Page 17 of Mrs. Rathore

Mr. Rathore had promised to arrange the best medical care for my mother, and to enroll my little brother in a prestigious school. I had to believe he'd keep his word. That was all I had now - hope.

“Hey, how are you feeling, Mrs. Rathore?”

Noor appeared with a faint, sad smile and pulled me into a gentle hug.

“I’m going to miss you so much at dance class,” she whispered. “I don’t even know if I can do Kathak without you.”

“Please… don’t remind me,” I whispered, turning my face away, trying to keep the tears from falling.

I hated crying. Hated it with everything in me. Tears didn’t fix things. They didn’t comfort. They didn’t heal.

They only made you feel weaker.

And I was not weak.

“Where’s Kavya?” I asked, switching topics quickly.

Noor glanced to the side. “Uh, she’s… there.”

I followed her gaze and there she was.

“Oh God.”

Kavya was laughing as Saurav ran his fingers down her neck. He was the same wing commander who had a girlfriend.

“What the hell is she doing?” I hissed. “I told you to keep an eye on her!”

“I’m not her babysitter, Avni,” Noor said with a shrug. “She’s a grown woman. She knows what she’s doing.”

“He told her he has a girlfriend!” I snapped.

“Saurav Bhai doesn’t have a girlfriend. Who told you that?” Rhea chimed in cheerfully, and both Noor and I turned toward her, stunned. “Actually, he’s a playboy. Breaks hearts for sport.”

“Stop her. Now!”

Noor hurried over, dragged Kavya away from Saurav, and guided her to me.

Kavya knelt down dramatically beside my wheelchair, still smiling.

“You’re leaving us!” she sighed. “You were like a candle… burning yourself to give us light. Now who’s going to burn for us?”

“Done with the drama?” I gritted out.

She giggled and hugged me tight. “I’m gonna miss you so, so much. You were like my sister. We were sisters.”

I closed my eyes, inhaling her familiar scent—memories dancing through me. Kavya and Noor were my constants. My roots. We ate together, played together, and danced together. I couldn’t imagine a life without them.

“Avni…”

The voice cracked my soul. I looked up and saw my father. His face was crumpled, heartbreak etched into every line.

And just like that, everything I’d been holding back came crashing down.

I hadn’t said goodbye. Not to him. Not to my brother.

My parents were my strength.

My weakness.

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