Part 3
Shlok hurriedly paid the fees and ran back to the Operating Room, he once again stood in front of the door and looked at the doctors and nurses working on Astha, unable to see her like this he turned around and sat in a chair. As he sat there Shlok couldn't help but remember all the moments they had shared together; their nok-joks, their fights, their intimate moments when they would get lost in each other's eyes, Astha's pranks, the way her smile lights up a room, or her laughter which is like music to his ears, the sound of her chudiyan and her payal, her confession on Holi, the sadness in her eyes when she handed him the papers. Shlok leaned his head back and sighed, what had he done? How could he be so blind? Why couldn't he realize his Astha was nothing like Swati? His Astha was pure and her love for him was genuine and not an act. Why was he such a coward that he couldn't accept that he too loved her and was just scared to lose her? Why did he have to treat her so badly? Shlok was so lost in his thoughts he didn't realize when someone placed a hand on his shoulder until they called out to him
"Shlok pani?" holding a glass of water forward
Shlok looked up at the person and saw red he flung the glass out of their hands
"Shlok main toh bas...?" Aditi began but Shlok held up his hand "Mujhe kuch nahi suna, na koi sufai na koi bahana, main Astha ko tumare paas isliye chod kar gaye tha kyunki mujhe laga ke tum uska dhyaan rak paogi par nahi"
"Shlok" Aditi cried " hum to bas gol gappe khane gaye the aur yeh sab ho gaya"
"Mere aane ka intezar nahi kar sakthe the ya phir reception se keh kar mangwalete?" Shlok enquired "Tumhe pata tha Astha ke pair ko moch aayi hai toh phir ushe le kar kyun gayi? Akeli nahi jaa sakhti thi?"
"Shlok Bete" a voice called out and Shlok turned around to see Niranjan, Anjali and Varad walking down the hall towards them "Baba" Shlok said heading over and seeking his blessings and to Anjali's surprise hers as well, Shlok hugged Varad and said "Baba dekho na Astha" he said pointing to the Operating Room
"Sab theek ho jaye ga Shlok" Niranjan and Varad stood and comforted Shlok while Anjali noticed Aditi standing off to the side "Aditi tum bhi yaha aao waha kyun karhi ho" Shlok clinched his fists but remained quiet. Aditi slowly walked over to where everyone was standing "jee aunty"
"Beta yeh sab hua kaise?" Niranjan spoke up Aditi looked up at Shlok but he was ignoring her
"Woh uncle Shlok office ke kaam se gaye hue the aur mein aur Astha hotel pe the jab Astha ka man kiya gol gappe khane ke liye isiliye hum neeche chale gaye aur laute waqt pata nahi woh truck kaha se aagaya aur Astha se takar mar kar chala gaya"
Anjali looked at Aditi and then at Shlok noticing immediately something was off but remained silent and let Naranjan continue
"Aditi bete tum dono ko Shlok ka intezaar karna chaiye tha" Niranjan said "Jee Uncle" Aditi nodded
"Varad beta mera saath chalo hum iss hospital ke head se baat karna chate hain Astha humare parivaar ki bahu hai mujhe uske ilaaj mein ko kami nahi chaiye"
"Jee Baba" Varad nodded and led Niranjan down the hall leaving Shlok, Anjali, and Aditi behind
"Mujhe ik baat ki samaj nahi aa rahi Aditi" Anjali spoke up "Shlok bata raha tha ke Astha ke pair mein moch thi toh phir woh kyun gol gappe khane jayegi" Anjali spoke this looking at Shlok "Jab ke pichli baar jab yeh dono goomne jaa rahe the Astha ke pair mein kaanch ka tukda par gaya tha aur ushe chalne mein bahut takleef ho rahi thi yah tak ke woh bahar nahi jaana chaati thi"
Hearing this Shlok looked at Anjali and remembered the time she was referring to when Shlok was forcing her for the honeymoon. "Astha kabhi nahi kahe gi jaane ke liye jab uske pair mein itna dard tha toh kya Aditi jhoot bol rahi hai" Shlok thought
"Maine Astha ko kaha tha aunty par usne kaha ke ab uska pair theek hai" Aditi lied
"Hmmm" Their conversation was interrupted by the doctor coming out of the Operation Room Shlok went up to the doctor "Doctor meri patni kaisi hai?" "Woh theek toh hai na?"
