Apulki Chapter 20 - The Day Everything Shifted
- Hansa
- May 26
- 5 min read
Recap Chapter 19: Yamini spirals over Sunil Waghmare’s engagement, drowning in heartbreak, whisky, and regrettable messages, while Isha’s carefully planned dinner goes hilariously wrong when she discovers her vegetarian mother-in-law has been served a full non-veg feast.
The Smile That Finally Stayed
Isha sat on the bed, her sketchbook open in front of her, pencil moving without purpose. A half-formed doodle stared back at her. She sighed and shaded a corner that didn’t need shading.
Yamini, on the other hand, was having a far more productive evening. She was flipping through her new portfolio with the kind of admiration usually reserved for newborn babies and freshly manicured nails.
“She must hate me,” Isha muttered, not looking up. “Imagine not being able to eat on your own birthday.”
“Yeah,” said Yamini, tilting her head at a photograph. “Her son is an awesome cook and her daughter-in-law can’t even get the menu right.”
The pillow flew before Yamini could duck.
“You’re supposed to console me,” Isha snapped.
“I am,” Yamini said calmly, tossing the pillow aside. “But you should be happy. You’ve made a bad impression on your mother-in-law. So now she’ll persuade Neer to call off the wedding.” She paused for effect. “Isn’t that what you want?”
Isha’s hand stilled on the page.
No, I don’t.
I want to marry him.
“You said something?” Yamini asked, glancing at her.
Isha shook her head.
Only a foolish girl would say no to such a lovely family... and to a man who loved her the way Neerav did.
A happy smile touched her lips. She shut her sketchbook, switched off the bedside lamp, and lay back… thinking again of how Neerav had cupped her face and told her he loved her.
In Search of Marksheets and Other Life-Changing Documents
The next day, the doorbell rang just as Yamini was stuffing a costume into her bag.
She opened the door to find Neerav standing there.
“Oh, hi Neer.”
“I need Ishu’s marksheets,” he said, stepping in.
“Marksheets?” Yamini echoed.
“Yeah, she needs copies of her high school and class twelve marksheets. For the job she’s applied for.”
“Check the drawers,” Yamini said, slipping into her shoes. “I’m getting late.”
Neerav watched her for a second. “You got a date with Akash?”
“No silly,” she shot back. “I’m getting late for my rehearsals.”
She disappeared into the bedroom and came back moments later with another costume, which she unceremoniously shoved into her already overstuffed bag.
Neerav had opened the top drawer and was rummaging through it. Something warm flickered through him. This flat had always felt like his own home. Safe. Familiar. Khud ka ghar.
“You like Akash?” he asked casually.
“Of course I do,” Yamini said, adjusting her dupatta. “You don’t?”
The Slip That Said Too Much
Neerav closed the first drawer and pulled open the second.
And then he paused.
His name.
It was written clearly on a set of papers lying inside.
He pulled the papers out and scanned the page.
His fingers tightened slightly.
“Yammu… have you seen this?”
Yamini glanced at him, then at the paper in his hand.
“Oh yeah. Your medical report.”
Neerav lifted his gaze. “What’s it doing here?”
Yamini pointed at it casually.
“That’s the reason why she said yes.”
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
She bit her lip.
Too late.
Neerav didn’t speak.
Not immediately.
“Why she said yes?” he asked finally, his voice quieter than usual. “To marry me?”
Yamini stared at the floor.
Then nodded.
He rattled the papers slightly, as if they might rearrange themselves into something less… devastating.
“Because of this?”
“Maybe you should be asking Ishu these questions,” Yamini replied.
He sank into the dining chair as if someone had pulled the ground out from under him.
“You okay?” she asked, moving closer.
She hugged him.
“Everything will be alright. Just wait and see.”
“Hmm… I s’pose…” he murmured, though he didn’t look convinced.
Yamini lingered, unsure.
“You go,” he said after a moment. “You’re getting late. I’m fine.”
