FF:Broken Dreams&... Note Page 104 3/9 - Page 11

Part 20B

Jai's eyes widened in shock when it fell on Bani – lying down on the ground under the tree, her knees brought to her chest, sleeping, her head on her elbow and one palm placed under her head. The rain drops were falling on her face and her dress was covered with wet mud a little. Yet, she was engrossed in her sleep. Jai knelt down beside her and took her face in one of his hands. She was cold. Bani got disturbed from her sleep. She opened her eyes partly and smiled at him innocently. She immediately closed her eyes and went back to her sleep.

Jai hit her face not too gently calling her name. There was no response except that she turned her face to other side and went to sleep. Jai started shaking her to wake her up. But she lied down on the ground stubborn. Jai used his full strength to lift her from the ground. Only that time, he realized how much she had lost weight. He carried her in his arms, but Bani mumbled something which went unheard in the sound of rain. She then snuggled to a comfortable position in his arms and fell asleep again. Jai rushed into the house carrying her in the rain.

As he entered the living room, Masi and Dadi rushed to him panicking.

"Kya hua, beta?" Masi asked. Looking at Bani, she said, "Bani…!?"

Jai did not pay attention to anybody. He shouted, "TONY!!!!" He walked to the stairs as he shouted. When Tony responded, he said, "Garma garam soup aur garam haldi ka doodh le aana…" and he rushed to his room.

As soon as he reached the room, he carried her to the bathroom and made her sit in the toilet seat. She was not sitting steady. Jai opened the hot water shower and adjusted to a bearable heat. Meanwhile, he took his mobile and dialed Adityas number. He asked Aditya to come home immediately bringing a doctor for Bani. Aditya immediately left the hotel and rushed to receive the employee's doctor.

Jai, on the other hand, removed Bani's clothing and gave a hot water bath with the hand shower to bring the temperature to normal. Bani stirred and wobbled on the toilet seat continuously mumbling something or the other as she felt water on her body. Jai carefully washed all the mud and dirt from her hair and her body. He then wiped her with dry towel. As he dried her hair, he heard her mumbling, "Jjjaaaaiiiii…. Mmaiinnn…." Then she swallowed… Jai stopped what he was doing and waited for her to complete her sentence. But she went back to her slumber. Jai held her for few seconds. Then he wrapped her with a towel and carried her inside the room. He made her lie on the bed. He went to her cupboard to find a night wear for her. At last, he ended with make her wear his pyjama and old shirt. He dried her hair so that she wouldn't catch cold. He then turned the AC to thermal mode and covered her with thick blanket. He then checked her temperature. It was normal. He touched her arms. It was cold, but not as cold as the beginning. He also made sure she was not hurt anywhere.

He called Aditya to find out where he was. Aditya replied that he was on his way and that he was delayed because of the rain. Jai disconnected the call and sat beside Bani.

He looked at her frowning. What had happened suddenly? She was fine in the morning. Well, everything seemed to be fine in the morning. Then what happened suddenly? "Aisa kya hua, Bani?" he asked softly knowing very well, he was not going to get any answer. It ached somewhere in his heart. He took her hand in his. Only, then he realized, his shirt was wet. He changed into dry clothes. He heard a knock at the door. He wiped his face with his hand, went and opened the door.

It was Tony. Tony brought the soup and hot milk. He placed the tray on the table and waited for Jai to say something.

Jai looked at him, then after few seconds, he said, "Thoda garam paani laake de dena thermos mein…"

Tony nodded, "Anythingelse Sir?"

Jai relaxed himself and said, "Aditya doctor ko leke aa raha hoga. Won log aaye toh kamre mein leke aana."

Tony said, "Ji, Sir."

"Aur haan, keh dena ki dinner ke liye mera wait na karein…" Jai said.

"Yes, Sir." Tony said.

"Aur kuch nahin. Tum jao…" Jai said.

"Aapka dinner?" Tony asked slowly.

"Baad mein dekhte hai… Tum jao…" Jai said looking at Bani.

Tony left.

Jai locked the door and sat beside Bani. Tears started trickling from his eyes. "Main tumhara khayal hi nahin rakh paa raha hoon… Bani…" He took a deep breath and swallowed his tears. He went to the table and took the bowl of soup and placed it upon the night stand. Then he made her lean on the bedside board supported by him. He took a spoonful of soup and brought it near her mouth. He said slowly, "Apna muh kholo Bani…" Bani lied on his arms unconsciously. He repeated again, "Muh kholo Bani…" There was no response from her. He held both the side of her cheeks with force that made her open her mouth a little. He fed her slowly. After sometime, she started opening her mouth by herself. He fed her patiently. After he had fed her the entirely bowl, he made her lie on the bed and he wiped her mouth with a wet towel.

