Chapter 7
"Annika and Sahil are my responsibility and I intend to make sure both of them get the best care possible Shivaay spoke up. Mallika turned around, her eyes spitting fire. Woah, thought Shivaay, where was the girl who hated confrontation?
"I am not letting either one of them be your responsibility Shivaay. I have seen the havoc you can wreck. You married Annika forcibly, she was your responsibility and see where it has landed her today. In the hospital fighting death. Do you know what she asked me when I found her at the railway station? She asked if you had sent me to finish off the humiliation. What have you done with that girl Shivaay that she cannot bring it in herself to trust anyone?
Winded by the blow that Annika had thought he would send Mallika to further humiliate her, Shivaay doubled over. Rudy grabbed him and said,
"Forget all of this, how is Annika didi? Did she wake up? Shivaay bhaiya, did she say anything?
The questions from Rudy brought Shivaay to his senses. He moved Mallika out of the way and crouched down in front of Sahil. "Sahil, your didi came awake briefly the sheer happiness on Sahil's face caused Shivaay to swallow hard. "Who is Chutki, Sahil? A blank wall descended on Sahil's face and he became instantly wary. "Why do you want to know? "Because she was dreaming and she kept asking for Chutki and the doctor thinks Chutki may be the only way to bring Annika out of coma. Fear again shadowed Sahil's face, "But you just said she came out of coma. Shivaay sighed, "She came out of coma briefly and after murmuring Chutki's name she went back into coma.
Sahil sagged. He limped back to the seat and sat down. Om, Ru, Shivaay and Mallika followed him. Rubbing his knee as if it hurt him Sahil started, "Annika didi is not my real didi. My parents adopted her from an orphanage when I was a couple of months years old, he stated quietly. All Shivaay could hear was the drumbeat of his heart. He ignored the gasps from Mallika and Rudy.
"I was born with this defective leg and since my ma and baba had to work to pay for my treatments they brought Annika didi from the orphanage to look after me. Didi looked after me, fed me, changed me and played with me till I could do things on my own but my parents never loved her. All their energy and focus was on me and didi was badly neglected. When the neighbors started whispering about child neglect, ma unwillingly put Annika didi in a nearby slum school and sent me to a special school. Didi was already behind all the other kids because she had spent time looking after me instead of attending school but she would still work hard and try to get good marks so that ma or baba would appreciate her, but they never noticed. We live in a one bedroom chawl and I still remember the first time I found her shivering and scared in the night when the electricity had gone off. She is so afraid of the dark. That's when she first mumbled that name, "Chutki. I asked her who it was and didi said "behen. She did not remember her name or where chutki was. All she could mumble was "too dark, "beatings, and "hungry. Then ma and baba died, and Annika didi had to leave school to find a job. She worked day and night so that I could go to school and get the treatment I needed for my leg. She grew strong for my sake, but that scared little girl lives in my strong Annika didi even today. She is still scared of the dark and Chutki haunts her dreams.
There was not a dry eye left when Sahil finished recounting the story. Rubbing his chest Shivaay was aware that there was a lot more to the story and Sahil did not know all of it. But this explained a lot of things about Annika that had not made sense earlier. Her refusal to say her last name, fear of the dark, inability to calculate what was simple maths to him and weird language. Annika had never been afforded the opportunities he had been but she had still stood on her own legs and challenged him. Admiration grew along with heartbreak. To think he had demeaned, insulted and vilified this woman to the extent that she had been willing to run, leaving all of her life's earnings behind made him hate himself.
Shivaay quietly asked Om for his phone. He was going to start setting things right. First he was going to find "Chutki so that he could bring Annika out of her coma. Then he was going to find out everything about Annika's family and if they were alive return both their daughters to them. Once the family was reunited he would return Annika's catering business to her and infuse some of his own capital in the business so that she could start afresh. Calling , his PI, he quietly instructed him to find Annika's adoption papers and any photographs of the sisters from the Chaturvedi home. He would be able to trace the orphanage from where Annika was picked up by the Chaturvedis through the adoption papers and then pay them a visit personally to find out about "Chutki.
