SS: Keeping Khushi: Th 4 Part 41 on Pg 131 - Page 51

Originally posted by: smitar

Will update by Wed noon.

Spoiler: Payal entry!

Part 38

Khushi walked down the steps of the temple carefully, holding on to the railings. It had rained all night and the steps were slippery.

She smiled at Akash Bhai who was coming up the steps to take her home before going to the office. In that split second, her foot twisted, and for a few moments, she was in imminent danger of falling.

But two hands caught hold of her from two sides. One was Akash Bhai, and the other was a short, beautiful lady with big eyes and a gentle smile.

"Are you alright, Khushi Bhabi?", asked Akash in an anxious voice she didn't recognise.

"My foot. I... I think..."

The lady asked in a calm, soft voice, "Shall I look at it? I am a doctor."

"Ji...", said Khushi, wincing.

"Khushi Bhabi, does it hurt?", Akash was distraught.

"I..I am alright, Akash Bhai...", Khushi smiled through the pain.

Payal probed Khushi's ankle. It was sprained.

"I have a clinic across the road. If we can help your Bhabi to it, I will bandage her foot.", Payal said in her soft voice.

"Ji.", said Akash and Khushi at the same time.

"Shall I lift you, Khushi Bhabi?"

Khushi patted Akash's cheek. "I will walk with your help. People will stare...". The pain was terrible.

"Ji.", swallowed Akash.

Bhai and NK Bhai had left early for a meeting, trusting him to take care of his Bhabi. But he had failed.

Payal and Akash, holding Khushi up, led her across the road to a building with Dr. Sinha's Clinic written on the name board. They crossed the huge, spotlessly clean waiting room with many chairs lined up for patients, and entered Dr. Payal Sinha's room. Akash & Payal helped Khushi on to the examination table.

Payal began bandaging Khushi's foot. Khushi bit her lip to bear the pain silently. Akash held Khushi Bhabi's hand, wishing he could do something to help her.

"It is a sprain. Don't try to walk for a few days. Rest your foot. Place it on a footrest if you are sitting down."

Akash's phone rang.

"Bhai!", Akash said in a worried voice, looking at the name displayed.

Khushi smiled and took the phone from him.

"Akash, I have been trying Khushi's phone, but she is not taking my calls. Where are you? Is she with you? Is she alright?", came the barrage of questions.

"Arnavji, it is me. I am so sorry. I left my bag with the phone in the car when I went in to the temple."

"Khushi, do you know how worried I have been? Do you have any idea? How many times should I tell you to keep the phone with you?"

"Arnavji, who kya he, I hate the phone ringing when I am praying. That's why...", her voice trailed off.

"Khushi!", Arnav tried to control his tongue and his fury. "Are you still at the temple?"

"No, err..., Arnavji, I... that is, we, Akash Bhai and I ...are at a clinic across the road from the temple."

"Clinic?", his voice was faint with shock. "What happened? Khushi, are you alright? Akash? Is Akash alright?"

"Ji, Ji." Khushi rushed to set his mind at ease. "We are both fine. I just sprained my ankle while walking down the steps. That's all. I am perfectly OK now."

"Khushi! What is the name of the clinic? Khushi!"

"Arnavji!", she protested.

"Give the phone to Akash, Khushi!"

Khushi obeyed him.

"My husband!", Khushi sighed, smiling at Payal.

Payal smiled back.

"I am sorry. I forgot to ask your name, Doctor. I am Khushi Arnav Singh Raizada. And this is Akash Bhai, my devar."

"I am Payal Sinha."

"You run this clinic, Payalji?"

"Ji. My father started it many years ago to provide free treatment to the slum dwellers. He is in a wheelchair now after a stroke. So I manage it alone. We have 4 other doctors who work on a part-time basis, nurses, office staff etc."

"Oh! How do you manage to pay...?, Khushi asked, genuinely interested. Running an orphanage had taught her the value of every single rupee.

Payal smiled. "I work in a private hospital from noon to evening, and examine patients in the evening at home. Some patients pay."

