"i told you already, i do not know her" Dev explained to the doctor "she fainted in our tent and i brought her here"
"she has been raped, Mr. Dev"
"do you think i raped her then brought her to the hospital?" the doctor looked at him suspiciously, Dev laughed "ridiculous!" he looked at Rohit "how stupid is that man?"
"doctor, she's awake" a nurse came running towards them
Dev ran after the doctor, but he stopped him at the door of Santoshi's room. He heard her shouting for the doctor to leave her alone, he heard her pain, he heard her cries and felt his heart aching for a reason that he didn't know. The doctor came out "what's wrong?" Dev asked
"she's in shock, a female doctor is needed" the doctor said then walked away
Dev slowly walked towards her door, he saw Santoshi sitting on bed, her legs up and her arms around them.. her forehead on her knees and he could only hear her sobbing "excuse me" Dev almost jumped looking back, a female doctor came and closed the door behind her
Dev sighed sitting down "come on yaar, what are we still doing here?"
"i can't just leave her alone, Rohit"
"you heard the doctor, she's in shock.. she doesn't even want a male doctor.."
"i know, still" he looked at his friend "you're tired man, go back to Jaipur.."
"and you?"
"i'll go back home.. will meet back in Mumbai ok?" he smiled
"be careful"
"sure" Dev smiled as his friend walked out of the hospital, he sighed again and rested his head back to the hospital wall.. soon he slept sitting on the chair that faced Santoshi's room.
Dev woke up on the sound of shouting, he opened his eyes to see a group of people in front of him.. the female doctor looking sorry at the lady who was crying hard "i'm sorry" she said then she walked away
"she needs our strength now Kiron" Shanker put his arms around his wife "she needs our strength" he repeated still in tears
Dev got up, he knew right away that they are the girl's family.. he walked towards them but noticed a girl was sliding down against the wall, she was trying to breath "are you ok?" he sat on his knees in front of her
She looked at him, the sound of her breathing wasn't normal "i.. forgot.. my.. in..haler.." she said behind broken breaths
"get up" he held her arms and made her stand "put your head between your knees" the girl did "now inhale.." she did "exhale" he started rubbing her back, after a while she looked up at him "ok now?"
She nodded tears falling "thanks.."
He smiled "do you know the girl who's inside?" he pointed at Santoshi's bedroom, the girl slowly nodded "who's she?"
"my sister" she started crying hard
The family looked back "Dia" Kiron came towards her, she looked at Dev "Dia, kya hua?" she asked still looking at Dev
"kuch nahi amy.. he helped me with my asthma attack"
Dev looked behind Kiron to see lots of eyes looking at him "i'm Dev.." he smiled nervously "i brought.. um" he pointed at Santoshi's room "here.."
"really?" Kiron asked walking towards him "thank you beta" she hugged him "thank you"
Dev smiled as he hugged her back "it's ok.." Kiron moved back "hope she's alright now?" he asked
Kiron sighed then wiped her tears "she can't look at her father even.." she started having tears again "and she is in very much pain"
"Kiron" Shanker put his arm around her then looked at Dev "thanks son for bringing her here.. even thank you is not enough.."
Dev shook his hand "it's ok.." he paused looking at the people around "i will be here for a while.. it's a long way back home so.. will rest here, if you guys need anything"
"thank you" Dia smiled at him
"ye" he nodded then walked away
Taani sat down on the chair, Dia was looking at her disgustingly.. she slowly looked up "abh kya Dia?"
"acting innocent doesn't fit you, b*tch" she was about to attack her when Javed held her back "SHE'S HERE BECAUSE OF YOU" Dia kept shouting
"DIA" Kiron held her "what is this you're saying?"
"we were playing truth or dare and she dared Santie to walk in the desert alone" Dia was crying "it's her fault"
"and YOUR fault too" Taani shouted "and YOURS too" she looked at Javed
"what? what the hell are you saying? gone mad or what?"
"you agreed on it, and you agreed on it so it's our fault.. not just me" Taani pointed at herself "she doesn't want to see me too Dia"
"how dare you Taani?" Kiron looked at her firmly "to play a stupid game, and dare he to walk alone? in the desert?? and you Javed" she looked at him "you didn't care about what was going to happen to her?"
"i thou.."
