STRANGERS
A/N: This story is for Subhasree Saha on her birthday. Happy Birthday once again, dear.
Cabin 1
He came out of the cabin taking baby steps and sat on a chair in the waiting area. Rest of the team was still in her. But he couldn't afford to see her like that. The doctor had already given his verdict. It was impossible for her to survive. He wanted to run away from that bloody place at the moment, if only his feet would permit. Everybody present inside the room were busy talking with her, as if trying to save the conversation in their memory for their lifetime, so much so that nobody noticed that he was not there in the room.
Cabin 2
He couldn't believe that she left. Actually left him. But never in his worst nightmare could he imagine that it would cost him the life of the lady whom he had loved the most. He had promised her that he will protect her, come whatever may. But he couldn't keep that promise. He looked at his best friend, crying beside his wife's limp body. Yes, she was alive. But that was only for a few more hours at the most. He knew how much she had meant to him. He took baby steps towards him and kept an assuring hand on his shoulder.
"What an irony!" He thought, "I'm supposed to be the one who needs to be consoled."
But, he was surprised when his best friend jerked his hand away.
"You were there with her. You could have saved her." He hissed, there's no mistaking the anger in his voice.
"I tried to, but…" He started to explain, but was cut off midway.
"But, you thought it's better to beat those goons up rather than calling an ambulance. Right?" His best friend snapped.
Quietly, he tried to fight back the tears that had been threatening to fall out for quite sometime now. He couldn't believe it. Of all people, he had expected that at least his best friend would understand him. But now he knew that he was wrong. Very wrong.
Without any further words, he came out of the cabin and made his way to the waiting area.
Waiting Area
"Can you shift a little?" He asked the young man, sitting morosedly on the sofa. The man turned to look at him with a faraway look in his eyes.
"Can you shift a little so that I can sit?" He repeated once again.
Without any further words, the man shifted making rpoom for him.
The man couldn't help but notice that the younger man had a painful look in his eyes too. The pain a person had when he had recently lost someone or was about to lose someone.
"He'll be fine." The man said, trying to assure to younger one, even though he knew it's utter futility.
"She." Corrected the younger one.
"Oh! She'll be fine." He said, once again.
"No. She won't. The doctor has said that it's impossible for her to survive." The young man said, putting up a valiant attempt to keep his voice straight.
"You loved her?" The man asked, making the younger one wonder how in the world he had known.
But he was a CID Officer, and knows how to keep his thoughts and feelings to himself without letting others have a doubt on him. This time too, he didn't let the man know that he was surprised at the abrupt question. Or shall we say, he was not in a position to comprehend that the question was an abrupt one?
"More than I ever loved myself." Said the young man, with a sigh. "Let it be. You'll never understand."
At this the other man couldn't help but give out a sarcastic laugh.
"What's so funny about it?" The young man asked, his brows furrowed.
"The way you said I won't understand." Said the man, trying to control his laughter.
"You mean to say you love someone?" The young man asked.
"I loved someone." Said the man, as if asking the question to himself.
"If you don't mind, then can I say something?" The young man asked.
"We have freedom of speech." Said the man.
The young man felt irritated at this. "You should tell that someone of yours how you love. Or else, you too will have to regret later. Just like me." He said.
"That someone is my wife." The man said, for the first time letting out how much pain he was in.
"Then you're lucky." Said the young man.
"Didn't you have a chance to tell her how much you loved her?" The man asked.
"I was always scared of losing her." The young man admitted in a low voice.
"If you don't tell her then how can you lose her?" The man asked, confused.
"You see, she's my best friend too." The young man said.
"I see." Said the man.
"I always wanted to see her happy. I always wanted to see her smile. But now I'll have to bid goodbye to her even before I could've expressed my feelings." Said the young man. "But you're really lucky you know?"
"What happened to her?" Asked the man, as if trying to avoid talking about himself.
"They shot her. She was just doing her duty, you know?" Said the young man.
"Duty?" The man asked.
"Yeah. She's an inspector in CID." The young man explained.
"Our duty. I lost everything to my duty. Now, it took my very existence away from me." Whispered the man.
"Are you a cop too?" Asked the young man, surprised.
"I'm proud of my Tasha. She's a martyr. And I respect her even more now for that." Said the young man, his voice firm.
"I could never spend any quality time with my wife. But she had always been matured and understanding. She never demanded it from me." Said the man dreamily.
*She is your wife. But don't respect this relationship at all.*
"I wish she did." The man said.
"Don't be so regretful, man. I can see how much you love her." The young man said, trying to soothe him.
"What's the use of loving someone if you can't let the person know of it?" Sighed the man.
Unbeknownst to him, his words hit the young man like a dagger.
"You're right. What's the use of loving someone if you can't let the person know of it?" Repeated the young man, as if asking the question to himself.
The man realized that his words reminded the young man of his unexpressed love, and he regretted saying them at once.
"I'm sorry. I had no intention of hurting you." He said quickly.
"Hey! Don't be sorry. Whatever you've said is true." Said the young man with a smile.
"Why don't you just let her know at least once?" Asked the man.
"Do you think it'll make any difference now?" Asked the young man, letting out a sarcastic laugh.
"Right now, it won't. But, years from now it'll make a huge difference.
The young man had no idea what he meant. Still, he decided to give it a try.
"I think I'll do that." He said.
The man just let out a smile at this.
They were about to say something when they were suddenly interrupted.
"So here you are. We've been looking for you everywhere, Rawte." Said a mustachioed man, pointing towards the man. "Don't you think Roshni deserves at least some final moments with you?" He asked, disgusted.
"Why is he so angry on you?" Asked the young man, perplexed.
"Because my wife is like a sister to him." Said the man in a low voice.
"So?" Asked the young man.
"I'm responsible for her death. I was there. I could have saved her." Said the man, for the first time that evening, some tears were visible at the corner of his eyes.
Right at this moment, another man arrived there.
"Vivek! I've been looking for you. Come quick." He panted.
Perhaps, he wanted to say something else too. But stopped short when he saw the two men standing there.
"I'm sorry sir. Actually I" He started to explain.
"It's ok Mr. Fredericks." Said the mustachioed man. "And come fast Rawte, we haven't got all day." He snapped.
"By the way, I'm Vivek. Inspector Vivek from CID" The young man, offering the other one a handshake.
"Arjun. ACP Arjun Suryakant Rawte." Said the man, giving Vivek's hand a light shake.
A/N: I'm sorry dear that I couldn't come up with a better story.