Khushi smiled at her.

The front door banged open as two formally dressed men rushed into the deserted clinic. Akash called them, "Bhai, NK Bhai! We are here!"

Payal watched in wonder as a handsome man with a stern face rushed to his wife's side, his coat flying behind him.

"Khushi!", he said, his face losing the little colour it had, seeing her sitting on the examination table. That one word carried a world of love and concern. Payal looked on in amazement as he strode to Khushi and pulled her into his arms, hugging her close.

Payal, embarrassed, looked at Akash and the other man who had followed the fond husband. But both of them were looking at their Bhaiyya and Bhabi with loving smiles on their faces.

"I am perfectly alright, Arnavji!", smiled Khushi through her pain. "Payalji and Akash Bhai caught me as I was about to fall, and helped me here."

Arnav turned to look at Payal.

"Payalji is a doctor. She runs this clinic. She has bandaged my foot, Arnavji. I am perfectly OK now."

Arnav said, "Thank you, Doctor." His face looked carved in stone, his jaw clenched, his eyes unreadable.

Payal smiled at him.

"Khushi Bhabi!", NK put his arm around Khushi's shoulders, hugging her. "Bahut mard ho raha he?"

Payal looked at NK in astonishment.

"Dard!", Akash hissed.

"Sorry!", NK looked sheepishly at Payal and Khushi.

"I am perfectly alright, NK Bhai." She introduced him to Payal. "This is my devar, Nand Kisore." NK & Payal smiled at each other. "He is from Sydney."

Payal nodded.

"Doctor, can I take my wife home?", asked Arnav.

"Ji. She needs to rest her foot. Just make sure that she does not try to walk or wet her bandage."

Arnav nodded. "Your fees?"

"People who cannot afford to pay get free treatment here. Those who can afford it drop money in the box kept in the office.", Payal said softly.

Arnav went out in search of the office, and pushed an obscenely large amount in to the box through the slit on top.

He returned to hear NK praising his Khushi Bhabi to Payal.

"Our Khushi bhabi sings. Not jhumkawala film songs. But the other sa-ri-ga-ma type songs. Lots of people come to hear her.", he boasted.

Payal smiled. "I thought you looked familiar. Khushi Kumari Gupta?"

"Ji.", Khushi smiled.

"My father loves music. I remember attending your concert with him about four years back."

"Acha...", Khushi smiled.

"Your devar is right. You are a wonderful musician. After the concert, my father remarked that Pt. Sasi Sharma has trained your talent well."

Khushi smiled. "My Baba is my guru, my music."

"Khushi Bhabi cooks very well too.", Akash added. He watched the lady doctor with a flawless complexion and a beautiful smile closely.

NK said, "She makes all kinds of pakhawaj for me."

Akash looked at Payal's wide eyes, and murmured, "Pakhwaan, NK Bhai."

All laughed.

Arnav put an end to this comedy show by thanking Payal once more, and helping Khushi to get off the table.

Khushi threw her arms around Payal, hugging her close. "Thank you, Payalji. If you hadn't caught me..."

"Burn wounds on your legs?", Payal whispered in her ear.

Khushi swallowed. "All over.", she said in a low voice in the doctor's ear.

Payal swallowed hard.

"Ghar chale, Khushi?", asked her anxious husband.

Payal released Khushi, and she turned towards her husband. Arnav scooped her up in his arms, and walked out of the clinic and towards his car, NK opening the doors for them.

"Thank you for saving my Bhabi. If she had fallen down the steps...!", Akash could not imagine the scene.

Payal nodded.

"Her legs are damaged... and hurt even otherwise. If she had fallen today...! The pain...!" Payal watched as moisture filled the eyes behind the glasses.

"She will be OK now. I have given her a prescription for painkillers.", said Payal softly.

Akash held out his hand to Payal. "Goodbye!"

Payal slipped her hand into his. He pressed her slight, soft fingers within his. "Goodbye!", she said.

Part 39: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/fan-fictions/3273158/ss-keeping-khushi-th-4-part-41-on-pg-131