He sat beside her and started speaking to her. "Aisa kyun kiya Bani…? Pata hai, maine doctor se appointment leke aaya tha… aur aaj jaldi bhi aa gaya.. aur tum… lekin tum… kyun Bani? Tumhein apni fikar nahin hai, meri fikar nahin hai… kam se kam humare bachche ka fikar toh karti. Mujhse batati ki baat kya hai… kya main itna bura hoon kit um mujhse keh bhi nahin sakti? Haan, manta hoon ki mujhse galti huyi hai, iska matlab ye toh nahin hai ki mujhe tumhari bilkul fikar hi nahin hai…" He stopped, then continued, "Yaad hai, tumse mujhse promise ki thi tum apna khayal rakhogi… aur… and you broke your promise, Bani…" He took her hand in his and silently sat running through the memories which happened in the last half an hour. Suddenly, he remembered something. He looked at her and then placed her hand by her side and went into the bathroom. Yes… he took the sketch that he had placed in the wash basin and brought it inside.

He had already dimmed the lights for Bani's sake. When he looked at the sketch, he could say that Bani was happy making the sketch, but what had happened after that? But… Never mind…! But how was he going to handle her in the future? How was he going to stop such things from happening? He looked at the sketch – a sleeping baby being patted by two hands, a male and a female… Does that mean, Bani was dreaming about the baby? Then what had happened?

There was a knock on the door. Jai placed the sketch in the drawer of the night stand and then opened the door. It was Aditya with a doctor.

"Hello Doctor…" Jai shook his hand with him and led him inside.

Jai did not see the entire family standing behind Aditya. Aditya entered inside and looked at Bani.

The doctor took his stethoscope and started checking Bani. Jai looked at wet Aditya.

"Thank you Aditya, tum jaake change kar lo, warna bimar pad jaaoge…"

Aditya noted the emotionless tone of Jai, but nodded and left the room. Masi and Dadi looked at Bani lying. Masi looked at Jai.

After sometime, the doctor said, "Temperature toh nahin hai, lekin cold hone ki chance hai. But she is very weak. I think she is anemic too. Better take a blood test tomorrow. She is just unconscious. Feed her something. Kal hospital mein check up karwa lijiye. Tab poori baat pata chal jaayega. As of now, there is nothing serious. Nothing to worry. But, one thing, her blood pressure is little low. She will have to undergo full physical check up."

Jai nodded his head. "Yes, Doctor."

"That's it. Keep giving her something warm. She will be up by tomorrow morning. But don't forget to take her for a check up tomorrow." The doctor finished.

"Ji, Doctor." Jai said. "Thanks for coming."

"Its okay." The doctor smiled.

Jai led the doctor downstairs and asked the driver to drop him back at his residence.

Jai turned back to go to his room. He was stopped by Dadi at the living room. "Kya hua Jai?"

Jai took a deep breath and looked at her. "Kya hua tha, yeh sawaal mujhe aapse poochna chahiye, Dadi." Dadi's face fell. Jai smiled a little. "Khair… woh sab chodiye… shukr hai ki Bani ko kuch nahin hua… Main chalta hoon uske paas…" and he started climbing the stairs without turning back.

Aditya noticed the friction. He went to his mother. "Maa, kya hua? Jai aise kyun baat kar raha hai?"

"Pata nahin, beta. Woh sham ko aaya… poocha ki Bani kahaan hai. Hum ghar ke andar dhoond rahe the… lekin woh bahar bearish mein dhoondne nikhal gaya… aur Bani ko leke aaya… Mujhe kuch samaj mein nahin aa raha hai…" she said.

"Lekin, Bani baahar kyun thi?" Aditya asked.

"Pata nahin kab gayi…" Dadi said.

"Maa, aap zara baito…" Aditya made his mother sit. After he made his mother sit comfortably, he took a place beside her. "Maa… mujhe kuch teek nahin lag raha… Jai kuch toh chupa raha hai, humse… Pata nahin kya hai. Aur Bani? Bani aisi kyun hai? Maa… aap fikar mat kijiye… main Jai se baat karta hoon." Aditya comforted his mother.

Excellent part... Jai's concern was really touch.. hope everything will be normal (god! looks this is my fav line for dont knwo how many parts..)