Chapter 40

EPISODE – 53

 

"I really can't believe Navin allowed me to stay back with you tonight."

"My Bhaiyya is just the best."

"Haan... Jai ho tumhare Navin Bhaiyya ki." He said somehow teasingly.

"Shut up!"

"Waise for your kind information mujhe yahan aane se pehle hi Navin se dhamki mil chuki hai that I better stay at safe distances from you."

"Acha to phir tum yahaan kya kar rahe ho... Chalo move away!" She pushed him away and removed his hand that he had wrapped around her shoulder.

"Niti bechari kaise jhelti hai yaar tum dono bhai behen ko." Rajveer was a bit irritated.

 

Naina chuckled.

"Shaadi ke baad Niti se training le lena... Woh sikha degi tumhein mujhse aur Bhaiyya se saath mein deal karna."

"Jaise main tumhein shaadi ke baad Navin ke saath gang up karne ke liye yahan pe chod ke jaunga. Tumhein to main apni baahon mein qaid karke rakhunga... 24X7."

"Promise!" Her eyes lit up.

"Promise... Waise tum chaho to main abhi ek chota sa demo de sakta hoon." He said playfully pulling her into his arms.

"Thanks but no thanks... Uski zaroorat nahin hai!"

"Tumhein nahin hogi but mujhe to hai. Shaadi se pehle thodi bahut...."

"Tumhein ho kya gaya hai aaj?" She was amused to see him getting so romantic.

"Come closer and find it out for yourself."

"Bhaiyya ne kya kaha tha yahan aane se pehle?"  She reminded him in a pretentiously stern manner. She knew it would tease him badly.

"Navin Bhaiyya ki pyaari behena... do you mind behaving like my girlfriend for a change."

"What if I say no?" She teased him again but Rajveer could see mishief twinkling in her eyes.

"Sorry ma'am I can't hear you!"

 

He pulled her closer and tighter into his arms and pushed her on the bed lying over her. She was wearing a sphaggeti top and shorts. He kissed her on her shoulder taking inside his mouth the thin strap of her top and slid it off her shoulder. His lips were now gently caressing her shoulder and her collar bone. Her hands automatically moved towards his back.

 

"You were saying something, if I am not wrong!" It was his turn to tease her.

As Naina opened her mouth to say something he hushed her by covering her mouth with his own. She instantly responded to the kiss. He pulled up her top a little enough to bare her midriff and rubbed it with his torso. He was already bare-chested. Her legs were squeezed between his legs and their lips were sealed in a passionate kiss.

 

She closed her eyes to feel the exhilarating sensation he was inducing within her heart and soul. He released her lips and moved to her cheeks. He fondled her cheeks or a while and planted a kiss on her forehead. She opened her eyes. They had a question in them regarding this sudden interruption in their beautiful moment filled with love and craze.

 

"I told you... Just a small demo for now!"

She smiled and kissed on his cheeks.

"Don't be such a bore Naina! Cheeks pe kisses bahut saal de diya tumne mujhe. Ab nothing less than a kiss on lips. Do you get that?"

He winked and gave her a short and sweet kiss on her lips. He replaced the strap on her shoulder and got up from the bed.

 

He unbolted the door and returned.

"Yeh kis liye?"

"Tumhare Bhai ne locked dekh liya na door to us bechare ko raat bhar neend nahin aayegi. Waise bhi he has been working for more than almost 40 hours now without a wink of sleep."

"Hmmm... Point!"

"Waise kal ka tumhara kya program hai?"

"Kuch nahin...No shows for a week. Office se phone aaya tha... Uske baad a grand come back by Radio Mirchi."

"That means kal tum bilkul free ho."

"Jaise ki you too have no work. And anyways who told you that."

"I am very busy... Oh I forgot to tell you Navin ne mujhse kaha tha ki main tumhein bata doon that jis terrorist ne tum pe haath uthaya tha na woh usko do extra phatke laga ke aaya hai aur main usko kal dekh lunga!"

 

A big smile ran on her face.

"So tumhara kya plan hai?"

Naina lied down next to him holding him tightly. But she remained quiet. The smile had disappeared and she was pensive.

