“What do you mean she’s in the hospital?” Her voice pitches higher, panic lacing her every word. She quickly grabs her purse with hurried, unsteady movements. “I’m coming right now.”
Her hands tremble as she fumbles to find her keys in her bag before rushing toward the door.
In one swift movement, I step in front of her, blocking her path, my chest tightening at the panic on her face and her unsteady breathing. “Sana, what happened?”
“It’s my mom,” she whispers, her voice breaking. “She’s in the hospital.”
Her hands clench around her purse strap, and for the first time, I see something raw in her eyes—fear, helplessness. “She’s all I have. Nothing can happen to her. Nothing. I need to go to her. Now.” She tries to push past me, but my hands catch her shoulders, holding her in place.
“You’re not going alone.” I don’t give her a chance to argue as I take the keys from her hands. “I’m coming with you.”
For a moment, she looks like she wants to argue, but then her shoulders sag in defeat, her worry and fear overpowering her resistance. Without another word, I take her hand and lead her to my car instead of hers, open the passenger door, and gently help her inside.
Sliding behind the steering wheel, I glance at her, and my stomach twists at the sight. Tears stream down her face, her usual fire replaced by a fragility that nearly undoes me.
I reach over and gently wipe them away with my thumb. “Nothing’s going to happen to your mom, Sana,” I say, my voice soft and steady. “I promise.”
She doesn’t say a word, just nods, her hands clenched tightly in her lap as if trying to hold herself together.
“Which hospital?” I ask.
She swallows hard, blinking back more tears. “City Hospital,” she whispers.
I nod, and without wasting another second, I start the car. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you there soon.”
Sana nods at me before staring straight ahead, her hands clenched so tightly that her knuckles turn white.
I maintain my speed, focused on getting her to her mom as quickly as possible. Thankfully, the traffic is light, and I’m aiming to reach the hospital in fifteen minutes. But every so often, I catch myself glancing at her—seeing her lost in fear, her body trembling slightly. It’s enough to make me press the accelerator a little harder.
The moment I pull up to the hospital entrance, she doesn’t wait. Before I can even shift the car into park, she flings the door open and bolts inside.
I quickly park the car and follow close behind as she rushes to the reception desk, her voice cracking with desperation. “My mom, Sumita Arora. I got a call—she was brought in. Which room?”
The nurse offers a reassuring smile. “Sumita Arora?” Sana nods as the nurse types on the computer before looking up. “She’s in Room 106, second floor.”
“Thanks,” Sana murmurs before dashing down the hall towards the stairs, taking them two at a time as she rushes to the next floor. I stay close behind, not willing to let her out of my sight for even a moment, given the state she’s in.
As we reach the door, Sana hesitates for a brief moment before pushing it open.
Stepping inside, I see her mom lying on the bed with an IV hooked to her wrist. She looks exhausted, but a faint smile appears on her face when she sees Sana.
Sana rushes forward, dropping to her knees beside her mom’s bed and taking her hand. “Mom… are you okay?”
Her mom sighs as if this is merely an inconvenience. “Sana, it’s nothing. I was chatting with Aruna Aunty when I started feeling a little dizzy. She panicked and insisted on bringing me here before I could even protest.”
Sana shoots her mom a stern look. “Don’t you dare say it was nothing. Thank God Aunty got you to the hospital in time.” She glances around the room. “Where’s Aruna Aunty now? Did she leave? I need to thank her.”
“She was here the whole time, but then she got a call from home and had to leave. And now, I’m stuck here with these doctors running endless tests,” her mom replies, sounding mildly exasperated. “Now that you’re here, can you please tell them to stop these unnecessary tests? I’m fine. I just want to go home.”
Sana opens her mouth, clearly about to argue, but before she can say anything, her mom’s eyes shift to me.
A slow smile spreads across her mom’s face as she tilts her head curiously. “And who’s this handsome young man?”
I take that as my cue and step forward, coming to stand on the other side of the bed. Offering a polite smile, I touch her feet in respect. “Hello, Aunty. I’m Aditya. I’m...”
Before I can add anything else, her mom cuts me off, her eyes twinkling. “Are you Sana’s boyfriend?”
Sana lets out a strangled sound, her face turning a deep shade of red. “Mom!”
