"Doctor? Ye sab kya ho raha hai?"

She asked one of the doctor's who came out of the room in a hurry.

"We have a VIP patient."

This pissed her off.

"How can you classify someone's life as VIP or not? Just because wo kisi VIP ya bigshot ki beti hai, her injury is more important than other patients here?"

"Mam, she is also a patient."

"And I am not denying that. Lekin aap level of threat bhi toh dekhiye. She probably just needs a bandage. And she definitely doesn't need 4 doctors and 3 nurses tending to her. Then why is my brother's treatment being stopped?"

She lashed out. The doctor opened his mouth to counter but his expression changed to fear seeing something behind her.

"What's the matter here?"

Akshara turned, hearing a deep, cold voice behind her. She was met with a 6"3 giant who had a sharp jawline and a rugged and handsome face. He was muscular and looked dangerous.

"Aap kaun?"

She asked and the man took a step closer to her.

"The girl receiving bandage is my sister."

Akshara closed her eyes trying to control her anger and asked.

"Aapko nhi lagta ki aapki behen ki chot itni badi bhi nhi hai jiske liye baaki patients ka treatment roka jaaye aur itne doctors or nurses lage?"

She asked sarcastically and he looked at her with a raised eyebrow. The doctor visibly paled hearing her talk with that tone with him.

"You're with a patient here. Who's it?"

"My brother. And his treatment was stopped midway because your sister needed a bandage."

She added. There her brother was writhing in pain and she couldn't do anything about it. The man's eyes darkened at her tone and he looked deep into her eyes. His gaze sent shivers down her spine but she did not break the eye contact.

"Get her brother treated. Immediately!"

He ordered to the doctor who scurried off to her brother's ward. Akshara looked at him shocked and opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to get some words out.

"I-umm-well-thank you."

She whispered and went to her brother's ward.

"See you soon, mi amore!"

Lakshay whispered seeing her leave. She had captured his eye and he was not going to let her go that easily.

Akshara sat on the sofa in the ward and dozed off. Ayush too was asleep due to the medicines being given to him. She just hoped that his results were normal and nothing very serious.

The next morning, she was woken up by the nurse and looked around herself only to realise where she was and got up with a jerk.

"Reports aa gyi kya?"

She asked the nurse who replied in positive and said.

"Doctor aapko cabin mai bula rhe hai."

The statement scared her. Why was he calling her in the cabin? Was it something serious? No! Maybe he just wants to talk.

She calmed herself down unaware of her life was going to turn upside down in a few minutes.

Akshara entered the doctor's cabin after receiving permission and took her seat.

"Report sab normal hai na doctor?"

She asked with a slight break in her voice. Her hands were too sweaty due to nervousness and fear.

"I'm afraid I can't say that. The condition of his kidneys is bad. His right kidney is non-functional. And his left one is deteriorating at a fast pace."

Akshara felt numb. Her worst fears were coming true. He had the condition from their mother. She left them alone. Akshara couldn't lose her brother too. He was the only reason she was living till now. She'd die if something happened to him.

Tears fell down her eyes and she made no effort to wipe them. She had no energy to.

"I have a good news for you though. We have a match for your brother. And seems like God is with you because waiting list mai aapke bhai se pehle kisi se wo kidney match nhi hui. So if we operate soon enough, the chances of your brother surviving are very high."

A hope sparkled in her eyes and she wiped her tears looking at the doctor.

"Yes! Yes please! Aap surgery ki preparation kriye doctor. Please save my brother."

The doctor nodded and wrote something on a paper.

"Aap ye payment receipt le aaiye and we'll start the surgery immediately."

Akshara nodded and ran to the counter. She was waiting for the receipt so that she can make the payment.

When she was handed over the receipt, her eyes widened seeing the amount mentioned.

₹14,50,000

Where will she get such a huge amount from in such a short time?

"Excuse me! Can I-can I make this payment in installments? Mai aapko within an hour 2-3 lakhs jama krwa dungi. Lekin baaki ke amount ke liye thoda time lagega."

She asked the lady sitting on the payment counter.

"Sorry mam. We can't allow that. Ye hospital ki policies ke against hai."

"Please! Please try and understand. Mai-mai puri payment krungi lekin bas abhi, instantly paise nhi hai mere paas. Thoda time lagega arrange krne mai. Lekin tab surgery ho jaane dijiye. My brother - his condition is critical."

She pleaded and the lady seemed to have pity on her because she spoke.

"Agar aap doctor se likhwa laaye toh we can do that. You can try there once."

Akshara nodded and ran to find the doctor.

"Doctor! Ek-ek request hai. Please kya mai kuch payment abhi kr du? Jisse surgery start ho ske aur baaki payment dheere dheere krke-"

"Sorry mam! This is not possible. Ye koi car ki kishte nhi hai. We cannot start the surgery until you make the payment. Ye hospital ki policy ke against hai."

"Lekin wo neeche keh rhe the ki agar aap likh do toh aisa ho skta hai. Please doctor."

"Mam! Mujhe apna license cancel nhi krwana. It is the management's policy and I cannot go against it. Aap payment kriye and I promise I will not waste another moment in your brother's surgery. Lekin usse pehle mai kuch nhi kr skta. You have time till tomorrow noon. Uske baad hum dusre recipient ko approach krenge."

Akshara stood there in the middle of the corridor with the slip in her hand. She didn't know what to do. Where should she get the money from?

She went to see Ayush first. He was awake and looked at her with a serious expression when she arrived.

"It's my kidneys right? I have mumma's condition. I am going to die like she did."

He whispered and she looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"Chup! Pagal! Kuch bhi bolta hai. Nothing's going to happen to you. Your surgery is scheduled for tomorrow. Bilkul thik ho jaayega tu. Aur haan! Iss baar boards hai toh padhna hai achhe se."

She said to lighten the environment and he chuckled.

"Bimar insaan ko bhi padhane ki baat kr rhi ho. Kya yaar didi."

She wiped her tears discreetly and then said.

"Achha tu rest kr. Mai formalities complete krke aati hu haan. Thoda time lag jaayega mujhe. Tera phone yahi pr hai toh call kr dio kuch ho toh. Ok?"

He nodded and she kissed his head before leaving the room. She drove to her home and started contacting everyone she knew could help.

But as they say, real people are recognised in times of distress.

And apparently, Akshara didn't have many real people in her life. Her mother didn't have any siblings. Her father's siblings didn't consider her and Ayush their family anymore. Her friends and colleagues from work were of no help.

Even the FDs she had in the bank were not enough. She could not even collect half the amount. After exhausting everything she knew, she slumped on the floor of her living room and curled herself up in a ball. Slowly tears started falling from her eyes and in the next one minute she was full on sobbing.

She didn't know what to do to save her brother. The only person she had been living for till now. She didn't know for how long she cried. When she finally felt empty of any more tears and got up, her limbs hurt. Her eyes were sore from crying.

She looked at the clock which read that it was 3 pm already. She didn't even have 24 hours to get the money now.

"Mumma! I wish you were here. Aap hote toh sab sahi ho jaata. Pata nhi aap kaise sab manage kr lete the. Mujhse nhi ho raha mumma. I don't know how to save him. Please help me! Help me mumma!"

She cried and some more tears fell from her eyes. She sat in front of the small temple she had in her home and closed her eyes. She just prayed. Prayed for a miracle. A miracle that could save her baby brother.

That was when she received the call.

**************************************

Please do leave your comments.

Also, please vote for the story.������

Laters!!��❤️