Chapter 11

Chapter 11

In the dead of the night, the huge trees looked like dark figures staring at him. Arnav did not venture too far into the Amra Kunj. He just needed to blow off the tension building inside his head. So, he walked around for a bit.

The Doctor’s words were nagging him, drilling a hole into his world.

What does this money-grubbing doctor know about him and his father? Absolutely nothing!

It was too late to call his Nani. She must already be asleep, or he could have called her and told her she was right all along.

She had warned him not to trust anyone in the Mahal. Yet, Arnav felt the tiniest seed of doubt that was now planted in his head. And he hated its presence, unable to shake it off.

So many questions now swirled in his mind. Questions that he hadn’t bothered with earlier. Why would he have? He had never planned to come here, see these faces. His life was running fine. But, now he was here. These questions that were long buried were now raising their ugly head. And he didn’t want to seek the answers. He knew it will turn his life upside down all over again.

But was the doctor right? How long can he evade his father? How long can he postpone the inevitable conversation?

He should get it done with. He should go to him and tell him everything straightforward. That he will not forgive and forget. No matter what!

Arnav looked westward and could see the faint gleam of the lamps. His mother’s grave. He felt the urge to walk up to her and pour his heart out once again.

But, what good it would do him? First, he needs to get some things straight with his father. Deciding that, he strode back to the Mahal.

On his way, he purposely walked through the garage. Akash’s car was still not here.

Arnav wondered what was taking Akash so long. He also wondered if Khushi would tell everything he told her to Akash.

He didn’t mind if she did. He would even be grateful. It would save him the pain of repeating it all over.

As Arnav reflected, his thoughts drifted back to when Khushi had gently cupped his face, her fingertips warm against his cheek. The memory of her touch lingered, not just in sensation but in significance. He had been momentarily consumed by a storm of anger towards his father, yet she hadn’t recoiled; instead, she had stayed and listened to him. Small mercies of life!

Or was it small? Now that Arnav thought about it, he knew Khushi's presence had been immensely helpful.

He was grateful for her presence and the quiet strength she had shown, staying with him during his moment of vulnerability without any judgment. The comfort she had provided lingered in his mind. No one has ever been there for him, he thought. Except his Nani, maybe.

Arnav knew he shouldn’t read too much into it, yet he did. It meant more to him than he wanted it to mean. Nonetheless, he was going to thank her the next time he saw her.

Tucking away that thought, Arnav walked into the Mahal and then towards the room of his father.

He didn’t know how he should begin. Should he just barge in and say everything that comes to his mind?

That sounds right.

He knocked at the door once. Twice.

There was a noise inside the room. Something fell on the floor with a loud clattering.

What was the old man doing?

Arnav didn’t wait to knock the third time. He pushed the door and it opened.

He walked and instantly noticed the mess. Things had fallen off the table and his father was clawing at his chest, sitting on the floor.

This was the last thing he had expected.

He quickly walked in and bent down before the man.

“What is wrong?” He asked, noticing the sweaty face.

His father pointed at the drawer that was half-open.

“Inhaler! Can’t find it” The words were raspy and fragmented.

It was an Asthma attack, Arnav realized. He remembered reading it in his medical file. Something about the association of Asthma with lung cancer!

Damn it!

He quickly stood up and pulled the drawer out completely, emptying the contents on the carpeted floor. There was no inhaler in it.

“Where are the other ones?” He demanded, but watched in dread as the old man bent over with heavy coughing, spitting up blood.

What the hell was happening?

Arnav ran out of the room and towards the doctor’s room on the first floor.

He knocked quickly and loudly.

The ten-seconds it took for the doctor to open the door, he held his breath.

“Arnav, what are...”

“He is having some kind of attack, he is cough..”

Arnav couldn’t finish. The doctor had already rushed past him. Arnav watched the speed with which the man climbed down the stairs. It was with the same speed Arnav had come up.

He didn’t linger to think what it meant. He hurried downstairs and walked back into Malik's room.

“Help me move him. We need to get him to the hospital” The doctor said to him, already checking Birendra Singh Malik who now seemed unconscious but was breathing at irregular intervals.

