Cabir is lying supine on the bed staring at the ceiling with vacant eyes.

"Why SHE wrote that letter is still a mystery to me."

Nandini's voice is hammering in his head. He stirs a couple of time and keeps on tossing and turning but nothing is giving him the desired peace. Being frustrated he eventually gets up and sits squarely on the bed. He turns to the side table to reach the glass of water but the ajar drawer forces him to open it more. He reaches to the bottle of the sleeping pill but a black diary catches his eyes. With a hesitant hand, he takes out the diary. He caresses its cover and with trembling hand, opens a particular page. There is a folded paper having some brown scattered spots. Seems they are dried stains of blood. Cabir sighs and opens it by taking too much of time. There are some words written on it. Some of them are faded perhaps due to water contact.

Cabir,

I couldn't say it face to face that's why I am writing this to you. Cabir, I don't think I will be able to continue this relationship anymore. We are very different by nature and I think a love relationship can never flourish on compromise. I know it will be difficult for you to move on but trust me time makes us forget everything. Thank you for everything you have done for me but I have my own dreams which I think can't be fulfilled being with you. Please don't try to meet me or convince me because this is my final decision. Hope I cleared myself very well. Goodbye.

Yours once Madhubala.

"Madhubala"

Cabir mumbles. Tears prick his eyes.

"I want to forget you...I too want to move on but this heart...this treacherous heart is my enemy. It won't allow me to forget you...these sleepless nights...the deafening silence kills me...ahhhh... am I going to be mad?...it's hammering..."

Cabir presses his both temples with fingers and grimaces. He closes the diary with a thud and opens the bottle of the sleeping pill. He takes a handful of pills and keeps on staring at them. Suddenly an innocent face flashes in front of his eyes...his sister..the reason for his survival.

"I can't pain her because of you. You are the wound of my life and she is the heal. And love is more powerful than hatred. I don't hate you as much as I love my sister."

He murmurs and again puts all the pills in the bottle. Sleepless nights with someone's painful memory are the worst feeling. Cabir again lies back with a heavy sigh.

..............................................

I enter the conference room in a hurry. Nandini told me to prepare the presentation before lunch and unfortunately, I am not getting my bloody Pendrive in which I have already saved the 75% of that ppt. Suddenly, I remember that I might forget it in the conference room where we were having a meeting yesterday. I work as I think. As I enter the room my phone rings. I take it out and find the home calling notification.

"Not now...I can't listen to Shanti's blabbering right now."

I wave away the thought and again engage in searching. However, the disturbing electronic device again starts ringing.

"Shit...give me a break yaar..."

I can't control my pique and violently cut the call but it seems that Shanti has some courage and persistence to disturb me. I again try to cut the call when my cynic mind nudges me.

"What if it is urgent? If Navu is in any trouble?"

I immediately swipe the green button.

"Manik Sir, Navu is not eating anything since the morning. She is so adamant. She wants to see you...I tried to convince her so many times that you are in the office but she...."

I don't give her any chance to linger the matter and says,

"Okay, I am video calling. You swipe the receive button and give the mobile to her."

She cuts the call and I go to the video call option. Sometimes Navya behaves like a kid. An admonishing smile appears on my lips. As Shanti receives the call a vexed face of Navya becomes clear on the screen.

"Hello, Navu. What happened? Shanti said that you didn't have your breakfast. Why?"

I furrow my brows. She pouts like a baby. It melts my irritation. I pout back as teasing and say,

"This won't work Navu. Have your meal and I will call Shanti after half an hour and there shouldn't be any other complaints against you."

I sit on the chair and place the mobile on the table with the support of a pen stand and simultaneously I am searching for the pen drive. Suddenly I find it lying on the ground just in front of my legs under the table. I bend down and pick it up. With a gruntled mind, I again eye my phone screen but the sight forces me to tighten my forehead skin. Navya is staring at me with wide eyes. However, this expression is not merely an astonishing conveyance. It seems that she became terrified of something. Her eyes are emitting an immense fright and uneasiness. All of a sudden she points her index finger at my face and tries to utter something. However, her massive fear only allows her to utter some inexplicable sounds. Being flummoxed I brush my face thinking that if there is anything stuck on it. I even look around the room trying to find out if there is anything which can be a disturbance for her but can't find out any similar thing.

