Chapter 31

Bloomie

@bloomie

Part 31 [MEMBERSONLY][NOCOPY]

Riya: aap sach mein smile karte hue aur bhi ache lagte hai

Arjun raised his eyebrow: line maar rahi ho?

Riya pretends to think: uh….. shayad

Arjun: Riya!

She laughs making him shake his head in disbelief. They were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. The nurse entered with a trolley………………………..

Nurse: lunch

Riya nods. Arjun helps Riya sit straight, adjusting the pillow behind her. The nurse put a table on the bed and served the two of them.

Riya: sister, bimar main hu, aap inko khichdi kyun de rahi hai?

Nurse: jo khaana patient ko milta hai wahi relative ko bhi, rule hai hospital ka. Dusra khaana patient ne kha liya toh?

Riya: lekin…

Arjun: it’s ok Riya, khichdi hai zehar nahi, aur thode time ke liye kaafi zehar ho gaye hai don’t you think?

She lowered her gaze. Arjun gestures to the nurse. She leaves. They start eating, talking about random things. The nurse arrives a while later to clean up. Arjun notices Riya’s eyes drooping. A tiredness had returned to her face.

Arjun: tumhe aaram ki zaroorat hai Riya

He helped her lie down and covered her with the blanket.

Arjun: main chalta hun

He stands up and turns to leave. Remembering something, he stops.

Arjun: Riya

Riya: ha?

Arjun: woh… uh, kisi ko batana mat ki main aaya tha

She smiled. Although she was tired, mischief re-appeared on her face.

Riya: aap chinta mat kijiye sir, main aapka mukhota utarne nahi dungi

Arjun rolled his eyes: bye!

Riya: ek baat puchu?

Arjun(walking): nahi

Riya: do puchu?

Arjun: nahi

He stopped to turn the door knob mv “nahi Arjun go! Palat kar mat dekhna (another voice spoke to him) aise niraash karke jaoge?” Grumbling to himself, he turned.

She was looking straight at him. He could easily read the longing in her eyes. Sighing, he goes back to her.

Arjun: bolo

Riya: aap sab mujhse kya chupa rahe hai?

Arjun is taken aback at the question. There was no way that he was expecting that. He felt tongue-tied for a few moments. How did she know?

How would she not? All of them had been acting weird right in front of her. Chotu running away on hearing food. The doctor being cut off on the news. Rathore cooking up an imaginary case. Him snatching the remote from her hands.

Taking her hand in his, he sat on the chair.

Arjun gazed into her eyes: bharosa karti ho hum par? (she nods) toh bas bharosa rakho, hum tumhe chot nahi pahunchne denge

Her lips curved into a smile as their eyes locked with each other. Arjun felt himself getting entranced. Goddamn! Why were they so captivating?

He covers her eyes with the other palm: aise mat dekho, sab doob jaayenge

She giggled: aapko toh tairna aata hoga na?

Arjun: aata toh hai (removing his palm) par shayad… bhulne laga hun

She looks at him in surprise breaking his trance. Arjun looked away.

Arjun: so jao

He stands up but she tugs at his hand, not letting him go.

Riya: Arjun sir? (he turns) meri aankh lage tab tak please yahi baithenge, mere paas?

Arjun almost gasped seeing the expectation in her eyes. Unable to refuse, he sits down again. She closes her eyes peacefully. He sat there, waiting patiently till she was in deep sleep.

Arjun called her once to make sure: Riya?

She didn’t respond. He softly placed her hand back on the bed. After stroking her head once, he silently left the room.

ETF Office-

Rathore, Shree and Chotu were in a discussion when the door of the conference room opened. All eyes turned to Arjun. One of them glared at him. There was absolute fury in them.

Arjun mv “Shit! Is gadhe ke baare mein toh bhul hi gaya tha…. case, oh no!”

Rathore jumped to his feet throwing his chair behind to crash into the table. The juniors flinched.

Rathore: KAHA THE TUM?!!?

But Arjun was Arjun. He never admitted his plans let alone his mistakes.

Rathore: MAINE TUMSE KUCH PUCHA RAWTE, KAHA THE TUM?!?!

Arjun tried to bypass him. Rathore stepped to the side, blocking him. Shree and Chotu’s gaze oscillated between the two ACP’s. This was probably going to get ugly.

Rathore: Phone Kaha Hai Tumhara?!

Arjun was actually confused by that. However, maintaining his poker-face, he fishes it out from his pocket. It was only then that he remembered that he switched it off on the way to the hospital because Rathore had been calling him. He switched it back on only to find 34 missed calls in it. He shoved it back in his pocket.

Arjun(calmly): tumhe case solve nahi karna Rathore?

Rathore gritted his teeth: Don’t get smart with me Rawte! Aur kaunse case ki baat kar rahe ho tum? Woh Jise Tum Preliminary Investigation KE BEECH CHODKAR GAYAB HO GAYE?!?

Arjun: mujhe kaam tha

Rathore: acha kya kaam tha?

Arjun glared at him: personal tha SIR!

He moved to sit on his seat. Rathore seethed in anger. He was going to blast on him when Chotu’s phone pinged. The glares turned to him.

Chotu gulped in fear: woh... woh admi ka pata chal gaya jise paise diye gaye the use maarne ke liye

Still fuming in anger, he commands that they leave to arrest him. The team wrapped up the case by evening. Barring Arjun, the other three leave together to meet Riya.

