This chapter is dedicated to read_writing_hood
Welcome back girl ❤

Samayra POV

I woke up with a weird sound. Like someone was knocking on my head.

"Go away, dad." I say and turn trying to push my head in the pillow and muffle the noise. I expect to be scolded by dad, and that's when I realized I'm naked under the sheets with red and white ivory bangles in my hands.

Fuck. I'm married. And I'm in my husband's bed, naked and... alone. The knock on the door sounds again.

That's exactly the weird noise, I was talking about. Someone's knocking on the door, not my head.

"Ambar.. There's someone on the door." I shout supposing him to be in the shower.

I wait for a minute as no reply comes.

Hold on, there's no sound from the bathroom.

He isn't here.

Flashes and bits of last night come to my mind. He got a call and he left me for something related to work. He told me to sleep, because I was tired. But why isn't he back yet?

"Bhabhhiii... open the door. It's urgent.." Chetan's voice comes out loud. I immediately sit up at the seriousness of his voice and pick up Ambar's tshirt from last night and my sweatpants, from the pile of clothes spread around the room, quickly slipping them on.

"I'm coming.. Don't open the door." I say realizing that the door isn't even locked from inside.

There wasn't another reply as I quickly glance at my phone. I clicked the home button, expecting it to lighten up while I wore the shirt. But It didn't. My best guess is that it's battery died.

Am I late to make breakfast?

What time is it?

I shuffle to find my wrist watch.

4:20 am

Holy shit. That's early. Why is he knocking at my door, so early?

Panic fills my body as I run to open the door after wearing the sweatpants.

"What's wrong?" I say as I see Chetan standing there dressed to leave the house.

"Ambar is in the hospital." He says and I..

My mind just went blank for a minute.

In the past 24 hours, this is the third person, close to me admitted in a hospital.

"What.. Why?" I say as my body tremors a little. I get immediate goose bumps as a shiver travels up my spine. I hear sobbing from downstairs as mom cries and Grandma tries to say something supportive.

"He got shot. Thrice." Chetan says as I try to keep my brain in the present. I open my eyes wide, trying to make sense of things.

"I was about to go, but dad thinks you should take mom and Grandma. Dad already went. I'll stay at home and see if you need to get anything from here." He says trying to act brave, but deep down I could see he was equally hurt.

"And you should change.." he says pointing to my outfit. Even in this situation, I knew Grandma would say something and I was in no mood to deal with her.

"Give me a minute." I say and shut the door to a gut wrenching silence.

He's been shot.

Thrice.

My knees give up as I slide down with my back to the door as tears stream down my cheek.

Ambar ?
My husband.
The man I am supposed to spend my life with.
The asshole that took vows to protect me against the world.

(In Sikhism, the groom holds a sword during the ceremony symbolizing protection to his wife.)

He's in the hospital, fighting for his own life.
I can't..
I can't imagine.. My life..
I don't want to imagine my life without him.

No, I'm not being so pessimist. He's going to be alright.

I close my eyes shut and pray for his recovery as Mom crying downstairs zones me back into reality.

No. I'm stronger than this. And right now, I need to be strong for everyone around me.

I quickly wipe my face and get up to change into simple traditional before walking fast down the stairs. Mom and Grandma seemed ready to leave. Mom was still crying as Grandma supported her. I picked up the car keys and walked out. I brought the car from the garage into the driveway as they sat in.

"He's in Lifecare Hospital." Chetan says as I just nod. There's this weird lump in my throat and if I open my mouth to speak another word right now, I'll lose it.

I'll break down and if I start crying right now, I won't be able to stop. I just know it. I'm on the edge of breaking down here.

I just stay quiet as both the ladies slip in the backseat, sobbing and sniffling. I put the car in drive and drive through the dark lone roads. There was barely any traffic with some old people jogging or walking on the sides of the roads.

I saw an old couple walking on the footpath as the man wrapped his own scarf on the neck of his partner.
A smile tugged on my lips in longing. I want this with Ambar, he can't leave me like this.. and I immediately shake my head to stop the involuntary thought process.

I drove past the red traffic lights, since there was no one on the roads at this time. I stopped the car near the main door of the hospital as Mom and Grandma got out. I sped further and parked the car in the hospital parking before getting out.

I walked towards the main door and inside the hospital. The area was surrounded by cops as I saw Uncle Rohit standing there talking to someone in uniform. I let out a sob unable to hold it in any longer and he might have heard it or sensed my arrival because he turned to look at me. He opened his arms wide open and I ran the next few steps to hug him tight.

