FF|Arhi|Th#2 How IPK should've been[Ch14/Sc3 pg122 - Page 58

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Writer's note: Last scene of this chapter. KBTR hope you are satisfied with the length of the scene 😛

Enjoy people!

[In flight, from Delhi, 07:00 A.M.]

Aman Sharma was used to being called out at any possible hour. It could be something as small as seeking help to locate a document, to something important like receiving the clients on behalf of his boss. Today, however, was a strange day. He had been shocked to hear the anxiety in his boss's voice as he urgently demanded for a charter plane to return to Delhi in the middle of the night. More confusing was the gratitude in his voice as he had thanked Aman for being a life saver. The next phonecall from his boss had been equally abrupt at the break of dawn. And his voice had been equally distressed, actually it was bordering on hysterical as he asked Aman to book another flight for him to return back to Lucknow. What had happened in mere 5 hours that he was in Delhi that warranted such urgency? But Aman's queries had been dismissed rudely and so he didn't press for any more details as he booked his boss on the first flight out of Delhi. Yes, today was definitely a strange day.

When Arnav stepped into the plane 8 hours ago, never had he imagined that the person who he was seeking was actually in the place that he was leaving behind. No, he couldn't have dreamt about it in his wildest dreams. The familiarity of the place didn't even ring a bell in his mind while he was ordering Aman to book him a seat on the next plane to Lucknow. Lucknow, the place where everything had begun, Arnav thinks to himself dazedly, gazing at the clouds outside his window as the plane cruises 36000 feet above the ground.

His co passenger slowly taps his shoulder. He turns his gaze to the air hostess who is smiling at him while handing him a hot towel. His arm rises mechanically to slip it from the pair of clamps in her hands. She seems to be still saying something to him. Well he can see her lips moving, but he can not hear anything coming out of her mouth. As he goes on staring dazedly at her, the smile on her face wanes a little. She looks a little conscious about herself and quickly moves ahead to the next traveller. Arnav goes back to staring outside the window.

The pressure in the cabin is making his head ache slightly and he can feel his ears getting blocked. He mechanically picks up the bottle on the tray table in front of him and gulps down some water. He then picks up the safety instruction manual in the flap behind the seat under the tray and glances through the graphics to keep himself distracted. Buckle the seat belt in place before taking off and landing of the plane. "Khushi kitni baar kehna padega ki apni seat belt lagao!" In case of evacuation, follow the yellow strips blinking on the floor to the nearest exit. "Pata hai kitna pareshan tha main? Mujhe laga... mujhe laga maine tumhe kho diya!" In case of air pressure reducing in the cabin, oxygen masks will fall down from the cabin overhead. "Woh ladki Khushi hai, jiske bina mujhe lagta hai ki meri saansein hi ruk jayengi."

Arnav shoves the instruction manual back into the flap and holds his head torturedly. He's trying so hard not to think about her, trying to keep himself distracted. But to no avail. Suddenly Payal's voice returns to his mind. Khushi hospital mein hai. Doctors ne kaha hai ki Operation ke baad ICU mein kuch din rehna padega. Arnav's heartbeat starts racing again as a feeling of dread envelopes him. ICU ka matlab hai ki operation zaroor serious tha. Kahin Khushi ka accident...? Nahin! Stop thinking like this. She'll be fine. Everything will be fine. Arnav leans back on his seat and closes his eyes. His copassenger stares at the distraught young man next to him. Arnav doesn't realise that he has actually been murmuring reassuredly to himself out loud all this while.

[King George's Hospital, Lucknow, 08.30]

Khushi and Payal are sitting in the waiting room of the Neurology department. An orderly comes in and summons them to go inside the doctor's cabin for their appointment. The two sisters walk in to find three specialists waiting for them. They seem upbeat. The old doctor who had spoken to Khushi before Shashiji's operation smiles at them and points to the chairs indicating them to sit.

"Hello Khushi, Payal," he starts off affably. Both the sisters fold their hands in a Namaste. "Aapki mother aapke saath nahin aayi?" he enquired politely.

"Woh Amma ICU mein hai, Bauji ke saath," Payal explains immediately. The doctor nods his head in understanding. Khushi inches her chair closer.

"Doctorji, nurse bata rahi thi ki raat ko Bauji ko hosh aaya tha kuch samaye ke liye?" she asks eagerly. The doctor smiles again.

"Yes Khushi. Unko hosh to aa gaya hai. But we need to run some more tests. Maine unko aaj morning MRI and CAT scans ke liye book kar diya hai. Oh no need to worry," he adds as he sees a cloud of worry come over Khushi's face on hearing about more tests. "Ye standard tests hain. To check if there is any change in the spinal fluids." He sees both the sisters are lost again in his medical jargon. He sighs. "Matlab, hum bas ye check karna chahte hain ki operation ke baad koi changes hue hain ya nahin." Khushi and Payal smile in relief.

