Love, am I not worth it ?
Chapter 20
Few days later
Khushi was packing bags. They were returning back to India. Two days before, Girish had called to inform that Sumitra's health is not good and she is admitted in hospital. Finally, Khushi decided to return back.
She had been running away from the ghost of the past for a long time. Now the time had come to return back and face it. It is been long she was delaying it. Now no more wait. She had to go back and punish all those people who had hurt her.
Her chain of thoughts were broken by Ponies who came into the room.
"Mamma, are we going to India." Arav asked first.
Khushi: Yes, we are returning back to India.
Aryan: Why?
Khushi: Because your Sumi Nani's health is not good and she is admitted in hospitalhospitaland we are going to meet her.
Arush: What happened to her? Is she having fever?
Khushi: She is not unwell. Her BP increased.
Seeing their confused faces.
Khushi: She is having very high fever.
Arav: When we will return?
Khushi: It will take sometime. We are going to stay their for a while. Mumma have some work there. For that it will take some months.
Aryan: Then what about our school?
Trust her sons to worry about school at this age. They are not even three. Still they had taken going to school as some serious thing. Sometimes her sons act too mature.
Khushi: We will put you in new school there.
Even though she said that to coax her sons she was scared. In India, everything would be different. There is a huge difference between London and India. Here being a single parent is a normal thing. People won't think about it much. But in India it is a very big issue. The society there always looked at single parents in a different way. If the parent is a women, then they make their life hell. The society there always saw women as wrong. Never tried to know their point of view or circumstances.
Coming out of her thoughts she looked at her sons. No she won't fall weak. She won't let any harm reach her sons.
Turning to her sons, Khushi said, "Now go and get ready we have to leave for airport in few hours. Also check if you had taken all what you want." She ushered them into their room.
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Few hours later
Khushi sat in the business class seat flying to India. She looked around. Ponies, Julian and Neha sat in the adjacent seats. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. From now a new beginning. A new start.
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Hours later flight landed on Mumbai Airport. Coming out of the airport she looked around the city. Lots of memories floated in front of her eyes. Some sweet, some bitter, some happy, and some painful. The city looked same as she left.
Soon they reached Paradise where Beejibaa was waiting for them. She was thrilled to see Ponies. Ponies also liked at the first instant itself. When they left India, Ponies were too small so they didn't had much memories of anything. They were looking at everything with an amused look.
After having food, they went to meet Sumitra. Sumitra was very happy to see Khushi and Ponies. It was like someone had recharged her body. She started becoming active. Doctors were amazed at her mood change and speed of recovery.
Few days passed like that. Khushi started going to office. She often visited Sumitra in the hospital. Seeing her daughter and grandchildren Sumitra became alright soon. Doctors discharged her and she was taken to home.
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One day Khushi was in her office attending a meeting, when Aryan fell down and bruised his legs. Jules immediately took him to Aashiyaana's hospital. Arav and Arush were also with him.
On knowing the matter Khushi also immediately rushed to the hospital. When she reached there she saw a big commotion happening at the reception. Seeing her Jules came up to her and informed her that Aryan is fine, it was a small scratch and he was resting in the room with Arav and Arush with him.
Suddenly her attention shifted to the commotion happening. She saw the receptionist arguing with some people. She couldn't see their faces but the voices felt familiar. To know about the matter more, she moved towards the crowd. Suddenly she saw someone pushing an elderly man.
Soon reaching out she held that man from falling. That man tilted his face up to thank her but seeing his face she was shocked. He was her Ajooba. Her eyes widened. He looked pale and weak. His face looked shabby. Dresses looked old and unkept. It was also torn from some places. She felt bad. Her grandfather who always supported her and loved her was in this state.
Her anger rised. Looking around she saw her Badimaa, Badepapa and Dhruv standing there. They were equally shocked to see her. Their state was also no less. Old and cheap dresses, weak form and tired faces. She looked away.
She didn't talk to them nor showed any signs of recognition. They felt bad but knew that they deserved it. Khushi wasn't prepared for this meeting. But she acted indifferent. She can't forgive them.
