Chapter 6
For as long as he lived, Om didn't think he could ever forget the sight of a bleeding Annika being held by a demented Shivaay who was howling. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. He saw Mallika hurry across and use her stole to try to stem the bleeding. It didn't help, the blue stole rapidly turned red while the blood kept flowing. Mallika turned around and the look of absolute despair in her eyes had him taking a couple of steps back and dropping to his knees. Rudy had rushed over to Annika and was trying to get Annika to open her eyes. "Om! Mallika hollered "This is not the time to freeze, call the ambulance! But Om just sat there frozen, unable to comprehend that an innocent was paying the price for his brother's sins. Where is the justice his mind wondered? After all the pain that Annika had endured, why was it that more pain was written into her fate? Where was God?
As the last question bounced around the walls of his heart, a soft feminine voice broke through his trance. "I am a Doctor, let me help please. He saw a small, delicately made woman lean across Annika with cotton and bandages. Rudy was shouting over the phone while tears streamed down his face. Dimly he realized that even Mr Oberoi and Chote Papa had joined the group around Annika. The small delicate woman was barking orders down Rudy's phone now presumably to the hospital. "Get the operation theater ready. Also call Dr Virani and tell him to get prepared, patient has a lump the size of an egg on the back of her head. We need MRI and CT scan done. I also want the heart defibrillator charged up and ready and a dose of adrenaline... and so on went her instructions.
Throughout it Shivaay sat clutching Annika, not letting anyone else take her from him. His shirt was soaked with her blood and people were yelling at him to let go of her now that the ambulance had arrived. His howling had stopped but he sat still as if frozen. The only sign of life from Shivaay was the slow steady trickle of tears down his face. Om didn't think he was even aware of the tears. Slowly, Om inched forward, shook Shivaay and said, "Let them do their job Shivaay, otherwise she will die. That seemed to break Shivaay out of whatever trance he was in. With great reluctance he let Annika get loaded on the stretcher and as they sped out of courthouse he ran out trying to keep pace with them. By the time Om and Rudy reached the ambulance, Shivaay had climbed into the ambulance along with the Doctor and the attendants. With sirens blaring the ambulance was off and Om, Rudy and Mallika raced to their cars to follow.
Shivaay
"You cannot leave me...do you hear...you cannot leave me he chanted holding her hand in a tight grip. "You prayed that someday I would be brought down to my knees right? Look, I am on my knees... You wished that my fate be controlled by someone else right? See, you control my fate now... All your wishes are coming true Annika, open your eyes and see... but she remained pale and lifeless. Blood was still seeping through the temporary bandages around her chest and he could see the condensation from her breath in the oxygen mask over face grow lighter and lighter. In desperation he screamed at the attendants, "Why are we not at the hospital, drive this thing faster god dammit.
The Doctor and the attendants ignored him and just as he was about to yell again, the ambulance screeched to a stop and he dropped Annika's hand. A bevy of nurses and attendants surrounded the door as it was opened. Before he could draw in a breath, Annika was whisked away. He tore from the ambulance after them, running down endless corridors it seemed, before she was wheeled into the operation theatre and the same Doctor who had helped in the courthouse barred his way.
"Mr Oberoi, you cannot go beyond this point. If you really want to be of help then please fill out this form with the details we need to start the operation immediately.
With unsteady hands Shivaay took the admission form and then glanced briefly at the Doctor, "Do everything you can to save her...I will not be able to live if something...something h...ha...happens to her he stuttered. Briefly the almond shaped brown eyes behind the surgical mask softened.
"I have never lost a patient in the operating theater yet Mr Oberoi and I don't intend to start doing so today. Keep your faith in God. He will make everything alright.
A hollow laugh escaped from Shivaay at the mention of God which confused the Doctor but he did not answer the question in those eyes. He tried to focus on filling out the form and quickly realized it was futile. He didn't know Annika's full name, age, date of birth or blood group. Heck he didn't even know if she was allergic to anything. Agonized eyes looked at the Doctor again, "I don't know any of these details. Shock glimmered for a second in the eyes of the Doctor before it was carefully masked. "Its ok, the most important thing to know for now is the blood group and we can find that out from testing. Please sign the procedure consent form. Once the form was signed, she walked in through the swinging doors of the theatre and Shivaay was left alone in his private hell.
