PART 36:
Kripa rushed to the hospital, trying to catch up with Mishti. She saw Mishti being directed by the hospital staff. Kripa's heart beat almost stopped when she saw the sign "Intensive Care Unit."
"Nahin….aisa nahin ho sakta! Hey bhagwan…..aap mere saath aisa nahin kar sakte….," a panting Kripa caught up with Mishti.
A doctor was talking to Mishti, "Mr Khanna ko bahut severe abdominal injuries huyi hain….we need to operate on him as soon as possible warna unke liver mein bleeding se death bhi ho sakti hai…."
Mishti and Kripa were shocked and speech less.
"lekin doctor yeh sab huya kaise?" Mishti asked
"Yeh tho aapko police report se hi pata chalega par lagta hai kisi ne unkey pait par bahut zor se vaar kiya hai…"
Kripa could not hold her tears as she had visions of Angad being battered by a bunch of goons.
"Dekhiye hamare paas zyaada waqt nahi hai…unkey family members yahan ho tho humein surgery ki consent jald se jald chahiye hogi….." the doctor sounded impatient
"Angad ke parents raaste min hain….wo aate hi honge.." Mishti answered
"doctor sahib….main consent sign karney ko tayyar hoon…." Kripa came forward
"aap kaun?" the doctor enquired
"main unki patni hoon….Kripa Khanna…." she said softly. Mishti smiled and had tears in her eyes. She put her arm around Kripa and looked at the doctor, "haan doctor…yeh sign kar sakti hain….aap jaldi kee jiye…"
Kripa signed the required papers and turned towards Mishti. Kripa hugged Mishti and sobbed loudly, "mujhey maaf kar do Mishti….iss sab ke liye main zimmedar hoon…"
Mishti consoled Kripa, "nahin Kripa…yeh tho ek accident hai…pata nahin kaun Angad ka dushman hai jo uski yeh halat ki…"
Kripa pulled back and lowered her eyes in guilt, "M…Mishti….yeh sab meri wajah se hua hai…"
"tumhari wajah se?"
"haan Mishti.." Kripa told Mishti about what Nishant must have done to protect Tanya from Angad.
"KRIPA! Tumney Nishant ko Angad ke baare mein sab itna galat kaha? Oh my God! I don't believe it…aur Nishant bhi….yadi mere dost ko kuch bhi ho gaya tho main tum dono ko maaf nahin karoongi!" Mishti was outraged.
Kripa just kept sobbing and buried her face in her palms.
Mishti calmed down and sat beside Kripa, "Kripa…main hamesha Angad ko kehti thi ki jab tak Kripa tum par vishwaas nahin karegi, wo kabhi tumhare paas wapas nahin aayegi…lagta hai bechare ko apni jaan par khelkar hi tumhara vishwaas jeetna tha…"
"Nahin Mishti…kaash maine apne dil ki baat suni hoti tho Angad par kabhi shaq nahin kiya hota….kabhie kabhie hum apna dimaag jin cheezon par nahin lagaana chahiye…wahin sabse zyaada istemaal kar lete hain….mera dil hamesha Angad par yakeen karta tha…..bas apni zidd aur ego ke karan main uska dil pehchaan na saki…."
Just then they saw Dilip and Naina rushing into the hospital.
"Arre Mishti? Tanya? Kya hua…kaise hua?" Naina asked
Dilip looked at Kripa closely, "arre tum tho wohi ho na jo uss raat angad ke saath?"
Kripa just lowered her eyes and nodded.
"Beti…mujhey maaf karna…angad uss raat mujhsey bahut naaraz tha kyunki maine tumhare liye kuch ulta seedha bol diya tha….par kya karta tab hum aisi museebat main the….aur ab kya ho gaya angad ko? Kisne kya hai yeh sab?" Dilip went on
Kripa felt worse when she found out about Angad getting upset with his dad about Kripa's insult that night. She had been under the impression that Angad had not cared about what had happened that night and he and his dad were used to entertaining women for their pleasure.
Kripa was about to tell Dilip and Naina how Angad had gotten injured, but Mishti stopped her, "nahin Kripa yeh galti mat karna…..aunty aur uncle Angad ke baare mein bahut possessive hain……unhey pata chal gaya ki yeh tumhari galti se hua hai…tho wo kabhi tumhey maaf nahin karengey…..baad mein sab samjha dengey…."Mishti whispered into Kripa's ears
Kripa looked at Mishti with a grateful expression.
Nishant came to know that Kripa was at the hospital. He walked in with Prateek and went to Kripa, "Tanya…tum yahan kyon aayi ho?"
Kripa looked at Nishant with tearful eyes, "Nishant…maine tum sey bahut badha jhooth bola tha….," she took Nishant aside and told him everything. Nishant shut his eyes in disbelief, "Oh my god! Tany…sorry Kripa…..kaash tumney mujhey yeh pehle bataaya hota…..I can't forgive myself…." Nishant saw Mishti had turned her back towards him.
"K..Kripa..please Prateek ko pakdo…main Mishti se baat karna chahta hoon.
Mishti was obviously upset with Nishant, but finally realized how sorry and regretful Nishant was about the whole incident, "Mishti…please mujhey jail bhijwaa dena..par please mujhsey naaraz mat hona…you know how much I care about you….na jaane mujhey kya soojhi ki maine apne office ke dost se Angad ko pitwaane ki baat ki…..I am so foolish!"
