Arakshi Mini-FF: Don't Fall.Rise in Love! (Completed) - Page 3

I am confuse
But still it was amazing
Love it
Thanks for pm
Update soon

nice update
ok so rosh died in plane crash and arjun was driving to her fav place and then he hit sakshi
and lost his memory
but then how sakshi ended up at that hill and why is she playing the roll of roshani 🤔
thanks for pm

Part-4:

A person's mind is too powerful. We can invent, create, experience and destroy things with thoughts only.

-Shakespeare.

The rising:

This time once sat down she said, "Doctor, we've to stop this."

"Calm down. We'll talk this out."

He tried to calm her.

"Doctor, please tell her," her voice fell in to a whisper.

"I'll be the one to tell her, Ayesha, if we decide to tell her. It's just a weak spell. Now she is all right," he said, it had both a warning and a reassurance.

Ayesha could not remove the scene she witnessed a moment before, from her mind.

She tried again, "He'll be discharged soon, right, doctor?"

"Of course. He won't be here a day more than he really needs," he smiled to himself.

She ignored the comment.

"He'll go to a house, right?"

"Yes, they'll."

She could not control her emotions then.

"Then, what if, he- I-I- mean what if they-"

She avoided his eyes and stopped short.

This time the doctor did not laugh, but talked clearly.

"Trust me, Ayesha, when I said them that lie, I was an uncle to her and a doctor to him. As I felt responsible, I did adopt her. When I had to answer Arjun I didn't just point a hand toward her and wash my hands. I could have arranged someone temporarily for the job, but as I realized it was not a job, after all and thought it should be permanent, I didn't.

She needed someone as he did. I told her there was really someone for her in life, much before I told her about Arjun. It worked like magic, you know. She came out of depression all at once.

In his case, he wanted his life back, full, but he did not know what it was.

I can see your concern, Ayesha, I've got a promise from Arjun, that not to touch her without her consent, that she was weak,"

Ayesha glared at that-who seemed to showing sympathy for the old man.

"Wait, he is my son and he is a man of his words, if you can see. You can ask, what if with her consent," her eyes showed her hatred now.

"Don't worry he will never refrain from his responsibilities."

"If she gets her memory then?" she challenged, she could not understand how a doctor could talk like this.

"She'll be with me as my daughter. If she wishes she'll be with Arjun, if she could realize the important of the lie her uncle told for her life- to save her life. It could have been a mere face, if I had just told her about someone else and informed her later that, that someone was a lie, instead of showing Arjun.

It was my greed, you can say, to use Arjun. Now they are doing well, you know, they are inseparable."

Now her anger got yet another shade toward brightness.

"What if he got back his memory first? Don't say, he won't, you are just practicing medicine remember," She warned him.

"Do you think, he'd lose a love again?"

It sounded crazy to her. It seemed as though the doctor was merely trying to convince her and trying to cover what he had done. But the problem was she could not make him admit.

"What if he got that she was nothing but a cheater, from the first?"

She said sullenly.

"He can't since she is not. He is not a fool-"

"God, what if he thought he used her? What about her heart then? Can't you see whatever the reasons you claim, it's about love and faith and dreams and emotions. It's about family."

"What if I made Arjun promise once again, in front of you that he would never touch her in that sense, with or without her consent, if that is what annoys you?"

"Uncle..." she whispered.

"That's right."

He smiled.

He said a moment later, giving her time to recover, "I know it's a building of cards, Ayesha," his voice was dead calm then, "But I'm building it with love and faith, for dreams and emotions to flow in. We hope for the best, leave to God the rest. They might want to avoid me- they might think me as an enemy, but not each other. Since one day they'd come to know, it was not their mistake," he took a breath, "All I want is their happiness now and later," he added, "And I'll do anything that I can."

#

The Uncle's Story!

When he had thought, at least her health was improving she showed a different sign.

Sakshi was hysteric and Arjun's health showed no improvement.

He had to run to both the rooms. He had to console himself and Sakshi as well.

Doctors said her condition was better physically, but mentally she was becoming a patient again.

It was getting worse, when he entered in to her room.

The word that she had someone in this world made her quiet. She started listening to him. As if she was on the verge of drowning, she was grasping each word he uttered then, as a life guard.

If he was visiting her once a day before, now he was staying there beside her.

She started recovering from her depression soon.

He then, never entered her room with his doctor's coat on.

"Come and see how busy I'm lately. Then you won't blame me for visiting you once in a while. You don't know that I'm coming here daily from the day one, right?" he said.

She shook her head.

"You'd be sleeping most of the time, and because of my tight schedule I could not come here often dear, and can you understand that?"

She nodded.

"From now you can call me 'uncle', if you think I can deserve it."

