Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Sai-less chapter and a lot of Pulkit. In fact, there may be at least 1 or 2 more chapters without Sai.

(previous happenings as per the show till 21/10/07)

flashback 10 years ago (hospital scene).

Sai's surgery was successful after lots of ups and downs and even to a point, that the surgeons almost lost her during the surgery. Was it luck, God, Science or just the expertise of the neurosurgeons, that they were able to revive her after consistent efforts? However, not all was over until she had gained consciousness. After the surgery, she was promptly moved to the Intensive Care Unit and kept under strict observation for the next 48 hours. It was critical that she gains consciousness within that time frame or she could slip into a coma. Meanwhile, Dr Pulkit who was the sole confidante of all of Sai's plight in Chavan Niwaas entered the resting wing of the hospital, specially designed for patients' families and friends who either came to visit or stayed back with them, after consulting with the surgeons. He was not surprised to see certain members of the Chavan clan there and instantly felt intense loathing towards them, however, he too, could not deny that some of them also had a genuine love for Sai and so he decided to inform them about the surgery and other details of Sai’s current medical status. One look at Pulkit and everyone hurriedly rushed to him and gave him their undivided attention. Virat also stumbled towards him but Pulkit walked past him, completely ignoring his presence and went straight to Ashwini.

“Kaku, Sai ka surgery successful raha,” said Pulkit.

Hearing this, everyone let out their breath that they had been holding for no one knows how long. relief was now visible on their faces, well at least the faces of the majority present there.

“Pulkit, mujhe meri bachi se milna hai. Dekhna hai use ki woh theek hai ki nahi. Meri bachi ko meri zarurat hai," pleaded Ashwini, while wiping away her tears.

“Nahi kaku. Yeh abhi possible nahi hai,” Pulkit replied almost immediately. “Sai ka bahut bada surgery huwa hai (and he goes on to mention how the surgeons had almost lost her during the surgery). Use filhaal 48 hours under observation rakha hai. Surgery successful toh huwa hai par Sai abhi hosh mein nahi aayi hai. Use agar in 48 hours mein hosh nahi aaya toh kuch bhi ho sakta hai. Itne badi surgery ka uski brain pe kya asar huwa hai, yeh sirf uske hosh mein aane se pata chal sakta hai. Main sirf yeh kahene aaya tha ki ab aap sab ghar jayiye. Waise bhi yaha rahe kar toh kuch hone nahi wala,” explained Pulkit.

“Par Pulkit, koi toh apna yaha hona chahiye na? Kya pata Sai ko kab hosh aa jaye?” asked Samrat, concerned.  

Pulkit looks directly at the already dejected Virat and replies, “sach kaha tumne, Samrat. Koi toh apna hona chahiye yaha (emphasizing strongly on the word apna). Isiliye main yahi hu. Tum fikar matt karo, jaise Sai ko hosh aata hai main sabse pahele tumhe hi phone karuga. Kyunki main bhi ek doctor hu, toh yaha ka kaam main sambhal lunga aur mujhe sab se baat kar ke Sai ke condition janne mein bhi zyada asani hogi. Main Sai ke surgeons ko personally bhi janta hu. Tum please sab ko yaha se le jao. Yaha itna zyada crowd karna acha nahi hai. Aur bhi patients hai aur staffs ko bhi inconveniences hogi.”

Samrat understanding the gravity of the situation as well as the benefit of leaving Pulkit in charge calmly nods and agrees to his request. Meanwhile, Virat, who was standing in a corner like a statue, listening to the conversation finally spoke up.

"Main Sai ko chodh ke kahi nahi ja raha hu. Sai meri biwi hai aur mujhe yaha rahene ka pura hakk hai" 

"Naatak karne ki koi zarurat nahi hai tumhe Virat. Aur waise bhi chodh kar toh tum waise bhi jaa hi rahe the na? Apna transfer lekar aur woh bhi apni marzi se? Toh ab yeh dikahwa kyun? asked Pulkit grinding his teeth in distaste, trying his level best not to disrupt the peaceful environment of the hospital.

