So I was supposed to post this part on Tuesday but that didn't happen. I was too lazy 😛
But its here anyway. I think this is the longest part so far. There aren't many VirMan scenes but that's just where my story is now. I hope you enjoy it! Please comment! And please forgive all the typos and other errors. Re-reading my work is kinda boring 😛
Part 4
Flashback
"The number you have dialed is not answering at the moment."
Virat threw his phone on his bed in frustration. He had been trying to talk to her since morning, and it was already 6 p.m., but she wasn't answering her phone. He was beyond frustrated and absolutely mad. He'd spoken to her last night. It had become a daily thing to talk to her whenever he could, and he'd spoken to her last night, she seemed weak though and it was getting to him.
Maybe, she was sick and that's why she wasn't answering her phone. Well, whatever it was, he needed to talk to her. Besides, his engagement was in 4 days and he needed to make sure she was coming. He wondered is Jeevika Bhabhi had spoken to her today. Ah, there's an idea. He would ask her.
He left his room in search of his Bhabhi, finding her in the living terrace, having her evening tea with his mother.
"Bhabhi, kya aap ne aaj Maanvi se baat ki?" He interrupted them in a conversation, but he couldn't wait.
"Nahi, toh. Kyun kya hua? Kuch problem toh nahi hain na? Mannu theek toh hain na?"
"Wahi toh pata nahi na. Main subhe se uska phone try kar raha hoon, itne messages bhi bheje lekin ek bhi reply nahi aya. Aur kal raat ko - " He realized his mistake, and he only hoped that his mother and Bhabhi wouldn't find it odd that he was talking to her in the night. "Mera matlab hain ki kal jab meri usse baat hui toh mujhe laga ki woh bemaar hain. Uski awaaz kaafi kamzor lag rahi thi."
He could see Jeevika's face getting panicky by the second, but if something was wrong, she had all the right to know and he didn't regret telling her.
"Main usse call karti hoon." She said, hurriedly picking up her phone to dial her sister's number while Virat waited impatiently, waiting for his Bhabhi ki Behna to pick up the phone.
"Nahi uthaya." Jeevika said, he could already see the tears forming in her eyes.
"Jeevika beta phir se try karo, shayad busy hogi." His mother tried to console her daughter-in-law.
And so she tried again, and again. Finally, finally, she answered the fourth time Jeevika called her.
"Maanvi, kya ho gaya hain tujhe, phone kyun nahi utha rahi? Tujhe pata hain main kitni pareshaan ho gayi thi?"
How he wished that he could hear Maanvi's side of the conversation, but he couldn't so he relied on Jeevika's facial expressions, watching her keenly. But what Virat was hoping for didn't happen. He expected his Bhabhi to breath a sigh of relief, but immediately panicked when he saw her face pale considerably.
"Maanvi," She spoke slowly "kya hua hain tujhe? Tere awaaz itni kamzor kyun hain?"
So it was her voice. Nothing more. Its not like something happened to her.
Yet, something told him.
Maanvi said something again and Jeevika shook her head.
"Mannu, apni Di se jhooth bolegi?" Jeevika said in a small voice, and Virat felt his heart clench. He really hoped that everything was alright.
Maanvi spoke again and Jeevika relaxed, only slightly, and was about to say something, when Maanvi interrupted again and hung up on her sister. Jeevika moved the phone from her ear and stared at it, with a frown on her face.
"Bhabhi, kya hua? Maanvi theek toh hain na?"
"Uss kaha ki sab theek hain, lekin mujhe darr lag raha hain, Virat. Uss ki awaaz bahut kamzor thi aur uss ne phone bhi itni jaldi kaat diya. Mujhe lagta hain ki kuch gadbad hain."
He knew it, he just knew it. The fact that she hadn't replied to him all day and her voice. He wished he could see her, to see if she looked as weak as she sounds.
"Bhabhi, kyun na hum Dabbo ko phone kare? Aap toh janti hai, ki woh kaisa hai, usko pata bhi nahi chale ga aur woh hume sab sach bata dega."
"Haan, Virat! Tum sahi keh rahe ho. Main usse phone karti hoon." She was just about to dial his number when Virat stopped her.
"Bhabhi, aap rukiye, main karta hoon. Aap ghabraa jaaogi."
She nodded at him and he dialed the number and put it on speaker phone mode. Dabbo answered after three rings.
"Hello?"