His planning was interrupted by the arrival of Dr Gauri. Dr Gauri motioned for him to separate himself from the group and meet her privately. As soon as they were out of earshot of the rest of the group Shivaay anxiously asked, "What is it Doctor?"
"Mr Oberoi, your wife has regained consciousness.Relief coursed through his blood and he found the first reason to smile in a really long and tormented day. "However, we have a problem... the Doctor trailed off. "What problem?
"Annika does not remember anything. She has regressed back in time to point when she was 6 or 7 years old.
And just like that another hole opened at his feet. "What? How is that possible?
"It is very much possible Mr Oberoi, when the head undergoes repeated trauma the brain shuts down memories it does not want to remember and for your wife it appears that her happy times ended at 6 or 7 years of age. This is a temporary condition. She may regain her memories tomorrow, in a month or in the next couple of months, we don't know, but she should not be given any stress or pressure or she may lose her sanity. I will have Dr Virani explain all the details since he is the neurosurgeon but you need to take very good care of her from now.
The Doctor left and Shivaay tried to come to terms with the new reality. Afraid and apprehensive he walked to the ICU that Annika was in and cracked open the door. A droopy and exhausted Annika stared at him suspiciously. Then in a childlike voice she asked "Who are you? Where is baba and ma? I want my chutki right now. An adorable pout formed on her face and her wide eyes started filling with tears.
Shivaay rushed over unsure how to comfort a child, "Your baba, ma and chutki have gone to see your relatives, remember? he improvised. She again glared at him suspiciously and asked "Who? The ones in Bareilly? "Yes, yes the one in Bareilly. "Why am I here? Why does my chest hurt?
"You were staying with us while your baba, ma and chutki went to Bareilly. You fell down from a tree in our garden and hit your head and chest that's why it hurts and that's why you are in the hospital.
"I don't trust you...Ma always says never trust anyone with kanji ankhein and you have kanji ankhein. I want my ma and baba. Call them and ask them to come back here right now. Shivaay shook his head. How to get out of this one now?
"I will call them and tell them to come back, in the meantime why don't you try to sleep a little?" Again a pout formed on her lips and she demanded, "My throat is dry, I want ice cream. "No you can't have ice cream, you are sick. Big fat tears pooled in her eyes and Shivaay almost pulled out his hair in frustration. If there was one thing that made him weak it was tears in Annika's eyes. Just then Dr Gauri entered and when she saw the pool of tears in Annika's eyes she glared at Shivaay.
"Doctor he won't give me ice cream. Bad man. Make him go away. I want my Baba and ma now and the tears started falling in earnest.
"I will get you some ice cream okay? Now be a good girl and sleep and I promise when you wake up the ice cream will be in front of you. Annika gave the Doctor a toothy smile "I like you... You are nice, not like that kanji ankhonwala... you know what I am going to call him bagad billa because I had a cat once and he always frowned like this man. A musical laugh escaped Dr Gauri and she patted Annika who smiled at her again, closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.
"A word with you Mr Oberoi, said Gauri as she moved out the ICU. Reluctantly Shivaay followed feeling like he was being marched down to the headmaster's room for a dressing down after doing some mischief. "I have told you that in her fragile mental state your wife cannot handle any stress then why do you insist on stressing her out?
"She wanted ice cream and since she just got out of surgery I didn't think it was wise to give her any. "Whatever she wants, she can have it. Mr Oberoi your wife is no longer a mature woman who knows what is good or bad for her, she is a child, a child bewildered by suddenly waking up in hospital surrounded by strangers. She has no idea that she has lost 13 or 14 years of her life in one swoop. Of course she will throw a tantrum, of course she will act out. Its your responsibility to look after her. If I remember seeing the news, then you forcibly married her so you need to accept the responsibility for your actions. She is here in this state because of you
Shamed by the Doctor, Shivaay ran a hand tiredly through his hair. "What do you suggest I do Doctor? he asked quietly. "Once she gets discharged, take her to some place where there is no stress. She may experience sudden memory flashes but do not press her into remembering. When she is physically fine bring her back here and we can try some things to jog her memory.
Gauri left for her rounds while Shivaay made his way back to his brothers, Sahil and Mallika. In hushed whispers he narrated everything that had happened from Annika waking up to her regressing to a 7 year old. The reaction was instantaneous, Mallika declared that she was going to take Sahil and Annika with her to the Rana farmhouse in Panchgani.
