Family of Shaows

[sexonmind]

Chapter 17 part 4

Ratna Kumar introduced Aruna to Santhi, a lawyer specializing in domestic violence cases. As they settled into Santhi’s office, she leaned forward and said, “These cases tend to take time, Aruna. The legal process can be slow, but our priority right now is securing Venu’s bail. We’ll focus on building his defense once he’s out.”

Just then, Aruna’s phone rang. She glanced at the screen—it was Vani. Excusing herself, she stepped outside to take the call.

“Vani, I’m in the middle of something important. Can we talk later?”

Vani’s voice was tense. “Aruna, it’s Bhaskar. His health has deteriorated. The doctors here say both his kidneys are in critical condition. He might need a transplant in the future. We need to bring him to Hyderabad immediately.”

Aruna’s heart clenched. First, Venu’s legal troubles, and now this. “Bring him here right away, Vani. I’ll make arrangements.”

After ending the call, Aruna took a deep breath to compose herself before stepping back into Santhi’s office. “Santhi, I trust you to do everything possible to secure Venu’s bail. I need to leave—I have another urgent matter to attend to.”

Santhi gave her a reassuring nod. “Don’t worry, Aruna. I’ll handle the legal proceedings and update you as soon as there’s any progress.”

The next day, as Aruna was waiting for updates on Venu’s bail, she received a call from Vani. Her voice was shaky as she said, “Aruna, We’re bringing Bhaskar to Hyderabad. Please help.”

Without hesitation, Aruna told her to bring Bhaskar to Dr. Prakash’s hospital immediately. A few hours later, Aruna arrived at the hospital just as Vani helped a weak and exhausted Bhaskar out of the car. His face was pale, and he looked severely drained.

Dr. Prakash met them after reviewing the test results and said “The nephrology department has confirmed that both his kidneys are severely damaged. For now, dialysis and medication will help, but in the long run, he will need a transplant.”

Vani’s hands trembled as she clutched Aruna’s arm. Tears welled up in her eyes. “A transplant…? What are we going to do, Aruna?”

Aruna took a deep breath, steadying herself. She knew the days ahead were going to be difficult, but she was determined to stand by her sister through it all.

That evening, Vani sat beside Bhaskar’s hospital bed, her eyes filled with guilt and regret. Aruna found her staring at him, lost in thought, her hands clenched into fists.

"This is all my fault," Vani whispered, her voice barely audible.

Aruna placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Vani, don’t do this to yourself."

Vani shook her head, her eyes welling up with tears. "I got so entangled in my lies and affairs that I didn’t even notice him," she said. "His late working hours, his undisciplined food habits, his irregular sleep patterns—I ignored everything. If I had been paying attention, maybe things wouldn’t have gotten this bad."

Aruna gently turned Vani toward her, looking into her tearful eyes. "Vani, blaming yourself won’t help him now," she said firmly. "What matters is what you do from here. He needs you. This is the time to take care of him, not punish yourself with guilt."

Vani took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "But how do I fix this, Aruna?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"By being there for him," Aruna said. "By making sure he gets the care he needs. That’s what matters now."

Vani wiped her tears, nodding slowly. "You’re right," she said. "I have to be strong for him."

Aruna squeezed her hand. "And you’re not alone in this. We’ll get through it together."

The next morning, Aruna visited Dr. Prakash at his hospital, her mind preoccupied with Bhaskar’s condition. As soon as she stepped into his office, he greeted her with a reassuring smile.

"Doctor, I wanted to ask about potential kidney donors for Bhaskar," she said, anxiety evident in her voice.

Dr. Prakash leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "We've already found a perfect donor," he said.

Aruna's eyes widened in surprise. "Who is it?" she asked, almost afraid to hope.

Dr. Prakash held her gaze for a moment before answering. "It’s your mother, Sunanda."

Aruna stared at him, speechless. "What?!" she finally managed to say. "My mother?"

He nodded. "Yes. I mentioned Bhaskar’s condition to her, and she immediately volunteered to get tested. As luck would have it, she’s a perfect match."

