Check if you've read the previous update.

A little longer update..

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"Name?"

"Naina Deshpande"

"Age?"

"25"

Marital status?"

"Married"

"Address?"

"Maternal or Husband's?", Amar asked.

"Where was she staying at the time of incident?", the police asked.

"O..our home.. address is 405, Ruby Apartments....xxxx...xxx", Amar answered

"How many other members stay at the given address?"

"Me, my wife, my son and his wife.", Amar said looking at Rekha, who was still sobbing while sitting in the corner at the hospital. Sidharth was sitting beside her consoling even though he himself was grieving inside. The policeman too turned gis head to look at those seated members.

"Hmm.. Tell me exactly what happened.", police asked and Amar nodded.

"Just like any other day, I left for the park in the morning at 10:30am with other elderly members in society. My wife, Rekha went to the neighbourhood house to help the neighbour to bathe her new born baby around 11am. When she returned from there, she found Naina, l..lying on the floor and squirming. When she shook her, she saw her pupils dilated and her breathing was irregular. Naina was also drooling. Rekha panicked and screamed for help. The neighbours called the ambulance and informed me.", Amar described with choking voice as tears trickled down his wrinkled face. The police gave him some time to grieve before moving to the next question.

"Didn't you say that your son and his wife stay with you. Where were they when this happened?", the police asked.

"Sidharth didn't come home from the office yesterday. His friends had called up and informed that he was sleeping over at their house.", Amar answered while wiping his face..

"And his wife?", police asked

"Ummm.. She has been at her maternal home for a few days.", Amar replied.

"What about Naina's husband? Where does he stay?", the police asked.

"Vivek stays in the same city, about 40 mins drive from our house.",Amar said.

"May I know why he is not present here at the moment? Is there anything wrong between them?", police asked suspiciously. Amar looked down not knowing what to say.

"I.. I've sent him a message.", Amar stuttered a little which made the police raise his eyebrows.

"And what was his reaction and what did he say?", The police probed.

"A.. actually I couldn't speak to him over the phone. So I've texted him b..but haven't got any reply.", Amar fumbled a little.

"Why wouldn't he pick your calls? Is there anything wrong? Mr. Joshi, don't hide back any information which can create issues for you later", the police asked further.

"A..a.actually, Naina and her husband had a small disagreement hence Naina had been staying with us for a while. We'd been trying to sort out things but he seemed a bit too annoyed that he stopped answering the calls from sometime now.", Amar disclosed.

"What kind of disagreement?", the police asked.

"Naina wasn't getting a job anywhere and being a middle class he felt it hard to manage the expenses. So..", Amar was in loss of words.

"Oh!! Hmm.. What about your daughter in law? Why isn't she here yet? Did she also have any disagreements with Naina that could lead Naina to take this extreme step?", the police inquired which made Amar widen his eyes at such acquisition.

"Huh? No.. no.. no.. Sana went to her maternal house even before Naina came to stay with us. So she has nothing to do with any of this.", Amar answered.

"Fine.. I am done with my questioning as of now. We will wait for the doctors reports until further inquiries. Mind sharing your son-in-law, Vivek's number. We have inquiries to make with him as well.", the police took down the number before allowing him to go. Amar nodded his head before he went and joined his wife and son in the waiting area outside the OT where Naina was taken.

The silence in the hallway was broken as Sidharth's phone rang and he looked at the caller before getting up and answering while moving away.

"H.. hello.."

"Where are you Sidharth?", Sana inquired straight away without replying to his hello.

"I.. umm.. I am..", Sidharth stuttered not knowing how to break the news to her.

"Sidharth..", he heard a familiar voice from behind and turned in the direction. Naina's husband, Vivek sprinted towards him, panting heavily.

"You? Why did you come here huh? To check if she is dead or alive?", Sidharth yelled at him.

"Helloo.. hello.. Sidhaa-", Sana paused to listen. Who was he talking to and what was it about, she wondered. The phone network was not so good hence their conversation wasn't so clear and faintly audible only because Sidharth was practically yelling. But she couldn't hear Vivek.

"What? No.. why would.. she is my..", Vivek spoke taken aback.

"..she is your nothing...", Sidharth replied.

"I love her..", Vivek spoke.

"No you don't. It's me who loves her and will never allow you anywhere near her. You compelled her to do this. Where was this concern when you threw her out of the house?", Sidharth asked.

"Sidharth, this isn't time to quarrel. Please understand me.. where is she?", Vivek pleaded.

"You stay away from..", before Sidharth could complete his sentence, Vivek ran towards Amar and Rekha, as soon as he got a glimpse of them.

"Wait.. you!!..", Sidharth yelled.