"Nahi Pulkit, tum bhi mujhe galat samajh rahe ho. Main koi bhi dikhawa nahi kar raha. Mujhe sach mein Sai ki fikr hai. Zimmedaari hai woh meri. Maine uske Aaba se waada kiya tha ki main uska khyal rakhuga," justified Virat.

Pulkit scoffed loudly at Virat's reply and sarcastically asked, "Oh acha... toh tum yeh apne waade ke liye kar rahe ho? Zaahir hai zimmedaari hai to fikr bhi hogi. Waise acha nibha rahe ho tum apni zimedaari. Akhirkaar do-do baar Sai hospital pahuch gayi hai. Doctor ka toh pata nahi par patient toh bana hi chuke ho tum aur tumhari yeh family use (directly staring at Patralekha with nothing but abhorrence). Pata hai Virat, Sai ke Aaba na, har ek beti ke baap ke liye ek bahut acha seekh chodh kar gaye hai. Mera toh soch kar hi rooh kaanp jaata hai yeh ki kal ko meri Hari ki zindagi mein bhi ek Virat Chavan jaisa pati na aajaye. Chee."

Patralekha opened her mouth to intervene at Pulkit's allegations at Virat, but one stern look from Samrat made her shut up. Samrat knew the pivotal role that Sai had played in Pulkit's life and the immense respect and appreciation Pulkit had for her. Shivani maushi had also run him down on the events that transpired after Sai had reunited his Devi tai and Pulkit. Hence, he also knew the amount of guilt Pulkit carried because he had let Sai take the lead when fighting for his love and had so conveniently forgiven the Chavan seniors for all the stunts they had pulled out in ruining his love life. Samrat's contemplations were broken upon hearing Virat's voice, and rage was not even close to what he felt towards Virat after listening to him. 

"Pulkit, tum yeh kya kahe rahe ho? Main Sai se bahut pyaar karta hu. Main toh usi ke wajah se jaane wala tha par usi ne mera transfer rukwa diya. Woh kabhi kyun nahi samajhti ki main usse kitna pyaar karta hu? Use hamesha apni zidd kyun chalani hoti hai? Meri feelings ko use kyun kadar nahi hai?"

Virat's words had left Pulkit flabbergasted. What love was he talking about, he thought. The torture he had inflicted on Sai, was that love thought a distraught Pulkit. He really couldn't understand how could a grown-up man and that too an IPS be so full of himself and not have compassion or an ounce of regret for his actions that have brought pain to the person he claims to love. No, he thought, love can never be so selfish. 

Pulkit looked at him and scathingly said, "Pyaar? Tum karte ho? Sai se? Chalo main tumhe tumhare pyar ke kisse sunata hu. Isse shayad tumhare dil mein Sai ke liye jo pyaar hai woh aur bhi clear ho jaye. Tumhara Sai ke liye itna mahaan pyaar hai ki tumne ek baar, Sai jo ek teenage ladki hai, use, uski maushi ke saath aadhi raat ko ghar se nikaal diya, use manhandle kya, use pagal kaha puri society ke saamne, use kamre mein bandh kar diya, aur yaha tak tumne use khana dene se bhi mana kar diya. Baar baar use apne hi rishte mein teesra insaan bana kar rakh diya jaise ki woh tumhari biwi nahi balki koi dusri aurat ho (looking directly at Patralekha). Yeh hai tumhaari pyar ki mahanta. Tum to girgit se bhi gaye guzre ho IPS Virat Chavan. Rang badlna aur apni mood ke hisaab se Sai se pesh ana yeh hai tumhare pyaar ki sachai. Kabhi tum jab aaine ke saamne jao na Virat, toh apne aap ko gaur se dekhna aur sochna ki iss ek saal mein Sai ki journey Chavan Niwaas mein kaisi thi, apne nazariye se nahi, Sai ki nazariye se. Ek Ajinkya ko Sai ke saath tumse dekhi nahi gayi aur Sai, ek saal se uss chatt ke niche rahe rahi hai jaha tumhari ex bhi raheti hai, woh bhi aisi ex jo tum par haq jamamne se nahi chukti kyuki tum to use kabhi rokte hi nahi. Yeh, Patralekha, jo chahe Sai ko suna sakti hai, uske character par bhi sawal kar sakti hai par majaal hai ki Sai aisa kar paye. Kyun? Kyunki tum apni iss pyaari cheez ka dhaal ban kar hamesha aage aa jate ho. Yaha tak is aurat ko bachane ke liye kai baar tum Sai ko neecha dikhane ya jhuta sabit karne se bhi nahi chukte. Aur tum kahe rahe ho ki tum Sai se pyaar karte ho? Areh yeh toh chodo, tumhari to aaj tak iss aurat ko vahini bolne ki bhi himmat nahi huwi. Hamesha use apni "dost" hi bataya hai na tumne? Puch sakta hu kyun?"

