Part 22
" Dadi... Please stay strong... please be with me... You have been my pillar all these years... In the absence of mom-dad you have been my sole gaurdian for me... But you need to face this reality... Its that... Mom-dad's accident... It was not an accident... Balraj had done it... He got them killed..." Rishabh blurted out as he couldnt get how to tell her that in this situation, he carefully looked at her face, studying every changing expression.
"I KNOW" Dadi said with a straight and hard face, while Rishabh was knocked out of his senses... He looked at his dadi with wide eyes unable to say anything. Dadi looked at Balraj with narrowed eyes "I know this man killed my son" she said disgusted.
" But... wha" Rishabh tried to get words out of his mouth but couldnt. He was just baffled at what he heard.
Dadi looked at him with a loving face. "Rishabh... Yes... I knew it... I am a mother... I know what happens around my home. But I wish I had known in time... I had come to know about this man's crime long back. I couldnt do anything, it was all gone.. Everything had slipped out of my hands by then like sand... My one son had killed the other. I cant understand where I went wrong in teaching him. Why.. This anguish... has been killing me"
" Why didnt you tell me..." Rishabh said exasperated
"What could I tell you Rishabh... I am the one to be held reponsible. i felt guilty in front of you. I felt guilty that you lost your parents. This man who is to be called my son, has scarred my existance." Tears rolled down her eyes.
"You are not responsible. Its not fault... please... "
Dadi smiled through her tears and caressed his hair. "Rishabh I was waiting for you... waiting for you to understand, to face it. Instead of running away from the cruel reality. "
" I am sorry Dadi... I was so engrossed in myself.. that I couldnt see you.. I should have noticed you... I should have talked to you. I should have been there... I should have been there to support you.. " Rishabh tightened his grip on her hand.
"You did support me... You were there... And why are you saying sorry... you were just trying to protect me... You were being a good son.." Dadi smiled at him and caressed his cheek.
Balraj was now slowly moving towards the door, trying to sneak out of the room. As he was about to run out of the room, he bumped into something.
"I think you have some unfinished business, Dad..." Sikky said as he stood infront of him.
"Sikkky!" Balraj says trying to understand why he is so much against his own father.
" you will have to pay for all of our's pains.. " Rishabh said as he stood up.
"Rishabh, lets talk it out... I know I have been a fool... I did the worst things in life... ma... I am sorry... I ruined your lives... I am sorry... I apologize for all my deeds... Lets move on... We will start a new life... I promise I will give you all everything... I will make up for all of it..." Balraj looked at Rishabh intently as he apologized
" Dont you dare utter a word more... your sorrys wont work... now that you see you are trapped you remembered our sorrows that you put us in... you will pay for what you did to mom-dad, to Dadi... to me and to Madhu..."
"Madhu??" What he did to Madhu... Dadi said getting worried suddenly
"That accident Dadi... which killed mom dad... even Madhu's parents were there.. they were with Mom-Dad... But they SURVIVED.. " Rishabh said raising an eyebrow at Balraj.
"Alive..? Malik is alive?" Balraj said getting confused.
" yes... they are alive... "
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Rishabh and Sikky were now lying on Dadi's lap. It had been quite some time since they were sitting together. They had got Balraj arrested that time. Rishabh was feelling a feeling that he hadnt felt since long. He didn't know how to react now. He was just lost in thoughts he didnt know about.
Dadi felt happy and contented seeing her grandsons reunited and lying togther. She had always felt bad for the two. She knew that Rishabh hated Balraj for what he did, even she hated him though couldnt show it. But she knew Sikky was out of all this. Rishabh's behavior with Sikky had always hurt her the most. But now seeing them together she felt good.
"Bhai..." Sikky said as he turned to him.
"hmmm "
"Did you tell mam about all this... She also needs to know it"
"ohh yeah right... How could this slip my mind... she must be getting worried about whats happening here... " Rishabh said getting up suddenly. He took out his cellphone and dialled her number. " and by the way... I think its time you stop calling her mam.. " Rishabh said with a chuckle reminding Sikky what he had told Madhu about calling her Bhabhi.
Sikky smiled widely with excitement. "Ooo"
"Rishabh wait..." Dadi called from behind. "This is not something to be told on telephone. We should go to them. And moreover I want to meet Padmini ji... I need to apologize to her, her family has faced all these conditions because of my son... I need to meet her.. "
" you want to meet her that part is cool... but you apologize.. thats wrong... you dont need to apologize. Its none of your fault " Rishabh said to her warningly.
