The chief doctor looked at Pallavi’s father and Aditya and gestured for them to sit. But neither of them could. Pallavi’s father stood with trembling hands, while Aditya remained rooted in place, his heart pounded in fear.
“She is stable for now. The seizure was triggered by sudden swelling and pressure in the brain following the impact of the accident,” the doctor said.
Aditya stepped forward immediately. “Tell us the truth, doctor… Is she going to be okay?”
The doctor exhaled slowly and turned the scan toward them.
“There is a small area of injury here,” he said, pointing to a spot near the side of Pallavi’s brain.
“The trauma caused a brain hemorrhage, a minor internal bleed. We have controlled the immediate danger and the bleeding has stabilized but when this kind of hemorrhage occurs, it doesn’t always leave the brain exactly as it was before. Even after the bleeding stops, it can leave behind what we call residual damage.” the doctor said.
Pallavi’s father frowned slightly. “Residual damage…?” he asked in a trembling voice.
“Yes, a portion of the brain tissue and the affected blood vessel may remain fragile. Think of it as a healed injury that hasn’t regained its original strength. That area becomes a ‘weak spot.'” the doctor said gently.
Aditya’s throat went dry hearing his words. “What does that mean for her… in the long run?” he asked him.
“It means that while Pallavi can recover and appear completely normal, that weakened area may still be sensitive. It may remain stable for years without causing any problems or, under certain conditions, it could lead to complications.” the doctor explained.
“What kind of complications?” Aditya asked barely holding his tears.
“She may be at risk of recurring seizures, severe headaches, occasional blackouts, or even memory disturbances. In rare situations, if there is excessive strain, physical or emotional, it could increase pressure in that area and potentially lead to another bleed risking her life ” the doctor said and Pallavi’s father’s legs nearly gave way and he gripped the chair beside him.
Aditya stood frozen. “Can it be treated? Surgery… anything?”
The doctor shook his head slightly. ” Surgery would be more dangerous than beneficial. The location of the injury is delicate. Intervening directly could cause more harm ” the doctor explained carefully and Silence filled the room.
Aditya slowly nodded, though his mind was anything but steady. Because now he understood this wasn’t just an injury that would heal and disappear.
Pallavi’s father sobbed and Aditya swallowed hard.
“What should we do?” he asked.
“She must avoid stress completely. No emotional trauma, no overexertion, no negligence with medication. She needs regular MRI scans if she has headaches or migranes, proper sleep, healthy food and people around her who will protect her peace ” doctor said and his words pierced Aditya’s heart.
“If she takes care of herself, can she live normally?” Aditya asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
The doctor nodded slowly. “She can. But you must understand… one wrong trigger, physical or emotional could worsen her condition. Her recovery will depend not just on medicines, but on the environment around her.” doctor said further.
Aditya closed his eyes for a moment. Tears escaped despite his efforts to hold them back.
” We will take care of her. We won’t let anything happen to her.” he said in a breaking voice.
Aditya held Pallavi’s father hand before they could meet the rest of the family.
“Uncle, we shouldn’t tell them the truth.” Aditya said and Pallavi’s father stared at him shocked.
“If everyone knows how serious this is, they will panic every single day. They will walk on eggshells around her. They will cry in front of her… treat her like she’s fragile and Pallavi will notice. That stress alone could become dangerous for her. She needs peace, not fear. She needs normalcy, not pity.” Aditya said and wiped his tears.
Pallavi’s father closed his eyes and tears slipped down his cheeks.
“Let us carry this burden. You, me and the doctor. We will make sure she never skips a medicine. We shall protect her ” he said further and Pallavi’s father looked at Aditya for a long moment and slowly nodded his head.
“You are right, my daughter has suffered enough. She deserves peace.” he said in a heavy voice with emotion.
As they arrived at where the family was waiting, everyone rushed towards them anxiously.
“What did the doctor say? Is Pallavi okay?” her mother cried.
Pallavi’s father forced himself to stay calm. ” The doctor said the seizure happened because of the accident trauma. She is stable now. It will take time for her to recover and she will need complete rest and monitoring for a few months… but she will be fine.” he said and relief swept through the family.
Tears of fear slowly turned into tears of gratitude. Deepika hugged her mother tightly. Amid everyone’s relief, Aditya turned and looked through the ICU glass window.
Pallavi lay there, pale and unconscious, unaware that her life had changed forever. He pressed his palm against the glass.
” You just have to smile again, Pallavi… I’ll carry the fear for both of us.” he whispered and gulped down the tears.
Aditya sat beside Deepika and she leaned against his shoulder. He held her hand and gently squeezed it, trying to comfort her.
“She will be fine, Deepika. Go home with Aunty and come back in the morning,” he said, then asked his parents to leave as well.
Pallavi’s mother refused to go, but Aditya and Pallavi’s father eventually convinced her to return home and come back the next morning to spend the whole day by Pallavi’s side.
Once everyone had left, Aditya looked at Pallavi’s father. He seemed exhausted, his eyes fixed on the ICU door. Deciding to get them both some coffee, Aditya headed to the cafeteria.
He bought two cups and was on his way back to the waiting area when a nurse stopped him.
