CHAPTER SIX:
REVELATIONS
"I am going now Buaji. I will be back by sunset." Khushi told her Buaji and drank the milk in one huge gulp.
"Slowly titilya. Or else you will choke on the milk." Buaji directed.
"Don't worry Buaji. Bye" and with that she made her way out of the door. Hailing a rickshaw she got on it and instructed the man to drive her to City Hospital. She checked her watch. It read 8:00 am. She had to be at the job by 9:00. Just thinking about that gave her goose bumps. Pushing the thought aside she gazed out of the rickshaw. The objects swished past her. The sun was rising up. The yellow orangish hues were canvassing the adjacent. She saw a girl dressed in her school uniform holding her father's hand standing at the bus stop. Somehow that scene reminded her of a certain time of her life. When she was young and her parents were alive and healthy. Her mind drifted to those happy moments.
"But I don't want to go." She pleaded with shaky voice and a runny rose. Her eyes appeared red with all the crying. "Please take me home babuji. I want to go to amma."
"Listen to me bitiya." Shashi spoke lovingly, squatting down in front of her. "You know your amma babuji love you and they won't let any harm come to you. You are our charming bitiya and you always listen to me. Don't be scared. It's just school and your teacher will take care of you."He tried to appease her running a hand on her head.
"But what if the children there will hate me and be mean to me?" She asked with big saucer eyes, her face giving off her insecurities.
"They won't. They will love you just like all the children of our environs do. And if they will do that you know how to triumph over their hearts. You are my angel." He replied beaming at her.
"I am?" She asked a little uncertainly.
"Yes you are." He responded taking her hand in his hands. "You have to study hard and make us proud of yourself. Won't you do that for us? For your buaji? For yourself?"
"And for my country. Yes I will babuji." She resolved. Her eyes shined with an ambition and lips curved into a smile.
"That's like my daughter. Come on now. You don't want to be late on your first day of school."
The duo made their way towards the school gates. Khushi holding his father's hand with a backpack on her shoulders and a water bottle hanging around her neck, her pigtails bobbing around her head. At those moments Shashi walked with the grace of a father who was more than proud of her daughter.
I miss you Babuji She whispered while teardrops formed in her eyes.
"Hello behanji? I am talking to you. We are here" the grouchy voice of the man pulled her out of her abstraction and she found the rickshaw parked in front of the hospital.
"I am so sorry." She apologized descending the rickshaw. Here. Thankyou" She held him over the fare and made her way towards the hospital.
"I am here to meet Dr. Shyam Manohar Jha." She told the receptionist.
"Do you have an appointment Mam?" The receptionist inquired.
"No." Khushi answered.
"Then I am sorry mam you can't meet him. You need to have an appointment for that." She replied.
"Can you fix an appointment right now? I am in a hurry. It's urgent to meet him." Khushi requested shifting her weight from one foot to another. She already felt tired.
"No mam. I am afraid the timetable is full." She apologized.
"See I know you are doing your duty but I really do need to see him. It's imperative. My previous doctor has shifted my case to him."
"I can understand madam but things aren't in my hands. Dr. Shyam is one of the most renowned neurologists and his timetable is always full until you get an appointment days earlier." The receptionist tried to make her understand. Before Khushi could answer her phone rang. Her face went all radiant on reading the caller ID.
"Hello Nanheii? How are you?" She greeted picking up the phone.
"I am good. How is my girl?" A manly but sweet voice answered at the other end of the line.
"I am good too but it seems I am in a little mess right now." She replied.
"Why what happened? Are you alright? Did you take your medicines?" NK panicked.
"Relax nanheji I am fine. It's just that I am in the hospital right now and I have been trying to meet Dr. Shyam but the receptionist says I have to have an appointment which I don't have. What do I do now? And I have to get to my job by 9. I know I will be late. God I hate my life nanheji!" Her prattle went on terminating with a sigh.
"Oh Come on Khushi. This is nothing to be worried about. Hand over the phone to the receptionist." He told.
"Really? Al right." She answered turning towards the receptionist. "My friend wants to talk to you."
"What? What do you mean madam?" The receptionist asked baffled.
"I am sorry I mean my doctor." Khushi corrected herself apologetically.
