Raj drives Neha to the hospital where Nikki is admitted. He follows her through neat, antiseptic corridors till they enter Nikki's ward. A small girl with a sweet face is lying on the bed. Her eyes brighten on seeing her mother. "Mummy!" Neha goes to her and gives her a big hug.
Then Nikki's attention turns to Raj. He smiles his warmest smile at her, and the child seems to fall for him then and there. "Mummy….ye kaun hai?"
Neha: Beta, yeh Raj uncle hai….mere boss……
Nikki: (eyes widening) Par boss toh bahut saduu hote hai na? (Neha hides a smile) Yeh uncle toh bahut achche hai!
Raj: Aapko kaise pata ki main achcha hun? Aap toh mujhse abhi-abhi mile ho!
Nikki: (smiling confidently) Mujhe pata hai….aur mujhe yeh bhi pata chal jata hai ki kaun log gande hai…..jaise wo uncle jo Daddy ke hotel mein aaye the….CJ….(makes a face of distaste)…
Neha's face clouds over. Raj looks at he in concern. He moves away a bit as Neha starts to talk comfortingly to her daughter, who is complaining about her falling hair ( a common side-effect of chemotherapy). Raj uses this time to call Armaan.
At night, when Jassi is in her room, taking off her bangles and jewellery, Armaan enters, laughing and breathless. He plonks himself down next to Jassi and puts both his arms around her. 😳
Jassi: (feigning nonchalance) Kya hua….itne haanf kyun rahe ho?
Armaan: (putting his head on her shoulder with an exaggerated sigh) Jassi, sab gharwale mera court-martial kar rahe hai…..ki main Gurjeet Kaur ban kar tumhari god-bharai mein kyun aaya….not fair!! Main kya apni Jassi ke celebration mein shaamil bhi nahin ho sakta?
Jassi: (hiding a smile) Well, Armaan Suri….agar tum ulta tareeka apnaoge, toh nateeja bhi ulta hi hoga na…! By the way… (showing him the painting, the pretended indifference falling away from her voice) Yeh painting bahut sundar hai….lekin tum….kahaan se…?
Armu: (GISing and snuggling even closer) Tumhe achchi lagi na? Saare Mumbai mein ek hi painter hai, jiski family Mughals ke darbar ke liye aisi paintings banaya karti thi….
Jassi: Armaan…..(tears welling up in her eyes)……I love you, Armaan!
Armu: (making puppy-dog eyes at her) Jassi, mujhe bilkula aisi hi family chahiye…..tum, main, Vedika, aur hamare Ashish aur Mannat…! I promise ki main apni taraf se poori koshish karunga!! (naughty naughty Armu….or was it another of Apu's improvisations? 😈 )
Jassi: (blushing red) Armaan!!! (tries vainly to push him away)
Just then Armu's phone rings. He gazes at it in delight. "Raj ka phone hai!" He picks it up and almost bellows. "Hey……kaisa hai! Itne dn baad yaad aayi meri?"
Raj: Yaar main toh roz try karta tha, lekin tumhare pind mein lagta hai, network hai hi nahin! Mera toh mann kar raha tha, khud ko tere paas parcel kar lu!
Armu: Toh kar le na! Yahaan aa ja..bas teri ki kami hai…..
Raj: Nahin yaar…..abhi toh Gulmphur ki saari zimedaari mere sar pe hai….par tu bata, Jhansi ki Rani kaisi hai?
Armu: (glancing at Jassi) She's perfectly alright…mujhe Jhansi ka rajkumar aur rajkumari dene ki taiyaari mein hai😛 … (Jassi rolls her eyes)… aaj uski god-bharai hui hai….aur tera suggestion perfect tha….Jassi ko gift bahut pasand aaya….
Raj: (voice softening) Uska khayal rakhna….achcha, ab main phone rakhta hun……Neha ko ghar drop karna hai….bye!
Armu smiles on hearing Raj mention Neha. As he puts the phone down, Jassi looks wide-eyed at him. "Toh yeh gift wala idea..Raj ka tha?"
Armu: Umm…..actually, idea toh mera hi tha, lekin usko rang dene mein Raj ka haath tha….painter ko locate karne ka kaam ussi ne kiya….
Jassi: (gently) Jab agli baar Raj se baat ho, toh mera thanks zaroor keh dena….😊
Armu nods and draws her closer to himself. She puts her hand on his arm and her head on his broad shoulder, like a little child at peace with the entire world. 😳😳😳
Tomorrow: Raj talks to Neha.
