Next evening...
Kumkum and Sumit had gone for kumkum's final injection that day..Being the last phase, kumkum was starting to feel more anxious and uneasy than ever.As a result, they had to stay at the place at night, to let kumkum get some rest at Dr.tina's place..
It is 2:30 in the night..Sumit had been awake, trying to soothe kumkum, as she had thrown up for the sixth time in the night...
"Kumkum....bas..bas..sab theek ho jayega..haan?...bas..aaj raat ki baat hai...theek hai ??..."
she is in tears, hiding her face in his arms...Sumit caresses her hair, trying to calm her down...when suddenly his cell rings..."itni raat ko kiska phone hoga..munna mein attend kar lun call?..hmm?...ek minute.."
Kissing her head, he makes her lie down to get his cell..
"Hello?.."Sumit greets
"Kabse phone kar rahi hun....main ghar par hun...kahaan ho tum aur bahu?..."
Sumit clloses her eyes.."Buajee?.."
Hearing the name, kumkum stirs...Sumit sits besides her, caressing her hair...
"Buajee...kaisi hain aap?..aur..aap ka aayin.."He asks...
"Main toh ghar par hi hun..par zara samjha dena apni patni ko...ki itni raat ko ghoomna acche lakshan nahin hain...ek toh 3 din se phone kara...par kisi ne uthaya nhain..aur.."
"Buaji..kumkum mere saath hai...uska treatment chalta hai pune mein...thodi tabiyat dheeli hai...hum dono kal subah hi nikalte hain..."Sumit caresses her face concernedly...
"Jo tumhe theek lage.."She abruptly ends the call....
Sumit keeps the cell aside.."kumkum...baba?..why are you getting up..leto munna..."
"Bu..bua jee..gussa..."Her eyes were watering..Sumit wipes the tears...
"Main hun na...sab sambhaal loonga..chalo..leto aur kuch bhi sochne ki zarurat nahin hai tumhe..ok?..chalo..close your eyes.."Sumit kisses her forehead..
"Buaji..buajee daantengi..."She was constantly weeping..
"kyun daantengi pagal..chalo..so jao..subah nikalenge na..haan??.."He cajoled her in arms...
Within a few minutes, she fell asleep..
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Next morning:
Kumkum is fast asleep, feeling weak...Dr.Tina visits for a checkup.."Hi kumkum..!!"...
She opens her eyes weakly...trying to get up...
"Dr. raat ko 6 baar vomitting hui..phir abhi soyi hai ..raat bhar uneasiness hoti rahi..."Sumit makes her sit properly...
"I understand Mr.Wadhwa....bas aakhri injection hai na..."Dr.Tina takes her temperature...
Kumkum closes her eyes. resting her head on his shoulder...Sumit kisses her head softly...
"Its fine...weakness hai..isiliye temperature bhi down hai abhi...but 2-3 din mein theek ho jayega..."Dr.Tina pats her back...
"Dr.Thankyou very much...aapne hamare liye.."Sumit thanks her...
"Bas Mr. Wadhwa..after all it was a deal..chutku ka nickname will me of my choice..."Tina winks..
Sumit chuckles, seeing kumkum smile...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sumit and kumkum are on their way back to home...Sumit holds her hand and kisses it.."kumkum?..baccha?...sab theek hai na..??"...
She was crying..."Sumit...main is baar..iss baar..agar..agar iss baar kuch nahin hua...toh ..main..main conceive kar paoongi na..?.."
Sumit stops the car ..and hugs her tightly.."kya ho gaya mere bacche?..."
Kumkum breaks down into fresh tears...Sumit understands what she's going through...and kisses her face...
"Kyun pareshaan ho abhi se..?..mera munna...aise pareshaan thodi na hote hain...arrey...bas ye socho..ki hamein saath rehna hai...okay?...ab aage jo hota hai wo bhagwaan ne jo hamare liye chuna hoga...wo hi hoga..aur..u noe..bhagwaan hamare liye kabhie kuch bura nahin sochenge..."He wipes her tears..
"Accha...chalo..rona band..aur idhar aao.."He lifts her face...
"Ek kaam karo..main na..apko backseat par leta doonga, aap kuch der so jao...journey ki thakan hogi na...main jaanta hun..body tut rahi hogi...rest kar lo ab ok???"
She agrees and Sumit makes her lie at the back....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Finding her in a slumber, deep sleep, he takes her in arms, slowly and walks inside....
"Sumit...aa gaya tu.."a voice calls...
"Buaji.."He looks on....
"Ye kya tareeka hai..neeche utaar usko..."She frowns..
"Buajee...uski tabiyat kharaab hai...gehri neend mein hai abhi...."He speaks softly, trying hard not to wake her up...
"ohhoo...neend khulne se koi marr nahin jata hai..."She comments...
"Buajee..."Sumit retorts...
"Ye hi asar pada hai tum par...shaadi hone ka...bado ke diye sanskaar bhula diye tumhaari patni ne..."She complains, waking Kumkum from her sleep...
"Sun...Sumit..."She looks at him...
"UTARO NEECHE USE..."Buajee shouts...
Kumkum places her feet on the floor, feeling slightly dizzy.Taking his support, she stands back...."Bu..buajee"...
"naa hi pranaam karna aata hai..na namaste aur naa hi pair chuna...pata nahin kya kaalaa jaadu kiya tha isne hamare sumit par....dekha tune..Dilli wali bahu..uske 2 bete hain aaj..shaadi ke 4 saal baad..
aur yahaan..."she sighs..
Unable to contain herself, she sobs badly and runs to her room..."Kumkum?.."Sumit looks at her, and runs after her...
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Bindi
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