~Just A Bend Not The End (AR Version)~
Recap: Armaan brings Ridhima back home. She is extremely overwhelmed at the sudden turn of events and inspite of being unwell she refuses to let Armaan be away from her for even a minute…Towards the end we see Ridhima coming out from the washroom only to find Armaan missing from the room, finally she finds him in the living room but he acts very strange and leaves from there while she is yelling back for him to stay.
Part 18:-
“Armaan…ruko please don't go like this…Please ruko Armaan…ARMAAN…” she shrieked as she sprang up on the bed from an extremely disturbed sleep. Hearing her scream like that it took not more than two seconds for Armaan who had just stepped out in the balcony to take a call to rush back inside their room. “Ridh…Ridhima kya hua?” He asked worriedly as he sat by her side on the bed and not a moment later she crashed herself over him hugging him as tight as possible while sobbing hysterically which needless to say got him really anxious.
It was around six thirty in the evening and they both had been watching a movie but midway Ridhima fell asleep as she was still very weak. So Armaan tucked her properly and decided to catch up on some work emails which he did by sitting right beside her. However just fifteen back his PA had called to get some urgent details and not wanting Ridhima’s sleep to get disturbed he stepped out in the balcony but made sure to keep the door open just in case she woke up…But now seeing her in such a miserable state all he could do was curse himself for having left her for even a few minutes… She already hadn't been sleeping too well since the last few days but at least she was not having any nightmare until that moment one and just feeling her cold body against his he knew she hadn't taken it too well.
“Tum…Tum nahi…Maine roka…You…you left…how could you….Tum” She blabbered while her breathing had turned rather heavy which really got him worried as he could sense that she was having a panic attack and it was even more alarming as this was the first attack that she got since she was back from the hospital. “Ridh…Ridhima shhh bass…Calm down….calm down Jaan kuch nahi hua hai sab theek hai okay…” he tried assuring her as he pulled her closer to himself and just kept caressing her back to soothe her. Her cold shivering body boggled his mind as well but he tried his best to remain calm for he knew that he had to help her out of this. “Nahi…tum…tum nahi…” she gasped while partially coming out from the hug and placing her hand over her chest as it was getting extremely difficult and painful for her to breathe but inspite of her discomfort she refused to let go of his arm…However seeing her struggle to even take a breathe really got him on the edge. “Ridh…Ridhima jaan please calm down…It was just a dream baby main yahi hoon apke pass…” he spoke while rubbing her back with one hand while his other hand was still in her tight hold…She continued to shake her head and cry as she fought to catch her breath and not too long after her eyes began to droop which dismayed him all the more. “No…No Ridhima…Akhein mat band karna…Don’t close your eyes jaan…” he spoke rather nervously as he lightly patted her face with one hand while the other kept rubbing her back. “Ridhima…Listen to me sweetheart….You have to take deep breaths okay…kuch nahi hoga main hoon na apke pass…Just try breathing baby….slowly and deeply…Inhale….Exhale….” He instructed as he calmly as he could as he continued to rub her sweaty palms. “Shhh shh Rona nahi bacha…main yahi hoon apke pass…Aap bas shant ho jao okay…Just try to relax” he continued soothingly as she let out a huge sob while trying her best to follow his instructions…It took a good ten minutes for her to calm down a bit and her breathing to normalise. “Shh…bas…it's okay” he said while wiping a lone tear that escaped her eye… “I am sorry…” she whispered after a few minutes with her head down rather embarrassed about the attack and also really scared about the fact that he might send her back to the care facility. “Hey…you don't have to be sorry about anything okay…Bure sapne to sabko ate hai…its not a big deal sweetheart ” he said assuringly so as to not scare her further but she obviously was not gonna buy that, yes everyone had bad dreams but not everyone has such a reaction to those dreams and she knew that well enough. She just shook her head a little as if telling him to not lie to her as another stubborn tear made its way down her already puffy eyes. “Maine kaha na Ridhima sab theek hai…Tum theek ho…” he assured her firmly as he pulled her chin up a little to make her look into his eyes making sure to not let any other thought regarding this matter pass through her head…”Chodkar nahi…” “Kabhi nahi…Kabhi bhi nahi”…she somehow in almost inaudible voice tried voicing out her biggest fear but even before she could complete her sentence he had given her his reply looking straight in her eyes and washing away every ounce of insecurity that resided in them. Thereafter he gently yet strongly took her in a warm hug while planting an affectionate kiss on her temple sealing the promise he made a few seconds back.