Arnav hesitated for two seconds. How did he end up helping these two? That’s not what he was supposed to be doing.

“Why are you standing there? Help me lift him” The Doctor looked at Arnav with a pointed glance.

“You go get the car out. I’ll bring him” Arnav said.

Doctor shook his head.

“No. We do this together. You hold his upper body” The doctor instructed and Arnav found himself moving.

In five minutes they were inside the doctor’s car. Arnav was driving. He watched from the front mirror as the Doctor pressed his father’s chest repeatedly but earned no response. Birendra Singh Malik was completely unconscious.

Arnav’s own initial shock was wearing off. He kept looking through the mirror. It looked like the Doctor was going to break down any second.

“What happened to him?” Arnav asked, so he wouldn’t have to witness that. He knew their friendship went back to years.

“He must have taken something” The Doctor answered, counting the pulse again.

“What?” Arnav felt his hands loosening on the steering wheel.

“No..I didn’t mean..Not something to harm himself. Some medication! I am guessing something from his old batch of medicines. It must have triggered the asthma attack" The doctor kept explaining and Arnav nodded.

“It is my mistake! I shouldn’t have said anything to him in the first place. I shouldn’t have fought. I should have been there to give him his medicines. He must have got confused. I am such an..” The rant went on and Arnav didn’t want to hear any more of it.

“All I want to know is if he is going to die right now?”

That worked and the doctor shot a death glare towards him.

“Keep telling yourself that you don’t care about him but this is the second time you have come to his rescue” The doctor said and went back to focusing on his patient.

Arnav focused very hard on the road ahead and not on the words. He did not even want to acknowledge those words.

So, he listened in silence as the doctor called up Akash and told him to come to the hospital.

~~**~~

By the time Akash reached the hospital, Birendra Singh Malik was inside the ICU. Doctor Kumar was inside too.

So, he found Arnav seated on a bench in the gallery outside the room. He rushed to his side.

“What happened, Bhai?” He asked, panic written all over his face.

“No idea” Arnav answered. He didn’t feel like explaining whatever little the doctor had told him on the car ride.

“Is he going to be alright? Is it something serious?” Akash asked again.

“I don’t know, Akash” This time Arnav looked up at Akash and said in tight words.

Akash ran a hand through his hair and took a seat beside Arnav on the bench.

“Who found him?” Akash asked again after a minute’s silence.

“I did” Arnav replied, looking ahead.

“How did he look? Was he conscious? Did he say anything?”

Arnav knew Akash was highly stressed. It was evident from the desperate tone of his questions.

“No, he didn’t say anything. He lost consciousness when I went to call the doctor. He was having trouble breathing, and then he coughed a lot. I don’t know anything more” Arnav supplied the information.

Akash nodded his head at each sentence, tapping his feet loudly on the floor.

“I am scared, Bhai. What if it is serious? What if..”

Arnav looked at Akash’s face which was crumpled and heavy.

“Come here” Arnav said and Akash instantly reached Arnav, hugging him.

“Everything will be alright” Arnav said as he softly patted his brother’s back.

“Really, Bhai?” Akash asked.

“Really” Arnav answered.

“I love you, Bhai” Akash said.

“I know that you do” Arnav nodded his head.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you earlier” Akash said.

“I know that too” Arnav replied.

“Forgive me, Bhai”

“I already have” Arnav replied and Akash pulled back from the hug.

“Bhai, thank..”

“Shut up and go get two cups of coffee. Seems like we will be here for some time” Arnav said and Akash was instantly on his feet.

~~**~~

The next morning, when Khushi walked into the hospital she found Akash talking to Doctor Kumar.

“How is Malik Uncle now?” She asked both of them. Khushi didn’t fail to notice how both of them looked tired and unkempt.

“Conscious now! Doing better” Doctor Kumar said to her. She instantly felt relieved.

“What had happened, Uncle?” She asked further.

“Carelessness! He took some medication that is now written off his prescription. It did not react well with the other medicines and triggered his Asthma. There was also some trace of lung inflammation. It was a huge scare. But, he will get better. So, do not worry” Doctor Kumar placed a hand on her head, noticing her misted eyes upon hearing the details.