Niranjan and Varad came up to them just as the doctor began "Dekhiye Mr. Agnihotri main aapse jhoot nahi boloonga, hum joh kar sakhte the unke liye humne kardiya hai par phir bhi aapki patni ki halat bahut nazok hai" the Doctor informed wiping his forehead
Shlok was at a loss for words he didn't what to do, he stumbled backwards and Varad grabbed him providing him with support "apne aap ko sambalo Shlok" he urged
"Doctor Sahb Astha humare ghar ki bahu hai, hum uske ilaaj karvane ke liye kisi bhi hadh takh jaa sakte hain aap paison ki fiqar mat kijiye" Niranjan stated "Bas humari bahu ka dhyaan rakhiye"
"Sahb baat paison ki nahi hai aapki bahu ka bahut saara khoon behgaya hai aur internal injuries bhi hai, hum jo kar sakte the humne kar diya hai bas ab aap upar waalse paratna kijiye ke aapki bahu ko agle 24 ganto mein hosh aajaye" the Doctor said as he excused himself. A nurse came out of the Operating Room and everyone looked at her as she walked over to them "Kya inke paas ghar ki ik aurat ruk sakhti hai aaj raat ke liye, waise toh humare paas nurses hai par raat mein itni nurses nahi hoti toh dressings change karne mein takleef na ho issliye hum patient ki family se poonchte hain rukne ke liye" the nurse enquired
"Yahi chance hai Aditi khatam karde joh tunhe churu kiya hai" Aditi thought wickedly
"Uncle agar aap kahe toh main ruk jaati hoon Astha ke paas" Aditi quickly offered but Anjali put up her hand and stopped Aditi before she could go any further "Iss ki koi zaroorat nahi padegi Aditi" Anjali stated "Astha meri bahu hai aur mera farz banta hai uska dhyaan rakhne ka issiliye Astha ke paas toh main rukoongi"
"Yahi theek rahe ga" Niranjan agreed "Humhe bahut khushi hui sunke ke aap Astha ke paas rukengi Anjali ji"
"Baba" Shlok spoke up "Main Astha ke paas hi rahoonga, main usko aisi halat main chod ke nahin jaa sakta" Niranjan nodded
"Chalo Baba, Aditi hum sab hotel chalte hain kal subha phir aajayenge" Varad said leading them away. Aditi kept mumbling under her breath about her lost chance at finishing off Astha. "Aditi tumne kuch kaha kya?" Varad asked
"Nahi kuch nahi" Aditi said as she followed them out the hospital and to the car.
Anjali stood in front of the door to Astha's room and saw her lying on the bed, she looked so innocent and peaceful, and it almost seemed as if she was just sleeping but the machines she was hooked up to told another story. Anjali's heart broke as she saw her youngest daughter-in-law fighting for her life, Anjali thought of the carefree, happy, and bubbly girl that had been so excited to go on this trip with her husband and then looked at the motionless almost lifeless girl lying on the bed in front of her and she couldn't control the tears that escaped her eyes, unable to stand she went over and sat next to Shlok but he was to lost in his thoughts to know what was going on around him.
Shlok sat there in the chair thinking of everything that had been happening with Astha lately. Her sari catching on fire "Us din Astha ki sari ko aag lagna kya sach mein ik accident hi tha?" "Aur phir holi wale din rang mein kerosene kaha se aayi? Kaka itni laparvahi kabhi bhi nahi kar sakte toh iska matlab kisi ne kerosene badh mein dalhi rang mein" Shlok was confused why anyone would go to such extent to hurt Astha was beyond him "Astha ne kisi ka kya bigara hai jo koi uski jaan ka dushman bangaya" Frustrated Shlok got up and stood in front of the door to Astha's room not caring what anyone said Shlok went in to her room and sat in the chair next to her bed.
He looked at her angelic face and could no longer hold back his tears, he gently lifted her hand into his and placed a gentle kiss on it "Astha" he whispered and placed his head on their joined hands letting his tears flow freely, unbeknownst to Shlok a single tear ran down Astha's cheek.
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