Chapter 69 — Hold On, Come Back to Me

Poornima sat outside the ICU, her eyes fixed on the closed doors that refused to open, as if Veeresh himself was locked away from her world. Every passing second felt heavier than the last. Her hand rested protectively on her belly, fingers trembling, heart praying.

She hadn’t eaten since morning.

Kayan noticed it first.

He walked to her quietly, holding a small bowl in his hands. Kneeling in front of her, he said softly, “Mom… please have something. You need strength. Baby needs it too.”

Poornima shook her head weakly, tears sliding down her cheeks. “I can’t… my throat—”

Kayan gently interrupted, his voice steady in a way that broke her even more.
“Papa will come back. He promised, right? You always tell us Papa never breaks promises.”

Those words undid her.

He lifted the spoon carefully and fed her himself, just like a child feeding his mother. Poornima swallowed slowly, forcing herself to eat only because she knew he was right. Because her baby needed her to be strong. Because Veeresh would want that.

“Good, Mom,” Kayan whispered. “Papa will be proud.”

A little later, Ramir came rushing from the other end of the corridor. His face was pale, eyes red.

“Mom…” he said, trying to stay composed. “Doctors are trying everything. But Papa… he’s very weak. The blood loss was heavy.”

Poornima closed her eyes tightly, pain tearing through her chest—but when she opened them, there was a fierce certainty in her gaze.

“He will come back,” she said firmly. “Don’t worry. Your dad is strong. He has to come back.”

She stood slowly, holding the edge of the chair for support, then folded her hands in prayer. Her lips moved nonstop, tears dripping onto her knuckles.

“God,” she whispered, voice breaking, “please… don’t take him away from me.”

Her hand pressed gently against her four-month belly.

“You gave him to me,” she cried softly. “He loved me. He chased me. He chose me. We fought the world, we married, the kids accepted him… and now you gave us this new life.”

Her breath shook as she continued, almost pleading.

“Please don’t take him now. Not when everything finally feels complete. Not when our baby needs a father. Not when I need my husband.”

She wiped her tears, her voice trembling but filled with devotion.

“Give him back to me, God. I’m not asking for anything else. Just him. Just let him open his eyes and call my name again.”

She rested her forehead against the wall, whispering again and again—

“Please… please… bring him back to me.”

And in her heart, through all the fear and pain, one belief stayed unbroken:

Veeresh would come back.