Maujood hai har saans mein
Tu har dafa yeh tay hai
Tu hai dawa ya dard hai
Par hai mera yeh tay hai
“Acha ab no more rona dhona…Main hoon na tumhare sath, hmm?” He spoke lovingly as he lightly parted from the hug and gently wiped off her tears while she just nodded her head a little trying to show him that she was feeling better but they both knew that this dream had really shook her. “Mausam kitna acha hai na aaj?” He asked just out of the blue wanting nothing more but to deviate her mind from that horrible dream which he was sure she wouldn't even tell him about. Hearing him she just glanced towards their window to see how beautiful the sky looked as the sun had nearly set leaving a dark pinkish glow letting the early winter winds cast their magic. “Hmm…” she replied honestly keeping her eyes gazed on the scenic beauty but couldn't really smile much as the dream still bothered her…”Lets do one thing, thodi der neeche lawn main Jake bait the hai…Vise bhi dinner main abhhi thoda time hai and I for for one really don’t want to miss a chance to enjoy this beautiful weather” he said rather enthusiastically leaving absolutely no reason for her to say no. “Chalo tum pehle jaldi se fresh ho jao phir chalte hai okay?” He said as he helped her stand up and slowly escorted her to the washroom…” Tum…Tum kaha…” she panicked as she saw him turn towards the bed after she had entered the washroom as even in her dream she had seen herself coming out from a shower only before he had gone missing. “ Main yahi hoon bacha…I'll be waiting right here till you come out okay?” He assured though deep down he was really tensed as her anxieties just seemed to be heightened which was definitely not good. “Ill…ill be out soon…Tum please yahi rehna…” she almost pleaded to which he just nodded sadly before she finally went inside…Standing outside the washroom and waiting for her Armaan couldn't help but think about how serious Ridhima’s situation was getting. “This cant go on like this…Ridhima ki halat to din bar din aur kharab hoti ja rahi hai…She…She needs medical attention before things totally get out of hand. Par use manau bhi to kaise….” He thought as he remembered how aggressive she had gotten the previous time when he had gotten her to start her treatment and further more when she had to be admitted. “Par baat to karni padegi…I cannot let her suffer like this aur agar in sab ke vajah se usne khud ko kuch…” he shuddered just at the thought as he clearly remembered the times she had tried to physically harm herself. “Nahi…I…I can’t let this happen…Mujhe Ridhima ko smajhana hi hoga….Ill have to talk to her…” He made up his mind and before he could think of anything else Ridhima walked out of the washroom. “done?” He asked while giving her a smile to which she just nodded lightly with a weak smile. “Great then, lets go” he said and quickly grabbing her shawl and his jacket he held her hand and took her down to clear her mind a bit.
Tere bin jee na paunga
Sach much mar hi jaunga
Yeh tay hai, yeh tay hai
Taking a nice long walk they came back in and had their dinner where Ridhima barely ate anything but Armaan did not force her much knowing how bad her appetite got post her anxiety attacks and so he decided to just let her be. Post dinner he gave her medicines and tucked her in bed….It was indeed a very long night as try as hard Ridhima just couldn’t seem to be able to sleep. It was only after Armaan had given her a medicine which Rahul had prescribed in case of such an emergency did she actually fall asleep and even then she had held on to his hand as tight as she could.