"To Bauji, fir se chalne lagenge?" Payal asks, her eyes shining with hope. Another doctor sits down with them.

"Itni jaldi nahin," he says smilingly. "Itne dino se wheelchair use karte karte, unke motor functions, matlab basic haath aur paer ke movements, restrict ho gaye the. Agar in tests ka result positive aata hai, to unko physiotherapy leni hogi. Aur haan, fir kuch hafton mein woh chal payenge." He smiles widely as he sees Khushi squeal happily and clutch Payal's arm in delight.

"To hum Bauji ko ghar kab le ja sakte hain?" Khushi asks.

The first doctor replies, "Khushi aapko bahut jaldi hai unko yahan se le jaane ki? Kya aapko lagta hai hum aapke father ka achha treatment nahin kar rahe hain?" he asks in a slightly teasing tone. However, his voice doesn't bring the reaction he was expecting as Khushi looks upset.

"Nahin nahin, aisa kuch nahin hai," Khushi hastens to clarify. "Woh kya hai na, humein hospital mein bilkul bhi acha nahin lagta," her voice fades away into a whisper.

[Lucknow, in a cab, 09:30 A.M.]

Arnav is sitting in a cab, impatiently tapping his thigh as his eyes dart wildly around him. He is still dressed in the clothes from last night, although the pants now has creases all over it and the pullover hangs loosely on him. The car is standing motionless at a signal, clearly struggling through the morning traffic. Arnav groans in frustration. He taps the driver on his shoulder, a crisp 1000 rupees note between his fingers.

"Ye tumhara hai agar mujhe Hospital agle 15 mins mein pahuncha sakte ho to," Arnav snaps authoritatively. The driver's eyes widen in shock as he stares at the denomination on the note. "Don't worry, ye nakli note nahin hai," Arnav adds assuredly.

The driver glances once at his customer, nods his head and then slams his feet down the gas pedal as soon as the lights turn green.

[ICU of KGMC, Lucknow, 09:50 A.M]

Garima, Payal and Khushi are inside the ICU seated around Shashi's bed. Payal and Khushi are narrating to their mother about what happened in the doctor's cabin. Garima is holding her husband's hand, gently rubbing the back of his palm with his fingers. Her eyes become hopeful as she hears about the physiotherapy. Suddenly the nurse walks in. Her eyes narrow as she sees so many people crowding around her patient. Despite her strict appearance, Khushi beams a big smile at her. The nurse's eyebrow shoots up in surprise.

"Humein aapke husband ko scans ke liye lekar jana hai," the nurse declares. Khushi nods in assent. The doctors had mentioned something about CAT and MRI scans. "Aap please bahar wait kariye. Jab inko wapis le aayenge, tab main aapko inform kar dungi." She mumbles and shepherds the visitors outside.

Garima sits down on one of the chairs outside in the corridor as they watch Shashi being wheeled away for the tests.

[KGMC Lucknow main entrance 09:50 A.M.]

The cab screeches to a halt in record time. Before the driver can say a word, two notes of 1000 rupees each are flung onto the seat next to him and his customer opens the rear door and literally bolts inside. The driver picks up the notes and holds them against the light, scanning it sceptically.

Arnav runs inside the entrance. He halts suddenly, his head switching from side to side, trying to identify where the reception was. On locating it, he rushes over.

"Excuse me!" he shouts at the receptionist who is busy on a call. She points a finger at him, asking him to wait for one moment. Arnav grinds his teeth frustratedly.

"Yes Sir?" she finally replies after what seems like eternity to him.

"I need to enquire about a patient! Khushi Kumari Gupta Singh Raizada," Arnav reels off breathlessly in one go. The receptionist stares at him.

"Sir, thoda dheere bolenge? Last name bataiye," she asks.

"Gupta Singh Raizada... no wait," Arnav stops, mentally whacking himself. "Gupta. Last name is Gupta. Woh ICU mein hogi," he says and watches impatiently as she types in the name. The screen blinks back the information at her.

"Sir, patient ICU number 4 mein hain," She points her finger down the corridor on his left. "Aap yahan se straight chale jaiye. End mein lifts hain. ICU 5^th floor pe hai, lift se nikalte hi aapke right side corridor end par," she finishes. Arnav makes a quick mental note absorbing all the information and then runs to the end of the corridor.

5^th floor, right corridor, ICU 4... 5^th floor, right corridor, ICU 4... 5^th floor, right corridor, ICU 4... Khushi...

[5^th Floor, outside ICU 4 10:00 A.M.]

"Khushi, paani ki bottle hogi baste mein. Zara humko dena, pyaas lag rahi hai." Garima requests Khushi who starts hunting in the jute bag kept on the floor. She looks up empty handed.

"Arre isme to bottle hai hi nahin. Jeeji tum bottle rakhna bhool gai thi kya?" she asks. Payal holds her head.

