Namaste
Chapter 29

It was night, and Tanushree was still shivering under the quilt, her body aching. 

 She couldn’t stop the tears from flowing as she lay there. She kept thinking about how she had no money, no means to provide for the child she was carrying. How could she raise a child when she couldn’t even take care of herself? 

Her parents were growing old. They shouldn't have to worry because of her. 

Her mother sat beside her, gently stroking her hair. "We have to take you to the hospital, laado. You can’t keep lying here like this," she said softly.

Tanushree barely nodded, too exhausted to argue. She could feel the fever burning through her. 

"I’ll get the car ready," her father said, his voice tight with worry. He left the room, and her mother helped her sit up, guiding her into a light green kurti and white plazo. Tanushree winced as she moved, her body sore, and clutched her almost flat belly, the pain and pressure feeling more intense with every passing hour.

"Mummy, pet mein dard ho raha hai..." Tanushree whispered, her voice weak and shaky.

Her mother kissed her forehead gently. "I know, beta. Doctor will take care of everything. You just need to get better." She covered Tanushree with a shawl, helping her into her shoes before they made their way downstairs.

The drive to the hospital felt endless. Tanushree leaned against her mother, her head resting on her shoulder as her father carefully navigated the empty streets of the night. Once they arrived, her father rushed to get a wheelchair while her mother held her close. Tanushree barely had the strength to sit upright, her breaths shallow and labored.

The hospital was quiet, save for the low murmur of voices and the constant beeping of machines. They were escorted into the emergency room, and the doctor, a middle-aged woman with kind eyes, approached them.

"What seems to be the issue?" she asked, her tone professional but gentle.

“She’s been running a high fever all day,” her mother explained quickly. “She’s pregnant—almost two months. She’s in pain… her stomach hurts a lot.”

The doctor nodded and turned to Tanushree, crouching slightly to meet her eye level. “Where does it hurt, beta?” she asked softly.

The doctor’s expression turned more serious, but her tone remained calm. “Alright. We’re going to take care of you. First, we’ll get your fever down and run some tests to make sure everything is okay with you and the baby.”

Tanushree’s mother hovered close, brushing her daughter’s hair out of her face. “She hasn’t eaten anything properly all day. She’s been so weak. Please, doctor… make her okay.”

The doctor nodded reassuringly. “We’ll start with fluids to stabilize her. Then we’ll do a quick ultrasound to check the baby and see if there’s any cause for concern. It’s important to act quickly considering the first trimester of pregnancy is very delicate.”

The nurse brought over an IV stand and started prepping Tanushree’s arm for the drip. Her father placed a hand on her shoulder, his grip firm but comforting. “You’re strong, laado. You’ll get through this. We’re here. Sab theek ho jayega,” he said softly.

Tanushree’s tears spilled over again, but she didn’t resist as the nurse inserted the needle. Everything seemed so overwhelming to her. 

She glanced at her parents, who were watching her with such love and worry that it made her heart ache.

“Mummy… Papa… I don’t know how I’m going to do this,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

“Focus on getting better. That’s all that matters.”

At the hospital, the emergency doctor attended to Tanushree while her parents waited outside.  

“We shouldn’t have married our daughter to that man,” her father muttered, his voice heavy with regret.  

“What’s done is done,” her mother replied, though her own face betrayed her guilt. “Now isn’t the time to dwell on that. We need to focus on Laado and her health.”  

He sighed deeply, shaking his head. “But look where she’s ended up. That man destroyed her happiness. I can’t believe they let this happen. I can’t even bring myself to answer their calls—over 200 in these two weeks! What could they possibly say to fix this?”  

Her mother hesitated before speaking. “Maybe… maybe they don’t know. Remember, she didn’t stay with them. He took her straight to his penthouse after the wedding. They might be in the dark.”  

“That doesn’t change the fact that their son has hurt our daughter,” he snapped. After a pause, his voice softened with a tremor. “Do you think… he might have… raised his hands on our daughter?”  

Her mother avoided his gaze, her silence speaking volumes. Finally, she said quietly, “I don’t know. But a man who can ask his wife to abort their child is capable of anything.”  

Her father clenched his fists. “If I find out he’s raised a hand on her, I swear, I’ll—”  

“Shhh,” her mother cut him off, glancing toward the emergency room door. “We’ll deal with that later. Right now, she needs us.”  

---

In her cabin, Dr. Sarita Sharma, who had recognized Tanushree during the examination, debated making a call. She was a family friend of Sushma Rathore, Abhimaan’s mother, and had attended the couple’s wedding. Picking up her phone, she dialed Sushma’s number.  

Sushma answered on the third ring. “Sarita? It’s so late. Is everything alright?”  