"Yes, uncle."

She accepted him at once with a smile.

It was after a week that, he told her about Arjun, her husband -and his illness too.

It was the moment she both loved and hated her uncle at the same time.

Then she realized that he was really her uncle through her husband.

She would never forget how he entered her new life slowly and meticulously worked his way to tell her about Arjun.

On the day, he opened his eyes Arjun made his uncle run to the ICU, yet again.

He saw his uncle and smiled.

"Arjun!" - his uncle whispered.

He could give God anything for granting this moment. When the doctors had warned that his head injury would cause consequences, he was now smiling at him, extending a hand toward him.

He took it quickly and said emotionally, "Arjun, you're all right. You are fine. You know-"

"How is she?" was Arjun's first whisper.

"She is fine, Arjun. Just small minor injuries. Now she is all right."

"Where is she?"

"She is in her room," the door opened, "You can see her once-"

Arjun eagerly turned his head toward the door and called out, "Roshini!"

JULIET

What time tomorrow should I send a messenger to you?

ROMEO

By nine o'clock

JULIET

I won't fail. From now until then seems like twenty years. I have forgotten why I called you back

ROMEO

Let me stand here until you remember your reason.

JULIET

I'll forget it, and you'll have to stand there forever. I'll only remember how much I love your company.

ROMEO

I'll keep standing here, even if you keep forgetting. I'll forget that I have any home besides this spot right here.

The rising:

"Promise me you won't leave me alone,"

"And you promise me you will trust me more."

They clutched their hands and with that they came to normal.

"Now who is the patient here?"

"Mm.. you?"

"Then why are you lying here? Come on we'll go to my room."

"No, doctor will-" her face lost its color, she sat up suddenly, "Arjun, you are bleeding," she showed him his bandaged hand. There was a new leak of blood soaking the bandage.

"Oh, it's nothing. You know it's not even paining. Do, one thing I'll go, see the doctor and come you just lay down here ok? Just take some rest," he moved to the door, "I'll send a nurse," he was gone.

She tried to climb down from the bed, when he returned and said, "No, just close your eyes. I'll be right back, ok?"

She nodded weakly.

Now he had to search the doctor.

He felt dizzy. He put a hand on the wall and stood still for a moment.

He realized that he hadn't had anything from the evening.

He thought it was time to go back to tube food as he saw a ward boy.

He waved a hand and caught his attention.

He then arranged a trip in a wheel chair and reached his room.

One the doctor dressed the wound with a frown he asked to see his uncle at once.

His uncle came in with Ayesha in trail.

"Good evening, sir. How do you feel now?"

"Fantastic, especially with the new saline bottle."

She smiled at that quietly.

He turned to his uncle, "Uncle, please send someone to her room and tell her that I'm coming in a minute."

"But you can't-"

"Yes, I know. Just tell her this before giving her the night injection she'll be waiting for me, or otherwise. Please,"

His uncle gave a look at Ayesha as though to say, see them!'

"Tell the night nurse to come and see me once. I've to ask her to wake me up in the morning before Roshini's injection wore off."

#

Uncle's Story!

Arjun turned toward the door and called, "Roshini!"

The door opened and a nurse came in.

When he turned toward his uncle, his uncle did what one should not do in a patient's room.

He cried out helplessly.

Arjun was watching him in confusion.

The doctor checking the patient's vital signs, stopped and called his colleague, but he could not get any response.

His uncle was crying for his Arjun, for his memory loss, for his unlost memories of Roshini... for his slip of the tongue, for giving him false statements.

Does he remember everything but her death?'

It was even worse than his false hope.

"Do- do you remember her, Arjun?"

Arjun frowned and asked, "Why are you crying uncle? See, I'm ok. Doctor, tell him I'm ok."

"Calm down doctor." The doctor tried once again.

By this his uncle had recovered much and asked again, "Do you remember everything, Arjun?" he looked at him keenly, "The accident?"

Arjun slowly shook his head.

"No," he finally said, "I don't remember it. But Roshini called me, right? Don't you remember it?"

He asked his uncle in return.

"Oh, yes. And you can see her soon."

He looked at the other doctor significantly, which said, 'finish here and come out fast.'

When they met in the doctor's room they discussed about Arjun's mental and physical conditions.

~.

That day Sakshi came to visit him as he didn't.

She could get at seeing his face that something was very wrong.

When she asked, he said, his close relative was ill and it was worrying him like hell.

She comforted him that everything will be fine soon, in fact very soon.

Once got him as an uncle, she was more active and became talkative and made friends with other patients and their family.

"You know I'm coming from Mr. Tripathi's room. He said he was going to join the military once discharged from here."

He raised an eyebrow.

