Hello Fellas...!
I have tried to weave emotions with the help of words...giving a way for the feelings to flow...!
I hope you enjoy it... Please give it a try...
THE DEAL...!
"I'm Sorry Shivay...! Please apna khayal rakhiyega..." Anika looked at the sleeping figure lying on the bed. She left his hand, softly pecked his forehead and got up to leave.
She turned again at the threshold of the door to look at him for the last time. She whispered "Ho sake to mujhe maaf kar dijiyega..." wiping off her tears she rushed out of his room and his life too...
"ANNIKA" Shivay shouted in an impulse gaining consciousness and sat on his bed with a jerk.
* KUCH SAMAY PEHLE *
A red bulb turned on of the Operation Theater. Anika sat on a chair outside like a lifeless body. She slowly closed her eyes and passed out... The sudden rush of emotions, the unbearable pain to see him in this condition, the unknown fears, insecurities...shattered her to the core, sucking out all the energies that remained.
*
Shivay and Anika came out of a park, happily smiling over something. They were going towards a parking place. She was laughing her heart out while he stared her mesmerized.
A drunk truck driver lost his control and was driving rashly on the road with a full speed. It was about to hit Anika when suddenly a strong push threw her aside. A thud sound made her turn around. She cried her lungs out as she saw Shivay lying on the middle of the road, smudged in blood
"SHIIVAAY..."
*
Her eyes shot open, sweat drops all over her face. She was breathing heavily as the flashes of that unfateful event played in front of her eyes...She was horrified and grew restless.
The red light turned off. She rushed to the doctor as soon as he came out of OT. "Doctor..."
"Doctor... Shivay kaise hai ab...?" She managed to ask in a shaky voice.
"Dekhiye... we've tried our best. Unhe sir pe kaafi chot aayi hai, he has lost quite blood. Unhe bachana mushkil hai... Agle kuch hours unke liye bahot crucial hai... Agar 3 - 4 ghanto me unhe hosh aaya, to hi he'll be out of danger..." she looked shocked "Par abhi hum kuch nahi keh sakte..." He left to see the arrangements, to shift him to the ICU.
She held a bench there for support "Abhi kuch keh nahi sakte matlab...?" she mumbled to herself "Aise kaise mushkil hai...? Arre, vo Shivay hai...The Shivay Singh Oberoy...!"
His head was casted, left hand plastered and other bandages all over his body...It ached her heart immensely. It was so suffocating to see him like this. Aapne mere liye apni jaan khatre me kyu daali...? She cursed herself for whatever he was suffering from, now. She tried her best to wake him up from this unwanted sleep.
"Shivay, Please uthiye na..." she begged him.
"Dekhiye, agar yeh koi joke hai, to please, abhi ke abhi ise band kijiye... You know na aise mazak se mujhe kitni michmichi hoti hai...?" She tried every possible way to break his silence.
"Aap daantiye mujhe..." "Ladiye mujhse..."
"Jitni tadi marni ho, mar lijiye... Main kuch nahi bolungi..."
"But please uth jaaiye..." she was crying frantically.
"Main aapko bilkul pareshan nahi karungi... Aapko shikayat ka koi mauka nahi dungi..." she tried to coax him "aap bas uth jaaiye...Please wake up..."
"Mujhe aapki zaroorat hai..." now she was loosing control "Apni family ke bare mein to sochiye...Hum sab ko aapki bahot zaroorat hai..." She broke down "Shiivaay..."
The doctor said in a firm voice "Inhe aaram ki sakht zaroorat hai..." turning to a nurse "please ma'am ko bahar le jaaiye..."
Anika protested but had to go out. She went to the Maata rani's temple nearby and questioned her idol.
"Aapse meri khushi dekhi nahi jaati na...?" she asked "Jisse bhi main pyaar karti hoon, chin leti hai mujhse..."
"Maine kya bigaada hai aapka? Pehle mera parivaar...ab mera pyaar...mere Shivay..." she cried her heart out.
"Nahi...Main apne Shivay ko, apne suhaag ko chhinne nahi gungi..."
"Meri galtiyon ki saza mere Shivay ko mat dijiye, please..mujhse Jo hoga main karungi..."
'Kuch pane ke liye kuch khona padta hai...' a thought flashed her mind.
"Thik hai..." she said "Let's make a deal"
"Aap mere Shivay ko thik kar dijiye, badle mein main apni sabse pyaari cheez chhod dungi"
She closed her eyes thinking what is that she loves more than her life. Her eyes shot open as the smiling face of Shivay flashed before her. Wind blew heavily sending shivers down her spine. "Shivaay...!" She was not in a state to think what else she would do.
"Fine. If this is the case, then yeh hi sahi..." she straightened herself. Bells at the temple started ringing at once.
