Abhir paced the hospital corridor, his usual composed demeanor nowhere in sight. Charu and Kiara sat nearby, equally tense but unsure how to console him.
Charu broke the silence. "I'm sure she'll be fine. The doctor said it's just low blood pressure. She's probably exhausted."
Abhir stopped mid-step and looked at her, his emotions swirling. "Fine? Tumhe pata bhi hai mere dimaag mein kya chal raha hai? Yeh ladki... mere saamne khadi ho gayi aur mujhe 'bhai' keh diya. Aur tum keh rahi ho ki sab theek hai?"
Kiara, who had been nervously fidgeting with her phone, finally spoke. "Par bhabhi toh sach keh rahi hai . Sach mein tumhari behen hai, ABHIR, woh sirf aapko dhundhne yahan aayi thi"
Abhir ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Yeh sab mujhe confuse kar raha hai. Agar woh meri behen hai, toh meri maa? Woh kahan hai? Kya woh zinda hai?" His voice cracked slightly, betraying the turmoil within.
Charu softened at his words and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We don't have all the answers, Abhir. But you need to let her talk. Let her explain. She came all this way for you."
.
his thoughts, the image of Abhira standing in the chaos at the concert still vivid in his mind. How could he have missed the signs? Was it really her? His sister?
Just as he was about to say something, the door to the hospital room opened, and the doctor stepped out.
"How is she?" Abhir rushed forward, his voice thick with concern.
The doctor gave him a small, reassuring smile. "She's stable now. Her blood pressure was low, probably due to stress and exhaustion, but she'll be fine. Just needs rest."
Abhir let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Charu and Kiara visibly relaxed, but the tension didn't leave Abhir's face. His heart was still pounding from everything that had transpired.
"Can we see her now?" Charu asked, standing up.
"Yes, but keep her calm. She needs to take it easy for a while."
As they entered the room, Abhira was sitting up in the bed, her face pale but her eyes shining with a new energy. She smiled weakly when she saw them, but her gaze immediately found Abhir.
"Bhai..." she whispered, her voice trembling.
Abhir stopped near the foot of her bed, his arms crossed defensively. "Kya tum mujhe samjha sakti ho? Yeh sab kya hai? Tum kahan se aayi ho? Aur kaise pata ki main tumhara bhai hoon?"
Abhira wiped her tears, steadying herself. "Mujhe bas pata tha, Bhai. Jab Armaan ne photo bheji aur maine tumhe stage pe dekha, sab clear ho gaya. Aap wahi ho, woh chhote Abhir jinki tasveer humare bade nanu ke paas thi."
"bade nanu?" Abhir's voice was barely audible.
"Haan, Bhai. Bade nanu ab bhi Goenka house mein hai. Woh har roz tumhara intezaar karte hai, har roz tumhari tasveer dekh ke aansu bahate hai." Her words cracked under the weight of emotion. "Tumhe dhoondhne ka bas ek hi sapna tha unka."
Abhir turned away, his fists clenched. "Woh... woh insaan mera kuch nahi hai" he asked, his voice raw with pain.
Abhira looked shocked, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Abhir's mind spun. He had buried the hope of ever reconnecting with his family years ago, convincing himself they had forgotten him. Now, to hear that he had been waiting for him all this time... it was too much.
"Yeh sab... itni jaldi process nahi kar paa raha," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
I know this is a lot to take in. But everything I've seen and felt... it's all led me here. I knew I would find you bhai pe."
Abhir stared at her, trying to process her words. "I don't... I don't know what to think right now. My whole life has been one big question mark. Since the accident when I woke up without mom... I lived hoping she would one day find me and take me back home. Abhira I want to see mom , how is she please take me to her..."
Abhira's face softened as she placed a hand on his. "I wish I could give you a different answer bhai, but... she's gone. She passed away two years ago. I've always seen her praying for you,hoping you would come back. She never told me but I knew she constantly looked for someone and hid that well from me she had always hoped to find you, bhai. She never stopped believing you were out there."
The weight of her words hit him like a ton of bricks. His mother, the woman he had spent years searching for in his own way, was gone. He had never known.
His voice cracked as he spoke, the anger and pain of years past flooding back. "I spent years wondering what happened to her. Why didn't she come find me... why we were torn apart. And now you're telling me... she's gone?"
Abhira looked down, unable to meet his gaze for a moment. "Yes. But Abhir bhai.. I've found you now. And I won't lose you again."
The room was silent for a moment, only the faint beeping of the heart monitor filling the space between them.
Abhir was torn. He was overwhelmed, flooded with emotions he had buried for so long. But now, facing the reality that he had a sister-someone who had been searching for him-he felt something he hadn't in years: hope.
He mumbled "I never knew you would come for me you were so tiny just baby for a few months when I last held you in my arms. I never knew I had anyone left in this world. I thought I was all alone."
Abhira reached out to him, her hand trembling. "Lekin ab hum mil gaye hain, Bhai. Hum saath hain."
For a moment, Abhir stood frozen, staring at her outstretched hand. Then, slowly, he stepped closer and took it, his grip firm but hesitant.
"Tum sach bol rahi ho?" he asked, his voice breaking.
Abhira smiled through her tears. "Yes bhai lets go home please."
Meanwhile, outside the room, Charu and Kiara stood gazing at them through the blinds.
"Yeh dono andar kya baat kar rahe honge?" Kiara wondered aloud.
Charu rolled her eyes. "Mujhe kya pata ab yeh tera rockstar aur unki nautanki aur lamba chalega."
Kiara glared at her. "Nautanki? Are you serious, Charu? Yeh life-changing moment hai dono ke liye!"
Charu shrugged, unwilling to admit she was just as invested as Kiara was.
Inside the room, Abhir finally let himself sit down on the edge of Abhira's bed. He still couldn't process everything, but he couldn't deny the pull he felt toward her.
"Abhira," he said softly, her name foreign yet familiar on his tongue. "Tumne mujhe dhoondha kaise?"
Abhira told him about the photo, the search, and Armaan's help. She explained how she had always believed he was alive, no matter what anyone said.
Abhir shook his head in disbelief. "Aur tumhe yeh sab karke laga ki main tumhe asani se accept kar loonga?"
Abhira looked at him, her eyes resolute. "Mujhe laga ki tumhare dil ke kone mein ab bhi woh chhota sa Abhir zinda hoga jo apni behen aur maa ko miss karta hai. Bolo naa AB chaloge naa mere saath"
Her words struck a chord, and Abhir looked away, blinking back tears. "tumhe ab tak galat prove karne ka mann nahi karra acha bhi hai ab tum mere shortform bhi samaj leti ho meri life thodi asaan ho jayegi," he muttered.
"Yes!! Mujhe pata hi tha hum dono ka connection hi waisa hai bhai naam bhi bilkul bhai behen wala Abhir - Abhira" Abhira said cheerfully.
Abhir was lost in her cheerful nature and innocence she was a stark replica of her papa Abhinav sharma the man who loved him the most in this world even after knowing he wasn't his biological son.
His papa was his guardian angel throughout and today he gave him the most precious thing in the world.
His sister ,his only family in this cruel world he would cherish and protect her by all means.