It was around eight am when Armaan’s sleep broke and as if on a reflex his first instinct was to check on Ridhima who thankfully under the effect of the medicine had still been sleeping…Although he hated being dependant on pills but after seeing her be so restless the night before he couldn't help but actually be grateful for those pills at the moment…Moving closer to her he planted a soft kiss on her forehead and thereafter adjusted her blanket carefully before he got up to call Rahul…Moving towards the the balcony he made sure to keep the door open just in case Ridhima got up. In the mean time he quickly updated Rahul about her health and also about what had happened the previous day, Rahul too suggested that he (Armaan) speak to her and explain to her why the treatment was so important. Armaan requested Rahul to refer her back to the first doctor they visited to as he did not want Ridhima to go back to the care facility premise for any session as it would do nothing but bring back bad memories for both of them and at this point that was literally the last thing he wanted for her. Rahul at once agreed and promised to do so asap. After discussing a few more points Armaan finally kept the phone with his eyes glued at Ridhima who thankfully enough was still asleep…Taking a deep sigh he mentally prepared himself to have a talk with Ridhima because as even Rahul had told him, every moment wasted was just an additional danger for her and that he could not afford. Crossing his fingers he came back to the room and after checking on Ridhima one last time and assuring himself that she wont be getting up anytime soon he left to freshen up.
After a quick yet refreshing shower he walked out clad in a pair of dark denims and a yet undone sky blue shirt, it being a Sunday he was not in a hurry to dress up as he knew that he did not have to tend to any office matters. Glancing towards Ridhima he found he yet asleep and after a quick mental calculation of how long she had been sleeping for he decided to finally wake his princess up….”Hey lazy bones” he whispered softly as he sat beside her and gently caressed her face while moving away those naughty hair tendrils in the process. Ridhima simple stirred a bit making him smile seeing her sleep so peacefully after like forever, of course it was due to the medicine but at that point he much rather preferred to ignore that point. “Ridhima…wake up princess” he cooed softly as he lovingly ran his hand through her hair and soon enough he did see her open her sleepy eyes. “Good morning…” he wished seeing her eyes now open and bending down he placed a tender kiss on her forehead. “Morning…” she whispered back with a very small smile as she slowly sat up on the bed. “Slept well?” He asked while draping his arm over her shoulder and pulling her in a side hug. “Hmm…Lekin tum itna jaldi kyu tayar ho gaye, aaj to Sunday hai na?” She asked while resting her head over his shoulder, as he was use to sleeping in till late on Sundays. “Bas aise hi…Nend khul gayi to socha nahakar ajau…” he replied while holding her hands and placing a kiss on her fingers as she said nothing further….”Jaan” he said after a few minutes of just letting her be in his arms as that felt like pure heaven for the both of them. “Hmm…” she replied with her eyes randomly fixed at their entwined fingers. “I was thinking ki kyu na aaj hum breakfast Karne kahi Bahar chale…In fact why don’t we go to your favourite breakfast spot, its been ages we have visited that place and I am sure ab tak to tum bhi waha ke waffles ko miss Kar rahi hogi, right? To let's go today, hmm?” He suggested trying to sound rather excited so as to coax her because it had been more than week since she had come back from the hospital and she had literally locked herself up in the room…He would force her and take her to their lawn once in a while but thats just as much but right now he wanted her to get out of the house, of her usual surroundings and most importantly he wanted her to snap out of her sullen mood as it was doing nothing but increasing her depression. “Aaj nahi Armaan, please ” she replied while turning and digging her face inside his shoulder but this time he was not gonna give up. “Arey aaj kyu nahi? Aur aaj nahi to kab? Aaj Sunday hai to I am also free kal se phir se Sara din calls, emails.” He insisted while lightly pulling her apart and making her face him. “Armaan please….” “Ridhima please….” He repeated right after her like some parrot which earned him nothing but a head shake and a light glare which made him chuckle inspite himself. “Arey baba gussa kyu ho rahi hoon ? and why don’t you want to go Jaan itna acha din hai the weather is also nice nowadays then, koi aur kaam bhi nahi hai abhi then what’s the problem, hmm?” He asked her very sweetly making her sigh because she knew he was right but she just did not feel like getting out for some reason. “Armaan I…Bas sach main man nahi ho raha….” “To maan banao na Ridhima….” He replied instantly nearly cutting her sentence in between. “Ridhima, sweetheart aise kab tak is kamre khud ko band karke rakhogi kabhi na kabhi to bahar nikalna hoga na bacha….Aur vaise bhi bas kuch dair ki baat hai Jaana please maan jao na mera sach main bohot mann kar raha hai…Us John (their Mr. Prim & Perfect butler) ka hath ka breakfast kar karke bore ho gaya hoon main and you know na if I complain to hell start sulking like a three year old” coaxed Armaan while masking an absolutely cute puppy face making her giggle a little and that was a cue enough for him to know that she was finally convinced which instantly landed that dimple back on his cheek as well.