Pulkit's unfiltered words at a man in a police uniform had started gathering eyeballs. Samrat somehow managed to calm the enraged Pulkit down and take everyone home leaving Virat behind. Virat was now slumped on the chair as if someone had punched all the air out of his lungs. Pulkit's questions and accusations kept echoing in his ears. Pulkit, giving him a glaring look and left the resting room to discuss Sai's case further with the surgeons.

All this while, what no one had realized was that Sai's friends who had brought her to the hospital were still there. When Pulkit was showing the mirror to Virat, Sai's friends, Sandhya, Milind and Aniket were listening in stunned silence. They could not process that their youth icon, IPS Virat Chavan, who was also responsible for women safety in Nagpur was himself, an abusive husband. They were not able to comprehend how this most respected man was the reason their friend's lost chirpiness and the main cause as to why she had started secluding herself from everyone on campus lately. She has been going through so much and still, she had never uttered a single malicious word against her "Virat sir" or her in-laws.

Sandhya, who was now boiling inside could not withstand it any longer and went and stood in front of Virat. Aniket and Milind shared a worried look thinking about what was she about to do.

"Don't worry Virat Sir," said Sandhya with venom in her voice. "Sai ko kuch nahi hoga. Woh kya hai na, Sai zarurat se zyada achi hai aur is duniya mein ache log agar kam ho jaye toh bure logo ko maza nahi aayega jeene mein. Akhir unhe bhi toh koi chahiye na tadpaane ke liye taaki unki bhi entertainment jaari rahe. Toh aap tension mat lo. Hum bhi aap ka yeh ghinona sach janane ke bawajood aap ke against koi police complaint nahi karege aur Sai toh hai hi hi pagal, aapke yeh nakli aasu dekh ke woh toh pighal hi jayegi jaise humesha pighal jaati hai," remarked Sandhya as coldly as she could. "So aap tension free ho jayiye, zyada mehnat nahi karni padegi aapko uss pagal ladki ko manane mein. Bas jaise uske samne jana, bas isi tarah aasu baha dena, uski narazgi bhi aapke in aasuo ke saath bahe jayegi." 

Aniket and Milind had also realized that it was pointless stopping Virat from seeing Sai because as Sandhya had said, Sai was a very big softie and why not? After all, she had spent an entire year with this family. She has loved this family without any expectations. Sai knew that she was brash and impulsive but she also knew that she only acted in such ways either out of helplessness or because she, herself was hurting and this was her defence mechanism. Well, at least now they knew what she had gone through all alone. They also realized why Sai had started avoiding Ajinkya all of a sudden like a contagious disease, especially when they used to be such good friends. Only now it dawned to them how embarrassing it must have been for Sai to face him. Ajinkya also did not utter a single word about that incident to anyone and had probably buried the incident in the depths of his heart. A lot of things suddenly seemed much more clearer to them as if a great big fog has just been lifted from in front of their eyes. Thinking all these things, the boys just moved towards Sandhya, held her hand and walked out of the hospital, towards their campus; offering a silent prayer to the heavens, for the well-being of their friend who has already suffered so much.

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A/N

1. content not edited, so please excuse the typos and grammatical errors.

2. I will not write about Virat's introspection. Reason: A lot of authors have written that aspect amazingly and I can't even think of writing it in better words... So I highly recommend you all to read their works (one such author is @Potterhead3009---She has written it brilliantly; DO READ).

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