"It's a deal then...Maa! Shivay ko kuch nahi hona chahiye...You keep him safe and main unki zindagi se door chali jaungi..." She prayed for him and left.
Anika was sitting beside Shivay on his bed. She was caressing his head when a tear dropped on his right cheek. As the drop touched his skin, it worked wonders...As if he felt the tear, as if he felt her...He parted his lips a little and breathed in.
It broke her trance "Shivay...Shivay..." she looked at him as he slowly moved his finger a bit.
"Doctor..." "Doctor..." she looked up at the nurse, who immediately called the doctor. He checked him.
"It's like a miracle...!" the doctor exclaimed pleasantly surprised "Ab yeh khatre se bahar hai..."
Her happiness seemed no bounds as she closed her eyes and joined hands "Hey, Maata rani... Aapka bahot bahot shukriya..." She was so so grateful. But this reminded her of The DEAL, her promise... to Maa, to herself...
She just couldn't live without him. He meant her entire world... He was the only reason why she was alive...! At the same time, she wanted him to be happy, be safe, always...She could never risk his life again. She had to do this. A tear rolled down from her eyes as she collected all her might and courage to take this heartbreaking decision.
She saw OmRu, his younger brothers Omkara and Rudra, rushing towards his ward teary eyed, followed by their family.
"Mujhe jaana hoga..." she stood up in an instance. "Agar ek baar in sab se milli, to jaana aur bhi mushkil ho jayega..."
"Aur waise bhi, jab yeh sab unke saath hai, mujhe fikar karne ki zaroorat nahi..." she cried again joining hands to them "I'm sorry everyone..."
Anika reached to Shivay and hugged him.
"I'm Sorry Shivay...! Please apna khayal rakhiyega..." She looked at the sleeping figure lying on the bed peacefully. She left his hand, softly pecked his forehead and got up to leave.
She turned again at the threshold of the door to look at him for the last time. She whispered "Ho sake to mujhe maaf kar dijiyega Shivay..." wiping off her tears she rushed out of his room... and his life too...
As soon as she left, he felt as if it was difficult to breathe, as if his life was snatched away, his love was snatched away from him
"ANNIKA"
Shivay shouted in an impulse gaining consciousness and sat on his bed with a jerk.
A nurse dashed to him, OmRu in toe. His heartbeats grew faster as he breathed heavily. Doctor ordered to give him injection to calm his veins down. He slowly closed his eyes and dozed off. Nurse told them to wait outside as she will explain everything.
Rudra hugged Omkara tight "O, Bhaiya ko kya ho gaya...? Who aise..." He sniffled "Shh...Ru, Shivay ko kuch nahi hoga...aise rote nahi..." Om tried to calm him down when tears rolled down his own eyes. The whole family tried to console each other. They were too tensed and numbed to think anything else...
Suddenly, it stroked to OmRu. "Anika", "Bhabhi" they said in unison "kaha hai...?" They looked at each other wide eyed, worried. Nurse told them she was here only, "Pata hi nahi chala kab chali gai..." They started looking for her all over, everywhere... Hospital, the area around, even the temple but she was no where to be found.
"Hopefully, who thik hongi..." Omkara said as he asked their guards to search her. "Why is this all happening, O?" Rudra cried.
"Sab thik ho jaayega..." he assured "Abhi hame Shivay ke paas rehna hoga"
"We need to stay together..." Rudy nodded.
Within a week, Shivay got discharged. In these days, numerous times he asked about Anika, as she neither came to see him nor contacted them for once. They tried to convince him that she was fine and kept on giving excuses for her absence...
He missed her being around him, he missed her antics, he missed her smile, he missed her like hell...
OmRu didn't leave his side, even for a second and the heavy dosages of medicines did rest of the work.
As he entered Oberoy mansion, his anxiety grew as he hoped her there at least. But to his displease, she was not even there. How badly he wanted to see her...!
Now, he grew suspicious at their behavior and decided to confront them, to spill the beans. Though they were apprehensive to tell him anything at first but no one stood a chance against Shivay Singh Oberoy.! Reluctantly, afraid of how he will take this, they told him the truth.
To their surprise, he didn't react at all. It was like he knew it rather he felt it. He felt something was missing in him. He felt empty and blank inside as a pool of thoughts popped in his mind. A torrent of emotions ran inside him - confusion, anger, frustration, worry, fear, anxiety and what not...!
'Where was Anika? Was she alright? Was she Safe? Why did she leave him? What was his mistake? He knew their married life was not like it should have to be. He was rude with her at first, but he changed, didn't he?' He never told her, but he cared for her, a lot. Though he never confessed, even to himself, but he realized it in a hard way.