Tu naseebon sa mere hathon pe
Shuru se likha hai
Mera haq hai tu aasmano se
Mujhe jodta hai
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Hand in hand they entered her favourite breakfast spot which was this cosy little cafe by the beach and finding a nice quiet corner for themselves they ordered some breakfast. All the while Armaan kept talking about almost any random topic that he could find while Ridhima was mostly mum and he too did not force her to talk much…After a nice and filling breakfast Armaan took her for a stroll in the beach and he was glad he did because it was after ages that he had seen her so calm and so peaceful. Ridhima who had a small smile while looking towards the sea suddenly felt someone staring at her and as she turned her head she found Armaan’s eyes fixed on her face as the slowly matched their steps along the wet shore. “Aise kya dekh rahe ho?” She asked him as he continued to look at her with a dimpled smile adoring his face. “Deklh raha hoon ki ki tumhare chere par yeh Sukoon kitna acha lag raha hai…I have missed seeing this serene look on your face Ridhima” he replied honestly while she just dropped her gaze hearing his words. “Nahi Ridhima aaj nahi…Bohot bhag liya tumne lekin aaj nahi jaan…” he said as he gently cupped her face and forced her to look at him as they now stopped walking and just stood face to face at a secluded corned of the beach. “Ridhima main janta hoon how hard all of this is for you…I…I can’t even imagine how painful it is for you to fight yourself on a day to day basis…” he said softly as she tried to tear her gaze again but he did not let her. “Nahi Ridhima aaj nahi…Please. Ridhima hum dono jante hai that you don’t have to go through this phir kyu tum is dar ke sath, is udasi ke sath is khalipan ke sath rehna chahti hoon…?” “Armaan aise nahi….” “AISA HI HAI RIDHIMA…” Said Armaan in a rather firm voice as she tried to differ the topic. “ Aisa hi hai Ridhima…Agar aise nahi hota na to tumhe apne akhein band karne se, sone se Itna dar nahi lagta ki kab tumhari palke jhapke aur mail tumhe chodkar chala jau…” He continued in a softer tone as a lone tear rolled down her eyes while his own eyes had turned misty. “ Agar aisa nahi hota na Ridhima to tumh har Roz ek darawna sapne dekh kair chauk ke nahi uthti…Aur agar aise nahi hota na Ridhima to yeh sare chottein aaj tumhare sharir par nahi hote…” he chocked on his voice as he caressed a fading bruise on her upper arm that was caused when she had tried to physically harm herself. “Ridhima I can’t see you suffering like this…I…I hate myself Jaan when I see you struggling to even smile…Main bata nahi sakta Ridhima ki kitna lachar mehsus karta hoon khudko yeh Jaankar ki tumhare andar itna dard bhara hai that you have to physically harm yourself to get rid of that pain…Aur main kuch nahi Kar sakta…” he paused as he swallowed a painful lump and quickly wiped of a tear that glided down his face. All this while Ridhima said nothing, her head now bowed down and she was just so chocked that even wording one sentence seemed impossible for her. “Hum dono Jante hai Ridhima that you need to get out of this and for that you do need some professional help…” he stated almost desperately before somehow calming himself a little by gently rubbing his chin… “Main tumhe force nahi Karunga Ridhima but yes I would like you to consider going in for the treatment….” He spoke trying hard to keep his voice steady as his tears threatened to betray him any moment. Just his words were enough to make Ridhima’s head shoot up “Tum…Tum wapas Mujhe…us…us care centre…” she fumbled while fear dripped through every word of hers seeing which Armaan immediately shook his head and cut her chain of thoughts there and then “Nahi Ridhima…You’re getting it all wrong sweetheart…” “ Abhi tumne…” she tried to remind him but he cut her yet again… “Nahi…I mean haan Maine treatment ki baat ki but I did not mean that you have to go the care centre…” He sighed hard before he tenderly held both her hands and began explaining her. “Ridhima main ek baar tumhe waha bhej kar, khud se dur bhejkar bohot badi galti kar chuka hoon aur us baat ki