SaAz SS: Selfish and Selfless [Chap 6, Page 30] New! :) - Page 20

Chapter 5

A permanent frown was etched on 17-year-old Arzoo's face as she made her way to her home alone. Sahir and Zak had both skipped college today without any prior warning or indication and as a result, she had to spend the day alone, by herself. She hated when that happened. Sure, she was on friendly terms with the whole class but when her own friends were absent, no one could take their place. And as they had both skipped together, she felt betrayed. She didn't even know that if they had consciously skipped together or not but still, she was mad at both of them and she wasn't going to forgive them easily.

She reached the house and was just about to push the gate open when the beefy next-door Aunty came waddling up to her. "Arzoo beta, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the hospital?"

"What? Why would I be at the hospital?" Arzoo's forehead wrinkled in confusion.

"Arrey your Daadi is admitted there na. You should be there with her."

"What? What happened to Daadi?" She gasped as her breath caught in her throat.

"You don't know? She fell unconscious this morning. I saw your friend, what is that boy's name? The one with curly hair who is at your house every other day?"

"Sahir?" Arzoo whispered at herself and the aunty took it as her answer.

"Yes, he and this other boy loaded her in a black car and took her to the hospital. Oh look, there's that black car and it's coming this way." She pointed out and Arzoo turned numbly as she saw Zak's car come to a stop in front of her house with a screeching sound as the breaks were stepped on severely. But it was not Zak who came out when the door opened, it was Sahir. The relief on seeing him made her draw a long shaky breath. She wasn't alone now at least.

He rushed towards her, slamming the car door behind him in his hurry but on seeing her white face, he slowed down a little. His eyes flickered between her and the aunty standing beside her and his heart sank as he realized that she had already told Arzoo about her Daadi. He had rushed back from the hospital as fast as he could so that Arzoo didn't have to find this out tactlessly by someone else. Annoyance with a mixture of anger surfaced with a strong intensity. The aunty should've been the last person to break that news to Arzoo. He had enough sense to know that the aunty hadn't told her in a considerate manner.

Ignoring her with a defeated sigh, Sahir focused her attention on Arzoo who looked pale with shock. He walked up to her and held both her cold hands tightly in his, giving her a reassuring nod, as he looked deep into her eyes. "Don't worry. Everything will be alright."

He then proceeded to take her to one of the garden chairs and made her sit, ignoring the Aunty who seemed to be on a lookout to find out anything about them, which could be spiced up into something scandalous. Sahir ignored her, which didn't mean that he was unconscious of her intentions. He had always been conscious with Arzoo around because he didn't want anyone to think badly of her or their friendship and today was no different.

Arzoo looked too dazed to speak for a while. "Sahir... What-what happened to Daadi?" Her voice was choked up, her eyes quickly filling up with tears.

"She's going to be alright, Zoo."

"Take me to her. Why are we sitting here?" She looked around her as if realizing at that moment that she was in her garden. Tears began to break free of her eyelashes and stream down her face.

"I'm here to take you Zoo... That's why I came here, to pick you up." He told her in a soothing voice before he got up abruptly and asking the Aunt to keep an eye on her, went inside her house. He was back in less than a minute, carrying a glass of orange juice.

"Drink this." He offered it to her.

She shook her head as she gasped with tears streaking down her face.

"Zoo please, drink this." His voice was firmer this time. "I'll take you to Daadi. I promise." She reached for the glass but on seeing her shaking hands, Sahir didn't let go of it fully and kept his fingers around the glass as she drank; not trusting her trembling hands.

"Sahir... You're here. Who is with Daadi? You-you left her alone?" Arzoo gasped as she suddenly realized this and her tear filled eyes widened in worry.

"No Zak is with her. You freshen up, splash some water on your face and then we'll go."

"No, let us go now." Arzoo stood up.

Sahir shook his head. "Hurrying is going to get us nowhere. First freshen up, change your uniform and then we'll leave. It won't take you more than 2 minutes." He didn't have the heart to tell her that she might have to spend the night at the hospital. And he knew that once she got there, she wouldn't return home for even five minutes. She won't leave her Daadi's side. He knew that. It was better that she left prepared.