'He loved her...Yes! He loved her with all his heart...!!'
But now he needed answers...For that, he needed to find her, ANYHOW. For now, he couldn't even leave his bed on his own. So, to reach to her, he needed to recover, Faster. He called forth all the possible sources on this quest. Now, he needed to take charge of his life in his own hands..!
Days passed... It was about a month since that incident. His health improved historically. He got to know, his Anika was not the person who could be found on chopper. So, he stopped searching her by his car and started to look for her moving through trains and buses...
As the sun rays brightened the earth, he once again started his journey to discover his love with all new enthusiasm. Something in him told him that today he won't come home alone.
Now, it was about an evening time. He boarded some random bus at some random route. It was like some odd desolated area. The bus halted at a stop as it broke his trance of her memories. As soon as the bus started to move, he got a glimpse of her walking alone on that deserted path. Bus picked up speed when he wondered whether he was daydreaming or she actually was there.
If she was her, he couldn't take risk of loosing her again. So, without wasting another moment he jumped out of the bus and tumbled on the road. Few scratches and he started running towards her. This sudden movement startled her. She couldn't believe her eyes as Shivay panted in front of her.!
They were standing on a cliff area nearby. It was the time. She scanned him head to toe as tears logged in her eyes. Though castings were removed but still some bandages were there on his head and hand. A lone tear rolled down at his red eyes, grown up beard, disheveled hair, somewhat dirty clothes...he looked miserable. She felt guilty somewhere.
"I want answers Anika..." He looked at the sky turning shades of red, his back facing her.
She hung her head down unable to usher a word.
Silence.
"How could you even think that whatever happened was because of you?" he turned around "Tumhari vajah se...?"
"Main aaj zinda hoon to sirf tumhari vajah se, stupid" He stepped ahead "Main saanse toh leta tha, par mujhe jeena tumne sikhaya..."
"Maine bharosa karna sikha, tumhari vajah se..."
"Sirf dimaag ke bajay dil ki bhi baaate sunna sikha, tumhari vajah se..."
With every sentence, he took a step, closer.
"Is Baagad Bille ko insaan tumne banaya...Main insaano ki kadar karma sikha, tumhari vajah se..."
"And above all" he stopped abruptly looking straight into her eyes "Main pyaar karma sikha, Tumhari vajah se..." she shut her eyes tight unable to meet his intense gaze, tears made their way...
"And yeah...who stupid gave you that stupid idea of that stupid Deal...?" he asked in a go turning sideways, running his fingers through his hair.
She looked up at him "Kam se kam, mujhse itna to sikh leti, kabhi ghaate ka sauda nahi karte..." He continued "Aisi ghatiya deal karne se pehle ek baar soch to leti..."
"Mere liye, mujh hi ko chhodne chali thi...Huh"
He swiftly moved and and grabbed her by shoulders, "Tum hoti kaun ho, Akele Hamari life ka faisla lenewali...?"
"Exactly..." Finally she broke her silence "Who am I? Na mere khoon ka pata hai...na mere khaandan ka... Kya pehchan hai meri..? You deserve someone much better than me Shivay..." then slowly added "Aur rahi baat Deal ki...Toh I promised myself..."
"Mrs. Anika Shivay Singh Oberoy...!" he tightened his grip emphasizing every word said "Don't you dare to utter a word like this... Aur jo promises hamne phere lete waqt liye the, unka kya...?"
"I just wanted you to be happy... and safe..." she sniffled.
"How Anika...? Tumse door rehke...?" he gritted his teeth but then relented as he could never see her hurt
"Tumhare bina...I can neither be happy...nor safe..." He cupped her face lovingly "I need you Anika...Us dil ka main kya karoo, jiski dhadkan hi usse chhin li gayi ho...?"
"No one, I mean NO ONE has the right to dispel my life... my wife... from me...Not your Maata rani...Not even You...Understood" He asked pointing his finger at her.
She nodded and breaking all the self constructed walls hugged him, hiding her face in his chest "I'm Sorry Shivay..." He smiled and closed his eyes hugging her back. Tears flew freely as hearts got overwhelmed with joy, content and coherence... They stood there like that completing each other...!
Sun set taking with it all the worries, pains and insecurities; and with promises of new hopes...new lights...new start of their journey...together...!
"Now don't ever think of leaving me, not even in your wildest of dreams Ok..." he pecked her forehead. "You are stuck with me..."
"I'll be yours...Forever..." She smiled wide.
"Deal...?" smiling wider he opened his arms for her.
"Deal" She hugged him tight.
**************
So how is it?
Let me know what u feel through your likes and reviews... Ur love and support motivates me to go on...!
Your efforts are highly appreciated...!!
Thanks for reading
MaDiee
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
