Chapter 44

Lingering Moments Adni Untold Saga Chapter 44

IPK3 Season 2 Episode 114

Advay had just dropped Shikha back for her lecture and walked leisurely out. College was his regular place in London; but he was a professor there and it was a world renowned university. Comparatively, this was a far less formal a place, the air far more relaxed around him, taking away from him his regular stern aura. As he relaxed with his hands in his jeans pockets; his handsome face transformed from severe to breathtakingly dapper.

He was startled as he heard a lecherous wolf-whistle close to him. He turned around at the direction of the sound. A college girl dressed in denim shorts and sleeveless cropped top with heavily made up face gave him a wink, "Hi Handsome!"

Advay was amused. The college days of responding to such calls were long past him. Perhaps it was the attire that made him look less intimidating than his regular ASR personality.

'Chandni should have been there,' he mused, 'would love to see her taking her claws out! But of course! If Chandni had been there, the security would follow and then no one dared come close to him.' He smiled at this weird unusual feeling of not having security.

After reaching home, he was busy on his laptop checking his mails and doing conference calls. It was his day off and things were proceeding smooth. Not that he didn't trust his team; but he'd learned through sheer hard work and determination that being the boss didn't entail delegation; he needed to take full responsibility for every project, too.

The most important for him currently being his Allahabad project! He busied himself reviewing the clip of Miku's speech which he had received. He was preoccupied, as in his subtle and complex mind a far-ranging plan of action was being initiated that made the day's happenings no more than a tactical retreat.

Chandni pushed his laptop screen down. Advay shot her a scathing glare that would've made a lesser woman back away. In a momentary flash, he barked, "What are you doing?"

She shoved the laptop away,squaring her shoulders as if about to enter a battle. "Helping you keep your promise last night and ensuring that I keep my promises in marriage vow as your wife."

Her saucy retort took away the angry irritation from his face and brought an intensely amused glint to his eyes.

"What is it?"

"Here, take this shirt and get dressed. We are leaving for the check-up immediately."

His eyebrow arched in provocation,framing the wicked glint in his honey brown eyes. 

"What do you mean, get dressed?I am not undressed."

He stood up and stepped closer leaning into her crowding her with his sensuality. To get his upper hand and not let her think she could make him jump to her tune, he lowered his voice to a husky murmur, "I could, if you want."

She sighed, a soft, needy sound that shot straight to his groin. He'd always had a thing for her sounds. She laid a hand on his chest, the heat from her palm branding him, before she shoved him away.

"No time for your games! Change your clothes."

"I am not changing now!" There was irritation on his face.

"You are!" 

Chandni threw him a typical wifey challenging look; which Advay knew to be taken as nothing, but a cue to surrender.

"T-shirt and jeans is not what Advay Singh Raizada wears for his hospital visit. I want those people to know perfectly well whom they have under their care." Her eyes had a proud glint.

Advay removed his Tee and pulled her close against his bare chest, nuzzling his face in her hair "What difference will that make to my health? If things are bad, they'll still be bad."

Chandni jerked back as if the words had scorched her. She framed his face in her hands, looking deep in his eye, "Don't say that!...Don't ever say that!"   

Tears shimmered in her eyes as her throat constricted stopping any further words.

Advay hugged her close, pressing his lips softly on top of her head. He knew he was speaking the truth; as there were risks to his health. The dizziness spells were nothing but telltale signs of that. Yet he couldn't allow his mind to wander down that road. Not now, when other important matters were at stake.  Caressing her soft hair lovingly, he spoke in a soothing tone 

"Relax, Chandu! Everything is ok!"

Not that the nagging worry in her heart was assuaged, but she couldn't dwell on it now when the appointment was due. She pushed him away fixing her eyes on the carpeted floor with a fascination unwarranted by its appearance, 

"Hurry up and wear the shirt now! We are getting late."

Advay wanted her to truly relax. He took the shirt from her and changed the topic smoothly, "You and Pooja are the same. Both of you, always enjoy making me do a fashion parade."

She looked up and lovingly smiled back at him, "But then, we are the two, who take your every word as final,too!"