Days passed on, Riya was slowly getting better with treatment. It has become a ritual now. Arjun spent all the lunch times with her. The others had no idea where he kept disappearing in those two hours and Rathore could do nothing since it was officially break from duty time. He along with Shree and Chotu would meet her in the evenings. Even if someday he could not make it, the other two always were by her bedside.

A month passed when she was finally not able to take it anymore.

Riya covered her ears: Nahi!!!!!!!!

She screamed dramatically when the nurse put her lunch in front of her. Arjun looked on in amusement.

Riya: bas karo please… maine tumhara kya bigada hai? kyun itna atyachaar kar raho ho tum log mujh par? Ek mahine se subah shaam bas yahi khichdi kha rahi hun main, ab main aur nahi seh sakti please…

Nurse: main kuch nahi kar sakti, I’m sorry. Ek aur mahina aapko sirf khichdi hi milegi.

Riya: sorry? Is hospital mein aap logon ko treat karte hai ya fir aur bimar?

Arjun: Riya bas karo, kha lo chalo

Riya: nahi sir, main aur khichdi nahi kha sakti, main mar jaungi

Arjun(sharply): Riya!

Riya: sach mein sir please (turning to the nurse) please daya karo mujh par, agar khichdi khaani hi hai toh kam se dal toh change karo, moong dal ki bhi khichdi banti hai, kuch nahi toh dal khichdi bana do ye ek hi chane ki dal ki khichdi kyun thop rahe ho? kam se kam variety toh do

Arjun: Riya tumhari tabiyat abhi tak theek nahi hui (gesturing the nurse to leave) ab chalo, jo hai woh kha lo

Riya frowns: Arjun sir!!!

Arjun: khao Riya

She looked sadly at the plate in front of her. Shaking his head, Arjun took the spoon himself and put it in front of her mouth. She whined.

Arjun: kuch nahi hota, good girl ho na tum? Chalo muh kholo

Riya: Arjun sirrrrrr!!!

Arjun(firmly): khao Riya!

Whimpering and pouting, she ate the entire thing with contempt in her heart. He made her sleep after the lunch and went back to office still in her thoughts mv “bichari bore ho gayi hai bahot…. Kuch toh karna padega”

That night, instead of going straight into his room, Arjun stepped down in the basement of the lodge where the kitchen was. His eyes darted around scanning the place. It looked like there had been a food fight down there not to mention the flies around the place. Nope! Won’t do and definitely not for her.

Early next morning, he skipped a portion of his workout and went to the market to get a few groceries and put them in the dickey of his car.  

They were in the midst of discussing a case in the conference room. Using his phone under the table, Arjun played his ringtone. He pretended to remove his phone from the pocket. 

Arjun: hello?…… aata hun (putting the phone back) informer se milne jaa raha hun

Before Rathore could respond, Arjun left the office. Rathore scratched his chin in suspicion. He looked at the watch. It was soon going to be lunch time. Was it a coincidence? He was tempted to ask Shree to trace Arjun’s phone but then gets distracted due to new information.

Arjun on the other hand, drove to his home.

Hospital-

Riya was reading a book. She glanced at the time. Arjun would be arriving soon. And with him, would arrive the hospital special khichdi. Even the name was now irritating her. She was missing her favourite terribly. And here she was lying on a hospital bed, not even fated for regular food.

The door opened breaking her thoughts. She smiled on seeing Arjun. To her surprise, that day he had something in his hand.

Riya: bag mein kya hai?

Arjun: itni bhi kya jaldi hai? batata hun

He placed the table on her bed and put the bag on it. Sitting in his chair, he removed a tiffin from it. Her eyes widened in surprise.

She squealed in delight: khaana?!?!

Arjun: sh! Dheere

Riya: lekin… andar kaise laane diya aapko?

Arjun: entrance par ID dikhayi aur tumhari nurse ko 2000 ka note

Her socks twisted in a knot: aapne rishwat di?!

Arjun: well, main use entry fee kahunga… rishwat dena buri baat hai, samjhi ya samjhau?

She held his arm: thank you!!!!

Arjun smiled: itni jaldi thank you mat bolo, hai toh khichdi hi, bas variety hai aur woh bhi sirf ek din

Riya flashed her dimples: chalega, aap lekar aaye wahi bahot hai mere liye

He opened the tiffin. She closed her eyes as the aroma of the lahsun tadka filled her senses. The dal khichdi looked perfect with the dash of tomatoes and onions topped with coriander. He separated the two bowls, one for each of them. Dipping the spoon in the steaming khichdi, he offered it to her.

She readily ate from his hand. Closing her eyes in pure bliss and satisfaction, she dropped her head behind.

Arjun: kya hua?

Riya sniffed: mere taste buds abhi bhi kaam kar rahe hai

Arjun chuckled: chalo thandi ho jaaye usse pehle kha lo

She nodded vigorously. Riya grabbed the spoon and dug into the bowl. Arjun looked on in surprise. She was more ravenous than Chotu in the moment. It didn’t look like she was interested in talking at all that day. He shook his head and concentrated on his bowl.

Arjun closed everything after they were done and replaced the table at its designated place.

Riya: saalon baad aisa khaana kha rahi hu, mujhe toh mumma papa ke khaane ki yaad aa gayi, aap kaha se lekar aaye?

Arjun: ghar se

Riya: ghar se matlab? Kisne banayi?

Arjun: maine

Riya’s stunned. She stares at him in disbelief. Arjun opened his mouth to ask something when he saw tears engulfing her eyes. He took her hand in his.

Arjun: Riya kya…

She threw her arms around him stupefying him for a moment. He felt her hold tighten around his neck and wrapped his arms around her waist. A tear dropped on his skin……………………..

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