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‘I bet they are.’
And with that Mansha wrapped her small arms around Koyal in a tight, fierce hug.
‘Mansha,’ Koyal said as they hugged each other, ‘why don’t you ask Daddy to tell you more about Mummy?’
‘He won’t,’ she said quietly.
‘Why?’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Would you like it if he does?’
Mansha pulled back and looked at Koyal, her eyes shining brightly and a huge grin plastered across her face.
‘Yes!’
Koyal grinned and pulled the smiling little girl back into a hug.
It was close to 2 a.m. when the doorbell buzzed.
Atharv.
Finally.
Koyal had stayed back after the party to help Hema and Surya tidy up, even though she knew they did not need help. She needed to talk to Atharv, talk to him, scream and shout at him. Who does this to their daughter, her heart screamed angrily.
When Atharv appeared at the doorway, the anger that had been gaining momentum in Koyal’s heart with each passing hour crashed down with a thud.
For it was the most exhausted and worn out looking Atharv she’d ever seen that appeared at the door. A stubble that somehow made his eyes look even more intelligent, the sleeves of his spotlessly white albeit crumpled shirt rolled up and wafting the hospital smell, he stood there, looking at his mother. A gentle warmth emanated from him – the kind of warmth Koyal knew his patients would find reassuring. And very sexy too, a cheeky little voice in her head ventured, but Koyal shushed it.
Without a word, Surya Aunty rushed towards him and Koyal waited for her to reprimand Atharv for being such an irresponsibl
e parent. Yet, to her surprise, all Surya Aunty did was pull him into an embrace. Koyal stared at the two of them, taken aback by Surya Aunty’s behaviour.
‘Was the operation a success?’ Surya Aunty asked softly, a hand on her son’s arm.
A small precious smile from Atharv that Koyal felt brightened the world around them. She shook her head, angry at the unwanted thoughts popping into her head.
‘I am so proud of you, Atharv,’ Surya Aunty was saying. ‘It was a tough case.’
‘He is alive, the tumour is out, well, most of it at least, and there has been no damage to the optical nerve – that’s all that matters,’ he said softly.
‘You didn’t sleep at all, did you?’ Surya Aunty asked gently.
‘Not much.’ He smiled a tired smile. A smile that Koyal could see melted Surya Aunty’s heart.
‘Come on, your bed is ready.’
‘Mansha?’ he asked finally.
‘Asleep,’ Surya Aunty replied.
Nothing about her birthday party. Koyal stared at Surya Aunty, unable to understand her why she was behaving as if Atharv had done no wrong.
The two were walking towards the reception room when Atharv’s eyes fell on Koyal and he stopped.
They stared at each other. Koyal wondered if she’d caught a fleeting glimpse of joy in his eyes, a small spark of happiness perhaps? She couldn’t really tell because it went away as soon as it had appeared, replaced by an expressionless stare.