“Sir, patient Pallavi’s handbag is at the reception. Please collect it and verify the belongings. Also, one of you will need to handle the legal procedures since this is an accident,” she said and Aditya nodded and went to the reception.
He still remembered the smile on Pallavi’s face when she showed him the shirt and watch she had bought for him.
“If you hadn’t gone to the mall to buy gifts for me, nothing would have happened to you… You would have been safe if you had just gone home from the office,” he muttered to himself.
The receptionist handed over the handbag and he signed the necessary documents before leaving.
Back in the waiting area, Aditya gave the coffee to Pallavi’s father. The older man glanced at the handbag and wiped his tears silently.
By midnight, Pallavi’s father had fallen asleep, leaning against the wall. Aditya stood near the ICU, trying to look through the glass, but the screen was drawn, blocking his view. He returned to the waiting area and stared at her handbag, lost in thought.
He opened the bag and broke down at the sight of her office ID card. His fingers trembled as he picked out her diary and placed it beside him on the chair since he didn’t want to pry into her personal space.
But then his eyes fell on a heart-shaped keychain. With a frown he picked it up and froze. His name was engraved on one side. On the other side was the word “Love” with a tiny heart. His hands shook as he dropped it back into the bag and tears rolled down his cheeks.
“What is this…?” he whispered and his gaze slowly shifted to the diary he had set aside.
After a moment of hesitation, he opened it. The first page held a photograph of him and Pallavi from their school days. Beneath it was something she had written in Grade 8. As he turned each page, his heart tightened, every single one carried her love for him.
More tears fell as he began to understand the depth of her feelings.
He read about how she had cried every day after he left for New Zealand, he read how determined she was to secure a job to support him… the effort she had poured into everything, silently.
He wiped his tears, but couldn’t go on. For a moment, he just sat there, stunned. Then, slowly, he gathered himself and continued reading from where he had stopped.
A sob escaped his lips when he read that she hadn’t eaten chocolates or ice cream all these months because she couldn’t bring herself to enjoy her favorites without him.
He knew how much she loved them and she had given them up… just because she missed him. With trembling hands, he unlocked her mobile. Her gallery was filled with photos of him, of her, of them and with Deepika.
Then he noticed a folder and opened it only to freeze. It contained only his photos.
“Pallavi… what have you done?” he whispered and quickly put everything back into her bag and rushed to the nearest restroom.
He splashed water on his face and broke down, crying loudly. He felt torn, caught between the girl he had loved and his best friend who meant everything to him.
“What am I going to do now?” he muttered, slapping himself in frustration.
” How had he been so blind? “, he thought and cursed himself for not realizing her feelings for him, slapped himself for not confessing his feelings to Deepika earlier or sharing it with Pallavi. Now everything felt like a mess.
He had always imagined a simple life, finding a stable job, proposing to Deepika while Pallavi remained his closest friend. But fate had played a cruel game. When he returned to the waiting hall, Pallavi’s father was awake.
“What happened, Aadhi? Is everything okay?” he asked and Aditya simply nodded in response.
The next morning, the doctor arrived for a check-up. Aditya was restless, fear weighed heavily on him. When Deepika walked in with her mother, tears slipped down his cheeks at the sight of her. He couldn’t bring himself to look at her and instead moved to stand near the ICU door.
Every word he had read in Pallavi’s diary echoed in his mind. His thoughts broke when the door opened and the doctor stepped out.
“She is doing fine. She may wake up at any time. Don’t pressure her with your emotions or questions. Keep her calm. The nurse will inform you when she wakes up. And don’t stay too long. You’ll have to be patient until she is shifted to the ward. Give her space to recover.” the doctor said and with that, the doctor walked away.
Deepika handed Aditya a shirt to change into. He quietly took it and walked away without meeting her eyes. She frowned, confused by the sudden change in his behavior, but assumed he was just worried about Pallavi.
After freshening up, Aditya returned and Deepika offered him food, but he refused.
“Aadhi, you look exhausted. I’m sure you haven’t eaten anything since you heard about the accident. You need to eat and stay strong for her. She is fine now,” Deepika said gently, placing the box firmly in his hands.
Aditya sat beside Pallavi’s father and forced himself to eat a few bites. Just then, a nurse came out.
“She’s awake.” she said and Aditya immediately closed the box and rushed toward the ICU, following Pallavi’s parents. Deepika hurried behind them.
Pallavi looked fragile, barely conscious. Her eyelids were heavy, a cast wrapped around her head, scratches marked her arms and her leg was in a fracture.
The sight broke their hearts. Slowly, she looked at each of them, one by one. And then her gaze stopped on Aditya.
Tears slipped from her eyes. Aditya rushed to her, biting his lips to control his emotions. He gently wiped her tears.
“You are fine, Pavi… my brave girl. We are all proud of you. Just a little more effort and we shall go home… watch movies… play video games,” he whispered.
The family stood silently, moved by the bond they shared.
Her parents gently held her hand and her mother pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. Despite the pain in their hearts, faint smiles appeared on their faces. Her eyelids slowly closed as she drifted back to sleep and Aditya looked at the nurse.
“She will be sleeping more due to the effects of the medication.” she softly reassured them.
Next Chapter
