0°Celsius: Chapter 27

Beginning of thaw.

Pain.

An emotion better described by feeling than words.

But what he felt was not pain.

It was numbness.

A numbness that froze whatever was left of him.

Froze his brain to even command his body a single action to move.

Froze his body to even move a muscle.

And when he had accepted his fate and predicted his end.

When his whole life had flashbacked in front of his eyes and come to a dead end.

An external force came.

A force that was enough to throw his body away from the zooming car’s path.

As soon as his body landed on the pavement and his hands broke the fall a sound was heard that silenced all the other voices around him.

The sound was enough to end the screeching voice of the car and the honking horns of the cars.

His eyes could only see the cemented grey colour of the pavement in front unaware of the seeping blood of someone else behind his back.

He looked up to see where he was and found worried looking face of his mother in front of him.

He wanted to assure her that he was completely fine.

That he couldn’t feel any pain.

But little did he knew that not all pains are felt by body.

Some can kill you even without a single scratch on your body.

She was standing at a distance from him.

He tried to give her a smile to show her that he was fine but she was not even looking at him.

Her eyes were fixed at something behind him.

Then he remembered.

The external force.

The force of a person.

The force of the one who pushed him to safety.

Gathering enough courage he managed to pull himself and turn around.

What he saw could not be told.

The scene was scarier than the scene of two headlights coming his way.

It was scarier than his own death.

The white dress he was looking for was no longer white.

It was covered with patches of red.

The eyes he searched for desperately just few seconds back were closed on him.

The face he searched for just to get a glimpse of was now turned towards him but it looked lifeless now.

He couldn’t believe what he saw.

No it was a bad dream.

This can’t be.

He needs to wake up from this nightmare.

His view was blocked with his mother’s back who was running to where his eyes were focussed on.

His mother placed her head on her lap and broken-down in sobs.

‘Saph’

Were the words that came out of his mother’s broken sobs and her name was enough to bring him back to his senses.

All the numbness was gone and he found his legs moving towards her on his own.

As soon as his shaking hands touched her unknown tears transferred from his eyes to her face.

The blood on her forehead was flowing like a river which his mother was determined to stop.

Her handkerchief was soaked in blood now and the paleness on her face was getting worse.

Sirens of ambulance could be heard in background.

But now again everything in background was becoming hazy for him.

His hands had her blood

So much blood

The gravel was now dark in colour because of her blood.

His steps halted

He couldn’t gather enough courage to see her like this.

He saw his mother sit in the ambulance but he couldn’t join her.

The door closed and soon the voices of the siren faded away.

He maybe strong for this world but for her.

He was weak.

Weak to even help her when she needed him.

He was repeating history.

History of leaving her whenever she needed him.

But what could he do now.

Was not everything already gone.

Was not her closed eyes and pale face enough.

Was it not enough that she had given away her life for a bas**** like him.

This though was enough to make him slam his fist on the railing.

People looked at him like he was crazy.

But little did they knew that actually he was going crazy.

Crazy dying with her.

Crazy crying for her.

Crazy missing her and for again loosing her.

He was crazy in love with her without a doubt and today he realised he can’t live without her.

His eyes were fixed on the blood coming out of his wound.

How it mixed with her blood and flowed together with saltness of his tears getting mixed with them.

He remembered her telling him once that even though she was not as rare and special like a sapphire but her blood surely was.

When he asked her what she meant she simply smiled and said.

‘it is not compatible with many…it is very rare and special unlike me…I am AB-‘

That day he couldn’t just believe her…he couldn’t believe that she was actually compatible with him.

He still remembers what he replied to her with a kiss on her lips.

‘Mix my blood with yours and then you will know how special we actually are…I am also AB- love…as special as my love.’

It was the first time he felt that maybe nature had also blessed their bond.

Nature had given its approval by making their two bodies one with same blood and soul.

He made his way to the hospital with a new found determination.

I can’t leave her now.

She can’t leave me.

She has to come back now.

As soon as he reached the hospital he found his mother crying outside the operation theatre.

His mother was a very strong women.

He never saw her cry but today…she looked broken and afraid for the first time.

He was surprised to see this transformation.

He always thought she hated his Saph.

Then why was she behaving like this.

As soon as she saw him she engulfed him into a hug.

‘She will be fine…she is a strong girl …she will be fine don’t worry…’

The doctor came out of the room and he looked extremely busy.

As soon as his eyes made contact with Alessandro’s he came up to him.

‘Mr Romano we can’t say much…she has no internal injury and we have treated all her wounds but she has lost large amount of blood.

