||CHAPTER-11||
Being in the Oberoi mansion, Gauri had seen her fair share of weird and absurd modus operandi. She had long since vowed to expect the unexpected especially when it came to her Bhaujaai.
Gauri always knew that her Bhaujaai was less talk and more action, owing to her past experience where she was fortunate enough to see Anika's mind work on par with that of Shivaay Bhaiya's, but hurdling over the couch and pouncing on the T.V remote was uncharacteristic even for her.
"Bhaujaai, is something the matter?" She inquired, her eyes anxiously darting between a tensed Anika, who seemed fixated on getting to a particular channel, to the soft lick of the diya's flame against her cupped palms.
She grew more concerned when the agitated look on Anika's face slowly washed off to be replaced with horror. "Anika Bhaujaai...?" Gauri softly called out, walking towards Anika who seemed to grow paler by the minute.
"No, i-it ca-can't be..." Anika stuttered, tucking her hands under her armpits as her whole body started to tremble.
Gauri began to slowly inch closer towards her. "Bhaujaai?" She repeated, her voice filled with concern.
"Gauri..." Anika choked on her name and as their eyes met, Anika's rapidly filled with tears. "Gauri, R-Rudra..." she started only to stop with a loud gasp as she covered her mouth with her trembling hands and the tears trickling down her eyes became streams.
Gauri ran to her immediately when Anika's legs became too weak to hold her up any longer and she soon collapsed on the floor. "Bhaujaai, what's wrong?!" Gauri panicked as she pulled Anika into her arms and hugged her for all life is worth.
And that's when her eyes landed on the accursed news that started the entire bedlam and her entire universe froze.
The channel showed nearly a dozen reporters trying to snag their way into a hospital. But her eyes never strayed away from the flashing headlines.
RUDRA SINGH OBEROI, AGE 22, PRONUNCED DEAD AT TRAUMA EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT!
The screen blurred and it took a moment for Gauri to realize that her eyes were brimming with unshed tears.
"Teen heartthrob and youngest heir of the Oberoi industries, Rudra Singh Oberoi, died aged 22, his Emergency Physician Dr.Barat Chabra has confirmed". The reporter drawled out, all smiles and perfectly curled hair.
"Owing to the chaos at the Worker's strike today morning, reporters are yet to pick up the full story behind the sudden and tragic demise of the young heir. Sources claim that he had been rushed to the National Trauma Emergency Department when he was struck down with neurogenic shock this morning. On arrival, his already devastated body was yet again hit by a massive cardiac attack while Dr.Bara-".
Gauri squeaked in surprise as Anika suddenly pushed away and immediately scrambled to her feet.
She blinked, startled when Anika whisked out her phone and called someone, her face set in a determined pout while struggling to hold back her tears.
"This is rubbish!" she muttered harshly, "Like anyone would believe our Rudra is..." she choked back on her last words and Gauri felt her heart reach out to Anika.
Rudra was like a brother and a close companion to Gauri; notoriously mischievous and fiercely loyal. She always held him in her daily prayers and thanked God for blessing her with such a kindred soul.
Her gaze fell on Anika and she carefully read her posture, her face and her eyes. Gauri and Rudra made a good team but there was something primal in the way Anika and Rudra functioned together. It was not just some unexplainable bond, it was something way beyond , something innate and benevolent, like Mata Sita and her Lakshman Lal!
"Shivaay! Shivaay! Where are you?!" Anika hastily inquired, her grip on the phone strong enough to break it.
On the other side of the call was a very bemused Shivaay. He held the phone away from his ears as Anika's voice blared through it like a banshee. What was wrong with her?
"Whoa, whoa...Slow down, one question at a time". He howled back, amused at her usual tact.
"Good, okay. I'm absolutely fine!" Shivaay smiled at her excessive questioning. "Om's right here. He's fine too". Questions aimed at their well-being, to be exact.
"We are with Bade Papa and Bade Maa..." Discreetly, Shivaay reduced the volume of his phone so as not to alert the elders siting on the front seat. Tej had insisted on riding them to the hospital along with Jhanvi while Bhavya followed them behind.