“Sushma, I’m calling because I thought you should know—your daughter-in-law, Tanushree, is here in the emergency room with her parents. She’s running a high fever, and things don’t look good,” Sarita explained.  

“What?” Sushma’s voice grew sharp with worry. “How did this happen? Is she okay? Is the baby alright?”  

“I’ve stabilized her for now, but she’s very weak. I suggest you talk to your son. He should be here.”  

Sushma’s hands shook as she ended the call and immediately dialed Abhimaan’s number.  

---

Abhimaan sat in his office, staring at the city skyline. His penthouse had become a cold, haunting place without Tanushree. He hadn’t been able to focus on work, and his mind was consumed by memories of her—her laughter, her pain, and the way she looked at him during their last conversation. His phone buzzed, snapping him out of his thoughts. Seeing his mother’s name, he answered immediately.  

“Maa?”  

“Abhimaan,” her voice was firm, though tinged with panic. “Tanushree is in the hospital. Sarita called me. She has a high fever, and it doesn’t sound good. She’s with her parents.”  

He bolted upright, already grabbing his car keys. “Which hospital?”  

Sushma gave him the address. “Go to her, Abhimaan. Don’t waste any time.”  

“I’m on my way,” he said before ending the call and rushing out.  

The drive was long, but his thoughts raced faster than the car. Guilt clawed at his chest as he imagined her frail form in a hospital bed. ‘It is all happening because of me.’

Abhimaan reached the hospital at 4 a.m., exhausted yet driven by urgency. His heart pounded as he ran through the glass doors and approached the reception desk, his breath coming in short gasps. “Tanushree Rathore,” he said hurriedly. “Where is she? Please, I need to see her.”

The receptionist pointed him toward the emergency ward. Without wasting another second, he sprinted down the hallway. His eyes immediately fell on Tanushree’s parents sitting on a bench outside. Her father sat with his head in his hands, while her mother’s eyes were red from crying.

“Mummy… Papa…” he called softly as he approached them, his voice heavy with guilt and desperation.

Her parents glanced up but said nothing.

He knelt before them, folding his hands. “I… I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness,” he began, his voice breaking. “But please, just once… Please let me see her. I need to make things right. I’ve been such a terrible husband, and I deeply regret everything I’ve done. I promise I’ll fix this—I’ll fix everything.”

Her father shook his head, his jaw tight. “Fix it? How can you fix the damage you’ve caused? You broke her, Abhimaan. You destroyed our daughter’s happiness. Do you even realize how much she has suffered because of you?Hasti khelti beti bheji thi maine. My daughter used to be the jolliest girl in our locality. ”

Abhimaan’s head hung low, tears forming in his eyes. “I know, Papa. I know I’ve hurt her beyond repair. But I swear, I didn’t realize what I was doing. I was blinded by my own ego, my own insecurities. I took out my frustrations on her, the one person who only ever cared for me. I was wrong—so, so wrong. Please, let me see her. I beg you.”

Her mother placed a hand on her husband’s arm. “She’s in the room,” she said after a pause, her voice tired. “But Abhimaan… if you hurt her again, we won’t forgive you this time.”

“I won’t, Mummy,” he promised, his voice firm. “I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for what I’ve done.”

Abhimaan slowly pushed open the door to Tanushree’s room. The sight of her lying on the hospital bed nearly broke him. Her face was pale, her eyes closed, and she looked so fragile, so different from the lively woman he had fallen for.

He approached her bed quietly, his eyes scanning her face for any sign of discomfort. Sitting down beside her, he reached out to touch her forehead. It was still slightly warm, but the fever had gone down. Relief washed over him.

His gaze shifted to her belly, faintly raised as she lay on her back. His hand trembled as he reached out, gently resting it on her stomach.

“Hi, baby,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “It’s your father… I know you probably can’t hear me yet, but I need to say this. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry for everything. I’m sorry for asking your mother to…” His voice broke, and a tear slipped down his cheek. “To abort you. I don’t even know how I could say such a thing. Papa was wrong, and I regret it more than anything in this world.”

He leaned down, pressing his lips to her belly in soft kisses. “I promise you, baby, I’ll be a better father. I’ll protect you, love you, and give you the world. You and your mother deserve the best, and I’ll make sure you get it. I’ll never let anything hurt you. Never again.”

Tears flowed freely now, and he wiped them away hastily. It was the first time he had cried since his grandfather’s death years ago. “You’ve already changed me, little one,” he murmured, his forehead resting against her belly. “And I swear I’ll keep changing, for you and your mother. Just stay with us. Both of you.”

As he sat there, holding her hand and whispering soft apologies and promises, he felt a small flicker of hope. He would fix this. No matter how long it took, no matter what he had to do—he would make things right.

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Target: 90 votes

The story will get way more intense from here.