Chapter 54: Don't Leave Me

Dinner was unusually quiet that night.

The entire family was sitting together, but nobody had the energy to talk much. The events of the past few days had exhausted everyone emotionally.

Poornima moved around the table serving food.

Just like every day.

She served Rhea first.

"Beta, eat a little more."

Rhea nodded quietly.

Then she served Ajay.

Ajay forced a smile.

"Thank you, Ma."

She smiled back.

But her smile was weak.

Inside her heart, the words she had heard earlier kept repeating.

Thakur sa should not have married her...

Ever since she came, only problems have happened...

First Rhea, now Ajay...

What next?

No matter how much she tried, she couldn't push those words away.

For the first time since coming to Rajgarh, she was questioning herself.

Maybe she really was bringing bad luck.

Maybe she had disturbed the peace of this family.

Maybe she should leave before more pain came into Veeresh's life.

The thought itself made her chest ache.

She looked towards Veeresh.

He was sitting quietly, lost in his own thoughts.

His eyes looked tired.

Broken.

The sight hurt her even more.

"Poons?"

Veeresh's voice pulled her back.

She blinked.

"Haan?"

"You are standing there only. Serve yourself too."

She nodded.

"Ji."

But before she could move, a sharp pain shot through her chest.

Poornima froze.

Her hand instinctively grabbed the edge of the table.

The room began spinning.

Her breathing became difficult.

The voices returned again.

He should not have married her...

Everything started after she came...

The pain increased.

She tried to steady herself.

Nobody noticed at first.

Everyone was occupied.

Then the serving spoon slipped from her hand.

The metallic sound echoed through the room.

Veeresh immediately looked up.

"Poons?"

Poornima tried to answer.

But no words came.

Her vision blurred.

The next second her body collapsed.

"POONS!"

Veeresh's chair crashed backwards as he rushed towards her.

The entire family jumped up.

"Ma!"

"Mom!"

"Poornima!"

Panic filled the haveli.

Veeresh gathered her in his arms.

His hands were trembling.

"Poons... look at me."

No response.

Her eyes remained closed.

For the first time in years, genuine fear appeared on Veeresh Thakur's face.

Not fear for himself.

Fear of losing her.

"Ajay, bring the car!"

"Airav!"

"Ritesh!"

His voice shook.

Everyone rushed into action.

Within minutes they were speeding towards the hospital.

Throughout the journey Veeresh held Poornima tightly.

He kept touching her face.

Her hair.

Her hands.

As if he could somehow wake her up.

"Poons."

His voice was barely a whisper.

"Open your eyes."

Nothing.

The silence terrified him.

All he could think was one thing.

Not her.

Please not her.

He had already lost Janaki.

He couldn't lose Poornima too.

When they reached the hospital, doctors immediately rushed her inside.

The family waited outside.

Every second felt like an hour.

Rhea sat crying.

Zara kept praying.

Ajay walked restlessly through the corridor.

Even Airav looked worried.

But nobody was more shattered than Veeresh.

He sat staring at the ICU door.

Without speaking.

Without moving.

His hands were clasped together tightly.

His eyes never left the door.

After what felt like forever, the doctor finally came out.

Everyone stood immediately.

"Doctor?"

The doctor removed his glasses.

"She is stable now."

The family finally breathed.

But only slightly.

"It was a cardiac attack."

Veeresh froze.

The words hit him like a blow.

"A cardiac attack?"

The doctor nodded.

"First attack."

"There appears to have been severe emotional stress."

Something emotional.

The words echoed in Veeresh's head.

He remembered her silence.

Her distant smile.

The sadness in her eyes.

And guilt immediately filled him.

He had been so busy worrying about Rhea and Ajay that he had forgotten to look at his wife.

The woman who carried everyone's pain.

The doctor continued.

"She has been given sedation."

"Someone should stay with her tonight."

"I will."

The answer came immediately from Veeresh.

There was no hesitation.

No discussion.

Just certainty.

The doctor nodded.

After some time, Veeresh entered her room.

The children remained outside.

The moment he saw her lying on the hospital bed, his heart broke.

Machines surrounded her.

Her face looked pale.

Weak.

Fragile.

This wasn't the strong woman who managed the haveli.

This wasn't the woman who fought for his children like they were her own.

This wasn't the woman who filled his home with warmth.

This was his wife.

His Poons.

Lying unconscious.

Veeresh slowly sat beside her.

For a long time, he simply stared at her.

Then he reached forward and held her hand.

It felt cold.

His eyes immediately filled.

"Poons..."

His voice broke.

No response.

Only the steady sound of the monitor.

He lowered his head and pressed her hand against his forehead.

A tear escaped his eye.

Then another.

"You always take care of everyone."

His voice trembled.

"Ajay."

"Rhea."

"Ritesh."

"Zara."

"Me."

His fingers tightened around hers.

"But nobody asked how you were."

More tears rolled down his cheeks.

For the first time in many years, Veeresh cried openly.

Not as a Sarpanch.

Not as a respected village leader.

Not as a strong man.

Just as a husband.

A husband terrified of losing the woman he loved.

He gently kissed her hand.

"Don't leave me."

His voice was barely audible.

"I am not that strong."

Another tear fell.

"I act strong."

"But I am not."

His shoulders shook.

"I cannot lose you, Poons."

The room remained silent except for the sound of his crying.

Veeresh leaned closer and rested his forehead against her hand.

"Give me pain."

His voice cracked.

"Fight with me."

"Scold me for smoking."

"Tell me I work too much."

A sad smile appeared through his tears.

"But don't leave me."

He closed his eyes.

Holding her hand tightly.

As if letting go would make her disappear.

Outside the room, the children watched through the glass window.

And for the first time, they saw something they had never seen before.

Their father was crying.

Not because he was weak.

But because he loved Poornima so deeply that the thought of losing her was enough to break him completely.

And inside that hospital room, Veeresh sat beside his sleeping wife all night, holding her hand and silently praying that she would open her eyes and call him "Thakur ji" once again.