Last Part
Arnav's eyes jerked open. He stood up and running a numb hand over his face, he lurched towards the Doctor, who had just came out of the OT.
"Doctor, how is Khushi? Is she alright? Can I see her?" His earnest eyes looked at the Doctor impatiently.
"The bleeding has stopped. But ..."
"But what?" his heart clogged with fear.
"The problem is her pregnancy , Mr.Raizada. We can't wait for her due date now. We have to go for cesarean delivery."
"Cesarean ... But ... But ... Her gynecologist said she will have a normal delivery." The worry muddled mind spoke.
"She must have. But you can see nothing is normal now. She has a cut on her wrist, and had lost huge amount of blood, which is not only not good for her but also puts the baby in danger. We have no choice, Mr. Raizada. Please give your consent and we will start the operation."
Arnav stared at the Doctor, the devastation drawn on his face.
"I think you should do what is best, without wasting any time."
Arnav heard that voice and even in this state, he felt anger bubbling inside him instantly. He moved to his right.
"You. You have no say in this. Stay out." His red eyes, left burning with hot tears, glared at him.
"Chhote.." Anjali moved forward to stand in between her brothers.
"Chhote, he is right. We can't afford to waste a single minute. Let the Doctor do what they think is right for Khushi and the baby." She kept her comforting hand on his shoulder.
Arnav turned to look at the Doctor.
"Nothing will happen to Khushi, right? She will be fine" Arnav asked.
"We can't tell for sure, Mr.Raizada. But if we don't go for cesarean delivery then it will be dangerous for both, the mother and the baby."
"What do you mean by, you can't tell for SURE!!" Arnav blasted. "I want my wife safe, do you get me. I WANT HER SAFE!"
Anjali took his hand in her.
"Doctor, you go ahead with the operation. I will sign the required papers. " Anjali said to the Doctor and nodding his head at her, Doctor again entered the OT.
"Chhote, iss waqt bhi itna gussa? What is wrong with you? He helped you and you ..."
"He has no say in my matter. He is an outsider , not my family , who will go around giving me advices. "
Anjali closed her eyes and gave up. No one can handle him. Leaving his hand, she turned towards Agam. Taking his hand in her, she went and sat on the bench, pulling Agam to sit beside her.
"Don't talk to him, Agam. And when the matter is related to Khushi, he doesn't like anyone's interference, not even me." She lifted her eyes to look at her Chhote, whose desperate eyes looked through the small glass window of the OT door, anxiously looking for a glimpse of his life lying inside.. "He had lost many things , Agam. His precious things were snatched away from him, leaving behind no explanation to why it was snatched. And this is the reason he was always protective towards me. He fears losing me. This fear of losing me had made him do things which I know my Chhote will never do. But that fear made him do those things. And he had never allowed anyone near his heart, because he always believed that the ones close to your heart has the colossal power to hurt you. But Khushi made her way in his heart and not only a place, she conquered his whole heart. I have seen his pain when he sees Khushi in pain. I have seen the devastating look on his face at the mere mention of Khushi leaving him. She has become his world, a world his life revolves around. Now he knows no world except Khushi. He lives in a constant fear, fear of losing her. And a mere thought of losing her breaks him, he has no control of what he does and what he says." She took Agam's hand between her hand. "Sometimes I am too scared for him. Now he don't know how to live without Khushi, and God forbid if something happens to her then ... then ..he . . His beautiful life is like a ... like a house of cards we use to make in our childhood. We make it, clap with excitement when it stands without falling. But the fear of its collapsing is always there. Our life is like a house of card, we don't know till when it will stand and when it will collapse. And he lives in the constant fear of his house collapsing. "
Agam squeezed her hand, trying to comfort her.
"She will be fine,... Nothing will happen to her. She is a very strong woman .." Agam smiled , which reflected in his voice and made Anjali look at him.
"Our first meeting was at the mall, where she called me a kidnapper. She thought I was kidnapping her son. And then we meet in my party, were she tamed the ragging lion in front of me. She loves her family and she will fight even the God to be with them. The fighting tigress she is. "
A chuckle broke through her tears.
