last day 2 (p1) of 6 month

The clock breakdown shown in DAY 2 : are based on Arnav's timeline.

It's a long update sectioned down into 3 portions : My treat for you, for the weekend.

………..so enjoy……………. Minute by minute….………and keep the comments coming……

DAY 2

(MORNING 9.20 AM)

Arnav opens his eyes, lying on a hospital bed. His arm is in bandages. There are small cuts all over his face, neck and arm. Is head is supported by a rack of pillows and the blanket is half done near the feet.

He looks like a dead man waiting for something…..blank, incomplete, impatient…….

He looks at the clock and then sees Mr Mehta coming.

Mr. Mehta: " Sir, good to see you today. How are you feeling?"

Arnav looks blank.

Mr. Mehta: "I have called your sister and informed her, talked to Akash Sir as well. He is coming to see you very soon."

Arnav is still BLANK. Looks at Mr Mehta with wide eyes.

Mr. Mehta: "Sir, Everything is under control. We brought you in the nick of time. I was so worried.

When I gave you the file with madam's signature and bank check copy, you just went numb. You left on your own. Many thanks to God: that you are safe, now. Sir I am very sorry. I should have accompanied you or come behind you."

Arnav looks at the drapes hanging from the windows.

Mr. Mehta: "Sir: Sir are you listening?

Should I leave?

Sir: ok. I will go and come back every hour to get your update. " but, Mr Mehta…does not leave. Instead he stands behind Arnav for another 20 minutes, waiting for any reaction, bewildered to see Arnav mute like this.

Mr. Mehta breaks the silence: "Sir: Though it was only 1366 rupees. But still do you want me to check and inform you if she deposited the money or not?"

1366……?

The number : It registers slowly into Arnav's mind………….it has some meaning …. have seen it somewhere………..

1366………?

Arnav slowly turns his head and looks at Mr Mehta.

Mr Mehta: completely spell bound at his reaction, speaks:

Mr. Mehta: "Sir. Do you understand what I am speaking of? It's the check that KHUSHI madam took from the bank."

(Lightning flashes)

ARNAV: pauses for a second and shouts out:

"KHUSHI?...

KHUSHI?...

WHERE IS SHE?"

Mr Mehta looks very baffled. He tries to speak but thinks twice. He thinks: How can Arnav Sir talk about Mrs Raizada, even knowing that she left him? WE got the confirmation that she signed the paper and took money from the account Mr. Raizada has made for her and she left him for good. Maybe Arnav Sir forgot about it and are still thinking that Khushi Madam is waiting for him in his house.

Suddenly, Arnav seats up staright and fires in his usual governing manner:

"Mr Mehta, I am not dead. It was just a minor accident Call my home at once and tell KHUSHI that I am ok. Tell her not to worry.

She will cry her heart out after hearing this from Di."

A soft smile spreads in his eyes as he thinks of Khushi and her weird ways.

"Paagal ladki !…. I guess by now the whole house is flooded with Jilabes." Arnav smiles.

( Now Mr Mehta is flipping out, out of confusion……. What is he talking of? Maybe it's the sleeping pills the doctors injected or is his hallucination is still present?)

Mr Mehta gathers up the courage and speaks:

"SIR: the divorce…………….."

Arnav stares at him and his face gets stiff as each second passes.

The smile disappears and pure desperation flickers in his eyes.

Arnav blinks and shuts his eye closed.

How could he forget?

How could he forget that Khushi left him?

Conversation with Lavanya about her past, Shyam's dirty tricks, the marriage, the contract, his brutality to the poor soul, her tears…….last night, finding her signed divorce paper, seeing the check, leaving the party, alone in the night, the crash……….each details comes back to him one by one….and so does the remorse, repentance and loneliness.

Arnav whispers his anthem:

"KHUSHI KUMARI GUPTA SING RAIZADA:

WHERE ARE YOU?

WHERE ARE YOU, NOW?"

DAMN IT………………….. !!!!

DAY 2

(MORNING 9.55 AM)

ARNAV

"Di ! where is Khushi? Give her the phone NOW !"

ANJALI:

Anjali is totally happy, excited, relived and sad at the same time to listen to her brother's voice.

"Chotey: are you ok? Oh my GOD I was dying to hear from you….please tell me how you are feeling."

ARNAV:

"Di ! PLEASE….where is Khushi? Give her the phone NOW !"

ANJALI:

"Chotey, what is up with you? You don't take the medicine, do not eat or take care of yourself. See ? what happened? I told you a million times to take care of yourself. Answer me, chotey."

ARNAV:

"Di ! ENOUGH!!! where is Khushi? Give her the phone NOW !"

ANJALI

(Silent……)

ARNAV:

(Understands that Di got hurt, he pauses and pacifies her)

"OH SORRY, DI! I am in a very worried situation. I am good. I mean getting better. I PROMISE, I WILL GIVE YOU ALL ANSWERS IN microscopic DETAILS…BUT FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, TELL ME

"Where is Khushi? Give her the phone NOW !"

ANJALI:

"OH! Ok….KHUSHI ji left home 2 days back. She left me a text, that she will go to her mother's.

WHY CHOTEY? WHAT HAPPENED? "

ARNAV:

"Di, please try to relax. Everything is fine…its just that with my health and the accident I am a bit tensed will talk to you soon….please. Do not worry. EVERYTHING will be fine. I PROMISE……another thing, Di! WHERE IS SHYAM? ….SORRY…I MEAN WHERE IS JIJAJI? DID HE COME BACK?"

ANJALI:

"Yes he came back…. why are you asking?"

ARNAV:

"DI! I GOTTA GO……….talk to you soon…"

(HE HANGS UP…………….)

Anjali seats astonished, looking at the quiet phone on her hand….

DAY 2

(MORNING 11.35 AM)

(ARNAV IS IN DEEP THOUGHT……….PACING AROUND)

" OH MY GOD !"

"Mr Raizada,

Why are you walking AGAIN? Haven't we told you a million times already that you need complete rest? Due to extreme stress and sleep deprivation you experienced seizure.

After such an episode all you need is peace. You need to feel calm.

YOU NEED TO RELAX……..

Arnav presents a crooked smile.

"LISTEN, doctor! Let me tell you what I NEED…………………………………… :

"I NEED MY WIFE."

RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW…RIGHT BY MY SIDE……

The only thing that can give me peace is : HER

And now she is not where I want her to be.

So unless, you have her READY in your medicine drawer to give to me during my med time :

Do not tell me what to do……………. or ……………………how to feel."

The poor doctor feels helpless himself.

"….…BUT still Mr Raizada !

If you are not feeling well, we cannot release you from hospital. Kindly, at least seat down on the bed or sofa, instead of running around in the room.

DO NOT ELEVATE YOUR HEART RATE…PLEASE…I will be back in an hour to check on you."

(Before Arnav could open his mouth for more verbal advices, the doctor literally glides away from the room…)

"Treating this one will make me go nuts! …..I wonder what he is made of and how does his wife bear him….

So many attitudes!!

He had such a bad accident, lost so much blood, but that didn't make even a dent on his behavior….he seems to be a very passionate man LOVING HIS WIFE that much……

Well if a girl can put up with HIS amount of crap and get married to him….HE better love her like a deity to keep her married to him…….oh!...poor girl…. "

The doctor thinks in his head, chuckles a bit….and walks away…