"What Navu?...What happened? Are you afraid of anything? Is it here? Tell me."

I become restless but till then she starts having deep breaths indicating the initial stage of her panic attack. I immediately yell at Shanti,

"Shanti, take care of Navu. I am coming within half an hour. Meanwhile, you don't go anywhere. Stay with her and try to make her drink some water. I am coming."

Shanti, who already took the mobile back from Navya, nods in positive. I leap up from the chair and is about to storm out of the room when a figure makes me halt my pace.

"What happened Manik? Is everything all right? Did anything happen to your sister?"

Nandini questions in her single breath. I keep on staring at her for a moment. Right now I am totally dazed.

"MANIK...."

She raises her pitch this time which breaks my trance.

"Nandini, I think Navu had a panic attack. I have to go..this presentation..."

I show her the Pendrive hesitantly and she snatches my words.

"Leave the presentation. You don't have to go alone because we are going...I can't leave you like this..you will again meet an accident."

She says with full concern. Amidst the tension, my lips curve in a smile seeing her cuteness. She thinks that I am an accident-prone fool. Silly girl. I grin and bob in approval. We both bail out the conference room and after giving some instruction to Ayesha and Ruby Nandini heads her car along with me. First, we have to go to Mukti's chamber. Because right now Navya needs immediate medical help. After picking up Mukti we will go to my house.

"SV road, quick...."

Nandini instructs her driver. The car whizzes out the parking lot and heads the main road.

.............................................

For the first time, I see Manik's sister. He told me her name...even about her health condition but not in any detail. I know only that she has a painful past and due to this, she has lost her mental balance.

"God, why are you giving so much pain to an innocent soul?"

My mind fills with concern and pity as I see her suffering like a fish without water. She is now lying on the bed. Her face grimaces seeming like she is bearing some excruciating pain. She is tossing and turning on the bed like a wounded person. Her shrink Dr Mukti is trying to pacify her with every soothing word. Even Manik is trying to ask her about the reason for her restlessness. However, it looks that she is not in a state of telling anything right now. I am standing in a corner of the room like a mere helpless spectator.

"I have to calm her down right now. Or else it will affect her brain severely."

Saying this Mukti takes out a vial of sedative and a syringe from her purse and prepares a dose. I turn my gaze as I can't see her suffering more. Within 10- 15 minutes Navya loses her conscious and closes her eyes. Finally, her pain has been subsided. We all sag with relief and come outside of the room. Manik smoothly closes the door. His eyes are tired, seems that he was fighting with a storm inside his mind until now.

"Now tell me, what happened to her that she behaved in this manner after a long respite? You know that Manik, how dangerous it could be for her? We can even lose her due to brain haemorrhage."

Mukti's voice trembles a little. She really loves Navya a lot. I can feel it. Manik is sitting on the sofa with vacant eyes. He has already briefed the matter to Mukti but she somehow wants more detail as a Dr.

"I don't know...we were just talking on a video call and she suddenly reacted in this way. Mukti, my sister will be fine... right? She won't be as same as she used to be a year back? I can't see her like this anymore...I will destroy myself..."

Manik fists his hair in frustration and mouths like a shattered person. Tears prick my eyes. I so much wish to take him in my protective arms and wipe out all his tension. But this is not the right time and place to show my care and love. I quell my unleashed emotion.

"Don't worry...I won't let that happen once again. But for her further treatment, I want more information about her past. But unfortunately, she always refuses to cooperate. But I am sure, today's fear and restlessness is also associated with her past. And I have to find it out.."

Mukti abruptly keeps mum.

"If it is related to my office then I will find it out as well."

I take an oath in my mind.

Author's note: The lines in bold and Italic are the thought of the characters. Plz do inline comments. 🙏🙏🙏❤❤❤