Arzoo opened her mouth to protest noticing at that moment that he was wearing his uniform as well but he cut her midway. "Please Zoo. Just do as I say."

Without saying a word, she went inside the house to change quickly. By the time, she came out she saw Sahir cutting up an apple. It struck her weird that he was thinking of having an apple at such a moment. The Aunty was still there too looking at him in confusion.

"Sahir let's go." She told him frantically.

"Here eat this." He offered her the plate and she realized that they were for her. Of course what was she thinking?

"Sahir I don't want them." She snapped, getting annoyed.

"Eat them quickly Zoo so that we can get going." His voice was firm, the kind of firm that bordered on stubbornness and Arzoo knew that this tone meant that he wasn't budge from his request.

"Sahir-"

"Eat." He repeated firmly. He didn't want her going to the hospital on an empty stomach, knowing that she wouldn't eat anything there.

"I'll eat them in the car." She told him exasperatedly, the tears threatening to make their appearance again.

Sahir nodded as he stood up and handed her the plate before making his way out and Arzoo followed without being asked.

The neighboring Aunty's face registered frank admiration for what she had just seen. There was nothing in the teenagers' interaction that could be turned into something scandalous and after seeing the respect and care with which he treated her; to the extent that he stayed in the garden and didn't go inside the house with her alone knowing that it was empty; was overwhelmingly impressive for the woman.

The boy was a gentleman and there was no doubt about it in her mind.

***

"Here, you sign these forms for her operation so that we can begin. It says here that if anything happens to your relative, the hospital will not be responsible." The nurse offered Arzoo a medical form but she didn't reach her hand to take it as she looked at the nurse, half incredulously, half incomprehensibly. Standing by her side, Sahir took the form from the nurse and assured her that he'll get it signed by Arzoo.

Arzoo had been a mess the last hour since they had arrived at the hospital. She had come to find out that her Daadi had a heart attack because one of the values to her heart was closed and now it had to be operated. It had left her in shock. Her Daadi had always seemed so healthy and energetic to her. She had a hard time comprehending that all this was happening so suddenly. She had left her just this morning in good health and now she was in a hospital connected to tubes, with an oxygen mask hiding her face because her heart wasn't functioning properly. How did it all happen so quickly?

"Sign this form, Zoo." Sahir coaxed her gently as he sat beside her on one of the hospital benches. He noted with worry the tears incessantly streaming down her face as she turned to look at him with a slightly blank expression. The thought that her Daadi's life was in danger had shattered her in a way he had not thought possible.

"Did-did you hear what she said? The nurse? She said anything can happen to Daadi." Her voice was low, a painful whisper.

"No, she didn't mean it like that, Zoo. That's just a standard procedure; a precaution that every hospital takes so that no one can sue them. That doesn't actually mean anything is going to happen to Daadi."

"I-I can't Sahir. I can't sign this form."

"Zoo-"

"Daadi's the only relative I have, Sahir. I can't live without her." She gasped with tears carving a path down her face again.

"You won't have to live without her Zoo. Nothing will happen to her. I won't let anything bad happen to you."

She rocked back and forwards like a small child as her body wrecked with sobs. Sahir had never seen her like that. It was as if her whole universe was shattering around her and in a way, it was. Her Daadi was her everything - her every relation. She wasn't simply her grandmother, she was her mother, father, brother, sister, guardian all wrapped in one. Losing her would be like losing her whole family in one go.

Sahir patted her back soothingly. He too looked tired, drained and if one looked underneath the grave expression, there was fear in his eyes too. Fear for Arzoo and how she would be able to live if anything happened to her Daadi but the grave expression hid that fear behind it. What Arzoo saw was only his brave, calm and composed front.

