"When the one you love is hurting, all you can do is whisper prayers into the sky."
After Durga Puja, the world was still glowing, but something about Ruhan felt off.
His messages became short. Delayed. His voice calls? Cancelled.
And when they did talk, he sounded… tired.
"Bas thoda weak feel kar raha hoon. Nothing serious," he said.
But she knew.
The boy who once texted her in the middle of classes now wasn't even saying goodnight.
Something was wrong.
📱 The Message That Froze Her Blood
That day felt ordinary—until 4:07 PM.
A single message lit up her screen:
Ruhan:
"I'm in the hospital."
She froze.
Read it twice.
Thrice.
And then her fingers trembled as she typed:
"WHAT? WHY?? WHAT HAPPENED?"
No reply.
Her chest tightened.
Breathing felt like trying to inhale through tears.
"Please reply Ruhan please please please what happened to you?"
Still nothing.
She cried on the floor.
No noise. Just the silent ache of not being able to do anything.
🏥 Diagnosis: Fear + Jaundice + Liver Infection
An hour later, he replied with a photo of a hospital wristband.
"They said jaundice. Liver infection. I was vomiting too much."
Her hands flew to her mouth. She couldn't stop crying.
Her boy. Her Ruhan. In a hospital bed.
And she wasn't even allowed to be near him.
🙏 Prayers Replaced Calls
For the next two days, she didn't hear his voice.
No video calls.
No cute sleepy selfies.
Just updates like:
"They took blood again."
"Doctor said I need full rest."
"Can't eat anything spicy 😑."
And every night, she stared at the ceiling, whispering the same thing:
"Please don't take him away from me."
She even folded her hands at the temple near her house.
"Durga Ma, you gave me this love. Don't take him back."
She talked to his contact name in her phone like he was listening.
"Get well soon, okay? We still have so many stalls to eat at. And I haven't stolen your hoodie yet."
🌅 The Message That Brought the Light Back
On the third day, at 6:33 AM, her phone buzzed.
Ruhan:
"I'm back home."
She burst into tears—again. But this time, happy ones.
He even sent a pic: messy hair, IV mark on his arm, sleepy eyes—but that same smile.
"I missed you," he texted.
"I prayed so hard," she replied.
"I would've fought Yamraj for you if I had to."
"I think you did. He returned me in 3 days. Must've been scared of your chappals."
They laughed.
They cried.
And though they were still apart…
They had never felt closer.
Sometimes love isn't about dates or kisses.
Sometimes it's about praying harder than you've ever prayed.
Loving from a distance.
And waiting—breath by breath—for that one message that says:
"I'm okay now."