14. Flashbacks and Tears

Shiv's POV-

Every single time I thought about her crying alone thinking that there wouldn't be anyone by her side to get through all her problems, it made my insides clench.

I had never met anyone like her. She was just as goofy as I was. Her sarcasm made me like her even more. Her beauty was unlike I had ever seen before. Any other girl I have ever been with was just for a one night stand, I thought she was too, but I realised that she was so much more than that.

And now she was going to be the mother of my child. I never imagined having children, or even getting married in that matter. She made me think of the future, she made me think about us and this baby.

I was getting weaker every day I was with her. I was supposed to be strong, not be phased by a mere woman according to what my father taught me. When I was 10, my father told me that women were nothing more than sex-objects, he told me that their only purpose was to get married to a man who will dominate them, and that their place is either in the kitchen or in the feet of men. I believed all of it. I was a child of a successful man, a man with power; I thought that he succeeded with this mentality, I will too.

I believed it all, until one day it got out of hand. I had grown up since the time he told me all of that, I was 18 and we had moved to London. I went to my father's office just to find him pounding on his assistant who was bent over on his desk while she cried to be saved. I did nothing but turned around, ignoring her cries.

He started hitting my mother, maybe he was doing it since years but once I saw them, he told me to watch him and learn. He told me that was what men was supposed to do to women.

I watched my mother cry in front of my own eyes and wasn't able to do anything.

My mother committed suicide a day after I turned 20. She wasn't able to handle it anymore, and I couldn't look at my father's face without thinking how much of a monster he was, so I moved out and bought an apartment in London for myself.

I still blame it all on myself. It hurt me beyond limit to watch her cry and to make her think that I couldn't do anything. I could've saved her. I hurt her.

Something similar came through to me when I saw Naina cry. I didn't do any of the things my father did. But I still hurt Naina, by making her think that I wouldn't be there by her side.

.

My thoughts were messed up. I tried to concentrate only on the fact that I have to get back to her. Even if we didn't have much history, she was a good friend before she was my girlfriend.

I missed a stop light knowingly. I would've gotten fined for that but I didn't care.

As I was about to take a turn around the curb when a truck came speeding through from the left side of the car and I lost control. My car flipped over. I was upside down, and that is the only thing I noticed before I saw black.

Naina's POV-

I cried. I poured my eyes out. The thing I was afraid of, happened. I told him and he left me. Probably thinking how pathetic I was. He was probably on his flight back. He won't ever think about me. I was nothing to him. I was nothing to my mother, nothing to my father.

But I had Sanjana and Vivan. Also this baby.

It was the only thought keeping me going. Since my childhood, I was all alone. My parents never let me out of the house other than going to school till I was in grade 5. I was home schooled after that. Sanjana was the only friend I ever had. My dad brought his rich friends over and they would bring over their obnoxious kids. All those kids thought about was competition. They tossed me aside because my house didn't have a big enough swimming pool. They were mean to me.

Sanjana was too. But my father had a deal with his father and I met Sanjana a lot more often. We were constantly fighting, being bitches to each other. But when we were around 11, we got to know that my father's company granted a personal loan to Sanjana's father's company but they couldn't cope with it, they got deeper in debt and sold everything they had to pay all the loans. But then they didn't have anywhere to go, so after a few days, their bodies were found in the only apartment they were left with while Sanjana and her younger brother were in school. My father took them in till Sanjana turned 18 and we both moved to London.

My brother was rarely home when we were kids, he was allowed to go out and play, go to birthdays and attend school even after grade 5. We got closer only after I turned 16. Before then, I only had Sanjana.

My trust issues worsened when I started dating, none of them stayed. That is the reason I got into reading books, isolating myself. I thought Shiv was different because of the way he treated me. But one announcement and he went off running away from me, just like everyone else did.

I finally stopped crying and checked my phone to see any texts from Sanjana. There were 27 missed calls and 12 text messages, not from Sanjana. They were from Shiv.

Why would he call me after abandoning me?

After about half an hour, when I had finished cleaning up, My phone rang again. It was Shiv, again. I picked it up.

"Hello, we are calling from St. Thomas Hospital. Are you related to Mr Shiv Bahl?" The voice of a British girl's voice cut through the speaker.

"Yes, I am his girlfriend. What is wrong?" I asked, concerned.

"Mr. Bahl has been in an accident. Your number was the one he last called on. Can you come to the hospital and fill out some forms?" I heard her say and it felt like all the life was drained from my body.

"Wh-what?"

"Miss, is your name Naina?" she asked me.

"Y-yes, why?"

"He's been asking for you, it would be better if you arrived soon." She said and hung up.

He was calling my name? He was supposed to be in the flight? How did he get in an accident?