"For the food the doctors offer him, here."

She smirked as he said, "Doesn't he know he is well over that age now years before?"

"When I reminded him that, he said he too knew it well and the truth that you people were not going to send him out from here for years now."

"What are getting at?" uncle said, with a frown.

"He may try to escape-"

Hearing this he started laughing out.

"Uncle..."

She was confused.

He controlled himself at once, "I'm sorry."

He looked at her and said, "Didn't you get a chance to ask him about it?"

She shook her head, "He got a call from his son in abroad. I came here-"

"To warn me. No, he won't!"

She was silently looking at an amusing uncle.

He cleared his throat and said, "It's not the food he complains about, but his cigarette that he misses the most," he went on, "Last time when he tried to, he opened the window in the night and put a leg outside, forgetting that he was on the second floor."

She dilated her eyes in shock.

"And when the nurse found him at last, he was pulling the last puff of the cigarette he had got from a ward boy."

"And?..."

"And he lost a leg, the other one this time on the mission and the ward boy his only job. The interesting thing is he tried to save this accomplice till the end that he had forgotten him too. We changed him here and that was the last cigarette he could cover his fingers on ever since."

"I think I don't want to go to his room again."

She said slowly.

"Why so?"

"What if he offered me for a night walk through the window, and forgot that he is in fifth floor now?"

They had to close the door tight to muffle the laughing sound.

~.

If someone could retrieve Arjun, it could be someone like her.

How considerate she is, to worry about a man, she hardly knew and to come to me to inform about him.

He may try to escape,' he smiled at the thought.

If there is someone, in this world, to rescue his son, it should be one like her. With her presence she would cure nearly anything.

And now she is my daughter!

She had forgotten about herself and how fast she mingled with the surroundings!

He had not yet introduced her to Arjun, perhaps; soon he would, once Arjun could sit on the cot. He didn't want her to see him now bundled with bandages. She might start worrying about him too and would come to complain to me about the hospital along with him. He was amusing in the thought.

Well, he had to tell her about his son's memory loss too...

~.

Arjun had lost his memory; he had forgotten his wife's face, but her name.

The call he mentioned was the first call she made to him and he had proudly told about it to his uncle.

But he had forgotten everything happened from then. It would be easy to tell Arjun now that he was talking about Sakshi, not Roshini this long. But soon he'd come to know about Roshini and...

"The chances of recovery are?.."

"We can't say anything at this moment. We've to wait."

"Let's wait."

~.

As the truth that his recovery of lost memory was somewhat complicated dawned on him, he had started thinking about how to react to Arjun.

He was repeating the same technique, he did try with Sakshi. He was talking to him generally, but which was soon turned impossible.

Soon, he was asking about Roshini and Roshini only.

He had already informed him unintentionally that she too was involved in that accident. So he had to maintain that, now.

At first, it was easy for him to convince the patient. That too was getting weak, he could realize.

On the other hand, Sakshi had become a friend to him and was becoming more and more quiet lately.

She could realize that though her uncle was supporting her now as a friend, soon she had to decide what she was going to do lonely in this world once discharged from the hospital.

She had started thinking about it seriously.

He had to decide something. And he did.

But he never doubted it a moment. He believed it was a god- sent.

And now he was witnessing the fruits, he planted once as a small seed.

When her uncle said, "I think you are ready now to hear this," after she had told him her concern, she was quite surprised.

"What are you talking about?"

They were sitting on a bench in the near garden that surrounded the hospital, it was becoming their routine place lately and her uncle would visit her at least once in a day, no matter how busy he was!

"Do you know why I bring you here every day?"

He was confusing her, she knew.

"No,"

"Your husband is lying in this room and I'm his uncle, Roshini."

He said softly and pointed the room above.

Part-6:

For my part, if a lie may do you grace,

I'll gild it with the happiest terms I have.

-Shakespeare.

The rising:

Sakshi was lying on her bed. Now they were in the same room. She looked at his sleeping form in the next cot and saw a centimeter smile lingering on his lips.

It reminded her once again that she was cheating him.

She was still unsettled with this thought.

She was praying the God, every day for giving back her memory- at least a bit- a time. Then she would not have to writhe in with this prickling thought.

Suddenly this accident, then meeting Arjun here again, and her fabricating stories for him...

She had started aching to go home- To her house. She and he, and her stories too.

She had to thank uncle, if he wasn't there for her, she did not know what she could have become, by this.

He entered into this new life as a friend- but he was visiting her much before that as a doctor, which she had been missing to notice.

When he said to her about it later, it seemed as if she had been blind then. He explained it as if it was a sweet story.

While thinking back, now it seemed he was right, and it was for her.

It was true; he wanted to confirm her mental state before telling about her husband's illness.

