Chapter 22
THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the wonderful comments. Garima's story was indeed sad, but I promise she will get some kind of justice in her own little way.
BIG WELCOME all the new readers - I loved all your feedback. I look forward to reading more from you guys 
Silent Whispers
-CHAPTER TWENTY-
Unraveling
"I'm sorry to say this Mr. Gupta, but her chances don't look
so good."
Shyam stared blankly at the doctor. It was early Saturday
morning in Lilavati Hospital, and
while many of the patients were still in deep slumber, the doctors were
bustling around in preparation for the upcoming day. However, in the cabin of Dr.
Awasti, the atmosphere was far from chirpy.
"I don't understand," Shyam admitted. "You said a week ago
there were good chances and now you are telling me that there aren't?"
"A week ago, I was expecting Garima to respond to
chemotherapy. But she isn't. And given how far the cancer has spread, I can't
guarantee if she will even make it to the end of the month."
Shyam felt his heart sink. Logically speaking, he knew he would
hear something of this sort the day his mother was admitted, albeit forcefully.
He even had prepared himself for it - theoretically that is. However, hearing
it from the doctor was a whole other thing. It hit him in places that he assumed
were numb by now.
"So, is that it?" he asked, trying to make sense of the new
situation. "Is this how it ends?"
Dr. Awasti let out a sigh. "I have known you for a long time
Shyam and I understand your feelings... But you have to keep strong. Our next
plan is surgery. We are going to manually clean up as much as we can."
"And the what are the chances the surgery will be successful?"
"Sixty-percent."
Shyam's shoulders fell in defeat. He was given an impossible
choice once again.
"I can't make you any promises," Dr. Awasti said, seeming to
understand his predicament. "But I will say that I have seen patients make it
through with chances lower than your mother. And it's because they have the
will to fight."
"And my mother doesn't?"
Dr. Awasti surveyed him closely for a minute before
replying. "I think you know the answer to that better than me. My job is to fix
her body... it's up to to you to do the rest."
Shyam nodded, having no difficulty whatsoever to understand
what he was being told. So thanking Dr. Awasti, he left worriedly.
The truth was his mother was beyond saving. She had lost the
will to live the day his father walked away without looking back. Ever since
then, she was nothing but an empty shell.
Of course, it took him many years to realize that. In the
early days, he had tried -naively- to
talk some sense into her, to make her see the world beyond Shashi Joshi; but it was all pointless. She was so far gone
that even his attempts appeared foolish.
And that was exactly how Shyam felt as he debated on his
next course of action. What was the point of trying to talk to his mother, when
in reality, there was nothing left to be exchanged between them?
It was with such a heavy heart, that he walked into his
mother's ward.
"Shyam," Garima greeted cheerfully. "How come you are here
so early?"
"I had a meeting with the doctor," he answered, curtly.
Garima nodded, and patted the stool beside her. "Come sit.
Meeti just went to get coffee... I don't know what has gotten into that girl! Can
you believe this is the second time
she stayed here all night?! If she keeps doing that, you will have to book two
rooms here instead of one."
She paused, expecting him to laugh or defend his sister like
he usually did. However, he did neither.
Shyam stared determinedly at the floor, resentment coursing
through him at the mention of his sister. It was hard to miss the sudden
changes in her, the biggest of them all being her concern for Garima. However, far
from being relieved to finally see the estranged duo reconcile, he feared the
outcome. Khushi was ignorant to what was coming and only he knew how much it
was going to cost her; after all, he was exactly in her shoes at one point of
time.
"Shyam? What's wrong? Did Dr. Awasti say something?"
"Yeah," he retorted, his usually controlled feelings
snapping free of their restraints. "She told me how foolish we are for trying
to save you, when really you have already made up your mind."
Garima's smile faltered.
"Dr. Awasti thinks if somehow we give you the hopeto live, you will respond to the
treatment and get cured. What she doesn't
know is that I already tried... not once, not twice, but at every single chance I
got."
"Shyam-"
He held up his hand. "Please," he
said, coldly. "I don't want to listen to your reasons, because that's all I have been doing since I was born."
Garima fell quiet, as her forehead crumpled in both despair
and confusion. She didn't understand his reasons for storming at her and more importantly,
how to comfort him from them.
"Don't feel bad," he said, easily understanding her
thoughts. "Because it doesn't bother me anymore... I made peace with you a long
time ago. It's just that I have admitted you in the hospital too many times to worry if I will get to
see you alive the next day."
She closed her eyes, every word of his piercing her like a
knife. But Shyam had no mercy, because what was at stake was much more than his
own life.