Her words struck him, bringing back thoughts of Shikha. She was much different than these two. Not that Chandni was docile or anything, but their relationship was never tempestuous. In their marriage,there were never challenges like Shikha. He buttoned up his shirt and pulled Chandu close and cupped her face.

"Chandu, are you unhappy about anything of mine? Like my anger, or my being workaholic?"

"Work is your worship. So I don't mind it, though I would want you to have work-life balance better. And your Anger? As I always say, mujhe aapka krodh manjoor hai; aapka mujhe bhool jananahi!" (I am Ok with your anger; but not ok if you forget me)

"Oh Chandu!" He rubbed his nose against hers, "Is it ever possible that I forget you? Will you let me?" He teased. She pummelled his chest with her fist.

Advay inhaled, drawing the air deep into his lungs before exhaling through his nostrils. Miku was going to have a hard time managing his girl.

As both drove in his car, he looked at her, the frown on her forehead showing clearly her worry. She was constantly murmuring her prayers. He knew it was all for his health, his well being. And she had got him to agree for this through her love and her innocent ways. Truly he was blessed beyond all reason to find such a lover, such a wife. 

He didn't like her face written all over with worry.

"Chandni, have you had any chat with Shikha, lately?"

"Today morning, while giving her Tiffin,I tried asking her about last night. But she just shoved the breakfast in her mouth and waved her bye to me."

"Have you two had any tiff?"

Chandni remembered their bickering while she was leaving for Allahabad. "Am I supposed to listen if anybody says anything about you?"

She pouted in her defense, her tone innocent like eight year old.

Advay threw his head back and roared in laughter, typical Chandu of his! She looked at him in mock anger.

"Chandu! Listen darling, I wanna tell you something."

Chandni looked at him skeptically. Very rarely he called her any sweet pet name except Chandu or katto.

"What?" Her pout was still on.

With a smile on his face, he answered, "Perhaps, the arguments between two of us are affecting our family,isn't it?"

"Yes! Naani said the same thing earlier. It is true."

"Then don't you think, we must stop these fights. As you correctly mentioned last time, we don't argue in front of them; yet the discord between us affects our interaction with them and then it affects them. Do you agree?"

"But Dev, where do we ourselves like or want to fight? It just happens! Sometimes, it's you, sometimes it's me."

"Yes Chandu! It's me most of the times, right? Yet let us try and control it...especially now that we are going on honeymoon."

Chandni looked at him with big innocent eyes, "But our coming together after the arguments is so sweet... it's better than otherwise." She raised her brow in happy admiration.

Advay threw his head back and laughed again, "You mean, our make up sex?" 

Chandni blushed at his openly saying it. Advay looked at her with laughing eyes and said wickedly, "Don't worry, I'll make it better for you even without fights!"

Chandni blushed completely, her toes curling. Advay Smiled happily looking at the colour rising in her cheeks. It was his paradise.

In the hospital, Advay was made to lie down on a hospital bed while he waited for the doctors to come and check what diagnostics would be needed for him. He had preferred coming to the same hospital where Chandni had last time taken him. He could have easily gone to his regular Leelawati hospital, the best hospital in Mumbai; but doctors there knew the Raizada family too well. And the family frequented there for Aadi's check up. Advay's health news could get leaked in their casual chitchat. This hospital chosen by Chandni was far better in that respect.

It was unusual for Chandni to see Advay lying in the hospital bed. He rarely, if ever, got sick and never lay in bed even when he was.

When he wasn't asleep, the strength of his presence dominated his surroundings. Now his personality was muted. Quiet. Vulnerable.

Chandni remembered the last time she had brought him here. She hadn't known about him being Dev then; yet she had felt a compassion for him. He had argued with her and refused to listen to anything.

Gazing down on the handsome face of her beloved husband, she knew that something inside her was shifting. A lot had changed.  She slowly caressed his head and ruffled his hair to make him relax a bit.