Slumping against the wall, Shivaay slithered to the ground and drew his knees to his chest and rested his head on his knees. That was how Om and Rudy found him a few moments later. Rudy sat down right next to his brother but Om couldn't bring himself to do the same. He stood back. So many questions burned in his chest and he was afraid that if he voiced them, the answers would destroy whatever bond remained with Shivaay.
Some time passed before approaching footsteps had Shivaay whipping his head up thinking the Doctor was out with an update, but he was disappointed to note that it was only Mallika. About to put his head back on his knees, something struck Shivaay suddenly, he whipped his head up again in shock. His eyes traveled from the crutch held tightly under a shoulder to the familiar face of a little boy no more 8 years of age. Mallika was trying to help him sit on the waiting bench but he was refusing wanting to see his Annika didi. "Sahil, please sit. Your Annika didi is going to be fine. The doctors will save her. Big fat tears poured down his elfin face and Shivaay's heart quailed in fear. Had he done this? Had he injured a child in his quest to exact revenge from Annika?
Desperate eyes looked at Mallika with a question in them. Frowning Mallika tried to figure out what Shivaay was asking. He glanced briefly at Sahil's bent leg and the crutch before looking at Mallika again, a silent plea making his eyes glow silver and in a flash Mallika understood. Although she had half a mind to make Shivaay suffer more for everything Annika and Sahil had had to go through, it was not her revenge to take. Shaking her head she answered in the negative. The communication was silent but the impact was immediate. Shivaay sagged like a deflated balloon and closed his eyes. He was not guilty of a heinous crime for which there would be no absolution. He was however guilty of other crimes that did not deserve absolution.
Engrossed as he was in his misery he failed to notice when Sahil limped over to stand in front of him. "Kyun?... the word had him flinching because of the accusation behind it. "Aapne aisa kyun kiya? My Annika didi always helped you... she put up with your anger, your tadi and this is how you treat her? What wrong has she ever done to you? The last question was a scream that echoed through the hallway alive with pain. Unable to answer, Shivaay bowed his head. "If I was 10 years older and had a proper leg, you wouldn't have dared to do this with her. It's only because I am weak and small that you used me, right? The last whisper soft question broke Shivaay, he gathered Sahil's stiff little body in a hug and let the tears fall. "I'm sorry...so sorry. The great wall had finally broken.
Innumerable moments later Shivaay lifted his head and looked into Sahil's eyes. They were unreadable. The boy had not said a word or acknowledged his sorry in any way. "If you think that I am going to forgive you after a simple sorry then you think I am as gullible as Annika didi. She maybe in love with you, so she put up with all your nonsense but I am not in love with you.
Gasps accompanied Sahil's last sentence. Shivaay felt his own breath leave him in a rush. An odd constriction seemed to have settled around his heart and he felt light headed. Sahil looked around at the adults staring at him disbelief "What? None of you guessed? It's pretty obvious to even a little boy like me. Annika didi is not one to take things lying down, and time and time again she has sacrificed herself and her pride for him, pointing at Shivaay. "If this is not love then what is? So here are my terms Mr SSO, you will treat my sister with respect, love and honor and when I am convinced that you truly value and accept her for who she is then I will consider forgiving you. Till then keep your sorrys to yourself.
Deafening silence ensued and Sahil used the temporary distraction to limp over to bench and fold his frame into the seat, clasp his hands and pray. The silence was broken by the OT doors opening and the Doctor walking out. She was removing her surgical mask and cap as she partially turned to a nurse to give instructions and suddenly a waterfall of thick black hair fell in waves down a slim back. Then she turned around and Omkara gasped. She had wide almond shaped eyes, a pointy chin, full pink lips and flawlessly white skin that gleamed like a pearl in the light of the corridor. Omkara felt the culmination of all of his dreams come true in this vision and then he felt ashamed. Everyone was clamoring around the Doctor asking how Annika was while he could only stare like a dumbstruck fool.
