Chapter 9:
Sam stood frozen in the hospital waiting room, blood stains on her shirt and arms. Her tears hadn't stopped since the incident and she felt like she was frozen in spot.
"Sam kya hua Radhika kahan hai!" Arjun asked her urgently. "Sam!"
Sam still shaken up looked up with tears in her eyes and said, "316." Arjun ran off to find that room.
They were all waiting in the hospital waiting room relieved that Radhika was going to be okay. Sam was still shaken and Arjun and Neil sat down beside her, "Sam ab bata kya hua tha."
She looked up at both of them crying and said, "She sacrificed herself for me. Agar aaj Radhika nahi hoti toh yeh bacha bhi nahi hota. Saral threatened to kill me first with the knife, he wanted Radhika to go with him. Radhika refused and he was about to stab me but Radhika got in the way and got stabbed instead, she saved me again." Neil sat down as silent tears flowed down his face, his Chashni was the purest form of good they all were blessed to have. Sam's eye glossed over as she thought back to an hour ago.
Sam and Radhika were getting into the car to leave for the haldi both dressed in beautiful yellow sarees.
"Radhika tumne check kiya na, I don't want to come back again after reaching halfway." Sam told her teasingly. They were supposed to reach half an hour ago but Radhika had forgotten the flowers her mother told her to bring so they had to rush back to get it.
"Haan sab kuch check kiya maine, chalo." Radhika said smiling as both of the got into the taxi.
"Bhaiya phir se let's go." Radhika said laughing as the car started and they were on their way. Halfway to the venue the car stopped suddenly. "Arey bhaiya kya hua?" Radhika asked.
"Get out of the car." They heard a familiar voice.
"Saral?" Sam asked in shock as he showed his beaten face in the mirror.
"Bahar niklo!" he yelled and they both got up and got out not wanting to anger the crazed man.
"Radhu I gave you many chances to fix your mistake but you didn't listen." He said taking out a knife from the car.
"Sam!" Radhika pushed Sam behind her seeing the knife.
"Saral tum pagal ho chuke ho!"Radhika yelled as he came closer. Radhika and Sam watched him not sure of what he was going to do; then almost immediately Saral grabbed Sam's arm from behind Radhika and pulled her towards him holding the knife to her neck.
"Saral! Please stop! She's pregnant stop!" Radhika yelled tears forming in her eyes.
"Agar tum aapni dosti ko bachana chahti ho toh tu humare saath abhi ke abhi chalongi." Saral threatened her.
"Radhika no!" Sam said but Saral pressed the blade of the knife closer to her neck.
"Saral! I'll go with you." Radhika said with tears falling down her eyes, "Just let her go, please."
Saral forcefully pushed Sam out of the way and Radhika caught her, "Sam please tum jao yahan se, go back." Radhika told her.
"Radhika nahi." Sam cried holding onto her arm. Radhika grabbed Sam's hand and Sam noticed that Radhika placed her phone in Sam's hand, "Sam go." She told her looking her straight in the eyes. Sam understood and nodded.
"Ab aayi na tum aukad pe." Saral said grabbing her arm, "Pehle toh uss Arjun ne humari shaadi thod di aur tumne Arjun se hi shaadi karli." He pushed her hand behind her back making her flinch, "Now you are mine. Bohot beisati kit hi na tera woh Arjun ne, ab dekho hum kaise badla lete hai."
Before he could continue he heard a police siren. Radhika smirked as she saw his shocked face turning around. Sam came out with a victorious smile as the police van got closer. Sam had called the police right after Radhika slide her the phone.
"Radhu!" Saral said with a vicious smile.
"Nope, don't take one more step Saral. You do anything and the police will arrest you." Sam said pulling Radhika back holding her hand tightly.
"Tumhari itni himat!" Saral yelled taking the knife positioning it towards Sam's stomach.
"Nahi!" Radhika yelled pushing Sam behind her, "Ahh," she yelled as she felt the blade slide into her abdomen.
