Thanks for all your comments and putting up with my eccentric updates... I am sorry for updating after a long while but the last 2 weeks have been pure hell!🤢 I finally see a silver lining to the chaos in the past weeks. ⭐️
This update has taken long and a lot cannot be put into words but here it is... Read this with your heart than your eyes. 😊
PART 14
Recap:
Arnav manages to reach Lucknow but faints before he could meet with Khushi while she finds him unconscious in the car and leads him to the hospital. she also informs their families.
Khushi sat in the hospital room, gazing at the first rays of the rising sun and the receding darkness. It had been nearly 12 hours since he had been hospitalized. Her eyes drifted to his sleeping face every few minutes in hope of his waking. The past 12 hours had passed in a blur but still had been the longest time ever. He stirred occasionally in his sleep, moving his fingers, murmuring unintelligible words, but did not wake.
The doctors said, he was stable now and there was nothing to worry about but he would be staying here for a while.
In the last 12 hours pure panic and chaos reigned.
"Jiji... I dont know what happened, he just fainted." she had said between her sobs while Payal had held her.
"I swear I didnt do anything" she said to Anjali who had sat silently in the corner. Anjali just nodded, accepting her words, her face expressionless.
"Mr. Raizada, his pressure is drooping and we can't get his sugar levels in control."
She had nearly collapsed when she had overheard his conversation between her Jiju and the doctor. No, she would not let this happen.
While, Anjali 'Raizada' transported Arnav's doctor from Delhi to Lucknow by a chartered helicopter. She wanted nothing but the best and another piece of the past had fallen her way.
"Mr. Raizada, I had asked him to check into the hospital a month ago but he refused. His health has been deteriorating from a while now but he refused treatment. I asked to speak to a family member but my calls never got through."
"How is that possible? He never told us." Akash looked on shocked.
"Mr. Raizada we are doing are best."
He didn't want to stay? But why? He was fine till three months ago, than what had happened that could change everything? Why was Anjaliji behaving like that? She was hurt yes, so was he, but why was she so cold? She had become more like her brother, Khushi realized. How could he even think like that, and how was it that his family never realized, what was going on?
She mused over her thoughts, walking back to his room and entwining his fingers with hers. He was going nowhere.
And then two hours ago, the doctor had said, he was going to be fine. Though he would be weak, his body parameters were under control and he would regain conscious soon.
Khushi was dragged away from the room unwillingly, tired as she was, buaji had pulled her out, convincing her to return home.
Anjali sat in the furthest corner of his room away from her brother's line of sight staring at his face, her face betraying no emotions. It had taken her all her willpower to not shed a tear to see her Chote in this state, and she had won against herself.
The past six months had been hell for both of them and they needed respite. What had occurred in the past could not be altered and some decisions were purely hers to make, and she had. She walked out of the room, lost in the occurrences of the past six months as she saw her brother stir awake.
"Hello, Mr. Raizada, How do you feel?" the doctor inquired, Anjali and Akash following him.
"Fine"
"You did not inform your family that you needed medical attention." the Dr. stated in a matter of fact way. He just averted his eyes, not willing to meet the Dr.'s accusing stare as he checked his stats. What was his problem anyway? He thought.
"My problem Mr. Raizada is that you have been my patient for so long. I expected better of you. I did not know you shied away from troubles. You have a family to look after", the Dr. said answering his unasked question.
"Everything seems to be fine but it was a close call." the doctor informed while leaving.
"Take care."
Payal stormed into the room in the precise moment as the Dr. walked out, murder written on her face.
"How dare you? Aap samajte kya hein apne aap ko?" he had been at the receiving end of these same words before and he knew storm was coming. He gulped looking towards Akash for help.
"How can you even think like that?" she continued.
"you said i was your sister. Then? You had promised me you will take care of your nephew and you do this?" waving her hand indicating his condition, trying to emphasize her point.
"Payal... Look... I am sor..."
"I dont want your apology." she said cutting through his sentence.
"Listen, I will fulfill my promise. Just relax. Its not good for your health. Akash."
"Wait" she said glancing towards Akash, "if you think this is the easy way, think again, imagine what would have passed to us, your sister, dadiji... Khushi" she said her name softly, only for his ears.
Arnav averted his eyes, ashamed to meet her gaze and Akash nodded dragging a still mad Payal away, Anjali trailing behind them.
Arnav fell into a slumber, unwilling to face the problems at the moment.
________________________________________
He ran, a wild goose chase, he did not know what he ran from, where he was running to, but he knew one thing, he needed to get there, fast. He ran and ran, but did not reach any bit closer to his destination. His legs faltered, tired from all the running, but he still ran. He needed it, that was all he knew.
A lot rest at stake, but he could not move forward. Chains coiled his feet, tripping him, hurling him to the hard, rugged ground. What was he doing there? He knew nothing, he moved his hands trying to escape the coiling chains, but the more he fret, the tighter they got. He was trapped, he flailed his arms, wriggled on the ground, but there was no respite.
His voice echoed in now empty and dark room, his feet tangled in the white hospital sheets and sweat rolled from his brow. He tried getting up, untangling himself, trying to remove the IVs connected to his arms. In that moment, the door creaked open and his angel entered.
She hurried inside the room closing the door behind her absent mindedly, unaware of the scene unfurling in the room.
"Khushi" he breathed in her name and she turned, wide eyed at the picture. Arnav stood half sitting, half standing near his bed, the sheets on the floor and one IV drip hanging limply near the bed, disconnected from him.
"Arnavji..." she said rushing forward pushing him back on the bed, but her words died on her lips as their eyes met and time stood still.
He placed hismself back on the bed, clutching her hand in case she left bringing it to his heart. His eyes beckoned and his heart thudded, willing her to understand what words could never express.
Each second ticked an infinitesimal amount longer, as He decided to give them a moment alone away from the world, past and the future.
The past and the future lay forgotten, grief, distress and complaints discarded, the world dissolved around them, each the only solid entity for the other, nothing and no one else.
Each though was wordlessly spoken and answered as their hearts beat in synchrony, celebrating their union, while a soul healed, long had it been wrenched apart.
Arnav: Dhak.. Dhak.. Dhak..
Khushi: Dhak.. Dhak.. Dhak...
________________________________________________
Please leave your comments and opinions. Thanks for reading.
For updates plz buddy me, its difficult to keep track otherwise.
Note:
I want to know how many want to know Anjali's side of the story.
Adios,
Devilways
Indian Idol 15
41