I bite back a chuckle, tucking my hands into my jeans as I glance at Sana, who’s glaring at me, completely flustered, while her mom watches us with a gleam in her eyes.
This is going to be fun.
Chapter 11
Sana
“He’s not my boyfriend!” I protest, but Mom doesn’t look convinced. What really grates on my nerves, though, is Aditya staying silent, that smug smirk still playing on his lips. I just know he’s enjoying every second of this.
“How could you possibly let go of such a handsome man?” she teases, her eyes twinkling as she looks at Aditya with affection.
“See? Even your mom has good taste,” he finally chimes in, flashing that infuriating grin of his.
I shoot him a sharp glare, but his smirk only widens. I’ll deal with him later. Turning back to Mom, I let out an exasperated sigh. “Mom, I think the hospital is messing with your head. He is not my boyfriend,” I say firmly. “Now, can we please focus on the real reason you’re here?”
Before Mom can reply, a knock at the door pulls our attention. A doctor, likely in his mid-fifties, walks in, followed by a nurse.
“Hello,” the doctor greets as he walks up to Mom’s bedside, positioning himself next to Aditya. “I’m Dr. Bajaj.” Taking the file from the nurse, he flips it open, his eyes skimming throughthe notes. Handing the file back to the nurse, he snaps on a pair of gloves and turns his attention to Mom. As he checks her pulse, he asks, “Mrs. Arora, how are you feeling? Any dizziness or weakness?”
Mom manages a faint smile. “Just a bit tired, but nothing too serious.”
Dr. Bajaj nods. “That’s good to hear. We’ll run a few more tests, but your vitals look stable so far.” He glances at the nurse, who makes a note on the chart. “However, your blood pressure is slightly high, so we’ll need to monitor it closely. Just to be safe, we’ll keep you overnight for observation.”
The mention of staying overnight makes my heart skip a beat, and I glance at him, concern tightening in my chest. “Is everything okay, doctor?”
He gives me a reassuring smile. “Nothing to be too concerned about,” he explains gently. “It’s just a precaution to ensure her blood pressure stabilises before we send her home.”
I nod as Dr. Bajaj continues, “I’ll check on her again tomorrow, and if her condition remains stable, we’ll move forward with the discharge.”
With that, he advises Mom to rest and take care before walking out of the room. The nurse checks the IV drip, then gives us a reassuring smile.
“If you need anything, just call,” she says before leaving as well.
Mom looks at me, sensing the tension in my posture.
“You can relax now,” she says softly, reaching for my hand. “I’m fine.”
I let out a shaky breath, my voice wavering. “You really scared me, Mom. When I got the call… I was terrified.” I pause, the knot in my throat tightening as I sink into the chair beside her. “I couldn’t breathe until I saw you. I thought… I thought I might lose you.”
Her eyes softens, filling with guilt. “I never meant to worry you, sweetheart. It was just a little dizziness. I had no idea it would blow up into all of this.”
“A little dizziness?” I repeat, my voice rising slightly. “Mom, the doctor just said your blood pressure is high! That’s not something to take lightly.”
She squeezes my hand. “I’m fine, beta.”
Before I can respond, Aditya pulls up a chair and sits beside Mom, taking her hand tenderly. “We’re just relieved you’re okay, Aunty. But honestly, Sana freaking out was inevitable. You really gave her a scare.”
Mom starts to say something, but he goes on, his voice softer. “I’ve never seen her this upset before. It’s clear just how much you mean to her.”
I whip my head toward him, my heart skipping a beat at his words. But then, I feel Mom’s gaze on me, and when I look down, I see her eyes shimmering with emotion. “You were really that worried?”
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Why do you look so surprised, Mom? You know better than anyone that you mean everything to me. I don’t know what I’d do if anything ever happened to you.”
She blinks away her tears and lifts her hand to cup my cheek. “I’m not going anywhere, my love. I promise to take better care of myself.”
“You better,” I mutter, attempting to sound stern but failing as my voice wavers. “I can’t handle that kind of fear again.”
She smiles softly, brushing my hair back just like she used to when I was a child. “You’re a good kid.”