Mishti squeezed nishant's hand, "Nishant don't beat yourself…..ho sakta hai mere dost ko bhi koyi pareshaan karta tho main bhi aisa hi karti…you are a good friend….main jaanti hoon tum mera bhi aise hi khayaal rakhoge jaise Kripa ka kiya tumney…"
The doctor came out after a few hours, "the surgery was successful….but he had lost a lot of blood….blood transfusion bhi dena padha….abhi wo behosh hain….but he should be fine later…aaj raat ek family member unke saath reh sakta hai…."
"Thanks doctor!" Dilip shook the doctor's hand.
Kripa had tears of happiness when she heard that her Angad was going to be fine.
Naina looked at Kripa, "Tanya…sorry Kripa…aaj raat ko main Prateek ko apne saath le jaati hoon…..tum Angad ke paas hi rehna…yeh tumhara haq hai…Angad ko sabse zyada tumhari hi zaroorat hai…."
Kripa was stunned. She had misunderstood not only angad, but both his parents also.
Kripa bowed down and touched both Dilip and Naina's feet. They both blessed, "beti jis ladki ne Angad par itna jadoo kiya hai….wo hamare ghar ki bahu baney…yeh hamari khush kismati hai…..tumhey nahin pata in 2 saalon mein wo kitna badal gaya hai…..ab bas wo theek ho jaaye tho hum tumhari shaadi khoob dhoom dhaam se karengey…" Naina said.
Kripa made sure Prateek's needs were taken care of before he went to spend the night with his grandmother.
After everyone had left, Kripa was allowed to go to Angad's room.
Kripa was shocked to see a bruised and battered Angad wrapped in dressings and bandages with tubes and lines sticking out from his various body parts. He was still unconscious.
Kripa went and sat next to him and held his hand close to her cheek, "Angad….kitna sataa te ho hamesha mujhey…..aaj kyon nahin sataa rahe? Aaj itney chup kyon ho? Mujhsey flirt kyon nahin kar rahey? Kahan hai tumhari wo shararat bhari muskaan….wo masti bhari aankhen?" She kissed his hand several times, with her tears covering his whole palm.
She rested her head on his hand and stayed there all night.
.
She remembered the song angad had sung for her when he had surprised her at the school function in Delhi.
She sang the same song for him, "tu is tarah se meri zindagi" – female version
http://www.dishant.com/album/80's_roma..._for_him_2.html
too is tarah se meree jindagee mein shaamil hain
jahaan bhee jaaoo ye lagataa hain teree mahafil hain
ye aasamaan ye baadal ye raasate ye hawaa
har yek cheej hain apanee jagah thhikaane se
kaee dinon se shikaayat naheen jamaane se
ye jindagee hain safar, too safar kee manjil hain
har yek fool kisee yaad saa mahakataa hai
tere khayaal se jaagee huyee fijaayen hain
ye sabj ped hain, yaa pyaar kee duwaayen hain
too paas ho ke naheen fir bhee too mukabil hain
har yek shay hain mohabbat ke noor se roshan
ye roshanee jo naa ho, jindagee adhooree hain
raah-ye-wafaa mein, koee humasafar jaruree hain
ye raastaa kahee tanahaa kate to mushkil hain
Angad continued to stay unconscious for the next few days. Kripa helped the nurses day and night with dressing changes, wound care and other needs.
Nishant, Mishti , Angad's parents and Prateek spent a lot of the daytime hours with Kripa and Angad.
One night, when Kripa was helping the nurses change his clothes, she felt a hand squeeze her hand. She heard a hoarse voice, "Tanya….main ab tumhey kabhi tang nahin karoonga….Nishant ko bol do…main Tanya ko tang nahi karoonga…."
Kripa had tears in her eyes; she did not know whether she was happy that she could hear Angad's voice at last, or sad when she realized the pain he had endured because of her.
Kripa leaned forward, stroked his hair and looked into his eyes, "Angad Tanya ko wapas Almora bhej diya…ab tumhari Kripa hamesha ke liye tumharey paas aa gayi hai….," she kissed his hand and looked at the nurses, "please excuse us for a few moments"
The nurses were pleased to see their patient finally awake. They nodded, "please Mrs Khanna…aap yahin rahiye…hum doctor ko khabar dene jaate hain…"
Angad had a surprised look on his face, "yeh Mrs Khanna kaun hai?"
"tumhari patni.." Kripa stroked his hair and squeezed his hand.
"Mujhey nahi pataa tha ki behoshi ka itna faayda hai…meri shaadi bhi ho gayi….kuch din aur behosh rehta tho shayad ek aad bachcha bhi ho jaata.." Angad said mischievously.
Kripa blushed at that comment, "lagta hai poori tarah hosh aa gaya hai ab tumhey"
"jab se tumhey mila hoon…hosh hi kahan raha hai mujhey?" Angad said romantically
Kripa became a little serious and kissed Angad's lips, "Angad…ab kabhi aisi baat mat karna…yeh 4 din mere kaise beete hain….yeh sirf main hi jaanti hoon….ab kabhi mujhsey door mat jaana…"
"yadi aise hi kisses miltey rahe tho main door jaane ki tho soch bhi nahin sakta…" he grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto his chest, 'OUCH!" he screamed.
"Oh sorry! Kya hua?" Kripa sat up as she thought she had accidentally pressed some wound on his body.
Angad smiled mischievously, "abhi abhi toota hua dil wapas juda hai na…tho abhi thoda naazuk hai…itne pyaar ki aadat nahin hai abhi.."
Kripa smiled at him and picked the phone to inform everyone that Angad was back and more charming than ever!
…to be continued…..
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