My Nepenthe

Chapter 39

"How is she? What did the doctor say?" Omkara anxiously asked, upon seeing his mother enter his room.

"Om, the doctor is yet to come. You should be with Gauri," Jhanvi tiredly repeated her earlier words.

Her son shook his head in negative before crumbling on to the couch, covering his face with his palms.

"Om," Jhanvi neared her son, putting a hand on his head.

"Why can't I be happy mom? Why?" he mumbled weakly.

Jhanvi's eyes watered at his state. Standing close, she hugged him tight combing her hands through his hair.

Omkara gladly accepted her love. Burying his face into his mother's stomach he cried for his ill fate.

"How will I face her? What will she say and how the hell can I show my face to her mother. What if she takes her away?" Jhanvi could hear his weak cry.

"Your wife will not leave you Om. I am not going to allow that no matter what it takes," she promised him.

"She isn't a thing mom, she has a free will," he scolded though he still hugged her.

Jhanvi kissed the top of his head and apologized.

"Gauri will give you a chance to say your side of the story. I will talk to Sharada ji myself once she gets up," she tried to assure.

"I can deal with anything but the look of accusation in her eyes mom. Why does it have to be like this? I really did not do it."

She parted from the hug and looked into his teary eyes.

"You are my son Om. You will never do such a crime and you need not explain yourself to me. First get up from here. You need to be somewhere else," she said.

"Mom, please I am not ready to..."

"You will never be ready for this but that doesn't mean you will run away from your problems. I will not let you do the same mistake as me. Get up," she said and tried to pull him up.

"Mom," he pleaded again but got up from his place.

"No, I am not listening to you in this," she said and dragged him downstairs towards the guest room.

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"Is everything okay Doctor?" Shivaay asked after the doctor finished his examination.

"Yeah, nothing seems to be that troublesome. She still has a weak pulse but you can give her more water. She should be alright by tomorrow," said the doctor prescribing a few medicines.

"Sharada ji, have you had any blackouts recently?" the doctor asked.

Gauri saw her mother shaking her head in negative and glared at her.

"She said she felt dizzy this afternoon doctor ji," she told him the truth.

"Come to the hospital as soon as possible. Let me do some tests and then we can clear all the possible doubts," he advised and they agreed.

"Thank you for coming on such a short notice, I will drop you home," Shivaay offered.

"No problem Shivaay, I have my driver with me. You take care of the patient," came the reply and Shivaay nodded.

For a moment he glanced at Gauri whose focus was on her mother.

Did she believe the video?

He desperately wanted to ask her to give his brother a chance to explain himself but he stopped himself thinking now was not the time.

Let her free herself from her mother's worries first.... he thought.