"Come on Zoo. You have to sign these. You know that these hospitals don't start operations without asking for money first and it's only because of Zak's father that they are doing this. You have to sign these papers so that they start the operation." He tried to make her understand. They were saved the trouble of arranging for the money first because Zak's father was a regular donor to that hospital and Zak had asked him to request the hospital to cut Arzoo some slack regarding the payment. It wasn't as if Arzoo's Daadi didn't have money to pay for the treatment, the problem was that it was in the bank and Arzoo couldn't take it out herself as the account was on her Daadi's name. So Zak had asked his father to explain the same to the hospital and they had given in on his first phone call, probably because they didn't want to upset Zak's father as a donor rather than actually understanding their scenario.

"Arzoo please. Just sign this." Sahir implored.

"You do it Sahir."

"I can't Zoo. This form is only to be signed by a close blood-relative, which in this case, is you."

"You do my signature then." She told him, wiping her tears with the back of her hands carelessly.

"I can't do that Zoo." Sahir looked taken aback at the suggestion. "It's not right."

"Why is it not right? You're making me do it and you're afraid to do it yourself? I know it's because you think too, that something can go wrong." Her voice broke again as she uttered the last part before dropping her head in her hands, her posture so tired, so defeated.

"It's not that, Zoo. Nothing will go wrong. I promise you that. I will never let anything bad happen to you." He answered desperately. He knew he shouldn't be promising something that wasn't even in his hands but he couldn't see and watch Arzoo break into pieces like that.

Arzoo lifted her bowed head and turned to look at him with a small flicker of hope in her eyes. "You promise?"

"I promise."

"Then sign the form." She pleaded. "You shouldn't have any problem signing it then."

"No Zoo. It's not ethically correct... Listen Zoo, I am willing to sign the form for you if you want me to but if you trust me, then you'll sign it yourself." He told her firmly. She kept looking into his eyes for a while as if gaining strength from the reassurance shining in them before taking the pen she signed the form.

"Thank you Zoo." He whispered before he got up to take the form to the nurse and ask them to start the operation.

***

Arzoo leaned forward on the bench, placing her elbows on her knees and closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around herself. The sky outside was now growing dark and chill was starting to creep in the air of the corridor. As Arzoo had changed and left her house in a hurry, she had forgotten to grab a pullover. Moreover, it wasn't chilly during the day and she didn't know she would be at the hospital for this long.

Just then, she felt a jacket being draped over her shoulders and she looked at her right to see Sahir securing it around her. She gave him a weak smile in gratitude, which he returned.

"How much longer do you think it'll take them?" She asked him. She had stopped crying. It looked like she had exhausted her supply of tears.

"I don't know Zoo."

"Do you think everything's alright in there?" She jerked her neck in the general direction of the operation theatre.

"Yes. I have a feeling that the surgery is going very successful." He nodded reassuringly.

"How can you not be scared Sahir? I'm so scared right now." She whispered.

"You stop getting scared when you realize it does nothing to help you or your situation." There was maturity in his answer again. Arzoo sometimes got the feeling that he was going to grow up into a very quiet mature man. He was already beginning to show that streak. He had never exhibited the immaturity that usually marks the teenage years.

She knew that every difficulty that befell on him made him more serious towards life but what she didn't realize was that he took the strain of her difficulties too. For any passerby, Arzoo was going through a hard time right now as it was her Daadi whose health was critical but the truth was that for Sahir, that time was equally hard. He knew Arzoo was relying on him and he had to stay strong. By being with her and constantly providing her with strength, he gave her a chance to be weak. He gave her a chance to cry on his shoulders and let all her fears out. And in the midst of all that, he ended up repressing his fears, never wording them, never displaying them, letting them consume him from inside. Even right now, he wasn't letting Arzoo know how worried he really was.

"Sahir? The next-door Aunty said you and Zak took Daadi to the hospital? How did you know she was ill?"