"Dabbo! Mere bhai ke saale! Kaisa hain tu?"
"Virat bhaiya! Main theek hoon! Aap kaise ho? Achanak mujhe kaise yaad kiya?" Was it him or was Dabbo sounded more subdued than usual?
"Bas, aisai. Tu bata, ghar main sab kaise hain?"
"Kya batau Virat bhaiya, sab log Maanvi Di - Um, mera matlab hain, ki woh, um, sab theek hain." Virat's eyes jerked up to his Bhabhi's. He didn't know whether he was relieved or scared to know that something was wrong but his put his index finger on his lips, indicating her to stay quiet.
"Maanvi? Kya hua Maanvi ko? Woh theek toh hain?"
"Haan, aap pareshaan kyun ho rahe ho? Arrey, Maanvi Di aa gayi, ek minute - " He told them to hold on, and spoke to Maanvi, who had, apparently, just reached home from God knows where.
"Maanvi Di, aap aa gayi, kaisi ho aap? Aap pehle se zyada kamzor lag rahi ho."
"Dabbe, phone muh ke paas chipka kar baat kyun kar raha hain? Idhar aa, mujhe madat kar." They heard Maanvi's distant voice. Help? Why did she need help?
"Haan, main - MAANVI DI! KYA HUA?" Dabbo's voice suddenly got louder and it boomed through the speaker phone, then they heard some disturbance, like the phone was being dropped, which was probably what happened.
Virat, now in full panic mode, tried to call Dabbo through the phone but he knew it was of no use.
He looked at his Bhabhi who had tears running down her face, she looked like she was in shock.
He cut the call, because he knew that all the noise coming from the other side would just get them panicky. He tried to think, what must have happened to Maanvi? Did she faint? Seemed like it. What was he supposed to do now? He was sure that there was no way in hell that he would just sit in Chandigarh and yet Maanvi suffer there in Hrishikesh.
"Virat, Maanvi.. Meri Mannu." Jeevika was sobbing uncontrollably now. Vanshika pulled his down on the sofa to sit beside her and caressed her head, while consoling her.
"Jeevika, apne aap ko sambhalo. Maanvi ko kuch nahi hua hoga. Woh bilkul theek hogi. Virat, Viren ko phone karo, usse kaho ki issi waqt ghar aa jaye aur Hrishikesh jaane ki tayiyaari kare." Thank God. Thank God his mother took the situation into her control. Virat knew he had lost the ability to think. He was on autopilot now. He dialed his brother's number and called him. Viren answered the phone after three rings.
"Hello?"
"Bhai, aap abhi issi waqt ghar aa jaaiye." He absentmindedly noted how blank he sounded.
"Virat, kya hua? Sab theek toh hain na?"
"Bhai, woh, pata nahi. Shayad Maanvi ko kuch hua hain. Bhabhi bahut roh rahi hain. Jaldi aao."
"Theek hain, main abhi aa raha hoon!"
Viren cut the call before waiting for a reply.
Virat sat down beside Jeevika, looking down. Maybe he shouldn't panic so much. After all, this wasn't the first time Maanvi had fallen sick, but something inside him told him that there was something she was hiding from him, and Dabbo just proved it.
"Jeevika!" Viren was already home and Virat breathed a sigh of relief. Now, finally, he could meet his Maanvi, and prove it to himself that she was perfectly fine. Jeevika got up, ran to her husband and hugged hum tight, sobbing into his shoulder.
"Viren ji, mujhe Mannu se milne hain! Please, mujhe le jaaiye!" Viren looked at his mother who nodded at him, giving him permission.
"Theek hain chalo, kuch pack kapde pack karlete hain, phir chalte hain."
Just then Swamini bua walked and and saw Jeevika crying, immediately getting worried.
"Jeevika, kya hua?" Jeevika got out of her husband's embrace and looked down.
"Woh, Badi Maa, Maanvi bemaar hain, hum log Hrishikesh jaa rahe hain."
"Ji, main bhi jaa rahoon." Virat spoke firmly. He had to go see his partner, make sure she was okay.
"Virat, tum kaise jaa sakte ho? Viren aur Jeevika ko jaan do. Chaar din mein tumhaari sagaaiyi hain!"
"Par, bua - "
"Virat, Badi Maa sahi keh rahi hain. I'm sure Maanvi ko kuch serious nahi hua hoga. Aur waise bhi, tum Maya ko chod ke nahi jaa sakte." Viren cut in and Virat just stared at him disbelievingly. He couldn't believe it. His brother didn't back him up.