Turning to the man, who pushed her Ajooba she asked, " Who are you? Why did you pushed him?"
"I am the new attender here. By the way who are you to question me." He asked back unknown to her identity.
Khushi raised her eyebrows smirking. Her eyes held fire. Other staffs who knew her were scared. They knew something was going to happen. Turning to one of the elderly nurse who worked there for a long time and recognized Khushi, she asked,her eyes blazing, "What is happening here? Why all these commotion is taking place."
Before the nurse could answer the attender cut her and said, "Whatever is happening here who are you to question all these. It is none of your business. Just stay away. Don't cross your limits."
Khushi was burning in anger, she was loosing her patients. "It is my bloody business. Regarding who I am and about my limits you will soon find out." She answered dangerously. Then turning to the nurse, she asked loudly, " Now tell me what is happening here. I am asking you something dammit answer me." She shouted at the end.
Realizing that she was in the hospital she tried to cool herself down. Jules was also with her looking equally angry. The nurse was shivering. She was getting scared.
"Voh, Voh. These people had come to meet Dr. Neeraj. But he asked them to pay doctors fees and said then only he will attend him. But they didn't had money. So the doctor had asked them to leave. They were not going and were pleading to treat him. Then the doctor asked Kishan ( pointing to the attender) to throw them out. So he was pushing them." The sister answered scared.
Hearing all these her blood boiled, "What? Since when doctors started taking doctors' fee to treat patients in Aashiyaana. Forget doctors' fee, from when did we started taking any money from patients for treatment here. I don't remember making any such rules."
Turning to another attender she said, " Go and call Dr. Neeraj."
After sometime Dr. Neeraj came down. Khushi moved towards him.
Standing in front of him,she asked, "Are you Dr.Neeraj."
Dr Neeraj: Yes
Khushi (pointing to the Agnihotris): Did you ask them money for treatment.
Dr. Neeraj was a new cardiologist in Aashiyaana hospital. So he didn't recognize Khushi. He joined hospital only after she left to London.
Dr Neeraj (nonchalantly): Even if I asked who are you to question. Look this is a hospital, if you want treatment then you have to pay money. It is not a new thing that you have to pay doctor's fees for treatment.
Khushi: So that means you are taking doctor's fees from every patient coming here.
Dr. Neeraj: Yes. Now what is your problem. Look this is a hospital, we have a lot of work here. I am a really busy doctor here. My patients are waiting for me. We can't waste our time for one patient. So please excuse me.
Saying that he started leaving. But Khushi stopped him asking him to wait for few minutes.
Turning to the same attender who called Dr. Neeraj she said, " Go and call Dean here."
Attender (slightly afraid): Voh Anu. Dean is on leave.
Khushi (shouting): What?
Attender: Anu, Dean is on leave for a week.
Khushi: Why. What happened?
Attender: Voh. He often takes leave. There is no particular reason.
Hearing all this Khushi was burning. Turning to Jules who was equally angry she asked him to call dean and ask him to reach hospital as soon as possible. Jules did as he was told without any delay.
Kishan and Dr. Neeraj were scared. When the attender called her as Anu earlier they understood who she was. Even though they haven't seen her they knew exactly who she was and what her power was. Inside they were shivering with fear.
No sooner, Dean reached the spot. He could see something was wrong. He could sense he was caught but still tried his luck. Wearing a fake smile he approached Khushi.
Seeing him, she gritted her teeth. Not beating around the bush, she directly came into the matter.
Khushi: I came here sometime back. Here I saw this man ( pointing to Kishan) pushing an elderly person. On enquiring I came to know that he was throwing that man out who had come to take treatment because he didn't had money to pay doctor's fees. Can I know from when did we started taking money from patients for treatment here.
Dean: What are you saying Anu, I don't know anything about it.
From one look on his face, Khushi could easily understand that he was lying.
Khushi: OK I believe that you didn't know anything. Where were you till now? You weren't in the hospital.
Dean: Voh my health was not good. So I was on leave.
Khushi: Fine. Then where were you last week.
Dean: Voh I... I... He fumbled.
