Anika couldn't stop grinning. As the Doctors pulled the ventilator tube out from Shivaay's throat and he coughed in protest, her heart sang in delight. The Doctors then pushed air into him with the help of a rebreather bag for a few minutes. And then, they secured an oxygen mask over his face. The mask immediately fogged up. Anika's grin widened on watching that.
Without any mechanical assistance, Shivaay had taken his first few breaths on his own after gruesome two weeks. She wanted to break out in a jig but restrained herself. She didn't have to look at her side to know what the rest of the family was feeling.
The Doctors were finally taking Shivaay off the induced coma and Anika couldn't contain her happiness. He was going to be awake. Annika wanted nothing more. It felt like an end to a tough penance. But Anika knew that it wasn't. It was the start of her vigil. However, it wouldn't feel like one if Shivaay spoke with her. She had come to understand that even if their conversations were insane most of the times, they were needed to keep her sane.
"Shivaay is doing excellent, Anika!" the Doctor told her.
"Really?" Anika excitedly bounced in her place.
"Yes..." the Doctor called Anika over to the other side. Showing her Shivaay's statistics, he said, "You see this? His saturation is good. His airway is clear. The blood pressure is normal. The brain activity is sufficient. No fever. No congestion. And his body posturing is also almost normal. There is mild muscle rigidity but we can get rid of it with exercise."
Anika clutched her chest and turned to look at Shivaay. He already looked so much better with fewer equipments around him.
"When will he wake up?" asked Om in an equally choked and hopeful voice.
"Eight hours if we are lucky. Six hours if we are very lucky..." the Doctor replied cheekily.
Om grinned. "Well. I hope we are very lucky then."
"I hope so too!" the Doctor patted his shoulder. "Now, my team member is going to observe Shivaay for an hour constantly. It is a protocol we do for all the patients we extubate. So, only one of you can stay in this room. Don't worry though, you all can come in later."
Silently nodding at Anika, they all shuffled out of the room. With bated breath, Anika sat down on the bed beside Shivaay. She couldn't wait for him to wake up.
***************
"O," Rudra told Om. "I have to go for a while."
"Where?" Gauri spoke instead. "Bhaiya can wake up any moment now. You don't want to miss that."
"I know Bhabhi!" Rudra sighed. "But this is important. I have to go."
"What is it?" questioned Pinky. "You seem preoccupied these days."
He held Pinky's shoulders. "I am just keeping up with a promise I made to Bhaiya. That's it..."
"What promise?" she asked.
"You will know," shrugged Rudra. "I am sorry but I have to go. I will try to be back by the time Bhaiya decides to wake up."
"Okay," Pinky nodded. "But take care. Stay safe."
"Yes, I will..." muttered Rudra and left the Hospital.
***************
"Where did you find her?"
Rudra eyed the bloodied, unconscious woman tied to the chair. She and his family had an old rivalry. And well, she could very well have been his stepmother.