"But this is not about me anymore," he pressed on, his tone
softening slightly. "If it was, then I wouldn't have been bothered to come here
today."
She didn't ask him to explain, though Shyam knew she was
holding on to every word he was saying.
"It's Meeti," he finally said. "She is where I never ever wanted her to be."
Garima's eyes snapped open. "W-what do you mean?"
"Don't you see it? She spends half her time thinking about
you, worrying what will happen... she jumps every time Dr. Awasti calls, praying
it's not bad news. And since the past
two days, she hasn't even left you alone for longer than a second... She won't
accept it, but you are becoming her hope, the only thing for her to hold on to
and the fact that you might not be here tomorrow is eating her up!"
Silence followed his outburst, as Garima stared at him,
drowning in the truth put before her. Even though it was never said out loud
between them, the decision to keep Khushi safe was always there. It was
probably what still made Shyam listen to his mother, even though his thoughts
were the exact opposite of hers.
"Meeti is the only thing left in this family that matters to
me," Shyam said suddenly, feeling as if his mother needed a reminder of their
mutual decision. "I already let her down by choosing you all those years ago. I
honored your
promise and kept her away from the mess that man made, even though she deserved
to know every bit of it-"
"She was too
young... I couldn't burden a child with that!"
"That same child grew up loving the man who betrayed us. And
now, when she is old enough to understand, she doesn't want to listen to the truth... All because we decided to raise her
in between secrets and lies."
"Please don't say that... no matter what, Shashi is her father. I couldn't ruin that
relationship because of what happened to me."
"What father? When has he stepped down from being the great
Shashi Joshi and actually cared about
me or Meeti?!"
Garima had no answer.
"You don't know anything about how Meeti grew up... but I do. There is a reason why she doesn't
trust anyone but herself, why she runs at the slightest bit of trouble, why
she'd rather spend her time studying the stock market than go shopping like any
other normal girl would... It's us. We ruined her beyond repair!"
Shyam focused on the wall in front of him, not wanting to
look at his mother, who he knew was breaking down with every passing second.
"And now, when she finally has started changing for the
better," he muttered. "She has to deal with this...
"
It was all out in the open now. His dread, his worry... he
knew it was unfair to bombard his mother given her condition, but she had to know what was happening. She needed to understand the havoc killing
both her children.
"I know I haven't been the best mother," Garima said after a
few minutes of silence. "Least of all to you Shyam... I agree I made some terrible
decisions in my life, but back then, it just seemed like the right thing to do."
He listened, keeping his eyes trained on the wall.
"But I get it," she continued in a pained voice. "I get why
you are worried for Meeti... You are the
parent I could not be. And for that, I'm so
proud. Because if there was anything I did right in my life, it was giving
birth to you."
Unable to ignore her any longer, Shyam turned to Garima and
was surprised to see her eyes not
brimming with tears. In fact, she appeared quite calm given what he revealed,
save for a saddened smile on her frail lips.
"And that's why I'm not worried," she said, her hand
affectionately patting his cheek. "Every time I see Meeti, I only think that
I'm leaving her in capable hands. You kept her well and safe for sixteen years...
and I know you will keep her like
that for however long it takes."
Shyam heaved a sigh and reached out to touch her hand. He
understood what she was trying to do and more importantly why, but he just couldn't let her. So, without any contempt
whatsoever, he said:
"I know you think everything is over, but there is still a
chance. But for that you have to at least
try... because Meeti needs you. She deserves to know you, to love you, to
take care of you... I can only keep her safe, it's up to you to make sure she is well."
* * *
Khushi paced the length of her room, her mind racing
anxiously. Her mother's surgery was going on and she was restrained to the
house. Really, her brother had impeccable timing for noticing the dark circles
under her eyes and concluding subsequently that she had to stay at home to
rest.
Her phone buzzed with a new notification, causing her
already thudding heart to beat faster. She was disappointed, however, to see
that it was from Akash, asking her to call when she had time.
Khushi growled in frustration.
She had forgotten all about her boyfriend courtesy of
Garima's illness. Ever since she realized how wrongly she misunderstood her
mother, Khushi never wasted an opportunity to spend time with her. It was the
only way she saw fit to make up for her mistakes. Of course, it was another
thing that her crime was unforgiveable.
She glanced absent-mindedly at her phone, hoping to miraculously
see a message from Shyam, who had taken her place in the hospital as Garima's
emergency contact.
Really, what was the need for her brother to fret over everything? Sure she spent the last two
nights at their mother's beside, but that didn't mean she wasn't taking care of
herself. Didn't he understand how important it was for her to be with Garima?