"She is. I know she will be fine. She will fight." She looked at Arnav, still standing in the same position. "Not for her , but for that man and the infant breathing inside her. " she again looked at Agam. "And for the one at home. I have not told him anything. Can't handle both father and son at the same time. "
It's been 6 hours and no one was coming out of the OT. Arnav's eyes remained glued to the OT door, shutting down all other thoughts. He just stared at the door through is impatient and desperate eyes, just wanting the man in white coat to emerge and say that his Khushi is fine.
Anjali saw the Doctor coming out of the OT and was beside Arnav in no time.
"Doctor, how is Khushi?" Arnav shot immediately.
"Mr.Raizada" The Doctor smiled. "Not only Khushi, the baby is fine too." Doctor gave the good news.
Arnav felt himself being enveloped in a warm hug, the news still taking time to settle down.
"Both are fine, but due to premature birth, the baby is slightly under weight and as she is a preemie, you need to take extra care. Our nurse will fill you with everything. And your wife is under the effect of sedative. We will shift her in the special ward and then you can meet her. Baby is also going under few tests, so you can't meet her too. "
Anjali pulled away from the hug, which was not reciprocated. She looked at Arnav , who was staring at Doctor. She cupped his face and made him look at her.
"Khushi is fine, your baby is fine, Chhote." Anjali said, barely controlling her happiness.
"Khushi ... Khushi is fine ..." he again turned his face to look at the Doctor.
"Yes, she is fine and the baby too." Doctor smiled and patting his shoulder, left the place.
"Khushi is fine,..." he looked at his sister. "Khushi is fine, Di.." he smiled as few drops rolled down his cheek.
Anjlai nodded her head.
"Khushi is fine and so is the baby. Now come and sit. After shifting her to another room, they will call us. Come" she took his hand and dragged him to the bench.
Anjali looked to her right and smiled at Agam. Bending towards Agam, she whispered in his ear.
"Khushi is fine. And Doctor addressed the baby as she' , so you have become a proud uncle of your niece. Congratulations." Anjali gave her sweet smile mixed with naughtiness.
Agam smiled and nodded his head, accepting the greeting.
The three sat in silence, waiting for someone to come and tell them to meet the one, who is dear to them.
Arnav was the first on to jump to his feet as he saw a nurse coming to a halt in front of them. But the name she took made him stare at her with confusion.
"Is Mr. Agam Bajpai here? " The nurse asked.
Anjali and Agam too stood up, looking at the nurse confused.
"Is he there?" The nurse asked again.
"He is there..." Anjali answered.
"Ohh. The patient wants to meet him." the nurse informed.
"What!" Arnavs shocked voice filled the empty corridor.
"Yes. She said, she wants to meet Mr.Bajpai."
"But ... why?... why will she ..."
Anjali kept her hand on his shoulder.
"Arnav, if Khushi wants to meet Agam then let her see"
"But Di?"
Anjali shook her head.
"Trust Khushi. If she wants to meet Agam then it must be something important. Let him see her"
Arnav's jaw clenched as his red eyes looked at Agam.
"Agam you go.." Anjali said.
Agam, who himself was confused, on hearing his sister's voice nodded his head. Giving a last look at his sister and brother, he followed the nurse.
Arnav glared at Agam's back till he disappeared from his sight.
Agam pushed opened the door and entered inside. He looked at the big hospital bed. She lay there, looking so fragile and weak, yet her face glowing with serenity. Closing the door, he moved towards her.
Khushi's ear caught the faint voice of footstep and she opened her weak eyes.
"Khushi..." he sat beside her and his eyes immediately peeked inside the crib kept beside her bed.
"It was you ..."
Agam heard her soft voice and his gaze shifted from the wonder his eyes was drinking, to Khushi.
"It was you ... who carried me from that room?" Khushi asked, her face lulling to her right, too weak and tired.
Agam nodded his head.
Khushi smiled weakly.
"I know it was not Arnav ji ... " she smiled. She faintly remembered the voices and someone lifting her, but it was not her Arnav ji. It was not his touch.