The receptionist eyed Khushi weirdly and then hesitatingly took the phone from her hand.
"Hello? Priya Raj speaking from The City Hospital." She spoke into the phone.
The talk went on with the receptionist saying ok and I see's every now and then. After about half a minute she ended the call after "I am sorry sir. Sure."
"Why didn't you tell me your name was Khushi Gupta?" She asked irritatingly handing her the mobile back.
"You never asked." Einstein She completed the sentence in her head.
"You should have though. Your appointment was on the list yesterday but you never showed up." She replied with an obvious manner picking up the speaker.
"Dr. Shyam. Khushi Gupta is here." She spoke into the phone. "Right away sir."
"2nd floor. The first cabin towards the right." She instructed.
"Thanks." Khushi greeted and walked away. That receptionist had wasted so much of her time. How on earth would she ever be at work by 9? Her stars were in a bad spin. Well they had been in a bad spin for the past 5 years. There was nothing new, nothing old. She had become a practiced volunteer of all the bad happenings. It didn't matter much to her anymore. She was living her life just for her Buaji and Mausaji.
A life which was transient enough to end anytime, a life that was balanced on the edge of a lever, a life that could culminate even now and she wouldn't know. It was all about chances and pure good luck. She has accepted the truth but she never had enough courage to break the news to her family.
Shyam stomped across his cabin, his mind in an overdrive. Khushi would be here any minute and he couldn't stop himself from recounting the fact over and over in his mind that this Khushi was the same Khushi about whom Anjali had told him last night.
"I wasn't able to tell you earlier Shyam because you came late last night and you were too tired but you won't believe what I am going to tell you now. Khushi is our Arnav's Khushi Shyam! Isn't this a miracle! Wait I forgot to tell you who Khushi is. Khushi is the new governess I hired for Aditya. She came to Delhi a few days ago from Patna. It didn't cross my mind even once that she could be Arnav's Khushi but she is Shyam. I am so happy. I pray things fall into place. I will give up anything to bring happiness in my Chote's life"
And just like that Anjali had dropped a bombshell on him without any preemptive. He had not been able to sleep the whole night. He couldn't even tell Nande Kishore about all that considering how threateningly defensive he was when it came to Khushi and now when she was finally here after all the waiting he promised himself he would do anything to give that girl her life back for with her life and soul was entwined the life and soul of Arnav. Even when Arnav had denied loving Khushi shouting that he hated her, he knew that Arnav loved her with every cell and fiber in his body. If Khushi were to die Arnav would not be able to suffer from that tragedy. Khushi had to live for his Saale Sahib.
He heard a light tap on his door. Turning towards the window with hands in pocket he spoke "Come in."
The door opened slowly and he heard the footsteps nearing with cautious tiny steps.
"So you are Khushi Kumari Gupta." Shyam addressed.
"Yes." A soft melodious voice answered. He turned back and saw her standing near the table. Files in hand and a satchel carried on a shoulder. She was beautiful without doubt but in addition to the superficial beauty he could somehow feel her goodness of heart pervading the surroundings. Maybe it was due to the perception of her he had made in his mind when Nk had told him about her with admiration and civility.
She had caramel eyes covered with thin made eyebrows. Her eyelashes were long that shadowed down her eyes with an imperceptibly beautiful way. Her complexion was milky white and she appeared thin and petite with dark circles that somehow added to her beauty. Her hair tied up in a braid with surprisingly large number of hair pins holding them in place. All that time when Shyam analyzed her she never looked up in his eyes. Her eyes revolved around never settling on one thing. She looked nervous and scared. At that moment his heart went out to that girl. She didn't deserve all what she was passing through. She was young and beautiful. She should have been living a happy prosperous life instead of passing through the darkest of times.
"Please sit down." Shyam said politely.
She looked up little unsurely meeting his gaze. After a second she made her way towards the chair and slid into it placing the files on the table. Following her act Shyam too sat down.
"I have heard a lot about you from NK. You must be really close to him." Shyam spoke putting his hands on the table.
"Yes." She replied yet again in monosyllable.
