¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

Disclaimer : I do not encourage any act of suicide here. It is necessary to continue this story.

Her eyeballs moved here and there slowly but her eyes still closed. After some trial, Anika finally opened her eyes. The brightness of light made her shriek and close her eyes immediately. After sometime, she again opened her eyes adjusting to the light. It was then she realized that she's still in her bedroom. Means nothing happened to her? 'How come I'm still alive?', she asked herself. Dissapointed plus angry.

She was alone in the room. Looking at the sky through window, it was dark. When she tried to sit, a sharp pain rose from her abdomen. The pain was unbearable that her tears trickled down. It was then she realized her hand was pricked with IV. By the time, a lady who just came out from the washroom saw Anika and rushed to help her.

The lady introduced herself as Hasina and told that she was the nurse assigned to look after Anika until she gets fine. Anika was also informed that she got conscious after two long days and should not pressure herself as she underwent a surgery. The stitches are still fresh. They might open if she put any pressure. Anika carefully listened to whatever the nurse told her. Unconsciously her hand went to her abdomen which is now bandaged. But what actually happened to her? What for the surgery was? While Anika lost in her thoughts, the nurse took a file from the table beside and handed over to Anika.

"Miss Anika, this is your medical report. I think you're aware of what you have done. The poison you consumed was usually used to kill rats and snakes. Your liver was damaged severely and that's why the surgery was performed. We have romoved a part of your effected liver. It will take around two months or more to completely heal. Most importantly, i don't know you've realized or not but I'm sorry that you can't speak for now. The poison has badly effected your internal organs. Don't be scared you will surely get back your voice but just need some time for the wounds to heal. Don't worry about anything, just take rest and eat healthy. You'll be fine", the nurse finished with a smiling face.

Anika was shocked for a moment and opened her mouth. It pained terribly. It was very hard to even gulp. Her eyes got moist because of the pain. She was then given a notepad so that it will be easy to communicate.

Anika just lay down on the bed and closed her eyes. 'Her life was on critical. She underwent a surgery. She can't talk, don't know for how long. More worst she's waking up after two days! OMG! That means her life is in more critical stage now!'. She can exactly imagine how her family going to react. Life will be easier if she was not saved. She don't know what else in her basket. Sighing sadly, she covered her face with palm.

"Miss Anika", Hasina, the nurse called her while entering the room. After explaining everything to Anika, the nurse left for some work. Anika looked at the nurse and gestured to continue.

"urrmm, i have informed your family. I think they're little upset at you. But don't worry they'll meet you tomorrow", Anika smiled sadly and closed her eyes again. She knew they're not going to meet her anytime soon.

"It's dinner time miss Anika. You should eat something. I'll bring the food.... ", while the nurse keep on talking, Anika was already into her deep slumber. It is already too much for her to digest.

*******************

The next day, the first person she expected to see was her buamma Radha. To her disbelieve, she saw Pinky sitting beside her and having some words with the nurse.

As soon as Pinky notice Anika waking up, she helped her to sit comfortably. All her doing to the Oberois came to her mind and she just look down in shame.

"Are you fine ,dear?", Pinky asked caressing her hair worriedly. Before Anika could answer, Hasina entered the room and helped her with morning chores.

Later Pinky fed her soup. Anika don't want to eat but couldn't say no to the loving lady sitting before her. She knew doctor adviced her to take liquid food until her throat and glands heal completely. But she never thought that drinking soup itself will be this hard. It was so painful. Pinky felt bad for Anika looking at her struggling in pain. Later Hasina left after giving medicine to Anika.

"Anika", called Pinky. "Do you want to sleep?", Anika shooked in No. Pinky saw Anika looking down all the time so she grabbed her hands. "See i came here for you but you're not even looking at me. Are you angry for not coming to meet you yesterday itself?", Anika looked at Pinky with wide eyes being shocked.

"Aren't you angry at me?", Anika wrote down in her note pad and showed to Pinky. Pinky just smiled and said no.

"But tell me why you thought that this will be the only solution to your problem?" Anika again looked down in shame. "Shivaay told me that the guy again blackmailed you with some of your private photos". Anika was confused for a moment but later understood that Shivaay might have hid the real reason from the family.

"Suicide can never be the solution Anika", Pinky added while wiping away Anika's tears.

"Thanks to God, you're fine now. But what will happen if something bad happened. You should have think about your family once. And Shivaay, he almost lost his mind. When the nurse informed about you last night, he got so happy. I asked him to come along today but he refused. He's upset with you, Radha ji and Gowry too. Just give them some time they'll be normal, hmm. Don't think about it so much".

