AADHYA REHAN✓

47| Guilt

Rehan Malhotra

"What are we going to do?" I asked Ved and Rahul. They both looked at each other and kept silent.

"I'll call Dad and Bade Papa." Sanjay moved to take his phone from the table but the boys stopped him.

"Please don't. Dad will kill me." Rahul pleaded.

"What made you think I won't kill you," Sanjay replied.

I went to the bathroom and I took a mug of water and coming back to the room I handed the water over to Rahul.

"You know what to do," Sanjay said forwarding the cigarette packs to Ved.

"Dip them. Now." I ordered.

Ved's hands shivered to take the cigarette before digging it inside the water.

"The cocaine," Sanjay forwarded the packet and Ved unwrapped it before pouring the white substance into the water.

"We are not fools enough to think you'll leave this after a warning and we are mature enough to know what our fathers will say regarding this but if we ever saw you both using this again you'll wish you were dead." I said as Sanjay went to flush the water in the bathroom.

Rahul and Ved looked down and I know whatever guilt they are feeling now they won't stop using the drugs. They are in that particular phase now.

As a person who passed through that phase I can say that.

Liya came to the room and looked at us. Sanjay came from the bathroom and he raised his eyebrows at her. She could definitely feel the bad air around us.

"Mom called, Ryan opened his eyes. Said if you want you can come,"

"What?" I asked.

It's definitely good news that Ryan opened his eyes but why would mom say that.

"Her words not mine."

I looked at Ved who looked like he will die any minute now. I wrapped my hand around his neck and dragged him with me.

"I'm taking him with me." I said to Sanjay and Liya as we get out of the room. I saw Sanjay giving a smack on the back of Rahul's head just as Liya followed us.

I found my phone in the car plugged in the power bank with numerous missed calls from Aadhya.

"Shit." I murmured.

There was no need to dial her back because her calls were all 15 minutes earlier and she might have reached the hospital already.

I'm messing everything that's coming in my way.

The car ride was silent. I wanted to talk to Ved that's why I tagged him along but now I was not in the mood to talk. And I'm sure Ved will be ready to jump out of the car thinking I'm taking him to our parents.

"I'm not going to tell anyone anything unless you want me to," I said. "Do you want me to?"

Ved shook his head.

"I didn't hear anything." I said my eyes focused on the road.

"No." Ved said softly.

I asked Ved to sit in the cafeteria and went to NICU. I saw Aadhya, in the same spot I saw her earlier. I took my position behind and looked at our boy. He'd his eyes opened and staring ahead. As the days went his features was being more prominent, yet small.

His button nose, the really small pink lips and now his big eyes. How much I desire to hold my baby.

My heart tells me he's the reward I get after finishing all my messes. A very deserving reward.