"Don't be nervous Khushi. I know you aren't feeling comfortable with me. But I assure you I will treat you as a friend more than my patient. I have heard highly of you." Shyam tried to dissipate her nervousness.
"Thank you. Should I show you my reports now?" She asked gathering the reports in her hands.
"No need to. NK faxed it to me. I have seen them."
Oh was all she managed to say.
"So Khushi have you been taking your medicines on time?"He asked.
"I..." She was at a loss of words.
"I'll take it as a no. You should know Khushi how important it is for you to take those medicines. You shouldn't be this careless when it comes to your health. I request you to please start taking your medicines on time. I am well aware of the circumstances you are living in now but it's not a trivial futile thing we are talking about right now. It's about your health about your life. I can see a very strong woman in you. You have to go on hold on for the people who love you. Promise me you will take your medicines on time from now on."
Khushi looked up with surprise evident in her eyes. She didn't expect Shyam to say all those things to her. It seemed like he really knew a lot about her life and she gathered he was a really fine person at heart just like Nanheji.
"I promise Dr. Jha." She spoke softly.
"I would prefer you saying me Shyam. I am not a great fan of all the cordialities." He replied laughing.
"Ok Shyamji."
"Shyamji? I can see you are without doubt a fan of cordialities."
Khushi smiled at him.
"So it's time for me to check you up. If you would please." He signaled towards the bed, placed beside the right wall at the far corner of the room.
"Sure." She replied standing up from the chair and walking towards the bed. Sitting down, holding onto the edges her eyes communicated fear.
Sighing Shyam spoke out, "You don't have to panic Khushi. I mean good just like your Nanheji. You would have to let me in. Please."
She looked up at him, a little acceptance suffusing onto her face. Closing her eyes with labored breathing she gave off her permit with a nod of her head.
All the while Shyam could feel her trembling body and her perspiration stricken face. There wasn't much he could do about that apart from keeping his touch strictly professional.
"Your vitals seem good." He stated checking her pulse rate, heart beat and eyes. "But you are weak. You should start eating."
"My head hurts a lot." Khushi replied softly.
"I believe it does. That's why I am asking you to take medicines on time. Do you still stick to your decision Khushi?" He asked putting down his stethoscope.
"Yes Shyamji I do." She answered.
"But I can help Khushi. This is no way out. You can't go forever on medicines and you know the later it gets the harder it will be." Shyam replied with a note of sympathy in his voice.
"I know. It doesn't matter. I should get going now." She said standing up.
"Think about it Khushi. Please." He literally pleaded. The tone caught Khushi off guard. She couldn't fathom why a doctor of one day had started caring so much for her.
"Your next appointment will be after 3 days. Be on time."
"I will be." Having said that she picked her reports from the table and turned around to go out.
"You know who I am Khushi?" Shyam asked and her hands stilled on the doorknob. Her sixth sense told her something was not right.
"I am Anjali's husband. Arnav's brother in law. You work there right?" He asked. And it was like someone had pulled the earth from beneath her feet. Her legs started shaking and her breath got caught up. Her head started throbbing painfully as Arnav's face flashed in her mind. After what felt like a minute stretched to eternity she turned around slowly and shakily. And Shyam saw it there, the fear so clear on her pale face as if she had seen a ghost or maybe it was worse than that. Her face was horror-stricken with tears shining in her eyes. He could visibly see her shaking all over.
"Are you ok Khushi?" He couldn't help asking.
She nodded lightly. Gathering her breathing she spoke "Shyamji. Promise me you will not tell about all this to anyone at your home." She spoke and the tone of her voice hit him. There was hope and fear.
"But why?" He asked knowing the reason.
"I just don't want people to sympathize with me." She lied.
"Alright I promise." He swore.
"Thank you." And with that she walked out of the room.
And just like that Shyam developed a respectful place for Khushi in his heart. He was impressed with her strength of character and ability to endure the hardships of life. Like Anjali he knew then that this girl who walked out of the room could never have betrayed Arnav. What really happened back then nobody knew. It was all a big misunderstanding and sitting there, staring at the door he prayed to God to set everything right.
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Yes Shyam is a good character in this story. ;)
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Mischief Managed.(yes I am die hard potterhead)
Edited by wardamatloob01 - 10 years ago
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