"Radhika!" Sam yelled as she saw Saral's knife stab Radhika.
"Radh-radh-rahdu!" Saral said shocked pulling the knife out. Radhika was falling to the ground when Sam caught her with tears in her eyes. Saral tried to come forward but Sam pushed him back as the police men grabbed him.
"Radhika yeh kya kiya tune!" Sam said crying, "Chashni don't worry we are going to get help right away." Sam said hearing Radhika whimper in pain. Blood was oozing out of Radhika's stomach staining Sam's shirt.
"Ma'am jaldi aaye she needs medical attention now." The police officer said taking them into another police van.
The police van drove down the roads and Sam kept trying to keep Radhika awake, "Radhika kuch nahi hoga," she quickly called Arjun and Neil and told them to meet her at the hospital as she tried her best to console Radhika.
"Sab meri wajah se hua hai, I'm so sorry Arjun." Sam said crying.
Arjun shook his head and wiped her tears, "Nahin, tumhari galti nahi thi Sam. Saral is the culprit and he is behind bars where he should be. Radhika ko kuch nahi hoga, she can't leave me. Dekhna she'll get up and start annoying us with her blabbering quickly." Arjun said as he consoled Radhika's family as well.
Nandini stood with Mala comforting her, "Radhika is so strong, isse kuch nahi hoga. And she has so much to live for, so many people who love her, she will wake up soon please sambhale aapne aapko."
"Patient ko hosh agaya hai, you can go in and see her." The doctor said. All of them smiled and Sam and Arjun were the first to rush in. Neil waited back he couldn't go in.
Sam sat by her bedside and Arjun stood by her right holding onto her hand and kissing her forehead.
"Sam tum theek ho." Radhika asked her. Sam wiped her tears and nodded kissing the hand she was holding.
"Tumne thanli hai na, nahi batao do, thanli hai na hum sab ko pareshan karne ki kasam khaiye hai na." Sam said wiping her tears again.
"Nahin Sam beta kuch mat kaho choti kabhi nahi sudhrengi." Mala added as well.
Radhika tried to lift herself up and both Arjun and Sam stopped her, "Radhika nahi, leti raho." Radhika smiled at them.
"Main bilkul theek hoon." She said knowing all of them were worried. "Aur mujhe pata hain Neil waha door ke peeche ro raha hoga, usse bhi kaho ke main bilkul theek hoon." She said smiling as Sam shook her head at Radhika who knew her friends too well. Neil having heard her came into the room with his head down standing beside Sam.
"Sam kaho chashni se ke main usse baat nahi kar raha." Neil said.
Sam smiled as Radhika said, "Agar tu mujhse baat nahi karenga toh main theek kaise hongi."
"Agar tune phir se hum sab ko itni tension di na Chashni toh saach main tumse kabhi baat nahi karonga." Neil said.
Radhika laughed but winced her abdomen paining from laughing. She looked at Arjun noticing him wincing as well and her eyes softened knowing how hard this must have been on him, "Arjun," she called getting his attention, "Humari shaadi..."
Arjun cut her off saying, "That's not important right now." He stroked her hair saying, "Pehle tum theek ho jao phir hum baat karenge."
"Aap sab bahar jaye, the patient needs her rest." The nurse said coming in.
"Koi ek ko iske saath rehna chahiye." Mala said not wanting her daughter to be alone.
"Only one person can stay in the room." The nurse said. Everyone looked at Arjun and mutually agreed he should be the one to stay in the room, they all left leaving him there with Radhika.
Radhika had been looking over at Arjun who had been quiet ever since he had gotten into her room. He had been sitting still never taking his eyes off of her, not uttering a single word.
"Aap mujhe pagal kardenge." Radhika said not being able to take the silence. Arjun just gave her a look. "Arjun itne chup kyun hai aap?" Radhika asked. She tried getting up and moaned in pain making Arjun shoot up coming over to help her.
"Tum thodi der ki liye chup nahi re sakti." Arjun scolded her, "Stop trying to move you will rip the stiches and inflame the wound." He said gently placing her against the bed rest.