"Okay fine..." Dadi smiled at him.
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Rishabh and Dadi entered the hospital. Dadi was a little nervoua to face Padmini while Rishabh was excited to tell Madhu the news. Rishabh struggled to keep his steps slow to accompany Dadi. They entered the private ward and saw them sitting. Padmini was reading some book while Madhu was sitting with her cellphone in hand. She was looking at her cellphome as if waiting for something.
" Hey Madhu..." Rishabh exclaimed.
Madhu jerked at the voice amd looked up. Padmini turned towards the door and saw RK with an elderly woman.
" RK!!" Madhu looked at him shocked. " I was waiting for your call... why didnt you call me... I thought you would tell me... "
RK chuckled. "I was calling you but Dadi said we should tell this personally..."
Madhu looked at Dadi. She hadnt noticed her as she was nervous about RK confronting Balraj. Madhu immediately went towards her and bent to touch her feet, suddenly she had felt the need of touching her feet. She didnt know whether it was because of the fact that she was mother of Malik's friend or because she was RK's Dadi and she had been in dreams of being with him.
Dadi blessed her. Padmini came close to her and greeted her. "Madhu, let them in first..." padmini said as she noticed Madhu again opening her mouth to ask something that Padmini couldnt understand.
" Congrats Madhu... we did it..." Rishabh said as he entered the room, getting excited.
Madhu got delighted hearing him and couldnt help jumping. The next thing Madhu noticed was that suddenly Rishabh was very close to her, wait not close she is hugging him. Suddenly Madhu realised that she was hugging RK that too infront of his Dadi and her mom. While Rishabh's happiness had doubled by this onslaught of Madhu he couldnt help but hug her back.
Madhu jumped out of his embrace as she realised where they were. " I am so thick headed" she mumbled to hereself, while Rishabh chuckled hearing her.
"Thanks for that.." Rishabh whispered to her making her blush.
"well... so Balraj is caught and he is behind bars now..." Rishabh said grinning widely. Madhu's eyes widened with delight but suddenly she controlled her excitement as she turned towards Dadi nervously
"She knows everything... "
"ooh.. " Madhu still felt nervous, obviously she cant rejoice her son's arrest infront of her.
"What are you two talking about...?" Padmini who was standing with Dadi and watching the two getting all excited interrupted the two as she could no longer hold her curiosity.
Dadi turned towards Padmini. "Padmini ji... Didnt Madhu tell you anything?" Dadi asked not able to believe that could keep such a news from her mother.
"I cant understand... What should she have told me?" Padmini asked getting confused.
"You have a wonderful daughter Padmini ji... She is really a gem.. I cant believe she didnt tell you about it. I know Balraj being my son and Rishabh's uncle must have made her keep it away from you... I wish I had given such morals to my children, I wouldnt have to face this day."
Padmini was now listening intently and worriedly.
"Rishabh told me that your husband was Mohan's friend and you were presentt with my son and Radha at the time of accident..." Dadi told her the whole thing and how Balraj was behind their accident. Padmini was shocked to hear it.
"I am to apologize to you... Because of my son your husband is..." her voice croaked before she could complete.
Padmini came out of her shock on hearing her teary voice."Please... dont say that... of course its not your fault. You must not think like that..." padmini assurd her and held her hand.
"Hearing this, it reminds me... Mohan ji did mention about his younger brother that night, but it didnt seem that there could be any problem between the two. He was praising him."
" There was no problem aunty... it was just that Balraj grew greedy... and he thought that money was more than all thesee relations that he lost because of that" Rishabh said.
Madhu couldnt help but notice the calm in his voice this time unlike before when he used to grow aagitated while talking of Balraj or about the accident. It was always as if he is holding back a storm inside of him but now he was talking about it calmly.
Rishabh felt Madhu's gaze on him and turned towards her. Madhu smiled through her tears as their eyes met. Rishabh smiled back at her though he didnt know what made Madhu smile. He believed that she is happy for Balraj getting punished.
He stood up and walked inside Malik's room. He sat down at the stool beside his bed and held his hand. "Your culprit has been brought to justiice, I have fulfilled my promise. " He sat with Malik for sometime as being with him made him feel that he was with his father. He felt tranquility.
Dadi looked at him amazed. She couldnt think that he was the same Rishabh who had become so hard in the last 6 years. She looked at Madhu and smiled. What she had thought was correct. Madhu did change him back to RK from Mr. Rishabh Kundra.