At last, she took Anika in a much needed hug to console and made her sleep. After a small nap, Anika was again greeted by Pinky with her handmade soup. Apparently, Pinky decided to spent the whole day with Anika. At evening, the whole Oberoi clans paid visit to Anika except Shivaay. Dadi being the most sentimental one, cleared evil eyes from Anika chanting some holy mantras and tied a sacred/holy thread around her wrist.

The following morning, Anika woke up with slight fever. It's been two days, none from her family came to see her. She longed to see them. Once she got requested Hasina to call Radha, but Radha refused straight away. Anika couldn't bear the ignorance so as the tears rolled down. It hurts to live in the same roof but ignored by everyone. Not even her little brother came to see her. As the time passed, her temperature rose. Anika refused to take any medicine but the nurse somehow convinced her.

That night she felt a hand caressing her hair and face. She could hear some voices in hushed tone. She recognized it to be Gowry and Radha. She wanted to wake up but couldn't. The medicine's effect and weak body didn't let her to do so. Next day, Anika opened her eyes after a lot of struggle. Her eye lids felt so heavy to lift. She expected her family to be present but there were none. Not even the nurse. Only Anika and her furniture filled room. Her eyes again brimmed with tears.

"Didi", She heard her baby brother voice. Wiping away her tears, she saw Sahil peeking from her door step worriedly. She gestured him to enter but Sahil looked scared and keep on looking left and right and at last he ran away from there making Anika dissapointed. To her surprise, Sahil again entered her room but this time happily.

"Mumma went to Mahesh bhaiya's store, i can talk to you now", He exclaimed happily. She understood that Sahil was restricted to meet her. She looked at her baby brother lovingly for sometime before pulling him for a tight hug.

Sahil sat on the bed and placed his palm on Anika's forehead and neck to check whether his didi is fine or not. "Didi, are you fine? You had high fever last night". Anika smiled and gestured that she's fine. When sahil asked again whether it's paining or not she gestured no. "Why are you not speaking to me didi? Did i do anything wrong? ", he asked sadly.

Listening to this Anika smiled wider and kissed his cheek. Later took notepad, wrote that she can't talk and showed it to Sahil. "Why , are you in maun vratam?", Anika wanted to laugh out loud at her brother's cuteness. But the sudden pain strike from her throat made her eyes to tear up. Sahil looked at her sister worriedly.

Once the pain subsided, Anika asked about everyone in the family. She got to know Gowry is staying with them. Gulab Massi haven't back from her native place. The thing in common was everyone is very upset and angry on her.

"Mumma said she's very angry on you and she will not talk to you ever. Mumma didn't let me to see you also", Anika got in tears again. This time Sahil took her left hand that is attached to drips and asked it's paining or not. When Anika nodded yes, Sahil caressed that place softly and said "we will tell Hasina aunty to give medicine, okay. It won't pain again ".

Suddenly they heard Radha calling out Sahil loudly. "Didiii, mumma is back", saying Sahil dashed out from Anika's room with a scared face. Anika sighed sadly and slowly walked to washroom to help herself with morning chores.

Sahil again entered Anika's room but this time with a wide smile. "Mumma allowed me to meet you from today", he was jumping happily. Anika spread her arms and sahil quickly run to hug her happily.

"Mumma is cooking and gowry didi is taking rest because she is having fever too", Sahil replied when Anika enquired about others. Anika got worried thinking about Gowry. "Didi aren't you hungry? Mumma is making broccoli soup for you" Anika made faces hearing broccoli to which Sahil chuckled.

When Sahil brought soup for Anika, she denied to have it. The nurse was helpless. Sahil and the nurse tried convincing her but all in vain. Anika thought by avoiding food, Radha will come to see her. Because Radha hate when someone disrespect food.

Sahil went out as Radha called him. After few minutes Sahil goes to Anika and told her to have soup and she's only making Radha more angry being adamant. All the while, Sahil became the peacemaker. But Anika still denied. She thought Radha will come to meet her if she does like that, but none came except Sahil. Radha was fixed that she won't fall into Anika's trap. Lunch time passed, Anika hardly had anything. She denied having medicines too.

In the meantime Hasina saw Anika's IV bottle is almost empty. So she took a new one to change. Anika who noticed this didn't let her to do. Hasina immediately gave up when she saw Anika clenching her palm hard the hand which is attached to IV. She got panicked because it can cause the needle to break and pierce in to her skin deeper which is very dangerous. In no time, it started bleeding making Hasina panic.