We did found some compatible samples after searching all the hospitals in the city but we are still short of it….they are not enough as most of them even though of same blood group are not compatible with her..’

‘We need it all costs otherwise it will be-‘

‘You can take mine…I am also AB-‘

The doctor looked taken back and happy at the same time.

‘Oh really! Nurse please take Mr Romano to check his blood compatibility..’

As the nurse showed him the way the doctor again stopped him with a worried look on his face.

‘But Mr Romano your blood may also not be enough-‘

Alessandro stepped towards the doctor and with a new fire burning in his veins he ordered him.

‘I don’t care how much you take from me…but remember that if something happens to my Saph today you won’t see tomorrow’s daylight…’

‘But Sir try to understand we can’t go against the rules…if we exceed the limit your body may be-‘

Next they know Romano was holding the doctor from his collar.

‘Fu** the rules Doctor…I bloody said to take as much blood as she needs…. I don’t care what happens to me!! I want her alive ,do you get it!!!’

The doctor nodded afraid of even uttering a wrong word.

‘Listen to my son doctor ..we want her alive at any cost…she is my daughter.’

No mother can ever see her son harm himself but today Clarissa Romano was not just a mother of Alessandro Romano. She also considered herself to be the mother of the girl who was lying on the bed fighting death that was meant for her son.

Alessandro looked at his mother and she nodded.

‘Yes Alex no one can love you as much as she loves you…no girl can give away her own life for you…go and save my future daughter in law.’

Alessandro smiled and left to save his life…his future wife.

Mrs Sapphire Romano.

The blood transfusion started. Their samples proved to be fully compatible and Romano was made to lay down in the same room as her.

Separated by just a mere curtain.

His eyes were fixed on her closed ones as the needle was pierced in his arm.

He laid there staring at her face as the blood kept leaving his body and entering her system.

Soon her face started getting hazy and his eyes started closing down.

He wanted to see her staring back at him again and in this hope his eyes closed down.

He fainted but this was nothing.

He could give his life for her just like she gave away hers for him.

4 years later……..

Andrea stood on the doorstep of the Romano mansion with a wedding card in her one hand and a little girls hand intervened with her other hand.

She had rung the bell 5 times already and no one was answering.

Getting frustrated with the lack of welcome she dialled his number while looking down at the little girl.

The beautiful little girl gave her a smile and motioned Andrea to hand over the phone to her.

Andrea smiled at how bossy the little one was and handed over the cell.

Once the little girl started talking Andrea bursted in laughter

‘Mr AR this is me ….’

‘Don’t hey princess me Mr… we are standing outside your door ringing bells non stop and you are not opening….I am giving you a warning if yo-‘

The door was opened and the man himself Mr Alessandro Romano stood there with his business suite all wet with bubbles of soap highlighting them.

His hair was all wet but still there was no doubt that he was still the most handsome man in the town.

His grey eyes landed on the smaller grey eyed female version of him who had her arms crossed and was staring at him with anger.

‘Sorry prin-‘

‘Don’t…..first you forget to pick me up from school …then you don’t answer Andrea Auntie’s call and now you don’t even open up the door for us!!I will not talk to you!!’

Andro looked at Andrea for help and she raised her hands in surrender.

‘Alesa I was giving Bryce a bath…please don’t be like this..’

She refused to look at him and made her way inside.

Fragrance of chocolate cookies welcomed her and made her forget all her grudges.

‘Granny!! Cookies!!’

‘Yes Granny made cookies for you….but…I want my gift first….only then you can leave…’

He crouched down at her level.

‘Ehh….but dad you are all wet…’

‘I still want it….’

She kissed his cheek and gave him a hug.

He hugged her back but refused her to let go.

‘Daddy!!!’

She screamed in irritation.

Finally when he left her she screams in annoyance.

‘Ewe daddy now I am all wet!!’

She ran away towards the kitchen complaining about him to her granny.

Andrea and Romano both broke into laughter as their eyes trailed behind the little girl with pink frock and matching pink pins.

When they sobered Andrea placed the invitation card in Alessandro’s hand

‘Finally…I thought I will never see this.’

He said opening the card and taunting Andrea.

Andrea slightly punched his arms in annoyance and both of them smiled.

‘Alex is Saph fine now. I mean what about her attacks. I remember before you guys got married she was on high dosage and all.’