Shivaay had tried to appease their initial fear by misdirecting them that Rudra had slipped and hit his head on the faucet while he was dancing in the shower. Knowing Rudra's antics, Jhanvi had immediately succumbed to the white lie as she maundered on and on about clipping his ears and grounding him for life.
Convincing Tej had been a problem though and the vehemence of the questions fired at him and Omkara had surprised him. Usually, Tej was insensitive to Rudra's care and need.
But, on closer inspection, Shivaay could see a change, a light in his Bade Papa's eyes which had not been there before. He saw concern, apprehension and...was that affection?
He had tried calling Dr.Barat but the stupid doctor seemed ever stubborn to pick up his call. He wanted to give him a heads-up about the blatant lie he had sprouted and somehow stop the elders from visiting Rudra in person.
"No, I haven't seen the news yet..." he offered off-handily to Anika's incessant query. "Rudra's with...Wait! How did you know Dr.Barat's name?" Shivaay was pretty sure he hadn't mentioned about Dr.Barat to Anika yet or did he?
"What did you hear in the news? I can't hear you!" Shivaay stared at the crowd of reporters surrounding the hospital.
Fhat the wuck is going on here?!
"We are at the hospital. I'll call you back later". Shivaay immediately cut off Anika's rant and stepped out of the car.
He always had a strong penchant to good and honest reporters. He wasn't against them like Om but seeing them hounding around the vicinity of his sick baby brother left a foul distaste in his mouth. Did the news of the Oberoi mansion mishap already reach the public? What if Bade Papa and Bade Maa caught hold of the news?!
"What are all these people doing here, Shivaay?" Tej questioned with obvious distaste.
"Probably got hold of the stunt we pulled at the Worker's strike". Shivaay gulped. "Nothing more..."
His trepidation grew when the reporters spotted them and immediately rushed towards them, throwing questions around so fast that Shivaay found it hard to properly catch hold of and decipher a single one.
"What has caused this Mr. Oberoi?!"
"We've heard that your youngest had a strict health regime. What had brough-"
"Mr. Oberoi, is it true that Rudra Singh Oberoi tried to suicide by jumping off the balcony?!"
"Mrs Oberoi, you have our deepest pray-"
Enough was enough!
"THAT'S IT! "He roared as he pushed away the reporters from the stunned elders. "Don't you have something better to do?! GET LOST!" He shoved them out of the way and pulled Bade Papa while Om guided Bade Maa through the paparazzi. Cameras flashed and people were crowding around like crazy. "Out, I said GET OUT!"
Soon, the raving noise disappeared into the background as the group moved through the corridors of flurrying nurses and doctors. "Shivaay, what were they talk-"
"It's nothing, Bade Maa!" Shivaay replied, barely managing to keep his voice from sounding frustrated. There went his plan of being discrete out the window. Was this what Anika was talking about? What if Dadi or someone else at home caught hold of these rumours?! He knew his Rudra was safe but they didn't. No wonder Anika sounded so restless.
"Om, tell Anika to take care of the T.V at home least Dadi accidently comes across these hoax." He nodded at Om before turning towards the still dazed Bade Papa. "Please wait here with Om, Bade Papa. I'll go talk to Dr.Barat "And request him to stop you from seeing Rudra and coax you to go home, he mentally added.
Om exchanged a nod with Shivaay watching him strut away. Om sighed and pulled out his mobile, trying hard to appear busy and avoid his mom's concerned gaze. "Ah...Anika Bhabhi..." Om stopped and squinted his eyes. "Gauri?" Was she crying?
"Where is Anika Bhabhi?"
Om suppressed a smile at her reply. So Anika Bhabhi was on her way to the hospital with Chote Papa. Of course Anika Bhabhi would want to come straight to the hospital despite Shivaay's assurance and insistence to stay at home...
He shook his head fondly at his Bhabhi's antics and in anticipation of the sure-to-happen adorable lover's spat. "Gauri, could you do something about the T.V. at home?