Cutting him, Khushi shouted, " Enough. Stop making excuses. I know exactly what's happening here. You don't have to lie anymore."
Calming herself she said, " Since you guys have so much problem giving treatment without Doctor's fees. You guys can go and treat people somewhere else. Aashiyaana doesn't need such people. You three are dismissed with immediate effect."
Saying that she started leaving, when Dr. Neeraj said, " You can't dismiss me just like that. I have contract with the hospital for three years."
Khushi (smirking): Oh really. You have contract with the hospital for three years. Then you must also knowing one of the clause in the contract that you can't demand money from patients while working here even if it is doctor's fees. No money should be taken from patients. But since you have reminded me about the clause I am going to take legal action against you in court. I will make sure that you don't do injustice to any more patients.
Dr Neeraj: You can't do that. It is not a crime. Everywhere Doctors take fees for treatment.
Khushi: Oh I can very well do that. You are right. May be in other places doctors may be taking fees for treatment. But it won't happen in Aashiyaana. For that only I have hired doctors paying whatever money they have demanded. So that only I pay each and every fee you doctors demand for treating each patient on behalf of them including your so called doctor's fee. When I am paying all these then why do you have to ask patients for money. Because of some greedy people like you only everyday people die in this country by not getting proper treatment as they can't pay that lakhs and crores that you guys ask.
Khushi (after taking a deep breath): But I won't let it happen in my Aashiyaana. I haven't started this hospital for people like you to extract money from poor. You guys have to pay for whatever you have done. I will make sure of it. You guys are dismissed.
( Turning to the security): Throw them out
(Turning to nurse and pointing at her Ajooba): Take him to the other cardiologist and start his treatment soon.
(Turning to Julian): Get details of all the work happening in this hospital for the last two years. Put an advertisement for new doctors. Handover the dean's post to senior doctor Shetty. Also ask the legal team to take legal action against those three.
Saying that, Khushi started moving. But in all this, everyone missed the four souls who stood rooted at their places. Three Agnihotris and one Raizada. When the attender called Khushi as Anu, they felt a 100 watt jolt.
They knew who Anu was. But they never thought even in their dreams that their innocent, naive and loving Khushi would be Anu. On knowing the truth, they felt ashamed of themselves. They didn't knew such important part of their daughter's life. But seeing her in that avatar, they were pleasantly surprised.
They never thought they would meet her like that. They were waiting to see at least one glimpse of her for a long time. They had missed her.
Seeing her going they went behind her and softly called her, " Pari."
Seeing them moving towards her Khushi showed her hands halting them in their places. "Don't think that I did all these for you. If anybody else would have been in your place then also I would have done that." She said unemotionally.
Turning around she went towards the room where Aryan was admitted. No she can't forgive them for what they did to her. Their ignorance had hurt her a lot time and again.
Agnihotris felt bad. But they knew they deserved it. They had hurt her by their ignorance towards her pain and hurt. Today they could understand the pain that she felt by seeing her ignorance towards them. They decided to wait. They decided to wait for a chance to apologize and gain forgiveness for their mistakes.
The nurse came towards them and took them to meet another cardiologist. Dhruv took out his phone and called somebody. He informed that person about Khushi.
Precap: Arshi meet
So that's all for this chapter. I know many of you are eager for arshi meet. If I disappointed them then I am sorry. But this chapter was important. First I wanted Agnihotris and Raizadas to know what Khushi really is. What a gem they have missed by their deeds. So Agnihotris knowing Khushi's profession, her life and reality was important.
Second I know many of you are angry that Khushi didn't punish Sheetal and Shreya and let those social evils prevail. I am not supporting Khushi but I have to say a very important thing. Khushi is a bid social worker. She had brought justice and saved the lives of many all over world through her international institution Aashiyaana. You can't judge Khushi as wrong with just one of her mistakes. Everyone must have done a mistake in their life. Khushi also did one in her helplessness and circumstances and she is repenting it. She will also correct it. So please don't judge Khushi for her one mistake. Everyone has some weak points in their life. It is one of Khushi's weak point.
Well next part is going to be a treat. Thank you and pls pls pls comment.
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