Vignettes- 18. Hai re Nandkishore! Thread 1 - Page 96

Hallo, all!

Thank you for your feedback... and apologies for not 'liking' them, not my fault! IF doen't let me 'ilke' on random comments...sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't...one of the misteries of the net-world, I guess.

My sinusitis is worse, and I deserve a reward for updating as promised... *staring pointedly at Aruni who has been absconding after promising me the moon*...Btw, Aruni, I am keeping it simple, else I will go off tangent and end up introducing Derek Shepard in this fic and God help you people once I get going in that direction! ;-)

A quick note for those who thought that the counsellor was harsh... she wasn't harsh, she was just updating the patient which is mandatory in abuse cases. There will be different levels of counselling, starting of with making the victim face the fact that she/he has been hurt.

And here goes the next update...

Pooja turned to NK, "Why?"

At his blank stare, she asked, even more forcefully this time, "NK Sir, why are you here?"

NK froze. All senses focussed on those dark eyes staring up at him devoid of all expression, NK sat stiff and silent, the faint hum of blood rushing in his ears making it impossible for him to form a coherent thought. "What...what do you mean?"

Her eyes still blank, she repeated, "Why are you doing all this?"

As he sat looking into her eyes, all on a sudden, NK's heart cleared, as if a cloud that had been hovering over it casting shadows of doubt had moved away, he had his answer. The revelation set his soul singing, and he sang it aloud for the whole world to hear, "Because I love you..."

The ringing silence that greeted his soft words pulled him back from the lush meadows that his heart was hovering over, and he looked down at the girl who ruled his heart, and repeated, "Because, I love you."

Staring up at her boss in shock, Pooja felt a cold sweat break out over her, her head feeling as if it had been pushed underwater. Struggling to draw in a full breath, she whispered, "Why?"

Sensing that she had achieved what she could hope to in one session, Sheila Juneja got up and quietly exited the room. Pooja had begun to understand the changes that would happen in her life, had started questioning what was happening to her, rather than lying around complacently. Her job had just begun with that single 'why' that had fallen from her patient's mouth.

Back in the room, NK stared at her nonplussed, not able to understand why Pooja couldn't read what was written on his face, his heart, his soul. "What do you mean, why?"

Pooja felt as if she had lost all control over her emotions. It was a hot fury that raged through her now. She had been a good-looking girl, she was a smart professional, she was a responsible daughter, but her identity had just been reduced to being an 'abuse-victim', and she had just been told that her face was now reduced to being a messed-up mass of skin and muscles, and here sat this man, on whom she had had a fledgling crush ever since the day he had employed her, a man who was blessed with health, wealth, good career, good family, and above all, good looks and was professing his love for her. Her voice came out in a snarl now, "Ab kyun?"

"Matlab?", NK asked, still floating high to notice that Pooja was hovering dangerously close to a breakdown. "Pehle bata nahi paaya, so I'm telling you now. Simple!"

And, she lost it.

"Simple?!", she all but screamed, "Aapko mujhpe taras aa raha hai? Ya aapko lag raha hai ki bechari ladki, ab kahoon toh issko accept karni hi padegi, aur koi raasta toh nahi hai isske paas!"

Finally realising that his confession had come at an all too wrong time, NK tried to worm his way out of the mess he had put himself in. "No, no, no. Kya keh rahi ho tum? I've liked you since the beginning, but couldn't tell you. Then your accident happened and we were all so worried about you that there never was a right time."

Eyes shooting fire, Pooja yelled, "And now is the right time?! When I don't even have a face?"

Watching NK struggle to find a proper answer, she continued, contemptuously turning her face away," Yeh surgery ka outsome agar negative hua toh? Kya aap tab bhi yeh 'I love you' kehte rahenge?"

NK's happy-go-lucky mind unable to understand the multiple emotions of panic, grief, anger and reluctant hope that were churning inside her, he stared at her in growing irritation. Here he was, singing his love for her and she was all but biting his head off. As he sat scowling at the back of her head, a sudden image flashed in his mind - an angry Arnav lashing out at his wife for the smallest of things, taking his hurt out on the one person who he knew would take it and still soothe him the way he needed, the anger forming a mask over the pain hidden so deep that even he couldn't bring it out, only his wife could, and she would, he knew.

