Part 32
Raj walked along lifelessly till he reached Naina's room. He sat near Naina and held her hands.
Raj: Nainu... get up Nainu. Please. I need you. I really need you. And gudiya. She isn't even a day old. She needs her mother. Please Nainu. Get up Get up.
He put his head down and began crying..
Raj kept sitting by Naina's bedside for the next two days. He did't budge. He just kept talking to Naina.
Gayatri and Shalini were very concerned for him.
Gayatri: Raj beta, we need to go home.
Raj: Nani I can't. Not without my Naina.
Gayatri: Beta naina gets the best possible care here. But you need to come home. And you can come visit Naina as much as you like.
Raj: No Nani I can't.
Shalin: Raj, what about the baby? Hospitals are not a good place for her. And right now you have to fulfill both your role and Naina's role in her life.
Raj: My bacha? Is she ok? Did you..
Shalini: She's fine. But we can't keep her here in the hospital. And she needs to be around you.
Raj: But I'll come visit Naina every dqy till she gets up. I know it'll be soon! Very soon.
Raj went to the Nursery for gudiya. He hugged her right and brought her to Naina's room before heading home.
Raj(to the baby): Mumma's resting. She'll be home soon.
At Shekhawat Palace.
Nani: Raj give gudiya to me. I'll take her to my room. You need to sleep.
Raj. No Nani. She's my baby. I'll take her to my room.
Raj's days were either spent at Naina's bedside, contacting specialist or with his daughter. In fact time with his daughter is what pulled him trhough the tortorous days. He felt the desire to take her of her every need. He fed her, changed, diapers, put her to sleep. everythin
Gayatri: Shalini I am concerned that Raj will burn out. He barely sleeps for one or two hours in a day.
Shalini: Gayatriji we need to give Raj some time. Right now all of these things - spending time with Naina, exploring treatment options, taking care of gudiya everything is necessary to keep him motivated.
Gudiya was now two weeks old. Raj reluctantly agreed to do her naming ceremony. It broke his heart to be doing the ceremony without Naina. He went to invite Naina's parents but not surprisngly they refused.
What had surprised him was that his Nan had come to the ceremony, In general he had pleasantly surprised by his attitide. While he didn't speak to Raj directly, he enquired about Naina's health from Gayatri periodically, reached out to specialists and was loving towards the baby.
Priest(to Raj): Beta what do you want to name the baby/
Raj: Raina Priya Shekhawat
Gayatri and Raghuvendra were overwhelemd.
Gayatri: Raj you don't know how much this meanss to us!
Raj: I do Nani. I know how much Raina means to me already. And I want Mumma's legacy to live on with her.
Gayatri: Bless you my son! God bless you.
Raj's phone rang.
Raj; WHAT?!!! THEY CANT DO THAT... NO STALL THEM. I'LL JUST COME TO THE HOSPITAL.
Gayatri: What happened?
Raj: Nana's parents are trying to move her to Delhi. They can't take her away like this. THEY CANT!!! Nani I am going to the hospital
AT THE HOSPITAL
Raj: Maa, Baba, this is as good a hospital as it gets!! Please don't do this.
NM: Who said it was about the facilities? We don't see any reason to leave her year, You have fun with your manhoos daughter.
Raj: Maa don't talk about my daughter like that. And you can't just take my wife away.
NM: SHE IS OUR DAUGHTER!!!!
Raj: You don't have a right.
NM: REALLY? GIVE ME A FEW DAYS AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT RIGHTS WE HAVE.
True to her word Raj received a notice next week. Naina's mother was contesting that Raj was an unfit and abusive husband and deserved to be removed from Naina's life.
Raj (shouting on the phone to his lawyer): What do you mean they have a case??!! She is my wife. My wife. No one can take her away from me.
Raghvendra overheard Raj's conversation
Raghu: Gayatri, hows Raina doing?
Gayatri: Good. She has begun recognizing us.
Raghu: And Naina?
Gayatri: No improvement
Raghu: How's everything else?
Gayatri: You mean Raj, don't you. He's in terrible shape. I can't believe Naina's parent sent that notice.
Raghu; How can they blame him? He's a terrific husband.
Gayatri: Really Raghu? Unfortunately getting blamed seems to be a part of his life
Raghu: Priya's case was different!
Gayatri: It wasn't. It was excatly the same. My poor boy has always been victimized. By the very people who should have supported him.
Anupamaa
14