"Sshhhh.." a nurse shushed him to be quiet.

"Sana.. I will call you back..", Sidharth spoke hurriedly.

"What? What happened? Who are you talking..", the line was disconnected as Sidharth had hung up on her and ran towards Vivek.

Sana looked at the phone in utter confusion. The communication she heard between Vivek and Sidharth didn't give much information rather just bits and pieces. She wondered who Sidharth was talking to and who was the SHE he was referring to. How important was that SHE, that he hung up on her call that too when she thought they just had a patch up after so many days of separation. And did she hear him say he loves her? Her heart ached as these thoughts clouded her senses.

She tried calling him a few times but he disconnected it every time before switching it off.

They say distance makes you realise the value of a person in your life but it isn't always true. Sometimes it teaches you to live without that person. Did she drag it too much? Did their distance tore them apart so much that he found love in someone else? But she isn't his girlfriend that he can move on. She was his bloody wife. Didn't he come home to reconcile with her?

She tried recalling their conversation before he left her. She realised that it was mostly her bickering and less of him talking. All he said was an apology and how ashamed he felt for his behaviour. Was he here to mend or to break things forever with an apology?

She starts weeping badly based on her stupid assumptions. All she needed was him by her side when she woke up a few minutes ago. She wanted to feel his warmth and his love after their brief separation to heal the damage it caused over this period. But instead what she met with was a cold bed beside her and a message that he had to go to meet Adith.

Adith?

Yes Adith..

She dialled his number and it was answered in the fourth ring.

"Hello..", he answered in a sleepy tone without looking at the caller ID.

"Brother, can you give the phone to Sidharth?", she asked immediately without saying hello.

"He isn't here..", Adith blurted before his eyes went wide as he recalled the question and the answer while he looked at the caller to confirm.

"Sana?", he called when the phone went dead silent.

"Sana? You there?", Adith asked.

"Hmm..", she hummed unable to form any words.

"What happened? Didn't he come there?", Adith asked.

"He.. he did. He said he was going to return the bike.", She answered

"Oh!! He hasn't arrived yet. What was the hurry to return though. It's not like I need to go somewhere. He is an ultimate idiot. Anyways, are you alright?", he asked.

"Hmm..", she hummed lost in her thoughts. Sidharth had messaged her that Adith wanted the bike urgently. He left hours back. It wouldn't take him so many hours to reach Adith's home. Why did Sidharth lie to her?

"Sana? Is everything fine between you two?", Adith asked.

"I.. Brother, I.. I h..have left something on the s..stove. I will c..call you later.",  Sana stuttered lying not knowing what to answer for his question.

"Hmm.. okay.. take care.", Adith said.

Sana disconnected the phone. Tear rolling from her eyes down her cheek. Why would you lie Sidharth?

..
..
..

"Baba, where is she?", Vivek asked Sidharth's father. Amar pointed at the door above which operation theatre was written.

"Didn't I tell you to stay away from her?", Sidharth asked Vivek. His phone starts ringing and Sidharth disconnects wanting to concentrate on the situation in hand.

"Sidharth, please..", Vivek pleads.

"No.. just get lost from here.", Sidharth barked in anger. His phone rang again and he disconnected it yet again..

"SIDHARTH..", His father said sternly.

"Don't Sidharth me Baba.. I want him out of here. He is the one who led my little sister into this. Why did he even marry her if he wasn't capable of taking care of her?", Sidharth spat annoyed.

"It's I, who called him here. So shut up now.", Amar scolded. Sidharth's phone rang again and he switched it off this time.

"I'm sorry. I am sorry.. it's all my fault. I'm sorry.", Vivek cried feebly as he hid his face into his palm, his elbows supported by his knees. His actions made Sidharth go numb for a moment. Those cries were genuine hence Sidharth could no longer feel like cursing him. Sidharth silently plopped down beside Vivek and stared at the wall infront blankly. No words uttered for a while.

The operation theatre door creaked open pulling all their attention towards the lady dressed in white uniform who came out. They rushed to her to ask the status.

"Sshhh.. Quiet!! I am just a nurse. The doctor will be out soon and he will update you.", the lady said before leaving.

After a few minutes, the doctor finally makes an appearance. The four waiting outside could swear to God that they never ever waited for anyone in their life so eagerly as they waited for him.

"We've tried to flush out as much toxin as possible from her system. She is still unconscious and might take some time. We'll have to further diagnose her upon gaining consciousness.", The doctor said.

"Can we see her?", Sidharth asked.

"I'm afraid, not at the moment. Until she gains consciousness and the police take her statement, we cannot allow any of you to see her.", the doctor said.