He smiled at her insistence to know why. "Well, the media's been sprouting nonsense about out Chote-"
He jumped, alarmed at the sound of broken glass echoing through the phone. "Gauri?" No reply. "Gauri?!" he bellowed, a sudden lump in his throat.
"I took care of it, Omkara-ji" He heard her amused voice. Omkara let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Did she really break the T.V?!
"I used Rudy Bhaiya's baseball bat"
Om stared blankly at his mobile before breaking into fits of laughter. God, his wife was crazy! Om stopped his train of thoughts, flabbergasted. His wife...He processed the new epiphany and the weirdness of it all.
"Listen, Gauri, stay with Dadi until we-"
"Fhat the wuck do you mean he went off to attend to his other patients?!"
Om immediately dropped the call and rushed with his parents around the corner. That was Shivaay and he sounded furious. Om placed his hand against his heart at the sudden uneasiness he felt. Something was not right...
One more corner turn and they found Shivaay on the corridor holding a shivering doctor against the wall by his lapels and shaking him viciously. Om immediately ran up to him and tried to pull his hands off the poor man.
"D-Dr.Barat handed your brother to me j-just a minute ago... "The man snivelled under Shivaay's fierce glare.
"Where is that a**h*le?! When I get my hands on him I will catas-"
"Shivaay, please..." Om begged before turning to address the doctor. "Where is Rudra Singh Oberoi? What do you work under?" he asked calmly.
"S-sir, I am a medical examiner from the forensic labs" he quivered. Om swore his heart skipped a beat at that. He felt Shivaay's hands go lax and drop the man in a heap.
"F-forensic?" Shivaay's voice trembled.
"I was called here to transfer patient 11901A into an evidence sheet. S-sir?" the doctor inquired hesitantly at their horror-stricken face. Didn't Dr.Barat inform the family before giving out orders? The very thought filled the poor man with grief. Didn't they know?
"Sir, I thought the doctor already explained to you... " he started, sympathy lacing his voice, "As soon as your brother was brought here, he suffered a massive cardiac attack..."
Cardiac Attack? His Rudra?
"He was calling for his family...I am so sorry, Sir."
Shivaay's kanji tear-filled eyes slowly met the doctor's apologetic ones. No...he did not want to see that look!
"But you brother.."
However, before he could finish, the emergency ward's double doors opened with four paramedics pushing a stretcher with...
Shivaay felt his world go upside down as he literally crashed into Om's arms. He felt Om's body violently tremble against his.
A body covered in thick, white sheet was being strolled towards him. He distinctly heard a sharp gasp and someone calling out a name but his eyes were glued to the soft, pale hand that discreetly peeked from below the covers. They looked soft and tender...
Like his baby brother's...No, no, no!
A sharp crash pulled him out of his trance and he turned around just in time to see his Bade Papa tumble to the floor, clutching his chest. He turned to his side to note a sobbing Om holding onto his unconscious mother. When did she collapse?
He felt like a mess as he observed the destruction around him. Om looked broken between his mom and his convulsing dad being hefted into a stretcher, openly and shamelessly crying his heart out like a broken child.
And Shivaay stood and stared, indifferent to it all and heedless to his own warm tears streaming down his face. He fruitlessly tried to regain his equanimity, tried to hold it all in, tried to be The Wall again but...
FLASH!
I am hungry, Shivaay Bhaiya! I demand noodles and face pack for neglecting me!
Shivaay Bhaaaiyaaa! O is being a grumpy, mean cat again!
My Papa, my Mama, my world! Shivaay Bhaiya is my superman papa!
I am not a cry baby, I am your baby...
FLASH!
Shivaay bit down on his lips hard enough to draw blood. His vision blurred and his throat ached to scream out.
That beaming smile, those mischievous eyes, his warm hugs and those adorable antics...
His adorable Ru...w-was was gone?
"Shivaay..."
Shivaay slowly shifted his gaze from the pale hand to the figure standing at the mouth of the corridor.
"A-Ani.."
And his resolve broke as she rushed towards him and grabbed his body before it hit the ground. And Shivaay...
He screamed.
__________________________________________________________________________
P.S. I apologize. I am not happy with this too. I didn't even read it twice.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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