"Shayad jaldi mein hum bhool gaye Khushi. Ek kaam karte hain, hum canteen se paani ki bottle lekar aate hain," Payal says.

"Theek hai jeeji," Khushi replies. She turns to her mother. "Amma, yahan aas paas humne kal paani ka cooler dekha tha. Hum wahan se tumhare liye paani le aate hain. Tum yahan akele to theek ho na?" Khushi asks concernedly. Garima smiles.

"Haan meri bachhi. Hum 10 minute tak akele baith hi sakat hain," she replies teasingly to Khushi. Khushi smiles and walks away in search of the water cooler.

[5^th Floor, outside ICU 4]

Arnav impatiently stares at the buttons blinking at him. Is it just me or is the lift moving terribly slow? He wonders to himself. As soon as the light blinks 5 and the doors of the lift part open, he pushes through the people standing in front of him and breaks out of the lift.

5^th floor, right corridor, ICU 4.

He halts right around the corner, turning his head wildly. He sees a lone figure sitting at the end of the corridor. As he walks closer, the contours of the woman start seeming familiar. Finally as he reaches within a few feet from her, he realises with a pang that it is Garima, staring down on the floor.

Seeing a member of Khushi's family in the ICU just resurfaces the fear in Arnav's heart which he had so carefully patted down up until now. He sinks to the chair next to her.

"Aunty...?" he whispers in a hollow voice. Garima looks sideways and then her eyes widen in shock as she realises who it is.

"Arnav bitwa. Aap? Yiihan?" she asks him clearly bewildered. Arnav looks weary to her, and slightly out of breath.

"Mujhe Payal ne bataya," he says as a response to her question. A lump forms in his throat as he stares back at the tired figure of Garima. She clearly looks distressed. Which mother wouldn't be? He tries to gather strength in his voice. "Ab woh kaise- "

"Woo theek hai ab. Behosh hain," Garima whispers back, touched by his concern. A warm feeling of relief washes over Arnav. He becomes quiet, suddenly wanting to tear apart the door and walk inside the ICU.

"Kya main andar ja sakta hun?" Arnav implores to her. But to his surprise, Garima shakes her head. Why will she let you in Arnav? Tum ab Khushi ke kuch nahin lagte, Arnav mentally reminds himself.

"Woo abhi yiihan nahin hain. Kuch tests ke liye lekar gaye hain. CAT scan aur MRI," Garima explains, struggling with the medical terms. Arnav looks at her enquiringly. Garima reads the curiosity in his eyes and adds reassuredly, "Doctor bas ye dekhna chahte hain ki operation ke baad koi badlaav aaya hai ya nahin. Sar ka operation tha na, isiliye."

Arnav's eyes widen in alarm. Head operation? Oh.. BRAIN operation?! Khushi had a brain operation? What the hell! "Mujhe kisi ne kuch bataya kyun nahin?" he suddenly shouts at Garima who flinches back at his raised voice.

"Hum aapko kya batate bitwa? Aap to Dilli mein the-"

"To main Delhi se yahan aa jata Aunty!" Arnav exclaims frustratedly. "3 ghante lagte mujhe. Bas!" Arnav slumps down, holding his head in his hands in despair. I couldn't be here! I couldn't be by her side. God knows how much pain she must have been. Tears threaten to cloud his eyes as the ache returns to his heart. Garima sits still in a fix. Then she slowly reaches over to him and squeezes his slumped shoulder comfortingly.

"Amma?" a familiar confused sweet voice reaches his ears.

Dhad Dhad.

Khushi looks at the person sitting next to his mother, being consoled by her. She can't see his face. "Ye kaun hai?"

Dhad Dhad.

Arnav slowly lowers his hands from his head. Was he hallucinating?

Dhad Dhad.

He slowly turns his head around, his almost tearful eyes dying to find the source of that voice.

Dhad Dhad.

Khushi's eyes widen, as she sees the familiar chocolate brown eyes, the pink lips, the stubble.

Dhad Dhad.

He slowly stands up, his eyes widening as his eyes recognize the cascading hair, the petite waist, the big beautiful eyes.

Dhad Dhad.

The plastic cup she's holding in her hands slips from her hand.

Dhad Dhad.

Relief, a beautiful wonderful sense of relief surges through the entire length of his body. He wasn't dreaming! This wasn't a hallucination.

Dhad Dhad.

She's frozen as a sense of disbelief rules every inch of her being. It is him! He's here! What is he doing here?

Before Khushi can open her mouth, Arnav covers the distance between them in two long strides and to her utter shock wraps his arms around her. He pulls her close in an embrace, his hands caressing her head. He takes slow deep breaths, almost as if he is sighing in relief, his face buried in the curve of her neck. Then as his weight sags on her, he whispers croakily, his voice awash with anguish.

"Khushi... Tum theek ho?"