"Nahin chup re sakti naa, agar main kuch bolungi nahi aur aap baat nahi karenge toh main kitni bored ho jaongi pata hai." She said. He rolled his eyes and was about to walk away when Radhika grabbed his hand stopping him. He sat down next to her on the hospital bed looking down. Radhika smiled and touched his face softly saying, "Aapko darne ki koi zaroorat nahi hain, mail bilkul theek hoon."
Arjun looked up into her eyes and couldn't help it, he gently hugged her being careful not to put any pressure on her stomach. "Maine tumhe almost khodiya tha." He said in a broken tone.
"Aisa kabhi nahi hoga." Radhika said relaxing into his embrace, "Kyunki raaste ka pathar kabhi hatne nahi wala hai Arjun, panauti hamesha peecha karne wali hai." She joked feeling relieved when he left out a small laugh.
"Ahem ahem" they heard fake coughing and laughter behind them and pulled apart immediately.
"Arjun beta choti ko yeh soup pilao." Mala said covering her grin as she handed him the soup for Radhika.
Soon enough everyone was participating in light banter talking as Arjun was feeding Radhika when Sam said, "Neil and I have some news to share."
"Woh hum dono ne baache ka naam soch liya hai." Neil said.
"We have decided to name our baby girl Ardhika." Sam said.
"Ardhika?" everyone questioned them.
"Aaj agar Radhika nahi hoti toh yeh baby bhi nahi hota aur meri galti ho kar bhi Arjun ne mujhe maaf kardiya." Sam said.
"Nahi Sam tumhari galti nahi thi." Arjun told her, "Sab uss Saral ki galti hai."
"Jo bhi ho," Sam said, "Neil and I wanted to name our daughter after the people who protected her today."
"Isliye Ardhika, Ar from Arjun and dhika from Radhika, Ardhika." Neil explained.
Radhika and Arjun smiled at them and Arjun got up giving them both a hug. "You don't have to do that at all, you are our friends, you would have done the same for Radhika." He said.
Sam and Neil just smiled and Radhika said, "Thank you, we're honored."
The doctor had entered the room smiling with reports of Radhika's condition.
"Doctor sab theek toh hai na?" Dilip asked praying that everything was okay with his daughter.
"You are quite lucky Radhika, normally when people get stabbed they have internal bleeding that damages a lot. But luckily you were able to recover from surgery. But you need to be careful now, any small movement that can tear the stitches can cause internal bleeding and can cause permanent uterus damage." He said, "As of now we will keep you for a couple of hours and then you will be free to go home granted you have the proper supervision." The doctor said looking at everyone in the room. "Waise mujhe lagta nahi hai ke supervision ki koi problem hogi, you have quite a family." The doctor smiled.
"Thank you doctor." Arjun said shaking his hand.
"Ek minute doctor, do din mein meri shaadi hai." Radhika said.
"No, we will postpone it." Arjun told her.
"Kyun!" Radhika said, "Main bilkul theek ho, doctor ne bhi bola. Aur Arjun aaj humari haldi hai!" Radhika said not wanting to post pone her wedding.
"Aaj!" Arjun scoffed, "You must be crazy if you think that I will allow you to do anything but rest."
"Doctor you tell them I'm okay!" Radhika said at the same time Arjun said, "Doctor you tell her she's not okay."
The doctor looked at both of them and laughed, "Radhika Arjun is right, you definitely cannot have the haldi today, your wounds are too strong." he said making her pout. "But if the proper care is provided you can definitely have the wedding this week, even have your haldi soon." Radhika grinned hearing that.
"Lekin doctor iski chhot!" Sam said surprised at the doctor.
"Agar tumhe yeh shaadi karni hai toh tumhe full rest lena hoga." The doctor told her, "No unnecessary walking, no running around, no dancing. You cannot have any stress on your wounds. Even your haldi will be a little postponed, maybe in two days you can have it."
"Lekin usme kya maaza hai," Radhika sulked.
