One more time : Where Oblivion meets Obsession

#32 – THE MYSTERIOUS LETTER

Above all, now she realized that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world can fight against fate.

It was the same today. She was on the other side of the table. The helplessness and the need for him was hers. She helplessly came back and sat down.

"What are the chances of failure?" She asked hesitantly.

"By other doctors it's 40% and in my hands, 8 to 10%."

"How long will it take for him to heal completely?"

"The internal injuries would be healed through surgery but the stitches take around a few months."

"How complicated is it? How long will it take for him to regain consciousness?"

The concern in her voice for another man made Scott's blood boil and he balled his hand into fist. "It's a complicated procedure and considering everything, we have to put him in a medically induced coma. It would last for a few weeks. He will regain consciousness after that."

"One last question. Yes?"

"Can I trust you? He means everything to me. Why should I believe that you would not hurt him?"

"I have a question too. Will you betray him like you betrayed me? Elope with your boyfriend again?"

"I have a question too. Will you betray him like you betrayed me? Elope with your boyfriend again?"

Myra was shocked at such a question. "What?"

He repeated the same question again with the exact same words. She couldn't help thinking. Wasn't that what she was planning? Wasn't that what she was going to do with him? And Shahmeer also suspected the same? Was he driving in that stress when he met with an accident? Was she responsible for his condition?

She could feel bile rise up to her throat. "I… I need to go." She said and rushed out of there. She went straightaway to Shahmeer and saw his condition. Seeing him like this, attached to tubes and pipes, his breaths on the mercy of a machine… and realizing that she might be the reason for this… killed her.

She remembered how she yelled at him that she didn't want to marry him; How she told him that she had someone else in her heart and always will; and still he kept on loving her hard. She knew the pain he must have felt. She knew the pain when you love someone and they don't love you back. She felt the pain of a heartbreak when Amaan rejected her proposal at first.

"I am sorry Shahmeer. I was being mean and selfish. I am responsible for your condition. Please forgive me."

***

After a few hours, it was time for surgery. "Will everything be fine doctor?" Rajat asked with so much hope.

The Neurosurgeon straightened his mask and said, "of course we will try our best. It's better if you see the formalities once again. I am going to need the signature from the family member on the papers before I start the surgery."

He nodded and left from there.

"Sara?" Scott called.

"Myra." She corrected.

"Myra, I want you to leave from here before the surgery starts." She was shocked at such a demand.

"W...why?"

"Listen… I'm an experienced professional but if I keep seeing you, it will not only disturb my mind but also destroy my focus. That would have a direct impact on the patient. So for the well-being of that patient, I request you to leave from here. After the surgery is over you will be notified."

She looked down and thought for a minute and realised that he was telling the truth. Rajat did not know anything but that does not mean that it was not true. She had hurt him beyond repair and here he was... saving the person she loved, to protect her from that pain.

She nodded. "OK. I will leave.

"Thank you." He said and walked away.

****

She would happily give this up for Shahmeer. She wanted him to heal fast and the only person who could do this was Scott. "I am leaving Scott. I am leaving his life in your hands. Please don't disappoint me." She said to his retreating figure and left from there.

She saw Rajat on the way back. He asked, "where are you going?"

"I can't see him like this." She replied in a low voice

Myra walked out of the hospital. She drove as far as she could from the hospital.

Her phone rang and Sherry's name flashed on the screen. She declined the call because he had been constantly bugging her about coming to the hotel and getting some rest. How could she rest? The moment she closed her eyes, Shahmeer's face flashed in front of them... Making her feel guilty all over again.

She didn't know how these few hours would pass. She kept looking at her phone, waiting for Scott or Rajat to call her and inform about Shahmeer. She didn't remember the last time she was so worried about someone. She stood against the car and kept staring at the setting sun in a lonely place. She was getting so impatient that she thought the time had stopped.

After almost 8 hours, which she spent pacing around the car, sitting on the bonnet, drinking, smoking and sleeping in the backseat, her phone Rang early in the morning.

It was Scott. She quickly received it. "Scott? Is everything okay? Is he okay?"

"No he is not." His flat voice. "I will not let him be."

A shock ran through her veins at those words. "What are you saying Scott? You are a doctor. It is your duty to save a patient!" She said loudly.

"Did you really think after what you did to me, I am going to let you have a peaceful life in the arms of this man?" His words felt like a heavy stone had crashed on her chest.

"No!" It came out a choked Whisper. "What do you mean?"

"It means he will never be okay. He will never recognise you, never get up from that pain or leave that bed. There is a nerve connecting the brain and the whole body. I mistakenly slit that and now the brain has no control over the body. He is nothing more than a breathing corpse."