"I didn't Zoo. Actually, I overslept today and when I do, no one at the house bothers to wake me up... So on the way to college, I stopped by your house as usual but no one came on ringing the bell. First, I guessed that you had already left but then I thought maybe you had overslept as well since we were outing all day yesterday and you know, we were so tired... But today was that Physics test too that I knew you wouldn't want to miss so I thought I'd just climb over the wall and have a look at your room through the window. I did and umm... Daadi was kind of slumped on the sofa in your room so I knew something was wrong. I got inside your house-"

"How?" Arzoo questioned with a confused look.

"What?"

"How did you get in?"

"By retrieving the hidden extra key to your house from under the Cactus plant. Simple." He smiled innocently and Arzoo would've smiled had she been a little less worried. "So I got in and checked on Daadi. It was quite obvious that something was wrong so I called Zak. He got a cell phone recently you know and luckily, he was on his way to college; was close by so he made it under 5 minutes and then you know the rest."

Arzoo nodded before she looked into his eyes. "Thank you Sahir. Had you not been there-"

"I was there Zoo." He cut in firmly indicating that she didn't need to trouble herself with what would've happened had he not been there.

"But Sahir-"

"Do you protest for the sake of protesting?" He cut her midway again, his tone lighter. "Or do you do it because you're blessed with an inherent quality of opposing everything I say?"

A small weak smile lit Arzoo's lips as she let it drop and looked towards the OT yet again. "How much longer do you think it'll take them Sahir?" She repeated in her worry. "It has been so long since they took Daadi in."

"It seems longer to us Zoo because we're waiting outside." He answered patiently.

"I wish they would hurry up and tell us quickly that Daadi's okay."

"I wish the same Zoo and trust me, she'll be okay Insha'Allah."

She nodded and then leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes, her lips moving in a prayer again. Sahir looked at her and glanced at the OT worriedly again just as Zak came up to them, carrying some packets.

"Heard anything?" He asked as he sat beside them. Sahir shook her head in negative. Arzoo opened her eyes to look at him and then closed them again, continuing her prayers.

"I got some food for you guys. Thought you two would be hungry." He explained.

"Water?" Sahir asked and Zak nodded before he rummaged through the bags and got the bottle out.

"Thanks." He muttered as he broke the seal and drank deeply. He nudged Arzoo and handed her the bottle. Arzoo looked at him blankly.

"Drink." He told her and she took a small sip for his sake before handing it back to him. Just then, the OT opened and a middle-aged doctor came out and all three of them sprang to their feet. The doctors seemed surprised as the three teenagers inquired urgently how their Daadi was.

"She's fine. The operation was successful. You don't have anything to worry about now." He explained with a comforting smile and Sahir and Zak simultaneously gave Arzoo an ecstatic one-armed hug from either side who felt tears of extreme happiness sliding down her cheeks.

"Don't you have any grown-ups with you?" The doctor questioned with a confused look and was met with negative headshakes.

"And are you all three her grandchildren?" He asked, deducing it from the way they all called her Daadi.

"In our hearts, yes. Biologically only she is the lucky one." Sahir spoke up, pointing at Arzoo who was smiling through her tears.

The doctor nodded as he directed the next part of the speech towards her. "We'll keep her under observation for some time. Just as a precaution and then you can meet her once she's shifted to her room."

"She's going to be fine, right? Here heart won't trouble for anymore, right Doctor?" Arzoo repeated for her satisfaction.

"She has many more years to live, beta. Your Daadi isn't going anywhere, not with the steel nerves that she has." The doctor replied with a smile to assure her before excusing himself he moved away.

Arzoo smiled widely at Sahir who beamed back at her. "See I told you she'd be alright."

Without saying a word, Arzoo wrapped her arms around him in a grateful hug.

"It's alright. I'll-I'll just hug the walls. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." They heard Zak exclaiming behind them and laughing together, they broke apart.

***

The three of them had lunch in the corridor that Zak had brought. Arzoo didn't feel like eating because all that tension had killed her hunger but for Sahir's sake, she began eating the burger. Halfway through she had enough and handed it to Sahir to finish it off.

They waited for some time more before her Daadi was allotted a room and they shifted her in. Arzoo sat there holding her hand for the longest time before Sahir finally intruded.