After all, there were sixteen years worth of pent-up conversations they needed
to have and who knew how many days they still had left together.
Khushi shook her head, forcing her thoughts to a stop. She knew, logically speaking that is, her
mother would make it out of the surgery. Dr. Awasti had said herself the
chances of success were good. But the more pressing question was, would Garima
make it through chemotherapy? And if she did, what was the guarantee she was
going to live long? How long was
long?
These questions had been nagging Khushi since that morning. It
appeared that her reconciliation with her mother heightened her fears instead
of weakening them.
As if on the cue, her phone began to ring. Assuming it was her
brother, she answered without a second thought. "Hello?"
A deep baritone voice echoed back. "Hello? It's me."
Khushi was disheartened. It wasn't her brother carrying news of the surgery. "Hmm..."
"Is that, hmm - I don't want to talk to you, or hmm - I know
it's you?" Arnav asked.
"Just hmm..."
"Glad to see we cleared that out," he answered sarcastically.
Khushi didn't respond. She knew they had much to talk about;
much to clear up, but at that moment, all she could think about was Garima.
"I will keep this short," Arnav continued, unperturbed by
her silence. His voice lacked the cheekiness he usually carried around with
himself. "You are off the factory project. Jai will be taking care of it along
with Kunal from now on."
Khushi bit her lip, not knowing how to react to the news.
He waited for a few seconds before continuing: "I wanted you
to hear it from me first, so that you have a chance to ask me why you are no
longer in charge."
"I think we both know why."
"I wouldn't be so sure. Our -erm, conversation Friday- made me realize that there have been a lot of
misconceptions between us. It's partly my fault that I let it get this far. So
now, it's only fair that I set it
ri-"
"I'm sorry."
Khushi didn't know what made her say it. It was almost as if
her lips got a mind of their own and said the words she hated at all costs.
However, she realized with a jolt that she didn't regret it. No, the feeling
budding through her was relief. She felt as if a great burden was lifted off
her shoulders.
"Uhh... what?" Arnav asked his voice surprised.
"I'm sorry," she repeated. "Sorry for misbehaving with you,
sorry for jeopardizing your company and sorry for waiting so long to say this."
Silence.
It seemed that he was dumbstruck to hear her frank apology.
Khushi didn't blame him; she herself was surprised.
He regained his voice after a good minute. "Does this have
to-"
"No," she interrupted. "This has nothing to do with me being replaced on the project. What is wrong
is wrong, and I was wrong that day."
Again, silence. If it were any other day, Khushi would have
congratulated herself for stumping Arnav so many times. But that day, she only
felt guilt pooling in her stomach, because his surprise only told her one
thing:
He wasn't
expecting her to own up to her mistake.
Of course, she knew his expectations were based on her own
behavior. Hadn't she stressed, time and time again, that she was right at all
costs?
"In that case," Arnav said slowly. "I apologize too. I
shouldn't have screamed at you. As your boss, I should have acted in a civilized manner."
Khushi snorted. "Are you apologizing to me as my boss or as
Arnav?"
"What if I asked you
that?"
"I guess both... I was a disrespectful intern and a rude human
being. And it's just not for Friday... it's for everything I have said since the
day I met you."
He paused. "Are you sure
you haven't had any sort of head injury in these past two days?"
"Ha ha... I'm just being sensible. You were right - I do get
competitive, jump to conclusions, carry stupid grudges... all because I don't
trust anyone."
She halted for a brief second, surprised to see the honesty
bubbling out of her. In some weird way, it felt good to hear it said out loud. "And
I learned yesterday that trust is a two way street."
He took a moment to a reply. "And you never seize to amaze
me Ms. Gupta. It seems that sensibility suits you a lot... maybe you should keep
wearing it. "
A small smile spread across Khushi's face. Perhaps it was
worry for her mother, or her sudden insight, but she found that Arnav's words weren't irksome at all.
"So, do you have any concerns about your position?" he
asked, his tone suddenly more cheerful.
"Do I still have my job?"
"Yes, of cour-"
"Then, no. I don't have any concerns. I know I have to earn
my way back into the project."
"What has gotten into you?" Arnav asked, mockingly exasperated.
"I was expecting a repeat of what happened in the elevator, but here you are,
talking about your regret as if it's not big deal."
"It isn't a big
deal... I apologized to a lot of people this week, and by far, you have been the
easiest."
"Who else got to hear your prized apology?"
"My mother and my brother."
"Let me guess - they forgave you."
"You didn't?"
"Oh birthday girl, if you think earning my forgiveness is as
simple as saying sorry, then you are gravely mistaken."