"No! You are mad!" She yelled. "You had a problem with me! I betrayed you. He should not have the punishment for my crimes."

"Why Myra? If I can have the punishment for your crimes, why can't he?"

"I got one chance to take my revenge. After 1 whole year. Did you really think that I would let it go that easily?"

"No don't do this Scott. Don't do this!" She was screaming. The surgery is done. You can take his Corpse to your home and keep it there or you can keep it at the hospital whatever you wish and you can also end his pain and helplessness by Euthanasia." And he hung up.

"Why did you do this to me? I will not let Shahmeer pay for my mistakes." She slid in the front seat and drove like a maniac to the Hospital. 'He cannot do this to Shameer. His family needs him. His Nani would die without him and so many more things.'

She had already asked Sherry not to come to the hospital because of this. She could not tell him the reason but he accepted.

She ran inside towards the OT and saw Scott walk outside with a victorious smirk on his face. She started talking to Rajat. She did not care. She angrily walked to him and grabbed his collar. "Why did you do this? You killed him Didn't you! I never thought you could be so wicked, so Evil!"

Rajat was shocked at her attitude and he strongly pulled her back holding her arms and said, "Myra stop. The operation was successful. The Doctor saved Boss." He said restraining her.

She shook her head. "No! I don't believe him. I don't believe you!" She still yelled.

"Fine. We will call another doctor to check okay." He rubbed her back as she was choking because of all the crying. "Please come down."

She turned to Scott and said, "I will kill you if anything wrong happens to him."

Another doctor came and examined Shahmeer and said the same thing as Scott. The operation was successful and he will come out of coma within two weeks." She could feel the life returning to her body.

"You heard that? Boss is all right. I never expected you to react this way. Now please go and apologize to Dr. Gardiner. It's all because of him. You are always so sensible and -"

Before he could complete, she hugged him tight and cried out loud. He could not understand the reason for her outburst but he could understand one thing. She cared for Shahmeer as much as he did. He did not move and let her cry.

A person can fake a smile for anybody. He can smile genuinely for many people but it takes a very special person to make them cry. Shahmeer had that place in her life and there was no going back.

The more she ran from her feelings the more they chased her and she was too tired to fight when they caught up. She wiped her tears and then looked at Shahmeer. When she realised her position, she quickly Departed from Rajat and walked out of there. She went straight to Scott's cabin and saw him leaning back in the chair sitting comfortably.

She angrily walked to him and asked, "what the hell do you think of yourself?"

"I just wanted to make you feel what I felt. When you love someone and they leave without the reason, this is how it feels."

She could feel the sharp pain of his words returning. She slumped in the chair. "I won't lie that I was helpless or I didn't have another choice. I chose to betray you but along with this truth, there is one more truth. That I am guilty. Your tears, your pain was always heavy on my conscience. I had Sleepless nights for months because your words kept ringing in my head. And today by avenging me, you freed me from that. Scott if it matters even a little bit to you then I am sorry. I had no right to do what I did with you. And thank you for not doing with Shahmeer what you could have done. I am tired. I'm tired of running away from my feelings. He matters a lot to me and I admit this to you and myself." She said with a sigh putting her hands and her head on the desk.

He was silent till now. He walked to her and asked with so many emotions in his eyes, "don't I deserve closure? Don't I deserve to know what I did wrong? Please tell me only the truth. Only that can be my healing. Only that can ease my pain." There was begging and pleading in his tone.

'Should I tell him? No way. I would be sacked and vanished.'

"You want to hear the truth?"

"Yes."

"Scott the truth is, I was there to know the truth. Some keepers of peace suspected that you were behind the cause of the pandemic in Mexico. I was sent to investigate the whole story and find out if you are the culprit or not. It was a mission."

His eyes widened at the new found information but again she was telling the truth now or before?

"Scott I understand it is hard to believe but I can't give away more than this. It's up to you to believe me or not. You gave me the biggest gift of my life. I want to move on. I want to forget this. I want to wash the stain on my conscience. Please forgive me. I remember you once told me that you have mastered the art of letting go. To forgive the clients, the patients, the family members and everyone else who misbehaves with you because your profession is healing. So everything about you should be healing. your smile, your words and even your attitude."

A Weak smile came upon his lips as she reminded him of the good old days. "Ok my dear I forgive you. Go start your life afresh and be happy. I will try to forget you too. And I pray that I never come across you again."

"Thank you so much Scott."

They Smiled at each other, looked into each other's eyes and then turned away like familiar strangers. This was the end of a huge chapter for both of them.

***