‘When she left me the last time…at the time I was helping her recover I never thought I will find her again and that also fully recovered…the time she stayed away from me she learnt controlling herself and she was successful…still sometimes she feels anxious but it is normal…I calm her down whenever she over reacts or goes into depth of things…see the thing is something like schizomania took time to go away but now it’s almost gone…. sometimes I can’t believe but then maybe I under estimated my Saph’s strengths…she was much more capable than I knew…she is very strong and independent…’

His eyes held admiration for her. Proud to call her his wife.

‘You are a lucky man Alex …Your Saph is actually a real gem.’

He nodded with a smile.

‘By the way why are you all wet… weren’t you supposed to attention the seminar like 20 minutes back?’

‘Don’t ask.’

He sighed running his hand through his wet hair.

‘He is so scared of water that even we both are not enough to get him into the tub…he starts crying every time we go near it..’

‘I guess he got it from his mom….he is just like her…shy , stubborn, brave and loving’

‘Yaa even his eyes are a replica of hers.’

‘Just like Alesa’s eyes are a replica of yours ..and not only that even your personality match…she is also bossy, composed and confident like you.’

‘No please…I am not a replica of that little devil. You know she dipped my Louis Vuitton shoes in water when I refused to take her to the ice-cream parlour!’

‘Don’t you remember what you did yourself when we were kids…I remember once aunty didn’t made you cookies and you threw all the food she made into the dustbin in a fit of anger…I am telling you she will be just like you when she grows up…by the way where is the devil’s mom?’

‘She was in the bathroom bathing Bryce…here she is….’

There she stood with a hundred watt smile on her face.

In her hands was a boy 3 years of age with brown eyes.

He was clinging to his mother even though he was big enough to walk.

He liked being carried around instead of walking.

Her clothes were all wet and the boy had placed his face in the crook of her neck.

As she approached them Andrea engulfed her into a hug and carried Bryce in her arms from her.

Saph sat down next to Alessandro who was already staring at her.

She looked back at him and asked him what happened but he just smiled at her and left them to talk.

‘Congratulations Andrea!!! I am so excited!!! This is the first close marriage I will ever attend!! ‘

‘Well you should be after all you are my one and only sister!! I consider you my little sister and you better take responsibility like one!!

‘Haha well I definitely will and anyways I just love marriages..’

‘Just like you loved yours…’

Andrea joked being sarcastic.

The truth being that Sapphire hated her own marriage.

The reason being that it looked more like a formal affair with media not leaving them alone for one second.

She felt really nervous at all times to not mess things up and this took away her excitement and fun.

Suddenly Sapphire felt something being placed on her head ..she looked up to see it was a towel .

Andro started rubbing her wet hair and this made her heart swell with love and happiness

His actions always melted her heart and she helplessly and madly felt in love with each and everything he did.

Pulling up the towel from her eyes his grey eyes met her brown ones and they stared at each other with love and adoration.

His eyes shifted towards her lips and before he could move closer to seal them she had already done it satiating their never ending desire and love.

‘I love you Andro’

‘Love you more Mrs Sapphire Alessandro Brown.’

He replied but before he could place his lips on her again a small hand was pressed on his lips.

He looked at the intruder to see Alesa placing her other hand similarly on Saph’s lips

‘Where is my and Bryce’s kiss?’

she demanded looking at both of them sternly.

They both lifted her tiny hands from their lips.

‘Do you know Alesa how your mom and dad decided your name?’

Came in granny Clarissa with her hands filled with cookies for both the kids

The girl moved her head in a no.

‘ Ale came from Alessandro and sa came from Sapphire…so you my dear are the most precious gift of your parents.’

‘Really?’

The little one looked shocked on knowing this while Bryce just smiled seeing his sister’s surprise.

He may be small but he was an intelligent one. He already knew this from the day he learned to form words.

The first three words he wrote were his mother’s, fathers and sister’s name.

How couldn’t he find the sequence in them.

But he was always confused as to what did his name meant.

‘But mom what does my name mean?’

Saph pulled him up in her lap and replied.

‘Bryce comes from Bri which means strength…you Bryce are the strength which keeps all of us together…you are our strength my little Bryce.’

He smiled on knowing how much big of a responsibility came with his name.

‘My kissie??’

Alesa tapped her cheeks waiting for their kisses.

Both Sapphire and Alessandro kissed her either cheek.

Blaze was a bit confused as where to kiss. Both of his sisters cheeks were pre occupied by his parents…he got an idea and just simply stood in front of her and placed his lips on her forehead as a symbol of love and protection.

Everyone laughed seeing his actions and clapped with tears of happiness in their eyes.