After the regular BP, ECG etc were done; Advay lay awake, staring at the ceiling, an inexplicable feeling of dread hanging over him. Chandni had been steadily caressing his forehead through everything. His brain told him that reports would not all be perfect.He wasn't worried for himself. But it was much different than what he had felt at the time of organ donation. Now, he wanted to live. Live for Chandni! Be healthy for her sake. Something had changed completely in his heart.

When the doctor came to examine,there was grimness on his face. He called Chandni out for a minute. "He's going to need a few more detailed tests and an Ultra sound scan."

Chandni's heart began to race.The doctor eyed her expression. "Don't worry too much. We do tests to be absolutely sure, that's all! It's just a matter of taking benefit from good diagnostic techniques."

The doctor left and Advay was given a lot of water to drink. His blood samples were taken. Chandni was getting more and more worried as the nurses worked over him. If possible, she would have taken all his ailments on her body. She wanted him to be healthy, absolutely healthy!

When nurses left and the two of them were alone in the room, Advay fixed his gaze on her, "Chandni?"

"Humm?"

"I want you to promise me one thing." His expression was serious.

"What?" Chandni was worried what Advay had in mind now.

"Whatever are the findings, we shall keep them between two of us. Family, especially Pooja must not ever know anything."

"Yes Dev! I said already, I will not tell our family. Why are you concerned about that now?"

"Chandu, you know what? I have never ever spoken this to anyone; but I want to share with you. When Maasi took me to London, Pooja accepted me like her very own brother. Maasi, as her own son. I was young but neither Pooja nor Maasi ever let a feeling creep into our relation that they were doing any kind of favor for me. And I don't want that feeling to spoil our relation now. I know, if Pooja comes to know, she'll feel indebted to me. And I just don't want that. As much as Maasi has treated me as her own son, Aadi is my son. I would any day give any body part for him."

Chandni remembered Pooja's words that she would fall at the feet of the Messiah who had given new life to Aadi. She perfectly understood why her husband did not share his organ donation with family. Their ties were such that firstly the family would not allow it and if it had still happened, the relation would change to reverence. She felt blessed to be part of this family and more so, for being Dev's wife.   

Chandni was waiting in Doctor's room. The grimness on his face was remarkable as he entered. Chandni started muttering her prayers fast.

"Look, Mrs. Raizada. You know already that your husband has donated his kidney."

"Yes, Doctor!"

"We do not know where the surgery was done, but I am sure he must have been advised on important care to be taken after surgery, like not lifting any heavy weights, not allowing any physical injury like a blow or something in stomach area." The doctor's expression grew serious.

In a flash, all memories hit Chandni. Dev had single handed pulled the Shiva Idol in place. He had fought with the goons while doing that. Then again, during her marriage, PP had sent goons to beat him up. He had taken such blows and fallen unconscious on ground while PP pulled her by hand to the marriage place.

Why? Why had Dev let such things happen? Tears sprung to her eyes as she realized, it was all because of her.Every time!

The doctor continued, "The kidney has taken a hit because of which the regular healing has not occurred."

Chandni's voice trembled as she spoke, "Will he have problems, Doctor?"

"Currently, not much! But later there could be possibility of Hernia. He may need surgery again if that happens. Also, the cramps that he feels in his kidney now..."The doctor took a pregnant pause. 

Chandni's heart came in her mouth, "not immediately, but much later someday, we cannot avoid the possibility of he himself needing a new kidney.That's major risk for him though it's not going to happen for at least few years."

Chandni felt the world around her turning at a super fast speed, she could hardly keep her balance sitting. The doctor came over to her and pushed her back against the backrest. He gave her a glass of water, but she could hardly put it to her mouth.

"Doctor, and his dizziness? He falls unconscious suddenly. It has happened twice already after our marriage."

"That is the result of his blood pressure hikes. It's the most common side effect of organ donation. The problem in his case is going to be that we cannot give him too strong drugs because his other kidney is weak. We will have to keep doing regular checkups. You will have to keep him free of stress all the time. Is he frequently anxious about something?"

Chandni thought of his sleepless nights thinking of his parents and his revenge plan against their murder. "He has his business tensions, doctor and in addition he also lost his parents in childhood."