His arms envelop me in the warmth as I break down crying.

"Where's he?" I barely mutter out, sobbing in his chest.

"He's still in surgery. But he's a fighter, I'm sure he'll be okay." He says rubbing my back.

"Stop worrying, butterfly." He says as I was inconsolably crying in his arms now.

"He's gonna be okay?" I say with my face contorted in a scowl as tears cascade down my cheeks.

"Yes, he's gonna be okay. I'm sorry, I should've given him more man power even though he insisted not to." He says and I sniffle. He gives me a handkerchief from his pocket.

"He's obstinate like that...*sobs* When he decides on something, *sniffles* you can't convince him otherwise." I say.

"He made the department proud, tonight. He confiscated drugs and illegal weapons worth Rs. 60 million in the international market from under the biggest operating mafia of the state." He says and I just sob harder. I was fucking proud of him. But I wanted to tell him. I wanted him to talk to me. Right fucking now.

"Please let him be okay.." I say wishing on just one thing as if uncle Rohit could magically make it possible, like I was the little girl again, demanding encyclopedia.

His well being was everything to me right now. I want Ambar to be okay and get up. i want him to fight and argue. I want him to use his stupid detective instincts and find faults with me.

My mind drifts to our fight from earlier this night and the make out session that followed.

"I just want him to be okay... *sobs* I need to see him." I say as tears stream down my cheeks and I couldn't get myself to stop. I suck in a deep breathe to stop myself from crying, but I couldn't hold it in any longer as the tears slid down my chin to my neck.

"They are operating on him." He says unable to meet my eye.

"For?" I ask knowing deep in my heart, that this is more serious than he's letting on. If it was a minor injury, he'd meet my eye and console me.

"The bullets from his shoulder and bicep have been safely extracted but..." he says as I look at him with hope in my eyes.

"Please don't say there's a bullet in his head or his heart." I plead as he shakes his head.

"A bullet pierced his thoracic cavity.." He says as my eyes widen.

"His lungs?" I ask unable to believe it and he nods his head.

Lungs.

They are supposed to be enclosed in an air-tight cavity to maintain the accurate air pressure between the inter-coastal muscles. If a bullet has entered the lungs, means that it has disturbed the vacuum of the thoracic cavity, making it very immune to collapse. Doing a surgery to extract a bullet and maintain the air pressure even when the body is cut open is hard.

"Muffin.." I hear as I feel another pair of arms around me but I was too numb to respond.

I feel my legs turn into jelly, unable to bear my weight. Dizziness overtakes my senses as my head spins. I try to keep my eyes open but the darkness overwhelms me as I felt myself swimming in an ocean of sorrow and pain with no shore in sight.

++++++

I open my eyes in a bed as I try to make sense of things. My eyes flutter at the sunlight pouring in and I look at my surroundings. The white curtains, light gray bed and baby pink sheets seemed familiar.

I'm in my bedroom. Not in Ambar's house, but my own.

"A hot mug of Cappuccino and your favorite oreo donuts from your favorite bakery.." Sabina says as she comes to sit by my side, placing a tray.

She keeps the only thing by my side, that I can't resist even when I'm on diet. But today, I didn't care.

"Ambar.." I say rubbing my eyes in confusion as I sit up on the bed.

"He's out of the surgery." She says as I try to throw my sheets away and get out of bed.

"I should go to him.." I say as Sabina holds my wrist and shakes her head.

"You fainted due to low blood pressure, that's what the nurse at the hospital said. Eat something before you leave." She says and before I could argue mom walks into the room.

"You are not his doctor. Sit and eat before you leave. His surgery was successful but he's still in ICU and they are not letting anyone go in." Mom says as I turn to look at Sabina,

"Where's Danish?" I ask as she looks at the tray of food bringing it to me from the table on the side.

"He's asleep in my room. They discharged him an hour ago." She says as I turn to look at the time.

9:17 am

I was out for so long?

"You haven't eaten anything since yesterday morning. Plus all the chaos with Danish and Ambar. Your body needed the rest." Sabina says as I pick up a donut.

"How did I come here?" I ask taking a bite to calm my growling stomach.

"Tarun brought you home. Then he told us everything, your dad insisted to go, so Tarun took him to the hospital." Mom says and I try to remember what happened.

Those familiar arms.. It was Tarun who had called me 'Muffin' when I was with Rohit Uncle.

"I should go to Ambar.." I say picking up pace in chewing to quickly finish the donut, so I can get these two women off my back.