"Zoo, you need to get some sleep."

"No, I'm fine."

"No, you're not. You can't look at yourself that's why you're saying that. You look dead on your feet." He told her before pointing at the only sofa in the room, he continued. "Take a nap on that for a while. I'm here with Daadi na."

"But Sahir-"

"Zoo." He titled her head and glared at her exasperatedly. "Daadi isn't going to wake up any time soon. Its better you take rest."

She nodded as she realized he was right. She was drained, not only physically but psychologically and emotionally as well. She moved up from the chair and curled up on the sofa, watching Sahir taking her place beside Daadi's bed.

***

Arzoo, who was sleeping on the sofa of the private ward, woke up with a start as the doctor entered the room to check up on her Daadi. Looking around disconcertedly, she realized Sahir was nowhere to be seen though his jacket was securely draped over. She got up from the sofa and quietly looked as the doctor examined her Daadi before scribbling some medicines on a notepad and tearing the page out.

"She's doing well. Make sure you get these medicines from the pharmacy. And yes, the nurse will be here in a short while to change the drip."

Arzoo nodded and thanked the doctor, wondering absent-mindedly where Sahir had gone to. She looked at the time and her eyes widened. It was 4 o'clock in the morning. She had slept for so long without even realizing it. Guessing that Sahir had left for his home sometime last night, she decided to get the medicines herself but frowned the next moment as she realized that she didn't know where the pharmacy was.

Pushing the door of the room open, she stepped into the corridor when her eyes landed on him and her heart melted. He was there, slumping on the thin bench against the wall, dozing off with his head drooped sideways, his long legs stretched uncomfortably in front of him and his arms wrapped around himself against the cold. She shrugged out of his jacket and just as she draped it over him, he woke up.

"Zoo, what are you doing here?" He asked, his voice husky with sleep.

Arzoo who was a little taken back by his waking up, took a second longer to answer. "I was going to the Pharmacy to get the medicines."

"I'll get them." Sahir offered at once, standing up and rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"No, you don't need to... Sahir, why did you come outside?"

"Apparently this hospital has a policy that only one person is allowed to stay with the patient during the night. So I thought they couldn't possibly have a problem with people sleeping in the corridor, could they?" He smiled with sleep-laden eyes as he craned his neck in both ways.

"Why didn't you return home then?"

Sahir squinted his eyes slightly, appearing to be thinking. It was obvious that this thought hadn't crossed his mind. "Um... I don't know... I couldn't have left you here all alone... disappear while you were sleeping. Besides, you don't even know the way to the Pharmacy. Time for me to prove myself useful and get the medicines." He took the prescription from her hand and started sauntering away.

"Sahir?" She called out. "Did you inform at home that we were staying the night here?"

"Told Zak to stop by and let them know. Good thing I'm not there to hear all the drama they're creating." He winked before waving the prescription; he turned at the end of the corridor.

Arzoo shook her head as she smiled. She had never been more conscious of the realization that indeed she was very lucky to have him in her life.

***

Arzoo rubbed her eyes sleepily as he made her way to her Daadi's room in the morning. Daadi had been discharged from the hospital after spending 4 days there and had returned home yesterday. The money matters with the hospital had been cleared out and Arzoo hoped that the troubled times were behind them. After the first night, she had refused to let Sahir sleep at the hospital and sent him home every night. That didn't mean that he didn't spend the most part of the day there along with Zak. Their exams were approaching and the prep leave had started so they didn't have to worry about absents but had another thing on their minds. Exams!

Thinking that she would start studying from today, she entered her Daadi's room to find her sitting in bed already. All at once, she began worrying. "Daadi, did you get up yourself? You shouldn't do that. The doctor said to take it easy for some time. The fault's mine though. I overslept and you're used to having breakfast early. You must be hungry, right? I'm so sorry."

"Okay, she starts talking as soon as she wakes up. I did not know that." An amused voice spoke up from behind and she turned around to find Sahir standing behind her, holding a breakfast tray. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" She exclaimed.