Hearing all the commotion, Radha hurriedly took the stairs and reached Anika's room. The scene of infront her only increased the anger on her niece. The next second one hard slap landed on Anika's left cheek. Hasina who was holding the Saline bottle, dropped it on the floor out of fear. Sahil and Gowry stopped their step right at the door frame. One glare from Radha, they both disappeared from that place.

Then Radha asked Hasina to proceed with her work. She treated Anika's hand which was bleeding and changed to new IV. Anika didn't refuse this time. Silence prevailed till then. Once her work was done, Hasina too left silently.

"What are you trying to do Anika? If you want to continue doing this, you can but i won't be here. I'm tired of all your stupidity. I will leave this house with Sahil then you're free to do whatever you want. You heard it right? Now, drink that soup, have your medicine and sleep" Radha told to Anika who was sobbing silently and left the place.

Few minutes later, Radha again entered holding a bowl of soup while Sahil followed her trail. "Hasina aunty left ready so mumma will feed you", Sahil answered to Anika's unasked question. After feeding and giving medicine to Anika, Radha tried to get up but stopped by Anika who had held the edge of her dress in her grip.

"Sahil, ask her to leave me", Radha told sternly not looking at Anika. When Sahil turn to Anika, she looked at him pleadingly with tears rolling down. Sahil himself was in the verge of crying looking at his sister this way.

Radha freed Anika's grip from her dress and got up from bed but was again pulled by Anika. Anika gripped her hand and hugged her tightly burying her head in Radha's stomach crying badly. Radha too sat down without saying anything while Anika placed her head on her lap. She neither denied nor consoled. Sahil bite his lower lip to restrain himself from crying but at last he too started crying with Anika. Reason was not know. He's crying because his didi is crying.

Radha really felt bad for slapping Anika but didn't regret because Anika surely deserve that. Only she knows how they spent those hell of hours outside ICU waiting for the doctors positive words.

"Tell me what i should do? This is not the first time Anika still you're not ready to share anything to us. I think I lacked somewhere in raising you. I don't know what else to say. You dissapointed me, Anika you really did. Not only me but your parents too. You know, suicide is a crime. If not for Shivaay you'll be under police investigation by now. And I knew that whatever Shivaay told us was all lie. I overheard him talking with Khanna. He never failed to protect you Anika. You should have atleast think about him once. That's it i have nothing to do with you anymore", saying this Radha lift Anika's head from her lap and stood up.

Anika shook her head vigorously and again held Radha's wrist not leaving her. "Anika!", Radha called sternly and released her grip from her forcefully and left the room not before dragging Sahil along.

Radha was stopped at the staircase by Gowry. "You slapped her", she accused but worriedly. "Then what you expect me to do? You saw what she was doing right", Radha was clearly angry.

"Maa, but.."

"if you love your sister, then why don't you just go and talk with her?why are you standing here? ", Radha asked angrily. Gowry frowned but kept mum.

"You should have atleast stay with her. She needs you", Gowry mumbled. "If you care for her this much , go and stay with her. Stop eating my head", Radha glared Gowry and continued while walking, "she never thought about us before taking such decision. Then why should I?".

Gowry couldn't agree more. Sighing sadly she followed her buamma silently down the stairs. Gowry decided not to talk with Anika until Radha forgive her. Of course she love her sister. More than anything else. Be it herself, her husband or her unborn child. Her sister is everything to Gowry but it doesn't mean that she'll tolerate all her stupid/ foolish/ lunatic/ idiotic act.

¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤

Important note please read!

Big big sorry for updating this late. Actually from last five months I've been volunteering with my friends in Covid 19 quarantine center not directly but indirectly. Then we were asked to volunteer in Vaccination centers too. We couldn't refuse. I work 13hours a day and 7 seven days a week. In between this, i have to concentrate on my assignments too. Getting enough sleep is the biggest task for me now. I'm not sleeping well, not eating well and not spending time with family. I've been writing this chapter from past 2 months. Every time i pick up my phone to write something, I'll ended up sleeping.

I'm writing this to let you guys know that I'm really busy. I'm not passing time doing nothing. I'm not intentionally making you'll wait for the update. It really hurts to see disheartening and hateful messages. Please don't do that.

*****************

Thank You

.

.

.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

.

.

.
Stay Safe Guys