Sidharth nodded his head before thanking the doctor. After much convincing, Sidharth had managed to persuade this parents to go back home. It was now just him and Vivek. While the police asked a few questions to
Vivek, Sidharth went outside to drink some tea as his head was aching. Returning back with a glass of tea, he offered it to Vivek, who silently accepted it.

"Divya (Vivek's sister) has filed for divorce.", Vivek muttered while running his finger over the rim of the glass, staring down at the floor blankly.

Sidharth narrowed his eyebrows at the new information.

"She had come home for her delivery and never went back. I belong to the middle class family. I was the only bread earner for the house which has my parents, sister, her baby and my wife, Naina. I was tired and exhausted working alone to meet the ends. I wished if Naina could have got a job, it would have helped us. Frustrations got the worst out of me and we had quarrels over her not able to get a job and support me.", Vivek kept the glass on the bench beside him and covered his face with his palm.

Sidharth bit his lips now trying to understand his point of view.

"I feel ashamed to say this but when your wife, Sana got a promotion, my parents were compelling me to ask for money from your family. I am already ashamed that they had taken dowry earlier during marriage and had no face to come to you. So, to save all embarrassment and troubles, I had to compel Naina to leave. I swear that I didn't know she would do such a thing..", Vivek let out a cry burying his head into his hand.

Sidharth's heart ached witnessing him cry, he put his arms around Vivek to console.

"I know.. my parents are.. wr..wrong b..but I can't l..leave them.. they h..have nowhere t..to go..", Vivek sobbed even more.

The male in our community is expected to bear everything silently. When they cry, they are treated as cowards. Crying is for girls - is the common notion. But who would understand the male? What would they do with their bottled up emotions. Vivek had silently been suppressing all his emotions, which he let out today infront of Sidharth. And Sidharth, being a middle class male himself, understood his situation.

"I am sorry Sidharth.. I unknowingly compelled her to take this extreme step. I love her a lot.. I never want to lose her..", Vivek sniveled. Sidharth was on the verge of crying himself but he had to console his brother-in-law as well. So he patted Vivek's back and drew circles with his palm to calm him.

"I am sorry, brother. I spoke to you harshly earlier. I.. I was frustrated with myself that even I couldn't lend support to my little sister during her down. If only I had talked to her and shared her sorrows, probably she wouldn't have done this. I was angry that I got so invested in my own problems that I didn't realise what she was going through. I took that frustration out on you..", Sidharth confessed to Vivek. Tear drops travelled from his eyes, trailing down his nose before splattering on the floor. It was Vivek's turn to console his brother-in-law, so he did by a quick side hug.

Their venting session was brought to a halt when they saw the police going inside the ward.

"What happened, sister?", Sidharth wiped his tears and asked a nurse quickly.

"The patient has gained consciousness.", the nurse said bringing a sigh of relief and a small smile on both the males faces. They both thanked the nurse happily before hugging each other on the happy news.

After a little waiting, they finally let the two brother-in-laws meet Naina. Even though Sidharth wanted to hug his sister first, he allowed his brother-in-law to have the moment with his wife. Vivek cupped his wife's face before kissing her followed by the hug while he shred tears saying innumerable sorry to his wife.

Sidharth was reminded of Sana looking at them and he realised that he had been away from her for hours without giving her proper reasons.

Sidharth cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Bhaiyya...", Naina called her brother. He hugged her for a while before starting with his scolding session.

"I am really disappointed in you Naina. Do you even know how much you scared us by pulling this stunt. If there is anything bothering, then you should speak to us. Who doesn't have problems? I have mine as well. My wife has also dumped me and gone to her maternal home after being disappointed with the bloody a$$ of her husband. Do you feel it will be okay if I follow your lead?", Sidharth asked which striked the right cords of her heart to make her understand what her family members might have felt when she did this stupidity.

"I am sorry, bhaiyya.", Naina muttered.

"Arghhh.. (hugs her) Look you need to be strong. Vivek has his own problems. Just try to understand him as well. I.. I am not the right person to say anything but you both need to talk.. and I need to talk to my wife right now.. ", Sidharth said.

"Go.. get her bhaiyya..", Naina said.

"I will but you two don't argue, okay. Just get yourself discharged first and then we will talk. And if you do such stupidity again then I am going to kill you myself..", Sidharth warned.

"I won't.. I am sorry..", Naina said with a pout and looked at her husband who was staring at her.

"Hmmm", Sidharth sighed.

"Vivek, please call maa babuji and let them know about her being okay. I am in a hurry.", Sidharth said before heading out to meet Sana.

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To be continued..

This chapter took me a lot of time to write. My mind was simply bizarre.. Give me a little motivation to continue by leaving a ❤️ in comments and a vote.

I need some love too.. 🥺🥺