“So, he will get discharged?” Khushi asked.

“Maybe tomorrow” Akash added.

“That’s great!” She said and then looked over the two men one more time.

“I think both of you should go back to the Mahal, Uncle. I am here now. I will sit with Malik Uncle. You two can go. Rest some bit and come back fresh” She suggested.

Both the men instantly shook their heads.

Khushi frowned.

“What use are the two of you if you are tired yourselves? Akash can barely keep his eyes open” Khushi said, when he yawned.

“I will stay with him. It’s just a matter of few hours” She said again.

“No, Khushi. You alone..”

“I will stay with her here” It was Arnav who joined them now.

All three looked at him.

He looked clean and fresh. Last night, he had left after talking to Akash for some time.

“You need to sleep, Akash. Go rest and come back in a few hours. Take the doctor along” Arnav addressed Akash while Doctor Kumar stood silently.

“Yes. Arnav and I will make sure to call you in case anything comes up. Okay, doctor uncle?” Khushi looked at the doctor who slowly nodded his head.

“We will be back in two hours” Akash said and walked away with the doctor.

Only Arnav and Khushi remained.

“I will go and see him” She said to Arnav. He nodded his head.

She turned to go but then turned to him again.

“Are you okay?” She asked him quietly.

“I am fine” He said, looking away. He knew she was talking about his last night revelations. God, he had almost cried before her. She had actually cried. For him. That was a first. No one has ever cried for him except his Nani. And maybe Akash.

“Good. I want you to be fine” He was momentarily caught off-guard when she hugged him. Did she think he needs a hug? Was she giving him pity?

He didn’t think over it much because being hugged felt too good. This felt different from Akash’s hug.

He wanted to say thank you but the words remained stuck in his mouth. So, he just stood there.

Khushi pulled back in a few seconds.

“Don’t disappear. I’ll be back in ten minutes” She smiled at him and then gestured towards the nearest door.

“Is this the room?”

“Yes” He said and she walked into it.

Arnav seated himself on the bench outside the door though they had also been allotted a modest waiting room just down the gallery.

~~**~~

Birendra Singh Malik was resting with his eyes closed when he heard the soft footsteps and the familiar sound of silver anklets.

“I am ready for round three. Kumar and Akash already took their turns rebuking me” He opened his eyes and looked at Khushi.

“It’s not like you didn’t deserve it” Khushi said, taking the small stool which was placed by the bed.

“It is not like I purposely made myself sick. I think the medicines got mixed while being shifted from my room to the new room” Malik said.

“That’s still carelessness, Malik Uncle. How can you just mix your medicines? How can you not notice?” Khushi demanded.

“So, I am getting the third round!” Malik commented, looking at the ceiling above.

“Although, I think I do deserve it for ruining your day. The doctors here said I can’t leave until tomorrow evening” Malik said with a tinge of disappointment.

Khushi shook her head.

“You didn’t ruin anything”

“Well, I do not think this hospital will be an ideal venue for your birthday party” Malik said.

“That’s what you’re thinking about, Malik Uncle? Really?”

“Obviously! It is your birthday tomorrow. How are we to celebrate if we are stuck here because of me?” Malik said.

“You should have thought about that earlier, no? Before you mixed up your medicines!” Khushi said.

“You are cruel” Birendra Singh Malik said to Khushi’s fake angry face before the two of them broke into a smile.

“We’re so dramatic” Khushi exclaimed.

“That is why we gel so much. Unlike Kumar and Akash who are boring people” Malik said, grinning at Khushi.

For a second, Khushi watched the face before her.

So alight and charming despite being sick! Yet, this was the same face that took Arnav’s smiles from him. The thought alone made Khushi’s smile vanish slowly.

She knew Akash hasn’t told everything to her, yet she knew a certain part of her will never love her Malik Uncle like before. The illusion that her Malik Uncle was perfect has been broken.

Sooner or later, she might understand his actions against Arnav but will any of it erase Arnav’s pain? Will any of it justify what he went through? As a child without her mother, Khushi knew how desperately Arnav must have needed his father’s love and support. But, Malik Uncle had repeatedly failed as a father to him.

