Chapter 74: chapter 74

CHAPTER -29GOWRIIt is been four hours since the surgery started. Three hours since my sister reunited with her husband and one hour since my mother returned to the hospital. The room is silent though Aishu and Ajay keep whispering to each other like teenage kids. If it wasn't for my sister, I would have found it irritating. My mother was shell-shocked to see Ajay with us when she returned. He profusely apologized to her too. My sister has not yet revealed the big news. I think she plans to tell it after my father recovers. With a silent sigh, I look at the other side of the room where Shiva is sitting with his phone. He has been getting calls the whole day and every time to attend it he leaves the room. He looks miserable. I don't plan on playing with him for long. Maybe tomorrow I confess my feelings to him. I do feel nervous about it. As if sensing my gaze on him, he looks and meets my gaze. There is warmth in them and try to keep my face neutral but I can't keep the smile away from my face. The door suddenly opens and everyone tense. The doctor comes inside the room. He gives us a pleasant smile and says in a cheerful tone, “Nothing to worry about. The operation was a success. The patient will come around in a few hours...”The rest I tune out as I slump down in the chair with huge relief. Though the doctor reassured me it will be a safe surgery, a large part of me was worried about it. I feel like everything is good in this world. My father will soon recover. My sister's marriage is saved. Shiva has feelings for me. I still couldn't believe it was only yesterday I felt life was throwing punches at me. It seems like a long time ago.There is still one thing I have to do.🍀🍀🍀🍀My sister kicked me and Shiva out of the hospital when we offered to stay for the night again. She wants me to take a rest. My father woke up from the anaesthesia but he was not able to speak anything. My mother, my sister and I went to see him and there were silent tears in all our eyes. My mother surprisingly kept quiet and just watched her husband.The sleepiness of the past two days catch up with me and I could feel myself falling asleep in Shiva's car as we go to my MIL's house.🍀🍀🍀🍀I am dreaming about a particular man who has carbon black eyes when someone gently shakes me up.“I don't want to wake up,” I mumble in half sleep.“It is okay. We can go inside and sleep,” a voice whispers.“No, I will sleep here. This is comfortable,” I say turning around only to hit my face on the window. A sharp pain shoots through me and I open my eyes wide realising I am in Shiva's car and we have just arrived at his mother's house.I hear a chuckle beside me and turn sideways to see Shiva watching me with amusement and adoration.Rubbing the side of my face, I open my mouth to say something but a big yawn breaks out of me and my eyes droop low.“Come, we will go inside. You will have some dinner and then you can sleep,” he says getting out of the car.I feel sluggish as he opens the door for me. I very slowly get down and follow him inside the house. After briefing my MIL about my father's condition, we sit down for dinner. I eat as quickly as possible but with the tiredness I have, it is impossible even to chew my food.I finish before Shiva because I eat only a little and sleep is my main priority now. I make my way to Shiva's room and not caring about anything else, I fall on his bed and sleep engulfs me soon. Tomorrow I will confess my feelings to Shiva.🍀🍀🍀🍀Nervous jitters fill me as I wait for Shiva to show up. I have practised what I have to tell a thousand times in my head.‘Shiva, I too have feelings for you. I don't want this divorce. I want to live with you.’It is two simple sentences but I feel nervous. I know he has feelings for me but still, I feel nervous. I tap my foot in impatience. He told me he is going somewhere and will be back in an hour. It is already an hour and a half. Where is he?I think calling him but that would seem too eager but I am eager. The door opens as I pick up my phone. I get up from the sofa and turn to face him but words get caught in my throat. What should I say? Every word leaves my mind when I see him. He looks as handsomeness as ever but something is off with him today. His jaw is tight and he has a stack of papers in his hand.He throws it on the table and rakes a hand through his hair. I peek at the paper and see it is some documents. But my world stops when I see the bold title.NO!NO! THIS CAN NOT BE HAPPENING!DIVORCE PAPERS!I give Shiva a confused look hoping he is not being serious. But his face is serious like never before. I gulp down the bile rising.“Sign it and you will be free,” he says. His tone is not warm or soft. It is emotionless. His eyes don't have any warmth in them.“But...you said you have feelings for me,” I say still not believing this is happening.“I had,” he says in a matter-of-fact voice. “Not anymore.”“Why? What happened?” my voice is desperate and tears are rolling down my cheeks.“My ex returned. I realised that I am in love with her. Besides, you do not have any feelings for me. Why don't you sign it faster? So that I can live the life I want sooner.”“I have feelings for you,” I blurt out as hot tears roll down my cheeks.“Too late,” he says and walks away.“Shiva, please don't leave me,” I say feeling stupid for playing with him. If only I had told him my feelings earlier. This wouldn't have happened. “Shiva...,” my tears become sobs and I could not control them. I know I should let him go if he wants but I can't. My heart can't accept it. “Please. It hurts me. Don't leave me, Shiva. I was just playing. I too have feelings for you.”🍀🍀🍀🍀SHIVAI am startled awake by a sudden hit on my chest. With a heavy sigh, I glance towards my side. Gowri is squirming in her sleep.WAIT!WHY THE HELL IS SHE CRYING?Her body is vigorously shaking and tears are streaming down her eyes. Oh God! She is having a nightmare. I prop myself up to wake her when she frantically whispers in her sleep, “Please. It hurts me. Don't leave me, Shiva. I was just playing. I too have feelings for you.”I gently shake her awake and whisper, “Love. Shh. It is okay. I am here.”It takes her a few seconds for her to open her eyes and she looks so shattered by the dream. She stares at me for a few seconds before raising her hand to touch my cheek gently.“You are here,” she says in a dumbfounded voice.I chuckle, “I never went anywhere.”“Promise me you will not leave me,” she says in a vulnerable and soft tone. “I promise you that I will not leave you unless you want me to,” I say placing a soft kiss on her cheek. “It was a nightmare. Now, be a good girl and get back to sleep.”She closes her eyes and snuggles closer to me. I wrap my hands around her waist in a protective manner and pull her closer to me. She slowly drifts to sleep and her breath evens out. I love having her in my arms. God! It feels like this is where she belongs. Beside me. I can watch her fall asleep in my arms every night. My eyes travel over every feature of her face. When it reaches her lips, the words she mumbled in her sleep hit me like a bucket of cold water.‘Please. It hurts me. Don't do this to me. Don't leave me, Shiva. I was just playing. I too have feelings for you.’I bite my lip to keep the grin from forming on my face but I can't. Even without knowing, she confessed her feelings to me.Oh Damn!This woman is something. She sure as hell knows how to make a man miserable. She wanted to give me my treatment. She wanted me to know how miserable she felt when I pushed her away. I cannot stop the admiration rising for her in my heart and I am tempted to wake her up and ask her about her feelings for me now. But no, I am not that desperate. Okay, I am desperate but she needs rest.With a huge grin, I slowly turn her toward me and very silently and smoothly, I place a soft kiss on her lips. A small peck.“Love, you have no idea how much I am impressed with you,” I whisper into her ears.Stealing kisses from her is going to top my list of the favourite things I like doing with her.Tomorrow is going to be a hell of a day.🍀🍀🍀🍀