"Chalo, tum dono abhi niklo, phir shaam tak Hrishikesh pahunch jaaoge!" Virat could see that Swamini bua was genuinely worried. But he wanted to go, he didn't know if he would survive not going and meeting Maanvi.
Flashback ends.
Virat was jerked out of his thoughts by the ringtone of his phone. He looked at Maanvi, who was still sleeping soundly. He took out his phone from his pocket and saw who was calling. 'Beeji', his phone informed him. Since Virat got to know about Maanvi's cancer, he had gotten quite close to Maanvi's Beeji. They spent a lot of time together.
"Hello?"
"Virat beta, kaise ho tum?"
"Main theek hoon Beeji, aap kaisi hain?"
"Main bhi theek hoon. Beta, Maanvi kaise hain?"
"Woh behtar hain Beeji. Aaj doctor ne uski dawaai badal di aur uss se bahut farak pada hain. Aur, usse ICU se shift bhi kar diya hain. Lekin unhone kaha hain ki kuch aur din usse hospital main rakhenge." Virat was beaming. He couldn't help it. The relief he felt was amazing. He didn't know he was capable of feeling this way again. He knew that she wasn't cured as yet, but he had just spoken to the doctor and he said that things were looking up again and if she went through a surgery, she would, most likely be fine.
"Yeh toh bahut achi baat hain! Kya woh tumhare paas hain?"
"Beeji, woh abhi so rahi hain. Jab woh uth jaayegi, main aap ko phone kar doonga."
"Theek hain beta. Apna khayal rakhna!" He cut the call and looked at his angel, she'd been sleeping for two hours, but he certainly didn't mind watching over her.
He was still sitting close to her, her hand still in his. Then, suddenly, she started stirring. She opened her eyes and sighed, looking at the ceiling, with a small smile on her face. He squeezed her hand slightly and her eyes met his. She smiled at him openly, now.
"Kaisa lag raha hain?" He asked softly.
"Pehle se bahut behtar. Virat, mujhe ghar le jao na!"
"Maanvi, abhi nahi. Maine, thodi der pehle hi doctor se baat ki hain. Tum abhi yahan se hil nahi sakti." He smiled apologetically and she sighed, then suddenly, her eyes lit up and he knew he was in for some trouble.
"Acha, theek hain, lekin tum mujhe ek walk ke liya toh le ja sakte ho na?"
"Walk? No. Nahi Maanvi, tumhe yahan se hilna mana hain. Bikul nahi!"
"Virat, please! Tum nurse ko bula ke pooch toh lo! Shayad wo haan keh de. Aur woh mera drip bhi nikal degi."
"Theek hain, lekin agar woh 'na' karti hain to hum kahi nahi jaa rahe!"
"Done!" Maanvi grinned at him.
He rang the bell and the nurse was there within moments.
"Nurse, kya main ek walk ke liye jaa sakti hoon? Please?" Maanvi looked at her, with her big puppy dog eyes and Virat chuckled at her childishness. The nurse seemed to think for a moment before answering.
"Theek hain. Main aapka drip nikal deti hoon. Lekin aap ko adhe ghante se pehle aana hoga aur bahut door mat jaaiye. Aap inke saat hoge na?"
"Ji." Virat replied with a smile, of course he'd be with her. He always was.
Maanvi squealed slightly and Virat laughed at her. This would be the first time she was leaving the hospital building in over a week. The nurse removed the drip and told her to be careful before leaving the room, and him to hold her hand at all times, to which he smiled at Maanvi. She knew he would be. Virat got up and held Maanvi's hand and helped her to get out of the bed. She sat on the bed for a minute, getting used to the feeling and slowly, with Virat's help, got out of the bed.
He stood in front of her and put him hands on her waist and looked into her eyes. He could see a spark in there. One which was extinguished for the past five months. He kissed her forehead and hugged her tight, his face buried in her hair and she hugged him back as tightly as he did, and in that moment, he could feel all she felt. Fear, sorrow, relief.
"I love you." Maanvi whispered, very softly and Virat froze. That was the second time she said it to him and the joy he felt was unfathomable.
"I love you, too." He whispered just as softly, into her ear and she shivered slightly. He smiled and let go of her, taking her hand in his.
"Chale?"
She nodded and started walking carefully, with her hand grasped firmly in his.
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