"No need. He is in an induced coma to let him heal before he wakes up. So, Take rest." Mom scolds me and I furrow my brows.

"You are not making sense right now. You are stopping me from going to see my husband. What are you hiding, mom?" I say with my eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I.. That.." Mom blabbers as I turn to look at Sabina and my heart beat picks up.

Is Ambar okay ?

"She thinks you are pregnant.." Sabina says as I was shocked. Like literally fucking, Jaw dropping open shocked.

"It's not even 10 days since my wedding. That's impossible.." I say as I turn to look at my mom.

"The first time I fainted with a low BP, was 2 weeks before I tested pregnant with you." Mom says and I turn to look at Sabina.

"Tell her to stop. I need to go see Ambar." I plead with Sabina as she nods her head.

"Okay.. But tell me when did you last bleed?" she asks as I do some calculations.

"5 weeks ago?" I say as mom smiles.

"Told you, now get that coffee away from her. I'll bring some.. " she says and I shake my head interrupting.

"Mom Stop, I have had an irregular cycle all my life. I can't be pregnant so soon. I was past my ovulating days when I got married." I say as Sabina was quick to answer this time.

"If you have irregular cycle, how are you sure that you ovulate 14 days after you bleed? Maybe you ovulated a week later and got pregnant." She says and I had no answer.

I can be pregnant.

Can I?

"No, mom.. I was starved for 24 hours and dealt with so much. Let's not bring pregnancy into this. I am not considering myself pregnant until I get a test done and you have to be at least 3 weeks pregnant to test positive." I say finishing my donut and pick up my cappuccino to quickly down it. Thanks to mom's discussion and the cold weather outside, it wasn't hot anymore.

"Sammy, you've gone hungry for so long, so many times when you didn't like the hostel food and done so much strenuous work. But you never fainted once. I'm telling you, you are not doing anything stressful and.." mom goes to say as Sabina keeps a hand infront of her.

"Mom, Ambar is her priority right now. Let her go.." Sabina says as they keep discussing. I keep the empty mug on the tray and pick up another donut.

"Thank you.. I love you..." I say and hug her tight before getting out of bed, to look for my car keys as I munch on the donut.

"Sammy.." Sabina says and I turn to look at her.

"Ambar's a good guy. Forget everything I ever said. Don't let him go.." she says and I smile.

"I don't plan to." I say and come back to hug her again.

"When this is all over, I need you to talk.. And by talk.. I mean actually talk and you need to tell me everything. Not hide anything, just for the fear of worrying me." I say as she inhales my scent.

"You smell of men's perfume.." She says, changing the topic and pushing me away, trying to bring her sarcastic stoic demeanor.

"I know.. But nothing you say is going to push me away this time." I say as a tear escapes her eye. She blinks and quickly wipes it.

"I saw it. Stop trying to be emotionless, Miss Rosa Diaz. You are talking to me in detail." I say as she looks away.

"You're husband is the investigating officer. He needs to record my final statement. So, I guess he'll tell you everything."

"My husband takes privacy concerns very seriously. So, we both are having a girl's day out and you are opening your heart out to me, whether you like it or not. Right now, I need to see my husband." I say and hug her once more. She's not a hugs kind of person. But I don't care. Like she's never cared for my privacy, why should I care for her private space.

I find my car keys, ready to drive to the hospital, to see my husband. I find a chocolate on my dashboard and remember how Ambar had given this last night. I remember the times we sat on the gazebo talking or cocooned in the blankets basically arguing about anything.

And within next two minutes, I was a crying mess by just looking at the chocolate.

No, I'm stronger than this. And he's stronger than this. He'll be okay. I wipe my tears and put on a brave face.

I put the car in drive to the hospital. I saw Chetan approaching me in the corridor with a very stressed face. Wasn't he staying at home ?

I notice the very heavy police security surrounding the Hospital lobby and adjoining area.

And then I hear wailing. Loud and clear. Screams that made me tremble. Gut-wrenching and heart piercing.

"What happened?" I ask trying to act normal, to the policeman standing nearby with his cap under his arm, instead of the cap being on his head. This was a sign of respect and...
This meant only one thing.

"Ma'am, an officer was injured at the cross-firing last night. He passed away." He says as I feel the world under my feet shift. I put my hand on the wall taking support, to avoid falling as the weight of his words falls on me.

++++++
Author's note
Hey lovely readers...
What are your views about this chapter ? Do share.
Xoxo
Reet