Almost reeling under the second epiphany of the day, NK said softly, "Haan... koi shak?"

He sat still, his eyes taking note of how her body had stiffened immediately, then relaxed slowly and finally surrendered to uncontrollable sobs. He sat still, waiting for some sign that she would welcome the comfort that he wanted to give. He sat still, while every nerve in his body screamed out at him to gather the broken girl in his arms.

And when her hand snaked over the sheet to grab his tightly, her face still averted, that is exactly what NK did. Bolting over to her bedside, he gathered her up in his arms, rocking her slowly, careful not to press on her many bandages. "I've got you...", he murmured, while Pooja finally cried; cried over the loss that couldn't be quantified, cried over the battering her body and soul had taken, cried over the sheer miracle of life that had ripped the earth from under her and had now handed her heaven on a platter.

********************

Meanwhile, at Buaji's house, on one side Khushi was bustling around getting her and Payal's old room ready for the weary guests and on the other, Arnav was trying to make Bittu as comfortable as possible on the couch. Once the boy had successfully manuovered his leg and settled down, Arnav went to Buaji and offered his help with anything that she may want done.

"Arre nahi, babua, sab taiyyar hai. Aur humri Sankadevi bhi hai naah, sab sambhaal legi. Tum jao aur baito, hum abhai ek garma-garam chai leke aavat hain."

Arnav went and sat down near Bittu, giving him a faint smile. He was wondering what must be happening in the hospital when a quiet voice broke into his thoughts, "Sir?"

Looking up, he saw the boy staring at him, his face trembling from some intense emotion. Concerned, Arnav nodded his head, encouraging him to go on.

"Meri Didi theek ho jaayegi, naah?"

Stricken to his core as he took in the shivering figure of the boy who was valiantly trying to hold himself together, Arnav realised that in their hurry to get to Delhi and get Pooja admitted, no one had had the time to sit down and explain to the young boy who quite obviously worshipped his elder sister, what exactly was happening. Reminded of himself sitting alone in a hospital corridor after his Di's accident all those years ago, Arnav put out a gentle hand and squeezed the boy's shoulders. "She's going to be fine." and proceeded to explain what was going to be done to her and how soon she would be able to get back to normal. By the time Khushi came to him, Arnav had established a firm rapport with the young boy.

"Arnavji, Diwakarji aur Kamlaji aaram kar rahe hai, ab shaam ko hi hospital jaayeinge. Humein lagta hai ki humein ghar hoke hospital jaana chaahiye, Jiji aur Jijaji subah se wahan ruke hue hai naah."

Smiling up at his wife, Arnav nodded and turned to his new friend, "Tum bhi aaram kar lo. Hum shaam ko aayenge tumhare parents ko hospital mein drop karne ke liye. And don't worry, your Didi will be back to nrmal very soon."

With one final goodbye to Buaji, the couple headed home, for a quick freshening up before leaving for the hospital to relieve Akash and Payal. On the way, Khushi kept up a non-stop chatter about what nice people Pooja's parents were and how much she hoped that NK would end up with Pooja without much opposition. Grinning at his very own TV-Biwi, arnav could almost see the wheels turning in her head, planning out ways to get NK and Pooja together. It reminded him of the planning they had done for Akash and Payal.

Back at home, and comfortably resting against the pillows, waiting for his wife to get ready, Arnav asked Khushi, "Tum kya karnewali ho?"

"Huh? Yeh kaisi sawaal huyi?!"

Taking a deep breath, he asked again, "About NK and Pooja!"

Turning around on the stool, Khushi said innocently, "Hum kya karein? Hum bus unko wahan settle karwaane gathye the, taaki Nanheji ko zyada se zyada samay mile Pooja ke saath. Ab baaki sab Nanheji ke haath mein hai."

Looking at her dear face, delightedly smiling over her ingenious way of giving NK time to talk to Pooja alone, Arnav hoped that all had gone well at the hospital.

Thanks to those who replied before I even sent out PMs - Dhakkan, Aruni, Chhavi, segad, Sarada, Cute6 and Atyay... :-)

Anyway, here's the longer, better version...

Ah the meaning of love and the universe.. NKs confession was adorable and Poojas reaction was expected, they say opposites attract, thank you for updating hope you feel better soon.. please let us see Khushi plan this wedding !!