"Thank you ..." she smiled and looked at the crib. "For saving me and my baby... and my Arnav ji too ..." Her deep eyes reflected her heartfelt gratitude.
Agam smiled at her and his hand lifted to pat her head.
"No need to thank me. I did that ..." Agam stopped. He don't know why he did that. Why he helped Arnav? He looked at Khushi. Or maybe he knows? Was it for Arnav or for him? For his pining heart?
Agam's eyes shifted from her knowing eyes and landed on the crib. He shifted slightly to the edge of the bed and peeked inside the crib.
Awestruck! He was left awestruck! Gorgeous! Never in his 36 year of life he had looked at this serene sight.
His hand lifted on its own accord, but stopped mid-air. He turned to look at Khushi.
"May I?" Agam asked, not knowing if he is allowed to touch the precious thing that lay cuddled in a safe cocoon.
Khushi nooded her head, smiling.
"You saved her. Aap unke bade papa hain. Haq hai aapka"
Bending over the crib, he picked his niece with his slightly trembling hand. He had never held such precious and beautiful thing.
"She ... She is so beautiful .. so tiny ... so fragile... " Agam looked at the bundle in his arms, mesmerized. Soon his molten eye reflected the worry. He looked at Khushi. "Doctor said she is a preemie, we have to take extra care, am I holding her correct? She is so light ... so tiny ... " he again looked at God's wonder.
"You are holding her alright. " Khushi smiled. "Arnav ji will be mad at me. I know that, but I wanted to have a talk with you. "
Agam looked at Khushi. Keeping the baby beside Khushi, he again looked at her.
"What it is? Tell me." Agam asked.
Khushi closed her eyes to compose herself and gather some strength. She opened her eyes to look in his concerned one, so like her Arnav ji.
"I ... I .. I mean Arnav ji had told me that ... That you ... you ... you ..."
"That I love you?"
Khushi's wide eyes stared at him.
"No ...I mean...yes.. ... I mean ... It's... it's so weird ... Hume pata hai pyaar soch samajh kar nahi kiya jaata ... if that was the case then I would have never fallen in love with Arnav Singh Raizada. It just happens ... I know that ... But still ... I mean you are Arnav ji's brother..." she averted her bashful eyes from him.
"I know ..."he lifted his eyes to look at Khushi, who was not looking at him. "I have no explanation for that. As you told, it happened. And I had no control on that. Believe me, I fought all those alien emotions that were tussling inside me. But as always, I failed." He caught the implausibly tiny fingers of his niece in his hand. "I was here for ... I don't know for what I was here ... What I wanted? What I was searching for? I was jealous. Jealous of Arnav and Anjali. Because I thought they had everything, I was deprived of. But now when I think of that, it seems so silly. Even if they had what I don't, still I have no reason to hate them. That day when I saw Arnav, unconscious in his car, I realized that I don't really hate him. When I met Anjali for the first time, hate was on even on my mind. I was running behind some illusion. A illusion which has no touch with reality. " He looked at Khushi, whose teary eyes was now looking at him.
"And in all this, you happened..." he laughed. "I think Arnav knows better than me He saw it coming before I can even feel it. Guess, that's because he himself has experienced this? Fighting with emotions you have no control at. And in the end those emotions defeat you. May be this is the reason I saw that fear always on his face. He feared losing you to anything under the sun and here I was a walking , talking human. And today I understood how deep rooted that fear is. A fear you have no cure to. His fear has a tinge of insecurity in it. I can feel that. He is insecure ... insecurity is always floating in his eyes ... He is afraid of losing you ... he is afraid of losing everything dear to him. Insecurity in an alien concept for me, Khushi. Arnav had been loved, he has seen love, he knows what love is and now he has someone who loves him. And he fears losing you. And this fear and insecurity is deep rooted in him. I have never known what love is, my parents never got time to love me. And for others I was too meager to love " his lips stretched in a rueful smile. "So I don't know what is the fear of losing someone. I don't know how one can be insecure. And after today, I think it will be better if I leave and never come back again."
Khushi's eyes jerked up to meet his.
"What? Agam ji, by all this, I didn't meant that I want you to leave your own family. I want you to be a part of our little family. "
"Which can never happen, Khushi."