She knew she could never overlook that.

“What is it?” Birendra Singh Malik asked her noticing the shadows on her face.

Khushi shook her head. She knew the time for this conversation will come later. But, it will.

“Just thinking of a polite way to tell you that I don’t want a ‘not so surprising’ Surprise Birthday party this year” She said.

“Why not? You love the gifts” Birendra Singh Malik instantly retorted.

“Because, I have matured this year! I want a small dinner party. Just you, Doctor Uncle, Babuji, Akash me and Arnav” She said, actually meaning it.

“But..”

“No buts! We will arrange a quiet, nice dinner after you are discharged from here. So, no parties! I have already told Akash and Babuji not to do any of it” Khushi continued.

"This is not fun at all"

"Consider that your punishment for ruining my day then" Khushi gave a sly smile to the man.

"Alright. No surprise party!" Birendra Singh Malik said.

"Good. Now, I am going to be just outside. You try to rest some more, okay Malik Uncle? I'll keep checking in some time" Khushi said, getting up.

"You do not need to check. I can barely keep my eyes open" Birendra Singh Malik said and Khushi slowly walked out of the room.

When she stepped out in the gallery, she didn't find Arnav around.

She noticed a waiting room just a few feet away and peeped inside it too. He wasn't there as well.

So, she came back and sat on the bench. After she had called and updated her father about Malik Uncle's health she looked around again.

It was then she noticed Arnav at the other end of the hall. He seemed to be on a phone call himself and judging by the expressions on his face, it didn't look like he was enjoying the conversation.

He kept talking and noticed her looking his way.

Their eyes connected across the gallery and Khushi couldn't look away. She watched as he disconnected the call and then walked towards her.

She recalled how she had touched his face last night. It had felt like the right thing to do then. He had needed the comfort, and she had acted on instinct. She had also ignored the bit of warmth that she had felt when he had leaned his face into her hands.

Had that been strange for him? It sure had been for her. But, her concern for him had overridden any sense of strangeness that she felt then.

And then the hug today! What was with her and this need for constantly overstepping the physical boundaries? She should watch that.

She didn't want Arnav to misunderstand her. So, she will be careful, she decided. More words and less touching. She hadn't missed the surprise on Akash's face when he had seen Arnav and her in the library. He had even seemed taken aback by the fact that how quickly she had befriended Arnav.

Khushi knew her boundaries. And she also knew she wanted Arnav's friendship. Every day, he was becoming more transparent to her. Every day, she felt she was getting to know him a little more. It was a nice feeling.

"Should I get you something to eat?" He asked her when he reached her side.

"No. I had breakfast before coming here" She replied.

"There's a waiting room just over there. You can go and sit inside" He said to her.

"Why? Where will you be?" She narrowed an eye at him.

"Just around" He casually shrugged his shoulders.

"Have you found someone interesting around? One of the nurses maybe?" She asked playfully.

"Yes. We were just fooling around in one of the store rooms" He gave her a quick reply and noticed how her cheeks flamed.

"You're incorrigible, Arnav. This is a hospital" She said, still blushing.

Arnav couldn't help but smile at her shyness.

"You're right! Next time I will take her some place else" He avoided the laugh when Khushi's eyes widened.

"You're wicked!" She said before walking off towards the waiting room.

Arnav watched her go and realized he was still smiling. The phone conversation with his Nani was no longer lurking in his head.

When he had told her about what Doctor Kumar had said to him, she had been enraged and asked him to come back immediately. He had said no and thereafter the conversation hadn't gone well.

Once again, she had invoked his mother's name and had said he shouldn't live with those who killed her.

"This time I will not run, Nani. I will stay and face these people. I will get to the bottom of everything"

"There is no bottom of anything, Chote. Do not let them win by listening to them. Come back to your home"

That's when his eyes had met Khushi's.

"I will talk to you later, Nani. Please take care of yourself and don't worry about me" He had said and disconnected.

He wondered if Khushi had felt the connection too. A small moment last night when she had looked in his eyes.

Maybe this city might finally heal him a little.

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