Vatsalya
Parul dozed when the Doctor came, he told Shubhra Gagan had a good night's sleep and after watching him the following day he would be allowed to go
He asked if Parul had paid for the ER dues
Shubhra didnt know, she promised to check and afterwards headed down to the patient accounting office and paid everything in full including charges for the following day and paid in advance toward the medication.
Parul had paid around 14% of what was owed at admission
Maybe she was waiting for Tapan to return
Maybe she could not go get money from the bank? or transfer
Didnt matter
Shubhra got more coffee and went up
Parul was with Gagan
She read a book and sent emails to her staff asking for her morning appointments to be pushed out
Her father summoned her home
She refused
Her mother wanted to "come see her"
She had to tell Tara "This is not about you"
Her business was goingt o suffer yet another setback she was sure of that
She greived for a few minutes for what truly could have been her calling, a high end real estate agent that offered personal hi-touch service and tons of resources to prospective home renters in the NCR area
She was not attractive or hugely qualified or very articulate
The last 2 months had picked up her work and slammed it on the ground and stomped on it
Parul came out charging
"Tum aise kaam kyon karti ho?" she sat by her
"Kya hua?"
"On call nurse aayi I told her someone stole his wallet between him getting hit by a Sumo and me reaching the scene, I havent used my credit card in a while so it deactivated
I am waiting for Tapan
"Its OK"
"No, its in the lakhs you shouldnt be paying"
"thats OK its fine"
"Tumhe ab bhi lagta hai main tumhe guilty maanti hoon?" Parul asked quietly
"i don't know whats going on, Tapan was worried back in Chicago. He says he is having me followed by private security. He suspects.. some.. someone.. I mean maybe you know my Dad" she got it out after a struggle
"Tum... you are not your Dad, you and Tapan are both troubled... deeply but in different ways but yes, you both have history"
"I didnt think my Dad was capable of hurting anyone" she hung her head in shame
"Some , I mean most people don't start out their lives that way, but power is a strange thing nahi" Parul was being kind
"I accused Tapan of causing harm to my Dad"
"Jaanti hoon, bataya na tumne"
"Both the men in my life are hot headed strong alpha males"
"Atleast tum Tapan ko man in your life to keh rahi ho" Parul giggled
She blushed inadvertently
"How are you able to be so normal and sorry so forgiving, if my Dad pulled the trigger on Gagan's accident, I wouldnt want to ever see you again" Shubhra lifted up tear filled eyes and stared at Parul
"Gagan is fine now" she teared up too
"I love him so much, he never hurt anyone Parul"
Parul nodded tearfully
"It hurts me to see him in ICU" "He was supposed to take a day off and go bring his parents for rakhi"
"I am sorry"
"Kya karen... kabhi kabhi hum jo plan banate hain..."
"He is such a good man, he must be hurting so badly"
"Arey nahi he is on narcotics" Parul smiled
"Par taking time off work... he is such a good Dad"
"I know... tumhe ek baat maloom hai I was ready to give up, mujhe laga hoga nahi bacha, ab I will just get by, par woh kabhi ummeed nahi chhodey" Parul wept uncontrollably
"I am sorry, but see what a gorgeous girl Arya is"
"I know bechari bahut royi raat ko, tum ghar jao, Amma (Gagan's mother) achha breakfast banati hain, khao aur nahakr so jao"
"i want to get to the bottom of this" she whispered
"Nahi... nahi... no" Parul was shocked
"I have to" Shubhra got up
"Tapan ne mujhe kaha tum itni ziddi ho you did it one time to get to him"
Shubhra nodded sheepishly
"Did Gagan have BP problem or did the accident cause it?"
"Probably accident" Parul looked sad
"I told Tapan I would understand if he wanted to end everything... I cannot imagine living with a man whose family almost killed a parent or a sibling"
"Tum dono ek jaise kaise ho? ITNE?" Parul stared dumbfounded
"What?"