"CHUP" Shanker slapped him "if you were man enough, you would've stopped this madness!" he started breathing heavily "you.. you could've stopped this.." he paused "Santie.. Santie.. would.. have" he put his hand on his shoulder "Kiron" he whispered
"PAPA!" Dia shouted as her father fell
The day that Santoshi refused to see her father, the day he passed away from heart attack. The relationships that was built the past few years, were broken after few days from his death.. Santoshi didn't even cry for her father's death, she doesn't feel anything anymore.. all what she do is sit in her hospital room, looking outside the window with empty eyes."she doesn't want to leave the room" Kiron told the doctor "she doesn't want to see men"
"she told me that" the doctor nodded "it's going to be hard Mrs. Seth"
Kiron sniffed nodding "it's only us now doctor.. how hard can it be?" she smiled at the doctor then started walking towards Santoshi's room, a man walking towards her stopped her though, she recognized him "Dev na?" she said as he stopped in front of her
"i heard about your husband's death.. i'm sorry" he sounded sincere
"thank you beta.." she smiled sadly at him
He looked around her, but the people he saw the last time, weren't there anymore "where is everyone?"
She sighed "after Shanker's death.. everything was lost.." he looked at her confused "Santoshi was engaged but not anymore.. her friends.. they never visit anymore.. abh baas main, Dia aur Santoshi" she bit her lip lowering her head
Dev looked at her for a while "aunty" Kiron looked up "may i marry your daughter?"
Kiron and Dev sat on the chairs that were in front of Santoshi's room "you know what happened to her"
"haan.." he nodded "i saved her na?"
"Dev.. she refused to see her own father.. she's in shock" Kiron paused "sometimes she even asks us to leave her alone.. and we have to.. or else.. doctor kahte hai ki she will have an episode.." she sighed "once i refused to leave the room and i witnessed it.." Kiron started to have tears "i couldn't bare it beta.. you won't be able to" Dev lowered his head, she looked at him "you don't have to do this to save her from our community.."
He smiled looking at her "nahi aunty.. i have to do this, to save myself.."
"matlab?"
"my life has changed.. ever since.. i brought her here.. ever since i.." he blushed looking down "i really want her by my side aunty"
"she can't be by anyone's side beta"
"she can.. i know.."
Kiron shook her head "she's a changed woman Dev.. woh aise nahi thi.. she was full of life.. now i don't see it in her eyes.. its empty" she sniffed "what kind of life you want to have with her?"
"you should ask.. what kind of life i want for her.." Dev paused smiling "let me marry her.. i promise.. she will be the old Santoshi again"
Kiron smiled at him "tum achcha ho.." Dev held her hand "i will have to ask her first.."
"of course"
Kiron was inside her daughter's room, there was a tray with dinner on her bed.. Santoshi was sitting, looking down at it "beti" Kiron smiled sitting next to her "remember.." Kiron stopped smiling.. how could she tell her about Dev without mentioning the accident?
"i don't want to remember" Santoshi said lifelessly not looking at her mother
"it's about.. the man who" Kiron paused "who brought you her" Santoshi looked at her mother "woh.. bahar hai na.. aur" Kiron swallowed "he just.. asked your hand for marriage"
Santoshi blinked at her mother for a moment "pagal ho kya?" she yelled "you want me to get MARRIED?" her voice got louder "DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH??" she shouted throwing the tray off the bed
Kiron jumped, looking at her daughter scared "beti.."
"GET OUT! LEAVE ME ALONE"
A nurse came running "kya hua?"
"GET HER OUT OF HERE" she yelled
"Mrs. Seth please" she held Kiron who was looking at her daughter with tears falling "chalo"
Few days later
"Santoshi" the doctor was sitting on a chair in front of Santoshi's bed "you are being discharged from our hospital.. you will go back home.. and you will be meeting a psychologist"
"i can't.."
"i know you can't.. we will provide something for you" the doctor smiled warmly at her, Santoshi looked to see the doctor holding a black fabric "cover your head with it.. and you won't be able to see anyone until you're safe in the plane"
"plane?"
"yes" the doctor paused "they know about your condition.."
"you want me to get on a plane?"
"Santoshi" the doctor sat on the bed "they know about your condition" she repeated every word separately, Santoshi tears fell "you will be alright.."
And she was, from Rajasthan to Delhi.. all the way on the plane, she had the black fabric on and was treated in a special way.
"we're home!" Dia grinned at her sister "isn't it great to be home didi?"
"no" Santoshi answered walking upstairs to her bedroom, she was holding the handrail when suddenly she felt numbness in her hand and slipped from the stairs
"DIDI" Dia ran towards her "are you ok?"
Santoshi sat on a stair "haan" she started massaging her shoulder
"kya hua?" Kiron walked fast towards them
"Santie fell.." Dia informed her
"Santie!" Kiron sat in front of her "kaise? are you ok?"
"stop it mom!" Santoshi got up "it's fine now" she walked up the stairs again holding the handrail
It were the nights that no one at the Seth's house was able to sleep from Santoshi's shouts and cries.. what made it worse is she refused to go out and meet the psychologist.. and when the psychologist was visiting, Santoshi wasn't co-operating with her.. she didn't want to be helped.
Arjun