She gave him one last hug and left.
Neerav didn’t move.
He just sat there… staring at the report in his hand.
When Life’s Turned Upside Down
Later, in his room, Neerav sat on the edge of the bed, his phone in his hand.
On the screen was a picture. He's down on one knee. Holding Isha’s hand.
He stared at it.
The reason why she said yes.
The words echoed again.
His jaw tightened.
A little while later, his room looked like it had been hit by a storm.
Drawers hung open.
Papers lay scattered everywhere.
Neerav stood in the middle of it all, holding two sheets in his hands.
One – the medical report he had just found.
The other – a fax.
He looked at one.
Then the other.
Then back again.
“I don’t understand,” he muttered.
Frowning, he shoved both into his pocket and grabbed his phone.
The Diagnosis Nobody Ordered
The doctor shook his hand warmly and gestured for him to sit.
“So what brings you here today, young man?”
Neerav cleared his throat. His palms felt slightly damp.
“Don’t you think my treatment should start soon?”
“Treatment?” The doctor looked puzzled. “What treatment?”
“Haven’t you seen my report?”
“Yes, I have…” the doctor said, turning to his computer. He typed a few keys and studied the screen. “And I’m looking at it again… I have never seen a better report in my life.”
Neerav blinked. “Then what’s this?”
He handed over the folded sheet.
The doctor frowned.
“There must be a mistake.”
More typing.
A pause.
Then – “Ahh! Got it.”
He tapped the paper.
“This, young man, is Mr. N.K. Banerjee… aka Mr. Narendra Kumar Banerjee’s report.” He looked up. “Not Mr. Neerav Kumar Banerjee’s.”
Neerav stared at him.
“So I don’t have cardiomyopathy?”
“No, you don’t,” the doctor said, smiling. “You’re horribly healthy, Neerav.”
Neerav let out a breath that he hadn’t realised he’d been holding.
“Whew!”
He broke into a relieved smile, shook the doctor’s hand, and practically floated out of the room.
Dinner at Eight
As he walked down the hospital corridor, he dialled a number.
At the cane furniture shop, Isha’s phone began to ring.
She glanced at the screen and answered.
“Yeah, what happened?”
“Let’s go out for dinner tonight,” Neerav said.
“What’s the occasion?”
“I’m your fiancé. I need an occasion to take you out?”
“No,” Isha said, a smile creeping in, “but we do have a reason to celebrate.”
“We do?”
“Today’s the anniversary of our first meeting.”
“It is?”
“Yupp,” she said. “I’ll pick you up at eight.”
“Eight it is.”
He ended the call.
For a moment, he just stood there, phone still in his hand.
Then his gaze dropped.
To the engagement ring on his finger.
And stayed there.
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Missed a chapter? Click on the links below:
Chapter 10 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-10
Chapter 11 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-11
Chapter 12 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-12
Chapter 13 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-13
Chapter 14 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-14
Chapter 15 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-15
Chapter 16 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-16
Chapter 17 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-17
Chapter 18 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-18
Chapter 19 - https://www.hansawriter.com/post/apulki-chapter-19
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Thats the reason she said yes
Woahh she said it si casually, btw if i remember right yam and neer's 2nd or 3rd convo this is, one i remember was butter filled yok cooking one.
Anyway im glad to see this confusion and dilemma will come to an end, ishu will get to openly cherish this moments without any doubts.
Mixed up report ? I didnt like this turn. Am i being sicko in wishing that neer had cardioempathy..or whats it? Whatever that disease. I just have seen this trope often so its not i enjoy much
Nice chapter
Finally we got clousure to this arc
Btw what happened to the drunk texting arc?
Waiting for the next chapter
Ha suspense gone finally
Looking back at past chapters I felt kuch toh gadbad hai
Mix up of reports. Ha ha .that's funny
Reminded me of the time my hospital in discharge summary declared me dead. Date of discharge ki jagah date of death 🤦😂😂😂.
Now i can't stop laughing