Padmini and Dadi talked for sometime, while Rishabh was getting nervous to have some time alone with Madhu.
" Madhu... did you have had lunch.?"
" No..."
" Come lets get some lunch for us.." RK said as he got up and held Madhu's hand dragging her out of the room.
Madhu felt awkward the way he took her out of the room infront of Dadi and Padmini. But the two had just smiled seeing them.
" Oh my God Madhu... I was dying to talk to you" Rishabh said exasperated as they came out of the room.
Madhu smiled hearing him and forgot about Dadi and ma... " Ohh... And why is that so" She asked him wanting him to say something like thatt again..
" This whole plan worked sooo great... and you were right Madhu... Sikky is not like his father... If he wasnt there it would have been difficult to get the truth out of Balraj that too in sober condition..." Rishabh was so excited. "you know the police said its impossible for him to get out of this now... "
Madhu looked at him with wide eyed amazement. "Congrats RK.. I am so happy "
" Naa... plain congrats wont work..." Rishabh said getting serious
" Then... I cant understand"
" This is something really big Madhu... you have to finish that you had left incomplete at that time... those were some manners to congratulate for something this big." he smirked naughtily reminding her about the hug.
"shut up RK... That was pure mistake.. " Madhu said blushing and at the same time teasing him.
" Hugging me is a mistake for you..." Rishabh said acting as if hurt.
" awww... you are such a baby" Madhu said as she hugged him.
Rishabh felt excited and content at the same time. He was smiling widely.
Madhu tried to part away but felt Rishabh hugging her tightly and didnt let her move away from the embrace "RK... we had come to get lunch.. "
" Lunch...? What lunch?"
" RK... I wont ever hug you again if you would do like this..." Mahu warned him naughtily
Rishabh quickly left her while she bit her lip to control her laughter.
" so... what are we getting for lunch...?" Rishabh said trying to hide his embarrassment.
Madhu laughed at him and walked ahead while Rishabh followed her.
"you know RK the way you behave, people might think I am your boss " Madhu said teasing him. They were now standing at the restaurant counter and waiting for the food.
"Haa... I do that intentionally you see... " Rishabh said confidentally.
" huh... Why is that so" Madhu got confused. She had thought RK would get offended but instead he is saying he did that intentionally
" Oh come on Madhu... I had been bossing over you all our college life... Do you think I am so bad a person to not give a small chance even." Rishabh said smiling naughtily.
" Ohh paleez... We know who bossed who... " Madhu says getting offended
"of course we know... thats what I said.. "
"You never bossed me.. okay.. even now you cant... "
Rishabh smirked naughtily seeing her offended.
"That sexy smirk of yours would do no good okay... " Madhu said as she waved her hand in dismissal and looked at the other side.
Madhu got shocked as her words reached her ears. What did she say... why she speaks that much. She moved her eyeballs to the corner of her eyes to see RK's ecpression if he heard it ir not. And there it was. A big grin was plastered on his face and his eyes were opened wide. He looked like teenage whose eyes tend to pop out seeing the latest car model. She rolled back her eyes and cursed herself.
Rishabh broke into a laughter seeing the series of expression change on her face. Madhu looked at him with a frown expecting him to hold down his laughter, but it made the situation worse. He laughed even more. Her own smile was now threatening to twist her lips so she held her muscles more tightly and narrowed her eyes at him. Rishabh now controlled himself and pursed his lips tightly.
" Better.." Madhu said looking at him still with her frown
" Ahummm.. By the way thanks for the compliment" Rishabh said with total sincerety
This time Madhu couldnt help but blush.
" You are so cute Madhu..."
Madhu looked up at him as she smiled.
Their food was handed to them and they went back to hospital. By the time they reached they came back, Dadi and Padmini already behaved like Mother-daughter. They all had their lunch together.
After lunch, Dadi and Rishabh stood up to leave.
"Please do keep coming.. It was really nice to have a motherly figure like you.." Padmini said as she waved them good bye.
"I would see to it that we do keep on having our meets.. " Dadi assured her. "After all... Shamsher and Mohan were friends... My son's friend is not less than a son to me.."
They bid each other good bye. While Madhu went to see them off outside.
Rishabh made Dadi sit in the car on the passenger seat. When she had sat he turned towards Madhu.
" Madhu.. No need to come to office tomorrow... "
"But why... There is a lot of work " Madhu argues not likjng the idea of staying away from him for another day
" we will do all that later on"
" But why" Madhu said exasperated.
"Because I want you to come with me tomorrow... I need to show you something... "