For the first time ever, Khushi was pleased to hear him
address her as "birthday girl". It made her feel as if they were back to
teasing each other.
"What?" he asked, when she didn't reply. "You aren't even
going to try to find out what will
make me excuse you?"
"Well, if working with you for the past few days was any
indication, then I know you aren't going to tell me straight up what it is. So,
no, I'm not going to try."
"Ahh... I see you have grown both sensible and intelligent. Maybe our showdown in
the elevator was a good thing after all."
You have no idea,
Khushi thought to herself. If it wasn't for him, she would never have dared to
find out the reality of her father. If it wasn't for him, she would still be
neglecting her mother, sacrificing what little time they probably had left
together.
But of course, she would never admit that to him.
A sudden sound interrupted them, which Khushi realized was
the echo of running water. It was coming from his side of the line.
"What's that sound?" she asked.
"The water?"
"Mm-hmm."
"It's the hose... I'm watering plants."
Khushi was surprised. It was very odd to imagine Arnav
watering the numerous flowerbeds in the vast garden of Shantivaan; he just didn't seem to be the type. "Is the gardener on
leave?"
"No, he is here. I just like to garden whenever I have
time."
"You like to
garden?" she repeated blankly. "Why?"
"Are you implying that I'm not allowed to take care of my
own garden?"
"No, but-"
"Believe it or not, it's a nice feeling, being able to spend
your Sunday out in the sun, than pouring
over boring files. My mother always told me, we should respect both time and
nature. Who knows, maybe I won't be here next Sunday?"
Khushi stopped short, listening carefully to what he didn't
utter and yet, she understood as clearly as if he said it out loud. If it was a
month ago, maybe she would have passed it off as a hobby, but at that moment,
she knew exactly what it was.
It was his way of holding on; his way of surviving.
"Is this how you remember her?" she asked quietly. Again,
she didn't know what made her pose the question, but she was glad that she did.
Arnav cleared his throat and Khushi knew instantly that she
caught him off guard. She wondered vaguely if she should take
back what she asked - after all, it was a very personal question. Except, he didn't give her the chance.
"Yes," he murmured. "She used to love gardening... our house was
full of plants, always blooming."
Khushi felt her mind stir with the new revelation; something
had clicked deep inside her. As always, she didn't know what it was in his
words that managed to calm the panic seeping through her. It was if he
magically found a way to read her mind.
"So I will see you tomorrow in the office then?" Arnav asked,
when she fell quiet.
"Yeah... I will see you."
And the line went dead.
Khushi let out a sigh, her feet no longer pacing the room -
her need to wait for her brother's call vanished without a trace. Pocketing her phone, she slowly walked
downstairs, calling for her trusted ally.
"Jaya?"
"Yes, Madamji?" the maid replied, rushing to her.
"Do we have all the ingredients to make jalebis?"
____________________________________________________________________________
Yes, a bittersweet update... but Shyam is as important to the story as Arnav or Khushi is. His turmoil on seeing the two most important ladies of his life breaking down is not easy in any way 
As for our in house tom and jerry... they are making progress, no? 
Please like/comment!
Archi
P.S. - Next chapter will be up next wednesday 
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Comments (66)
Good Shyam told off Garima.
1 years ago
Khushi said sorry to ASR, what a growth after that talk by ASR.
1 years ago
Khushi and her jalebi. Hope she will make them and take them to her mom.
1 years ago
What a great conversation this was between Arnav and Khushi. She apologized. They can start fresh now.
1 years ago
Loved arshi convo, wow khushi said sorry thats nice.
1 years ago
Amazing chapter filled with two great convo!👏🏼
2 years ago
I will update by tonight (EST). Pakka promise! [/QUOTE] Waiting for party ;)
10 years ago
I will update by tonight (EST). Pakka promise!
10 years ago
Superb update...Loved Arnav and Khushi's awkward conversation... Khushi is highly effected by the kiss and the person she kissed... And i m glad she is not ignoring it... Knowing the kind of person Khushi is, who always run from emotions and feeling, it is a pleasant change... But what is Arnav thinking?? Plz give us his point of view too...Loved Shyam and Anjali sweet, romantic dinner... Anjali was so disappointed the whole time... But at the end Shyam made up to her... Loved how he proposed her... Beautiful... Loved them...
10 years ago
dear its thursday in india...i know u will be updating to according to your time clock but still i keep checking anxiously...hope u dont disappoint us like last time...eagerly waiting for the update...wanted to know how the party goes and whether khushi will meet her father there...
10 years ago