"How is Annika, Doctor? asked Shivaay. He could make out nothing from the expression on the Doctor's face which scared him. She took a deep breath and in her musical voice said,
"She is very lucky, the bullet narrowly missed a major artery, she has lost a lot of blood. I have stitched the wound and it should heal provided she stays free of infection. I am more worried now about the bump on her head. Dr Virani did a CT scan and we can see some swelling around the area, hopefully with the antibiotics that should go down, but...
"But what Doctor? an anxious Shivaay asked.
"She has slipped into a coma.
"She what? yelled Shivaay. "She has slipped into a coma as a result of the blood loss and the injury to her head. "Ho...How long will she be in coma? "We don't know, she could wake up today, next week or even months later. Sahil broke into tears and Mallika tried in vain to console him. Shivaay staggered and Rudy tried to hold him from collapsing to the floor. Om walked up on unsteady legs and asked, "Doctor..? "My name is Dr Gauri Kumari Sharma, I am a cardiovascular surgeon here. "Can we see her please? "Right now she is in the ICU, I can allow one person to go in and see her but no more. Om looked at Shivaay and nodded. Sahil did not need to see his sister in this state and even though it was only on paper Shivaay was her husband.
The nurse handed Shivaay a sterile gown and cap and walked ahead to the ICU. Taking a deep breath and hoping he was not going to fall his face because of his light headedness and unsteady legs, Shivaay followed her. She lay absolutely still, pale and lifeless like a doll. The many machines connected to her beeping in tandem, the only sign that she was alive. Unsure what to do next he settled himself in the side chair and clasped her hand in his. He hoped that some of the warmth in his hand would seep into her cold hand. But nothing happened, her hand lay as still and lifeless as her.
Slowly as if testing the words on his lips he said, "Annika wake up...Wake up Annika... Look your brother Sahil is crying himself to exhaustion...You don't want that to happen do you? Do you know what he said to me? He thinks that you...you are in love with me...You need to wake up and tell him its not true... that you can never fall in love with a bagad billa like me...You hate my tadi and gussa right? Then wake up and tell him...tell him that you get michmichis when you look at me.
He grew increasing frustrated as his pleadings fell on deaf ears and Annika refused to wake up. Changing tack he decided see if he could get her angry enough to wake up "Look enough of this nonsense... you have frightened everyone enough... If you don't wake up, I am going to kick Sahil out of your house... I am going to make sure that he is taken in by an orphanage and I will bulldoze not just your house but the entire chawl where your friends live, then I am going to build a hotel there. I will also divorce you and marry Tia and live happily ever after.
Her hand that lay loosely in his hand jerked. Disbelievingly he looked at Annika who had started to thrash and moan in the throes of what seemed to be a nightmare.
"No, chutki, don't take her away...Chutki hold on to my hand...I will save you... Don't beat me... on and on she went and Shivaay tried his desperate best to hold her down while screaming for the doctor. Annika was given a shot and she subsided back into sleep while Shivaay stood shaken unable to say anything. Dr Gauri looked the monitors and then at him and said, "Mr Oberoi, your wife has gone back into coma. Can you tell me what she was dreaming about? Perhaps that could hold a clue on how to make her wake up from the coma on her own. Shivaay could only shake his head. He resolved to ask Sahil as soon as possible. Who was Chutki? Why did Annika ask not to be beaten? Rage began to flow through his veins at the thought of anyone beating Annika.
Stalking outside the ICU he went in search of Sahil and was stopped by the sight of Mallika holding on to Sahil while arguing with Om and Rudy. "Sahil stays with me. Annika had asked that I look after Sahil if something happened and that's just what I am going to do. Just because Annika is temporarily married to Shivaay doesn't mean that he gets to decide what to do with the boy. I will decide for him. He goes home with me and so will Annika when she is well enough to leave. Uncaring that Om and Rudy were trying to reason with Mallika, Shivaay charged into the battle.
Precap: "Who is Chutki, Sahil?
"Friends? "Okay, friends but pinky promise you will get me out of here?
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
CID
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