"tapan ne tumhare liye yahi baat kahi thi mujhe, 3 mahiney pehle "can u imagine living with a man like me Di? "How could anyone live with me"
Her insides quivered when she heard Parul's honest words
She loved Tapan more than words could express
She would never fall in love again
He had swept through her mind body and soul completely
"Gagan's parents will never accept me" she said quietly staring at the closed ICU doors
"First of all tum ghar jao, nahao, Arya should be in school
Nahi gayi to hang with her
"Parul I want to stay with you"
"Nahi, ghar jao, pagal ladki"
"You havent slept or eaten
"OK here is a project, go home shower, eat and bring something for me?" Parul offered with a smile
Shubhra nodded
"Will you be safe?" she asked pausing turning around
"I hope so" Parul nodded
Shubhra did not know who was a threat and what they would look like She could never face Tapan ever again if something happened to her
Recklessness was her greatest weakness and unknown strength
She texted her Dad in the elevator
"If something happens to Tapan or his sister of her family, you will never ever see me alive again"
Manik called her frantically
She did not answer the phone
She went to Parul's Arya was in school
Amma fed a giant breakfast anda sked her about the pumps. Shubhra was embarrassed she hadnt bought those
When she got ready to bring breakfast for Parul Amma told her she had already sent food with Gagan's Dad
She cried for her son, causing Shubhra to be more anguished than ever before
She cried softly with her
Amma told her how sweet her son is, Shubhra agreed to everything
"Hamari bahu ne bache ki ichha chhod di, par mere bete ne nahi" Amma cried
"Bin ma baap ke teeno bachon ko apna samajhke gale lagaya mere Gagan ne"
Even if this marriage happened this would not bode well for her relationship with the Acharyas. They had lost everything because of her Dad
"Jao bitiya aap so jao" Amma blew air kisses
"Aap itne pyaare ho" Shubhra spoke nervously
"Mero naam Vatsalya jo hai" Amma giggled
Shubhra looked clueless
"Vatsalya ka arth ye hovey hai... MA JAISI" Amma giggled proudly
Her Dad had ruined everything for them. Now he was going after Gagan... what the h---
She imagined something bad happen to Gagan and Vatsalya-ji finding out it was Shubhra's Dad
She wouldnt be able to stand in front of the blazing mountain of fire... just the thought alone sent chills down Shubhra's spine
"Mwah... jao bitiya"
She didnt want to be here when Tapan returned
Amma insisted a million times and refused to let her leave
Parul had called her and asked her to take care of Shubhra
Her eyes refused to stay open, she curled up on the divan hoping to take a quick nap and be gone
"Sochkar bolti hai, shaant, ro padi jab hum Gagan ko lekar boley" Amma chuckled choking up
"Achhi hai Ma"
"Chehre par na koi cream na kuch" Amma remarked on what she had observed
"Haan she is gorgeous" Parul quickly bristled before her mother in law could say the invetiable... "saanvli hai"
"Haan sundar to hai" her MIL heaved
"Apna business sambhalti hai Ma"
"Achha?"
"Haan"
"Punjabi boli... Hindi kam bolti hai"
"Haan Dilli mein pali hai aur Ma baap high society mein, matlab.. kaafi umm.. kya kehte hain" Parul struggled
"Haan samajh gayi, kaano mein yeh mota heera pehni hai" Amma reminded her DIL
Parul giggled
"Hum to kahey usko andar tumhare kamre so jao, par maani nehi, yahi soye rahi"
"Chali gayi?"
"Nahi bahar diwan par soyi hai"
"Oh aap andar ho... aap Arya ke liye bas dal chawal bana lein Ma"
"Tu chinta na kar beta... woh bhi meri poti hai" Amma choked up
"Thanks"
"Khush reh beta"
Tapan let himself in.. and found her curled up in a ball on the divan
Amma was asleep in the master bedroom
He stood staring, listening to her steady breathing...
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