"Oh! That's sad! Perhaps that's what is aggravating his condition. There are no medications to come to terms with your pain. You will have to do best possible as his wife. You may also take help from psychiatrist. I shall write a prescription for him and also give you the number. Also date for next checkup."

Chandni came out and rushed to the small Ganesha idol in the corridor, "Oh God! Why this? Why such risks for my husband's life? I want him, I want him healthy!" 

She collapsed at the feet of the idol heart wrenching sobs coming from her mouth. She felt her heartbreaking as she couldn't possibly fathom the thought of his life risk. After she had cried out her heart and her sobs subsided, she slowly stood up and went to the rest room to wash her face.

The moment she entered Advay's room, her expression telegraphed her trepidation to Advay. He sat up on the bed as she fussed around him and forced a smile on her lips saying the doctor had allowed them to go home. He quietly stood up watching her being flustered and fighting back tears.

"Chandu, what happened? What did the doctor say?"

Somehow the sound of his voice, patient and sweet, made everything worse. She pressed herself against his chest burying her face in her hands and sobbing heavily.

He patted her head softly till her initial bout of tears receded.

Her voice was muffled as she spoke against his shirt through her sobs "Dev, this is all because of me. If it hadn't been for me, the tragedy would not have happened in the first place. And then,you wouldn't come to Allahabad and lift that Idol. You wouldn't have to fight goons. Because of the mess of my marriage with PP, you had to take beating from goons. All that is happening to you is because of me...all because of me. God should have punished me. Why give you problems?"

"Chandu, look at me!" Advay cupped her face on two sides and gently pushed her back though she resisted. He held her face firmly and looked steadfast at her, "Chandooo, I said look at me."

Slowly she raised her eyelids to meet his calm gaze.

"Stop making yourself a prisoner of our history. It's not you to blame. Indrani would have managed her sordid tasks without you also. She just used your innocence. It was my anger that stopped me from listening to you that night. If I had listened to the whole thing, I could have warned my parents."

"I could have stopped from speaking in public also. I need to be punished, God must punish me." she murmured.

""That isn't how God works."

"But then why is he punishing me by putting the risk of taking you away?" Her eyes were tortured.

His hands slid down from her face, and his fingers encircled her arms in a firm grip. 

"Nobody'staking me away, Chandu. God isn't hovering above us waiting to punish us. Remember Chandu, in life nothing is certain. Even if these complications were not there, I could get something else, there could be an accident. 

Life cannot be trusted. Death is the only ultimate truth." His voice was hard coming from his obsidian dark core.

Chandni tried jerking herself out of his grip in angry protestation; but he pulled her close making her rest her head against his chest.

"You believe in Shiva, right? And Shiva gives death. Chandu, have you ever understood? Life is beautiful because we all know someday there is going to be death. And death coming as Kaal to us is beautiful because without it just continued living would make life drudgery. We would stop appreciating life.

Remember Chandu, Shiva wants to rescue us, not destroy us. You don't have to be afraid of being happy, thinking that he wants to take that happiness away from you. That's not who he is. He isn't waiting to punish you and he doesn't give you blessings just to strip them away.

We are all going to die someday;but today I choose to live life of love and I want you to choose the same because this choice is of both of us. 

Let us build life on love, Chandu! Let us make up for all the time that we lost and enjoy to fullest whatever time we have with us, not waste it in morbid thoughts."

He kissed on the top of her head softly.

She pushed herself back from his chest to look into his eyes.

"Of all the blessings God gave me, the greatest one is you."

Both hugged tight, such that even death would not dare separate them!

It happened at times before that as a writer I felt myself experiencing AdNi emotions. But this time, there were literally tears in my eyes. Felt extremely emotional.

I could literally see Barun emoting as Advay. Firstly, the character Advay has lot of depth. so many layers!... The pain of his parent's death and revenge is one part... yet his absolute love for Chandni is also his integral part.

In the show, the only layer seen was that of his anger against Chandni. But now that he has accepted her innocence, all his other layers slowly are getting peeled into clarity.

I hope you gals like this Advay of mine.

Please do not forget to hit like button after reading... Looking forward to your active feedback

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