Remarriage

Brinda sat in the hall on the sofa, eagerly awaiting Adhiraj's arrival. Suddenly, her mother-in-law approached her and inquired.

"Bahu, has Adhiraj not arrived yet?"

Brinda met her mother-in-law's gaze and replied, "No, Maa, he hasn't. You go and rest, I will wait for him. I will inform you as soon as he arrives."

Her mother-in-law nodded and left the room. Brinda sighed, feeling a sense of unease that had been lingering for the past few days. To make matters worse, Adhiraj's phone was unreachable.

As night approached, Brinda couldn't help but wonder how long she would have to wait, when he will come ?

_________

Adhiraj carefully packed all the items he had purchased for his family members to surprise them upon his return home. A smile crossed his face as he admired the tiny shoes and toys he had bought for his unborn child. With everything safely stowed in the car, he settled into the driver's seat and began his journey back to his eagerly awaiting family.

As Adhiraj made his way home, his phone suddenly rang. He quickly connected his earbuds and answered the call.

"Hello, Samrat. How are you?" he inquired of his brother, listening intently to the response.

"I'm doing well, bhaiya. How about you?" Samrat replied.

Adhiraj grinned, replying, "I'm good, heading back home. When will you be returning?"

"Very soon, bhaiya," Samrat assured him.

"Alright, I'll catch up with you......." Adhiraj said before abruptly stopping mid-sentence as he noticed a truck hurtling towards him at full speed, its blinding headlights bearing down on him. In an instant, his world turned upside down.

As the faces of his loved ones flashed before his eyes, Adhiraj struggled to keep them open, but darkness soon enveloped him, his world fading to black.

_________

Samrat's heart raced in his chest as the phone disconnected with a loud thud, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Bhaiya," he whispered, frozen in place for a moment before his brain snapped him back to reality. He quickly stood up, grabbed his car keys, and rushed out of his apartment.

"No, nothing will happen to you, bhaiya. I'm coming. Please be safe," he whispered as he opened the car door and sat inside. But as he tried to start the car, his hands began to shake. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself.

"Stay calm, Samrat. Stay calm. Bhaiya, bhaiya need me." he repeated to himself. He opened his eyes, inserted the key, and drove off at full speed.

_________

After approximately forty minutes, Samrat finally arrived at the same path his brother must have taken to return home, as it was the only way. The passage of time felt excruciatingly slow, each minute dragging on like an eternity. As he drove along the familiar route, he noticed a crowd gathering at a certain spot. Without wasting a single second, he parked his car, stepped out, and approached the scene.

Upon witnessing the devastation before him, Samrat's world was turned upside down. He took a step back, unable to comprehend the sight in front of him. The car lay in ruins, and the pool of blood.

"The truck was speeding at an alarming rate, causing a devastating impact."

"The man involved in the accident was severely injured."

"He was bleeding a lot, hope he survives."

As Samrat listened to the comments of onlookers, he struggled to maintain his composure as he continued walking.