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The ringing and vibrating of my phone woke me up from my nap. I ignored it twice but something needed my immediate attention because it rang for the third time.

Before taking the phone, I felt the beside me was empty. Ashu wasn't there and the time was 11:30 a.m.

"Hello..." I said in the phone.

"Master?" Mona greeted me in a frantic voice, getting me alarmed at the moment. "Sir... sir has been taken to the hospital. You need to come fast."

Dad!

"What ... what happened?!" I asked, hastily getting off from the bed and taking my shirt.

"He was vomiting out blood and then half-n-hour back he passed out." Mona starts sobbing.

"Mona I'll be going to the hospital now. Talk to you later." I hung up the phone and ran out of the room and went downstairs, taking my car keys from the key holder.

"Ashu!" I searched for her.

"I'm here. In the kitchen." She came out of the kitchen quickly. "What happened?" She came rushing to me, looking worried.

"Its dad! Lets go!" She nodded and we left.

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We parked outside 'Apollo Hospital' and ran inside, Ashna behind me, holding my hands.

The receptionist informed Dad was taken to the ICU in a while ago. We headed down the hall and saw my mom and Parth waiting already.

Ashna rushed to my mom and consoled her. She was crying and Parth was talking to the doctor.

"Parth?" I called out. The doctor and Parth looked at me as I took a few breaths.

Parth looked worried and the doctor was explaining something to him.

"Hey." Parth said.

"Mr. Singhania." The doctor shook my hand.

"Whats the news?" I asked them both. They both looked at me and then at wach other.

Ashna however sensed tension so she came and stood beside me. Giving me support.

"He doesn't have much time left...." my heart started hammering furiously and I felt like blood was draining out of my body. "....we need to act upon it as soon as possible." The doctor spoke. I was being stared upon by 3 pairs of eyes.

Ashu scooped her hands around my waist and gave me a warm squeeze. Tears were welling up in her eyes and so were mine.

She looked at me and sensed something.

Say something.

I can't.

Our eyes communicated with each other as I lost my strength to speak.

She nodded and looked back at the doctor.

"There must be some possible way to save him.?" Ashu asked with hope.

"There is." I looked up to the doctor with a newfound hope. "We can do a lung surgery but there is only 3% chance for him to survive this surgery and if .... he does survive it there are chances for him to become voiceless and may cause breathing problem in future."

The doctor explained the consequences for the surgery. I don't know what to do.

"Give me some time to think." I said and strolled out.

I could hear the doctor speaking to Ashna and Parth, he said, "we can only spare half-n-hour to forty five minutes."

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While I was lost in my deep, troubling thoughts, Ashu came and sat beside me.

She sighed and put her head on my shoulder, entwined our fingers. I stared at our fingers, it fits like a glove. As if, its made gor each other.

"What've you thought?" She asked softly, carressing our fingers with her left hand. It somehow was relaxing. It gave me a sense of comfort and safety. This little gesture felt like an assurance that she will stay with me through thick and thin.

"I don't know." I was so lost that the smart part of my brain stopped functioning.

What should I do? How can I save him? I'm not ready for him to leave. I feel like when I was 10 and dad left for his business trips. I used to cry all night. I was always close to dad, he is the best father one can have.

He was and still is the best husband to my mom. They had their share of fight and misunderstanding but they never lost faith in each other.

I agree my dad couldn't give my mother time when I was a kid but my mom always said he is working for us. He is sacrificing his leisure time for us so that we can stay good all the time. That, this is his way of showing love and care for his family.

I adored my father not because he is a great dad and a great huaband but because he is also a great human being.

This world needs good people like him.

"You've to take a decision. Time is running out." Ashu said.

"What should I do?" A tear escaped from my eyes. See? I am so weak. I hate this. "I can't lose him Ashu."

Tears were brimming in her eyes as she wiped away mine with her thumb.

"I think you should take the chance." She said.

"Are you crazy!" I shot up from my seat immediately, getting furious. "And then what? Let him die purposely?"

Ashna looked shocked for a moment but soon recovered. She stood up and rubbed my arms to calm me down but this time it wasn't working.

"Roy...." her voice was calm and soothing. As if she was talking to a toddler. "If you don't take the chance then he will die, eventually. When we have 3% chance for him to survive then why not take the chance?"

Her voice was so soothing that it helped me calm down slowly. I sat down on the hospital chair and palmed my face.

When I didn't say anything, she continued, "you have a tiny bit of chance to save him, please don't let it go.... I'll leave you alone for a minute to think on it but we don't have much time, the doctors are waiting for your answer." She said and left to go and see my mother.

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While she was gone, leaving me contemplating with my thoughts. I saw a guy walking with medicine in his hands and a bluetooth connected to his ear and he was smiling.

He got dark circles under his eyes and his clothes were ragged and dirty, looks like he hasn't cleaned himself for weeks.

He was rushing somewhere in hurry and talking in phone as well. In bluetooth, I mean. He looked.... happy. Seems like everyone is happy except me.

What a selfish thought!

As the guy was talking excitedly a single tear dropped from my eyes and just then he clashed with a nurse, walking down the corridor.

By instinct, I rose up from my seat and helped the guy pick up his medicines that he was carrying. There were a lot of tablets here and there. I picked up whatever I could see.

He looked at me briefly and said, "thank you." I nodded and stood up. He looked very young, about 18 or 19. But seems like he has grown twice his age.

Maybe, it's life. Some people grow before their age and it's all because of the system our lives work in.

We both started walking away but my eyes caught some pink pills on the floor. I picked it up and turned around to give it to the boy but he was gone already.

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What decision will you take if you were in Roy's place?