything okay?", I whispered in concern.

"Baba is- "

"What happened Pavi? You've gotta tell me dear", and with those words I caressed her hair trying to ca her down.

I noticed Manish thinking super quick and grabbed out the water bottle from my bag and handed it over to me.

Slowly pulling my wife out of her arms I opened the bottle and gave it to her. As tears still prevailed on her face, she took a welcoming sip of water to calm herself down. I reached my pocket to find my hand kerchief and wiped her tears once she finished drinking.

Her eyes, her beautiful Kohl filled eyes were red because of all the crying. My heart ached to see her this way.

Something must have definitely happened. Manish took a step aside to give us privacy and went to check with the doctors.

"Baby, I am here with you now, you are not alone, you've got to tell me okay?"

"Baba had a cardiac arrest an hour ago- "

"Pavi, OMG- Is he doing okay?"

"The doctors have rushed him to the emergency section. I am still waiting for their updates-"

"Oh Pavi- baby I am so sorry, how did you get to know? Don't you have a class right now?"

"Ji- I was with him when it happened!"

"What-?"

"I skipped a class Ji, and when I went into the room and Baba was awake-"

"Oh-?"

"And then, we were speaking"

Oh good lord!

My wife and her father never spoke to one another after our wedding.

"Pavi-"

"Ji my father said he was sorry-"

All at once, that phrase had heaviness. It would have meant a lot to my wife.

This time I pulled her into a right hug as she softly sniffled.

"Pavi, that's a good thing, right baby?"

"No ji, it's not! Because immediately after that only he got an arrest-"

Oh!

***