achi Khasi zaza bhi mil chuki hai mujhe” he said as he lightly caressed the now small bandage over her left wrist which she had split in the care centre. “After whatever that happened the previous time do you really think ki main phir tumhe waha ya for that matter kahi bhi khud se dur bhej sakta hoon?” He asked her gently hoping she would give him some reply but all that he got was a set of fresh tears that flowed unconsciously from her eyes. “I know its hard to believe me after how I let you go last time…Par main Wada karta hoon Ridhima main na sirf tumhare sath rahunga par tumhe is baat ka Pura yakeen dilwa Kar rahunga that no matter what I will never leave you…” he said as he lightly swiped off her tears. “Lekin yeh wada pura karne ke liye Mujhe tumhare sath ki zarurat padeghi bacha…Before I fight for us, I need you to fight for yourself…” He said ever so softly as let his fingers just lightly caress her face which made her simply shut her eyes. “And for that you will have to go in for the treatment…Janta hoon its not an easy thing for you, Lekin tumhe nahi lagta Ridhima that it is at least better than living with this constant-nagging fear?” He asked but again he got no reply, shaking his head a little he looked at her dead in the eye before he spoke again making sure she understood every word that he said….” Like I said…I will not force you Ridhima…Not this time Kyuki yeh to main Jaan gaya hoon that the treatment will only be of use if you go for it willingly else its just gonna lead us back to where we started from…” She just kept staring at him as him trying to find an answer for herself while he too held her gaze with his as he silently assured her that he will be with her at every step….Their moment however was not long lived as soon enough Armaan’s phone buzzed with a call from his PA who requested for some urgent details regarding a mail to be sent quickly giving the information he disconnected the call and glanced towards Ridhima who as expected looked a little lost but there was nothing he could do as he had already said all that he had to and now it was for her to make the final decision….”Chale? The sun’s getting really strong aur tum main abhi bhi bohot weakens hai, you need to rest.” Said Armaan breaking Ridhima’s trance for a small moment, replying with a simple nod she let him take hold of her hand as they both walked back to their car.
Tere kadmon pe jahan rakh doon main
Kabhi jo kahe tu
Koi shaq ho toh azma lena
Kisi din mujhe
Their journey back home was a rather silent one and for once even Armaan did not bother to break the silence. Even on reaching home she said nothing but just got back to their room with Armaan right behind her. He watched her mechanically pick a fresh set of clothes for herself before she went to the washroom to wash off all the beach sand from her. Twenty minutes later she came out and he sighed hard seeing her quietly slip inside the covers and pretend to sleep when both of them knew that sleep was definitely not something that she was gonna get at the moment….He knew she needed sometime to think through what he had said and he had to give her that time even though deep down he was dying to get some reaction out of her he knew that at that point all he could do was wait and hope that she understands his point and this time at least she willingly agrees to give the treatment a chance…Taking one last look at her he took a deep breath to calm himself before quickly freshening up and changing in a fresh pair of clothes and then just sitting by her side and succumbed to finish up some pending office work.
Maujood hai har saans mein
Tu har dafa yeh tay hai
Tu hai dawa ya dard hai
Par hai mera yeh tay ha
~End Of Part~
Note: Hi guys…First of all wish you all a belated Happy Diwali, I hope you all had a good and safe Diwali…. Okay so I know its been forever since I updated and I am really sorry for that but well here I am with the next part so please read it and let me know how you like it.
P.S this feedback is the only incentive I have to write so please be generous in that matter :)
-Tanishka (Tani)-
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