“And it was one of those moments you willed to never end, because in that moment, you didn't believe you could ever be happier - the world just couldn't possibly have anything more wonderful in store for you than at that exact, perfect moment but I guess they're called moments because they don't last very long.” ”
― Heloise Clough, The Art of Being a Little Bit Crazy
Everything had been perfect. Just a few days ago he had managed to stop her from leaving. Just a few days ago he had told her that he loved her and fortunately even she had told him that she loved him. He had promised her that he would always be there for her when she stumbled, he would always be willing to hold her if she falls “Sambalna mera kaam hain” but alas today he failed to live up to his promise. He looked at the blood stains on his kurta which were camouflaged due to bright color and embroidery but somehow, he could still see them clearly. “I am sorry, Mishti” he said as he looked at her picture in her phone. With a resigned sigh his mind couldn’t help but remember the events that led to this predicament.
Janamashtmi was being celebrated in full swing in the Rajvansh household. Every one was looking forward to the festivities but Abir had a special reason to be happy. He had challenged his angry chorni and asked her to confess her love for him in front of the whole family and he couldn’t wait. She had finally arrived with all her family and he could no longer contain his excitement after the customary greetings he had taken her her too the side and reminded her of the challenge. She had told him that today he will show him what Misthi Aggarwal is capable of and he couldn’t help but fall in love with her a little more. Her fierceness had always drawn him towards her. Later, Kuhu had challenged her to a dance competition and he had offered to be her partner.
“Main hu na tumhara partner in this and in life” he had whispered the last part in her ear.
A smile had graced her lips and she asked him “Are you sure you will be able to keep up Ajeeb Rajvansh?”
“With you I never feel I have to keep up because with you I always feel in sync , always” He had told her and than the music had started and so they had to dance. For them it wasn’t a competition for both Misthi and Abir this was just another moment to savor with each other so even when she stumbled and Kuhu won she didn’t mind because Abir had caught her. Like he always did when ever she fell sometimes throughs his words, sometimes through his gestures he would uplift her and somehow make sure that she got back up.
Sometime later, it was time for the daahi-haandi ritual and the question was who would do the honors. Naturally both the Mahsewari and the Rajvansh family wanted at least one of their own family members to carry out the deed. It was collectively decided that Kuku would perform the rasam as this was their first Janamashtmi after their wedding. However, they were nowhere to be found so Misthi volunteered to do it from the Mahsewaris side as this would be the perfect opportunity to execute Abir’s challenge. Even before Naanu had asked him to go from their side Abir had already decided that he go with her.
“Come on, I will give you a head start why don’t you try first” He had asked her to take the lead in climbing the pyramid.
“What’s the fun in that Ajeeb RV we are in this together remember how about I race you to the top and this time I am not planning to lose” She had winked at him and Abir had had realized this was going to be harder than he had expected it to be. Maybe her small size had increased her agility as she had managed to reach the top just a moment before him.
“Yay main jeet gaye” She couldn’t control her excitement
“But you still haven’t smashed the matkai angry chorni. Which means I can still win what are you waiting for?” He had asked her
“You, together remember I love you Abir” She had said as she smashed the matkai. He couldn’t help but be hypnotized by her unbridled joy but just as he was about to tell her that he loved her too her side of the pyramid had collapsed and in one flashing moment right before his eyes she fell and this time he wasn’t able to hold her. People say that everything in life is temporary and fleeting but none of the things that her ever happened before this event had prepared him for this. It seemed like time stood still and as he made his way down safe and sound from the top he couldn’t fathom how people used to believe that a minute is just 60 seconds long because for him this single minute between when she fell and when he reached the ground seemed much longer than 60 seconds. In those 60 seconds his mind had assaulted him with various scenarios each one horrific than the other. What if she ….. no he had to compose himself. He had tried to maintain his composure but as he made her way through the crowd and looked at her lying in a pool of blood it felt like something had punched him the gut. Not even his father leaving had hurt him this much as much as he was hurting now seeing her like this. He noticed that her spectacles had fallen beside her and one of the lenses was broken just like the way his dreams were broken just like the way he was broken.
“Hum dono kay paas bhi puri zindagi hain, haina” he had told her and at that moment he couldn’t help but realize that how foolish we human beings are. We delude ourselves in to thinking that we have all the time in the world but its when our happiness literally slips through our fingers that we are forced to ponder that we need to cherish every moment that we are given. If Time doesn’t wait for us we shouldn’t wait for it either. A bystander was about to step on her glasses and that brought him back to reality. He had picked up her glasses and put them in his pocket and then he bend down to softly and gently pick her up in his arms. He hadn’t cared about what will people think and how they will react he only had one thing in mind that he needed to get her to a hospital. As he had held her he couldn’t help but notice how light weight she was but yet somehow this girl managed to hold the weight of the entire world on her shoulders. Everything after that had been a blur. He had managed to get her to the hospital and the paramedical staff had helped him get her on the stretcher.
“Come on angry chorni please, wake up na tum kab say soh rahi ho. Please aik baar bas aik baar apni ankahy khol doh” He pleaded with her to open her eyes but she hadn’t.
“Sir, please sir let us handle it from here onward why don’t you wait here in the lobby” the doctor said as they wheeled her in to the ER.
Waiting that is what he was doing. He looked at his kurta again and realized how some of the blood had managed to get on the left side of his chest right where his heart was. How befitting this is he thought to himself because after her seeing her like this even his heart was bleeding. The only difference was that while her injuries were visible his were not they couldn’t be seen they could only be felt by him. While the whole corridor was echoing from the hysterical cries of Badi Maa his silent pleas were unheard. He looked at the door that separated him from her and decided that he was done waiting. He couldn’t care less about how his family and her family would react. Despite the doctors protest he walked inside and held her hand.
“Main nay kaha tha na tum say Misthi kay mainay yay haath chodnay kay liay nahi thammay tha abb please tum bhi mera haath mat chodo. Tum say bethar kon jaan sakta hain kay jab apnay hi haath chod kar chalay jayay toh kaisa lag ta hain. Please, Misthi please main sab kuch sambal sakta hu sab kuch handle kar sakta hu par yay sab mujh say handle nahi ho ga Misthi” He said his voice was choking up and he closed his eyes as he couldn’t help but cry. As one of his tears fell on their hands he felt a sudden movement as she stirred and held on to his hand.
“Abir …. Abir” she whispered still under drug induced haze but somehow she knew he was here somehow she knew that he was holding her hand and she couldn’t help but hold it back.
“Ssssh I am here” he reassured her and lulled her back to sleep. He knew that nothing lasts and forever was beyond their scope but they had promised each other a lifetime. However, as he looked at her sleeping form he realized that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and he wanted the rest of his life to start right now at this very moment.
“For it is up to you and me
to take solace
in nostalgia's arms
and our ability
to create
the everlasting
from fleeting moments.”
Writer: fangirl1012