Shivaay shook his head "She doesn't remember Sahil so she can't be in the same house as him as it could put both of them under stress, and looked apologetically at Sahil.
Rudy jumped in, "Let Sahil stay at Oberoi mansion, O and I will take Annika didi to the Oberoi farmhouse in Pune and whenever Sahil feels like visiting he can come down. And for the first time in his life Rudra used logic to cut out the objection forming on Mallika's lips, "Di, you can't look after Sahil and Annika didi for long. You have to go back to work and Siddarth is expected back in a week. As it is O and I don't do any work and we can hang out with Annika didi all the time and make sure she is happy.
"What will I do? asked a perplexed Shivaay and both Om and Rudy glared at Shivaay, "You have done enough, go keep Lady Baba company so that she stays away from Annika didi. "When you go, take Prinku with you, Annika may need help and sometimes you guys won't be able to help, Mallika said with a certain look in her eye. "I will drop by frequently to make sure she is alright.
Hating the anger in his brothers' eyes but helpless to do anything about it, Shivaay made his way back to the waiting bench. Now that the danger was over he became aware that his stained clothes stuck to him and he desperately needed a wash. He was also light headed from not having food since the morning and lack of sleep. He booked a room for himself at the hospital and had Khanna deliver a fresh set of clothes and freshened up. He called Dadi and Papa to update them on Annika's status while eating the bland food at the hospital cafeteria and then returned to keep vigil at the ICU entrance.
Two days later, Annika was transferred from the ICU to a private ward he had arranged. Mallika had just taken Sahil to her home and Om and Ru had gone home to freshen up before coming back. Shivaay settled himself in the uncomfortable chair near her bed watching her sleep. She slept like a child with the tip of her tongue stuck to her top lip and he didn't think he had ever seen anything cuter than that. He may have nodded off when a sudden sound had him waking up and he saw Annika trying to take out the IV line in her hand. She whimpered again and Shivaay bolted out of the chair and rushed over to stop her from hurting herself.
"What are you doing? Tumhe zooron se lag jaiyegi. "I want to go home, I want Baba and Ma to come and take me home, cried a miserable Annika.
"Okay but then who will eat this ice cream? asked Shivaay in a cajoling voice as he waved a chocolate ice cream bar in front of her face. Annika squealed, clapping her hands in excitement forgetting the IV line stuck there. "Ouch and just like that the tears were back. "My hand hurts, how will I eat the ice cream? and Shivaay's heart melted.
He removed the cover and held the ice cream to Annika's lips. She took a huge bite out of it and then grinned at him with her chocolate covered teeth. Some of it had also gotten on her nose and he as the used his finger to wipe it off, he was reminded of a time not long back when he had wiped sugar candy from her nose when they had been chasing the con girl who had accused his Bade papa and Papa of abetment to suicide. His heartbeat sped up and he looked down in confusion. What was happening, why was he feeling warm and fuzzy all of a sudden as if he had accomplished something big?
To cover up his confusion he transferred the ice cream bar to his other hand and forwarded his right hand to Annika. "Friends? he asked huskily. Annika seemed to think for a moment before nodding her head "Okay. Now give me the rest of the ice cream , she demanded.
After finishing up the bar, Shivaay forced Annika to drink some of the soup that had been sent up from the cafeteria. She made faces that would have made a clown laugh and kept saying "michmichi ho rahi hai and Shivaay was reminded of the time that she had thrust her head in a fishbowl of water to get rid of the hangover from Rudy's party. Again the warm fuzzy feeling enveloped him and he wondered if he was coming down with something.
Making a mental note to raid his medical cabinet when he got home, he settled the blankets around Annika and told her in a firm voice to go to sleep. Before drifting off, Annika forwarded her small finger and locked it with Shivaay's small finger before whispering "Pinky promise me you will get me out of here. And all Shivaay could do was nod and try to swallow around his dry throat.
Precap: "Annika must die. There is no forgiveness
"Tum theek ho? Pagal ho gayi ho kya, agar tumhe kuch ho jata toh?
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