"Daadi's granddaughter was busy snoring the house down so I thought I'd make her some breakfast. After all, I'm her son too. Right Daadi?" He addressed the latter part of the speech to Arzoo's Daadi who laughed lightly and nodded.

"How did you get in so early in the morning?" She was still surprised.

"I broke in through a window."

"What?"

"I told you before. I know where the spare house key is!" Sahir told her defiantly.

"So you just let yourself in?" She asked incredulously.

"No, of course not. I'm not like you, I've got manners, you see. I asked Daadi's permission before letting myself in." He answered as he placed the tray on Daadi's lap and grinned. "Breakfast in bed, Daadi. Enjoy!"

Arzoo continued looking at him in amazement. As he straightened up, he seemed to notice her expression and explained. "I knew you would be sleeping, you're hardly a morning person. So I came over to Daadi's window and she was awake so I asked if she would like some breakfast and she said, she'd love to. Simple."

"Jumping our boundary wall has become a stroll in a park for you, hasn't it?" She let out amusingly. "What are you giving Daadi for breakfast?"

"I would've loved to make her one of my excellent cheese omelettes but since she is supposed to be on a light diet, I made her some porridge." He explained. Arzoo knew Sahir knew how to cook. He had mentioned a few times that one learned cooking when one was left behind at the house alone while the family went out for dinners.

"How about making that cheese omelette for me then?" Arzoo suggested with a wide smile and Sahir bowed.

"The chef is at your service. But you'll help me by cutting the tomatoes. I hate cutting stuff."

"Done."

"Then as a sign of gratitude, you'll help me with my studies." He told her and she was laughing when Daadi intervened.

"Do all you want to do but Arzoo beta, first change your night suit and brush your hair." She told her granddaughter with an amused look on her face.

That was when Arzoo realized that she was in her pink night suit and the careless bun that she had made as soon as she got up had become loose with her silky tendrils now caressing her cheeks. She bit her lip sheepishly as she looked down at her feet and realized that she didn't have slippers on either. She grinned at him sheepishly as she asked. "Should I change? I don't want to! This is comfortable."

"Then don't. I don't mind." Sahir shrugged.

"Arzoo." Daadi let out warningly.

"But Daadi you know, I don't change out of my night suit on weekends." She protested before turning to Sahir, she explained. "I take a shower in the evening and then get into my other night suit for Sunday. That's what gives it a weekend feel."

Sahir was biting back a smile as he nodded. "Uh-huh, I see."

"Arzoo." Daadi called out again, refraining from actually saying anything.

"Daadi, it's only Sahir! He doesn't mind. And even if he does, who cares." She grinned.

"Yes Daadi. Don't make her change. She'll whine for the next two years that I ruined her weekend."

Arzoo smacked him on the arm and Sahir let out a fake howl. "You broke my arm. Now I can't make your omelette. You'll have to make it yourself."

"Sahir!" She let out incredulously.

"Say you're sorry then."

"Never in a million years."

"Then you won't get to eat an omelette in the upcoming million years. That's quite sad actually."

"Why are you in such a good mood today?"

"Because I saw Daadi's beautiful face in the morning for a change."

"You mean I'm not beautiful?"

"Oh has Daadi kept this a secret?" He looked at Daadi innocently and then added apologetically. "I'm so sorry for blurting it out like that!"

"Sahir Azeem Chaudhary! I'll kill you!" She screamed and ran after him as he sprinted out of the room answering, "Think about it. You won't get your omelette then."

"I'll live without it!" Daadi heard her scream her reply and she laughed as she shook her head slightly. These two were a literal joy to be around. After all these years, the only changes they both had undergone were to grow taller. Other than that, they still fought like kids.

She closed her eyes smilingly and leaned her head against the crown of the bed and she prayed that they always remained like this; making fun of each other, chasing each other and being sufficient for each other in the form of best friends.

***

So things are getting serious a little! I want to write fun stuff *pouts* 😆 Anyway, Lemme know how you found it! 😳

Love,

Fari ❤️