I pushed all the thoughts aside. I picked up my boots and put them on without zipping them up, I picked up my car keys and coat and rushed out of the flat.

.

I was careful enough while driving but I reached at the hospital in mere 10 minutes. I looked awful but I didn't care. I rushed towards the reception and asked for Shiv. The receptionist informed me his room number and guided me towards it.

I walked as fast as I could and reached his room. I hesitated before knocking and entered the room. I saw him laying on the bed. It was dark but I was able to make out his form laying there, almost lifeless.

I walked over to his side to find that he was asleep. I breathed out a sigh of relief and sat down on the chair beside the bed. I took his hand in mine. His was a lot larger than my small hand, but somehow, it fitted perfectly.

I moved my eyes over to his face and noticed that it was covered in small cuts and bruises. There was a more prominent, larger cut on his forehead which was covered up by cotton and gauze but the blood still seeped through, staining the dressing. A tear escaped my eye and I quickly wiped it away.

I sat there with his hand in mine, staring at him for about half an hour before his eyes started fluttering and he woke up.

"Hey." I whispered. "How are you feeling?"

"Naina, I am so-" He started but I shut him off by pressing a finger against his plump lips.

"Don't talk. Just rest." I said.

"But-"

"No buts. Just rest. I will call the nurse and she will check on you." I said and stood up. I felt his hand tightened around mine. "I will be right back." I assured him and he left my hand.

I called the nurse who was standing just a few steps away from the room.

"He is awake." I informed her.

She walked in and switched the lights on, making Shiv shut his eyes from the sudden abundance of light.

She silently checked his wounds and asked him some questions which she ticked off on a printed sheet.

She then changed his bandages and gave him his medicines. She then walked over to me.

"He was in an accident as you may know. He got lucky that the police cars were on patrol. The car blew up 10 minutes after they got him out. There aren't any major injuries other than a few cuts. You can take him home after filling up a few forms. I will bring them for you." She told me and it made my heart sink. I would've lost him forever tonight.

She handed me a prescription and informed me about the medicines he needed to take for a few days. I nodded and thanked her. She left to bring the forms.

"What did she say?" He asked me. His voice was a lot rougher. I poured water in a glass and handed him to me.

"That you can go home after I fill up a few forms." I told him with a smile.

"I am sorry." I heard him say.

"Sorry for what?"

"For leaving you alone like that. I wasn't in my right mind. I am really sorry." He said and it made my heart warm up.

"The only think you need to be sorry about is being in this accident. How did this happen? Weren't you supposed to be on a flight back to India?" I asked him.

"I couldn't leave. I thought about you and how you probably cried a river after I left you like that. So I turned the car around. I was coming back to you."

A tear escaped my eye yet again. His hand shot up to wipe it before I did. He swiped his thumb on my cheek and wiped the tear off. I brought my hand over his and held it there.

"Th-then what?" I asked.

"I was rushing but then this truck sped through the left side of my car when I was turning and then I lost control. My car flipped."

"Oh God." I gasped.

"Hey, don't worry. I am fine." He said with a smile.

.

He changed back into his clothes while I filled up the form. It was 5:27 in the morning when I checked the time on my phone. I had left a message for Sanjana a few hours back so she knew that I was fine.

I drove back slowly, worrying that he would be scared considering he was in a car crash few hours ago. The car ride was silent but it wasn't awkward.

"Where are your bags?" I asked him when we entered the flat.

"They were probably burnt with the car." He said, nonchalantly.

"Okay. You go get cleaned up, I will bring you a towel and some clothes if my brother left some here." I told him as he nodded and walked towards the bathroom.

I went into the guest room and opened the closet. My brother was around the same size as Shiv, his clothes would probably fit nicely. I saw a pair of clean grey sweatpants. I couldn't find a clean shirt, there was one which was two sizes small, probably from the time my brother was a teenager. I picked it up anyway. I walked across to my room and saw Shiv standing in nothing but a towel hung low on his hips. His rock hard abs were visible but his body looked better, with droplets of water dripping down his chest. His hair was wet too, making them look a few shades darker than the usual brown.

"You are staring again." He said, making me jump out of my trance.

I cleared my throat before speaking. "These were the only clean clothes I could find." I handed him the shirt and sweatpants. I picked up his clothes to put them in the washing machine.

He threw the shirt back at me without even taking a look at it.

"This will do." He said, signalling towards the pair of sweatpants in his hands. I nodded and left the room. I sent a quick text to Mrs. White, explaining the situation truthfully to her and informing her that I would be talking the day off.

I walked back into the room and found Shiv already in my bed, fast asleep.

I smiled at the sight and laid down beside him. I felt his arm snake around my waist and I fell asleep with a smile on my face.