He slowly lowered her limp form onto the bed. He didn't know his happiness was so short lived. It was not even moments since he had got back his life and babaji was threatening him of taking it back; no forcefully pulling it back. Her lifeless form had made him go to the corner of fear he had escaped from, just a few moments back. He just couldn't tolerate her being hurt. He rubbed her palms, her feet but she wasn't responding to anything at all. 'Geet...mishty...please utho...' He pleaded.
'Dekho...ek baar aankhein khol kar mujhe dekhlo...main bardaasht nahi karsakta Geet agar tum aise soyi ho...please mishty, mere liye ek baar uth jao...' he pleaded her again but Geet was nowhere near in responding him. His eyes betrayed him again and the traitor tears started falling down on her as Maan lost his self control. He burst into strong tears looking at his Geet, who had become so pale and weak. She felt so light when he had lifted her and he was sure that she, too, hadn't eaten anything. He felt like he was being tortured...tortured to death. His Mishty's suffering was stabbing him like hot knives. He caressed her arms and put his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. He kissed her forehead lovingly and that was when he realized that she was hell burning. He quickly withdrew his hand, so that he could check again, and there was a stabbing pain in his arm. He saw his arm bleeding due to a sharp cut in his forearm and he could understand the reason for the pain. He thought that there was something sharp on the bed and that would hurt his Mishty as well. So he turned her body to make her sleep on one side and checked if there was something on the bed. He found the sharp object but it was not on bed instead it was stabbing Geet! He just couldn't believe it. The glass shards had pierced into her skin on her waist. 'Daadi maa!!!' he screamed and everyone came running into the room. Dev came inside escorting the doctor. Daadi maa worriedly asked 'kya hua Maan bete and Maan, who was in complete shock, pointed his finger towards the glass shards that were stabbing his Geet, through her salwar. Everyone gasped and the doctor immediately called for the nurse, who came in with all the instruments ready. The doctor got surgical pliers out of her kit and Nandini straightly fainted into Dev's arms looking at her sister's plight.
Slowly and very cautiously, the doctor clamped the pliers on one of the shards and removed it in one go. Maan drew a sharp breath as he could feel the pain that his Mishty was going through and he closed his eyes unable to see her suffering like that. The doctor clamped the pliers on the other glass shard and pulled it out of her body in a swift motion and Maan felt another sharp pang of pain rising through him. He could feel every pain that was actually torturing his Geet, who couldn't feel it as she was unconscious. The doctor closed her eyes for a moment and then asked everyone to go out as she had to do the dressing. Maan straightly went out and leaned against the wall, trying to console himself that his Mishty was going to be alright and Dev kept a hand on his shoulder. Maan saw him once and unable to bear it anymore, he hugged him and broke down. Dev had tears in his eyes to see his brother and his sister in law suffering so much from the past few days and he was still unable to do anything. Daadi was taking care of Nandini and Nakul was pacing restlessly down the corridor of Maan's bedroom.
After a while, the doctor asked Maan to come in and everybody went inside to ask her about Geet and Maan was staring at his Mishty, his eyes clouded with pain and distress. The doctor laid her hand on his shoulder and said 'Inhe bohot tez bhukaar hai aur agar inhe do teen din mein hosh nahi aayi to shayad hum inke liye kuch nahi karsakte. Aapko himmat rakhna hoga Mr. Khurana. Iss waqt aapki biwi ko sabse zyaada zaroorat aapki hai aur aap hi inhe normal banasakte hai. Mujhe aap par poora bharosa hai aur agar aapne inka poora khayal rakha to yeh theek hojayenge. Iss waqt aapko rona nahi balki apne aap ko strong banakar aapki biwi ki khayal rakhni hogi. She needs you very badly. Aapko jald se jald inhe sponge bath dena hoga aur iss kaam ka haqdaar sirf aap hai. Aap samajh rahe na meri baat.'
Maan just stared the doctor with painful eyes and Daadi said 'hum inhe sponge bath denge doctor.'
'Nahi...agar yeh kaam Mr. Khurana karenge to zyaada achcha hoga. Main jaanti hoon ki aap sabhi log Mrs. Khurana ke bohot khayal rakhenege lekin aap sabse zyaada Mr. Khurana inka dekhbaal karte hai. Mr.Khurana, iss waqt aap apni biwi ko sirf pati ki tarah nahi balki ek maa ki tarah khayal rakhna hoga. Agar aap hosla rakhenge to yeh jaldi theek hojayenge. Be strong.'
'Theek hai Doctor. Main karoonga. Main tumhe kho nahi sakta Geet. Kabhi bhi nahi! Main iska poora dhyaan rakhoonga doctor. I promise.'
'Theek hai, yeh kuch dawaayiya hai...aap please inhe mangwalijiye aur agar kuch bhi zaroorat pade to mujhe fauran call kejiye. Main chalti hoon. Take care' the doctor smiled and went out. Daadi patted Maan and asked if he needed anything. He asked her for a tub of lukewarm water and some hot water and a sponge. He went to the cupboard and took a knee length, cotton night gown and came sat beside Geet. Dev and Nakul brought the water and the sponge and left the room without a word, closing the door behind them and Maan slowly lifted Geet off the bed and undid the doris her salwar to give her the sponge bath.
PRECAP:
Daadi isse kahiye na aankhein kholne keliye.
PS: pms later 😉 and maaneet moments 😃
Chapter 8
Book Talk