"Kya hua?" He asked.

"Kal... I want to meet... Alekh!"

She was hesitant to say this. She could recall the reaction he gave to his name in the Radio Station. And now even he looked serious.

"You should! Woh Apollo Hospital mein hai. Even I'll try to manage some time tomorrow to meet him. I owe him big time for whatever he did for you.... For us actually!"

 

He looked at her. Her eyes were wet. He planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Raat bahut ho gayi. Tum so jao... Goodnight!"

 

She gave him a faint smile and said.

"That is called double standards."

"What are you talking about?" He was confused.

 

She quickly got up and planted a peck on his lips.

"Goodnight."

He smiled and held her tightly in his arms. After a very eventful and hectic day, they soon entered the beautiful world of their dreams within their deep slumber.

 

********

 

She kept her hand on his shoulder. He turned back. His eyes were red and the usual sophistication had died down. He looked older. The wrinkles loked more elaborate and there were thin lines of frown on his forehead.

"Good Morning Boss! How are you?" Her voice had genuine concern.

"I am fine Naina."

"Alekh kaisa hai?"

"A little better. But thankfully out of danger."

 

A faint smile came on her face. She looked relieved.

"Can I meet him?"

"You really want to?"

"Of course boss!"

"Let me talk to the doctor. He's still inside ICU and not everyone is allowed there. Main bhi kal se sirf ek hi baar gaya hoon uske paas."

"Boss you need some rest! Aap please thodi der rest kar lijiye. Main doctors se khud baat kar lungi. I'll manage."

"Lekin Naina..."

"I insist... Please!"

"Fine... Go ahead."

 

Naina left him there... all alone. She could see the tears in his eyes. He was his only son...His only family! She talked to doctors and convinced them to allow her to meet him. She had a really tough time convincing them since she was not a relative of the patient she could not be given permission so easily.

 

She saw him on the lying still on the bed. His abdomen was heavily bandaged. His face told her that he was in pain. She was not allowed to go too close to his bed. His body was still very weak and prone to infections. He was sleeping under the effect of heavy sedatives. Her eyes brimmed to see him like this. She was holding herself responsible for his condition. She stood there motionless staring at him for a few minutes and then rushed out. She was sobbing when she came out.

 

Mr. Sharma saw her condition and came to her.

"Naina... Are you okay?"

"I am sorry Boss."

"Kis liye?"

"Yeh sab meri wajah se hua hai. He was trying to save me aur...."

"Naina calm down! Agar Alekh is condition mein isliye hai because he was trying to save you then... I am proud of him Naina. Aur tumhein sorry hone ki koi zaroorat nahin hai."

"Nahin boss... It's all because of me."

"Nahin Naina... It's not! But to tell you the truth, there is one thing you should be sorry about."

 

She looked up at him wiping her tears.

 

"Tumne Alekh ko bahut hurt kiya hai Naina.... may be unintentionally but you have. He loved you...  a lot! Woh bhi from the very first day he met you. Lekin tumhare liye woh relationship sirf ek passing affair tha... a mere infatuation but for Alekh it was much more than that. I have seen him cry for you many a times. Agar uska tumhare liye possessive hona sahi nahin tha to tumhara uski feeling ko is tarah se disrespect karna bhi galat tha. But now he has accepted that you are in love with someone else and your relationship was never supposed to work out. He is happy that atleast you got your true love."

 

"I know main galat thi Boss... I do agree ki maine Alekh ke liye kabhi bhi kuch bhi genuinely feel nahin kiya tha. It was nothing more than an infatuation isliye I walked out of this relationship so easily. Ek baar bhi nahin socha ki Alekh might not be feeling about all this the way I do. I never ever cared to..."

 

"Sirf ek request hai Naina... Let bygones be bygones. Uske saath is baare mein kabhi koi baat mat karna. Use bahut time laga hai... to move on. Don't push him back to all that. Let the things remain normal... the way they have been off late."

"But Boss..."

"He will be fine Naina. By the way, Kal I met Raj... Nice guy!"

 

She smiled.

"I am sorry for everything Boss!" Her eyes were still wet and her voice had had the honesty of her words.