"Why? Why it can't happen?"
"You know the reason. I can never hide the emotions that start floating in my eyes as soon I see you. And Arnav can never erase the fear and insecurity. So it will be better for me, for you and for Arnav if I leave. "
Khushi had no retort for that. She had wanted to thank him, to talk about what Arnav ji had said about his feelings for her. But she never wanted this solution. She doesn't want to be the obstacle between him and his family.
"Don't think too much, Khushi. This is best for everyone. Don't think that I am leaving because of you. It's just that I want to leave now. May be someday I can come back again.." he smiled looking down at her.
Khushi's worried face relaxed.
"I will be waiting for that day."
Bending, he kissed her forehead.
"Till then, bye.."
A tear rolled down her pale cheek.
"I never wanted to..."
"Shh... I know ... If anyone is at fault, then it's me. No one else."
"I hope you find someone who loves you ..." Khushi wished and prayed for him.
Agam laughed.
"Really hard to find. Everyone one is not lucky like Arnav Singh Raizada." He looked at the infant in front of him and picked her. "He has three beautiful girls in his life."
"You too have. Di loves you. And I am sure the one in your arms will also love you."
Agam looked at his niece, his eyes brimming with sudden tears.
"I have already fallen for her." he smiled. "I am proud that I am the first one to hold her. And I am going to brag about this my whole life. And Arnav will get one more reason to hate me."
Khushi chuckled.
Keeping the infant near her mother, he kissed her forehead and stood up.
"Bye. Take care of my niece. Tell her she has a uncle, I am sure Arnav is not going to tell her that."
Khushi giggled through her tears.
"I will..."
Giving one of his rare smile to Khushi, he left the room with a heavy heart and a big lump in his throat.
And it was not even a second , when she saw someone barging in the room. With a loud sigh, she closed her eyes.
"Khsuhi!" he sat beside her and looked at her bandaged hand. "Khushi, you are fine, right? How are you feeling? Are you feeling ok? Is there any pain? I am sorry ..."
Khushi's opened eyes closed again. There he goes again.
"I am sorry ... I had promised to protect you ... To never allow any hurt near you .. but it happened and I am sorry .. I am sorry, Khushi .. please say something ... Say you are alright."
"I am alright, Arnav ji. I am fine. No need to start your sorry express again. I don't understand you. Pehle toh ek sorry nahi bola jaata tha aapse and now see, so many sorry in one sentence."
"You are alright?" he asked, voice full of tears.
Khushi nodded her head.
"I am fine. See, I am talking to you."
Arnav hugged her, careful not to put any weight on her.
"You scared me. I was so scared. Oh my God! I felt like I will die any second. You scared me, dammit!"
Khushi's hand lifted to caress his hair.
"Devi Maiya yaad aagayi Arnav Singh Raizada ko?" Khushi chuckled. " Did you really thought I am going to leave you. Hadn't I promised you that I am never going to leave you? Now stop this, you are Arnav Singh Raizada not some crying baby. Don't you want to meet your daughter?"
Arnav immediately pulled away from the hug.
Khushi gestured towards the crib.
Arnav looked inside the crib and the sight he saw left him enthralled. He extended his hand and picked his daughter.
"She weights nothing Khushi..." he looked at Khushi. "Doctor said she is slightly underweight but she is so light ... so tiny ..." He stared at the gift in his arms.
"All babies are light weight, Arnav ji. And all babies are tiny too..."
Arnav shifted his eyes from his daughter and narrowed at Khushi.
"You allowed that Agam to pick my daughter. He told me , your daughter is very beautiful and also that he is the first one to pick her. You should have not done that. Now he is going to brag about this all his life. "
Khushi's laughter reverberated in the room.
Arnav looked at her , laughing and giggling. His lips too stretched into a smile.
"I love you .. Thank you ... Thank you for everything, Khushi..." bending down, he kissed her lips, the tears filling his closed eyes again and dread still intact, but the feel of her breath against his, soothing his heart and caressing his troubled soul.
Hope you all liked the update :)
Last part of my first story on IF :( Emotional speech coming up with epilogue😆
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