Aruna was overwhelmed. "This is unbelievable, Doctor. I never—even in my wildest dreams—expected this."

Dr. Prakash smiled fondly. "That’s the kind of person my friend Nandhu is," he said, his voice tinged with nostalgia. Then, with a small sigh, he added, "Too bad things didn’t work out between us."

Aruna looked at him curiously. "So, she’s with Anand now?"

Dr. Prakash shook his head. "No," he said. "Things didn’t work out between them either."

Aruna absorbed his words in silence, realizing just how much had changed in such a short span of time.

That evening, Aruna and Babu sat on the balcony of their hotel room, the city lights of Hyderabad flickering in the distance. Aruna looked at Babu, her expression heavy with the weight of responsibility.

“I need to move back to Hyderabad,” she said softly. “With Venu in legal trouble and Rachana absent, their business will collapse if no one takes over. And with Bhaskar’s health issues, we need every penny we can make. I have to step in.”

Babu listened quietly, his fingers tracing patterns on the armrest of his chair. He already knew what was coming next.

“We can’t be together until things settle down,” Aruna continued. “Until we get an opportunity to go back to Guntur.” She paused before adding, “You should go back to Amma in the meantime.”

Babu exhaled, shaking his head. “No, Aruna. I understand that your family needs you right now, and I would never stand in the way of that. But if we separate now, we’ll never get back together.”

She looked at him, her heart clenching.

“I’m struggling to establish my own identity,” he admitted. “I can’t live in the shadows anymore, hiding from everyone just to keep our relationship a secret. I won’t do it.”

Aruna wanted to argue, to tell him that this was just temporary, but she saw the resolve in his eyes. He had made up his mind.

Babu leaned forward and kissed her—a slow, lingering goodbye. Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving Aruna alone with the city stretching before her, uncertain of what the future held.

As Aruna sat alone in her room, she found herself thinking about Sunanda—the woman she had hated all her life, the woman she had always blamed for her broken family. For years, she had seen Sunanda as the reason for her father’s divided attention, the cause of her mother’s misery, and the obstacle between her and what she believed was rightfully hers.

But ever since her father passed away, Sunanda had been nothing but kind, gentle, and caring toward her. There was no malice, no power struggle—just quiet understanding and unexpected warmth. When Aruna had learned that her father had entrusted Sunanda with control over all their properties, she had feared the worst. She had prepared herself for a battle, crafted schemes to take back what she believed belonged to her and her sister.

Yet, in the end, there was no battle. Sunanda had handed them their share without hesitation. Not only that, but she had given away her own share as well, expecting nothing in return. And after that, when the papers were signed, Aruna had turned her back on her, choosing to ignore her existence completely.

And yet, the moment she found out Vani needed help, Sunanda had come running—without being asked, without expecting anything. Not only had she come, but she had offered a part of herself, something no amount of money could buy. A mother’s sacrifice. A mother’s love.

And what had Aruna given her in return? Games, manipulation, greed. Because of her hunger for property and money, Sunanda had lost the one person who mattered most—her son. She had lost the chance at a new life, at love, at happiness.

For the first time in her life, Aruna felt something unfamiliar when she thought of Sunanda. It wasn’t anger or resentment.

It was guilt.

As Aruna reflected on her own life, she couldn't help but feel that karma had finally caught up with her. She had spent years scheming, manipulating, and chasing after things she thought would bring her happiness—power, wealth, control. But now, when she looked around, all she saw was chaos and suffering.

Her brother, Venu, was arrested for something that wasn’t entirely his fault. Her sister, Vani, was drowning in guilt, fighting to bring her husband back to health, burdened by regrets she could never undo. And she herself… she had lost the only man she had ever truly loved.

It may have been a forbidden relationship, one that defied all norms, but it was real. With Babu, she had felt something she never had before—true happiness, the feeling of being alive. For the first time, she had experienced love that wasn’t about power or advantage, but about companionship, passion, and a bond that ran deeper than reason.

She had tasted that love, even if only for a fleeting moment. But in the end, was it worth it?

As she sat there, alone in the silence of her room, she wasn’t sure if she had an answer.

THE END