"Soch lo Radhika," Arjun said amused, "Shaadi abhi karni hai ya phir post pone karna hai."
"Nahi nahi, theek hai I will do everything you say." Radhika quickly agreed making everyone around her giggle.
After spending one more night at the hospital Radhika was ready to come home. Arjun and Neil had helped her off the hospital bed and were taking her outside to the car. Once she was placed in the car Arjun drove back wanting to make sure she got to her bed as quick as possible.
"Arjun haldi kal hai na?" Radhika asked him from behind.
"Hmm." He answered.
"Toh teyari kaise chal rahi hai." She asked.
"You are not allowed to do anything." He said making her sulk in the back.
"Kyun nahi, Arjun please ab Maa kaise sab kuch handle karengi." Radhika said.
"Chashni Arjun sahi hai, you are not doing anything. Maa aur Piyali mom aayi hai Mala Aunty ki help ki liye." Neil said as they got out of the car.
"Aur saath mein ek surprise bhi hai." Neil said smiling.
"Surprise?" Radhika asked flinching as she moved too fast. Arjun shook his head and gently lifted her in his arms carrying her into the house. "Surprise kahan hai?" she asked excitedly as Arjun made sure to softly place her down on the couch.
"Surprise yahan hai!" she heard three voices yell, "Here we are!" Zuben, Kritika, and Teji showed up making Radhika smile. She tried to get up in excitement and hissed in pain sitting back down with Arjun by her side in a flash.
"Dhyaan se!" Arjun said as she clutched her stomach in pain breathing in a few times before she was okay.
"Radhika we are here to help you in any way we can, all your wedding decorations are on us now." Teji said as the three of them stepped forward.
"Thank you," Radhika said happy to see her friends.
"Lekin abhi ki liye tumhe sona hai." Sam said, "You need complete bed rest."
"Mujhe nahi sona Sam do din se bed pe soke pakk chuki hoon main." Radhika said.
"Do you remember the condition?" Arjun said raising an eyebrow.
"But -" Radhika tried to say but she was cut off.
"You will listen to what we all say about resting." Arjun said knowing he won as Radhika's shoulders deflated in defeat.
"Theek hai," Radhika agreed knowing she had no choice. She slowly tried to get up but couldn't, Arjun lightly gripped her waist helping her rise up and take her to her room.
Arjun helped Radhika lay day and softly caressed her face, "Ab so jai." He said turning to leave when Radhika caught his arm.
"Ruko na thode der ki liye." She said making him smile. Arjun sat down on the bed lying next to her with one hand holding her hand and the other softly gracing her head in a soft rhythm to put her to sleep with. Without realizing it Arjun had fallen asleep right next to Radhika.
"Yaar ek ghanta ho gaya aur Arjun ab thak bahar nahi aaya, Chashni ab thak soyi nahi?" Neil said wondering what was taking him so long.
"Chashni ko tum jante ho na, I'm sure she kept him busy in talking. I'm gonna go check and make sure Radhika is sleeping, she needs her rest right now." Sam said getting up and going towards the room. When she opened the door she had to cover her mouth to not laugh out loud.
"Kya hua beta?" Mala said as she was with Nandini and Piyali.
"Woh aunty dekho." She pointed to the bed where both Radhika and Arjun were fast asleep looking so peaceful with their hands connected. "Aunty ek picture toh banta hai." Sam said taking out her phone.
"Samira!" Piyali said shaking her head.
"Sab ko dikhana bhi hai." Sam said as she took the picture. The ladies closed the door and went to the living room where everyone was waiting for Sam.
"Kya hua Arjun sir kahan hai aur Radhika so gaye?" Teji asked her.
Sam giggled and pulled out her phone showing the gang the picture. "Aye haye how sweet," Neil said smiling as they gang carried on with the preparations for the haldi.
Hey guys I hope ya'll liked this part! Thank you all so much for the continuous support! I think there are about 2 more chapters left for this FF and I can't thank you guys enough for being so kind to it!
- Shakti
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