He had to wait, he said, for the right time to tell her the whole story and eventually, when it came he did tell her.

But it did not change her life much, for she was still groping in the dark as she could not recognize herself. It felt as if she was living someone else's life.

Uncle would have said, here, 'yes, old Roshini's life', she smiled to herself.

He was really wonderful and how considerate he was while he entered in to her room one day and told her that she had still someone to hang on with in this world.

She did not know, if he had realized full, what it meant to her.

It gave a grip to move on. Though, it slipped once or twice as she started to move on.

Now, finally she had Arjun- Her Arjun.

She turned and saw that cute smile on his lips again.

#

The Uncle's story!

She tried to talk to the nurse, as her uncle didn't say much about his relative.

She did not want to press him.

She knew this nurse would know about it, as she was working under him for years.

When she approached her, the nurse just said, "Yes, his son is just now recovered from coma," with a sigh, she went on, "But he's lost his memory,"

It hit her hard to know someone else too was suffering from the same, but at least he had his relative nearby.

It too to her Uncle, after all? How miserable!

Her uncle does not deserve this.

When she said this, the nurse said, "No, he could recognize his uncle. He just lost part of his memory."

As a bell rang the nurse rushed there leaving her stand there and think.

He knew his uncle, not like her case...

Three days passed.

She came to her uncle and said, "Can you arrange a job for me? I mean- once I discharged, I've to-"

She could not finish.

"Right, why don't you come to my house?"

She seemed thinking.

"I mean you can stay there till you got back your memory, then we can see-"

She was silent.

"Once your health is back then I'll arrange the necessity- whatever you want,"

He tried some more.

She slowly raised her head and said, "How many of you in your house?"

He was taken aback. She was asking for a woman companion.

"Now-"

"If you are offering shelter for every patient you treat, I wondered how many of us staying with you in the house."

She explained and he winced as he could not tell her that he was her father now lawfully. First he wanted to confirm before he could say. He asked slowly,

"What if I adapted you-"

"Without knowing who I'm really?" she smiled, "Even I could be a terrorist or..."she laughed, but his face was hard.

"Won't you take me as your father?"

He was emotional now.

"Oh, uncle, I was just joking. It's just- I thought what I'd do once discharged, and thought I needed a job. You don't have to worry, I'll be around and come to see you, I promise."

That was worrying her this long. She was not going to understand his concern. He would not let her go. He realized he had to do something fast. He had created a relationship with her and was not going to tell her about Father now. She was not getting her memory back as they had expected. And she was going to take this seriously and that was going to affect her badly. If he let her think about it again, she would, perhaps, lose her hope and would not get her memory any sooner.

If she could not relax her mind, in something else she was going to suffer.

He had to do something fast.

"Roshini, come with me,"

He led her out. He had decided something.

~.

When she was trying to accept the facts her uncle told her just now, she was eager to see her husband at once.

Then her uncle explained, "You can't,"

She stared at him.

"Not now, I want you to know everything about him before you do visit him."

He had lost part of his memory...

"Uncle, he forgot me, right?"

That way she shocked him to the core.

"You know this?"

"Yes, I know he is the relative you worried about,"

Then slowly he filled her in with facts...an optical illusion, he knew it well- you could see, but it would be a false image...

#

The day had come.

After discharged from the hospital, they went to stay with his uncle.

Days flew fast.

Now they were going to settle in Goa. He was transferred and uncle had arranged to buy a house there for them.

Before the journey, uncle called her and gave her a cover. When he said, "See, Roshini, it's important, keep this with you, always. If you recovered or if you got a real problem in that house, I want you to open this. Will you?" his warnings made her laugh, but his tone said differently. She nodded sincerely.

"It has some instructions for you to follow, right, my girl?"

She was touched and a lone tear escaped her eyes.

"No, no more tears, dear. Never forget you are precious to your uncle. Promise me."

The flight touched the ground and they walked together through the crowd.

She remembered her uncle's words.

"Don't worry, dear. He can't find you. If you have any doubt in anything in answering him, just ask him to guess. This way you will get time to think. And, see, if you've to order for dinner, don't blink, just let him order, problem solved."

"And what if he ordered all my dislikes?"

She returned and they burst in to laughter.

"I think you've to be careful in dinner time."

"Something secret?"

Arjun asked her suddenly, as seeing her smiling to herself.

"Oh, I-" she came back to Arjun and blinked. Think fast, "Actually, I've never been to Goa," she tried something, "And when I heard that you had been transferred here, I read an article about Goa's well old churches, haan... famous beaches and the crystal clear waters-"

"And it's crystal clear girls," he whispered in her ears.

Wrong direction.

Uncle had reminded her that Arjun was still not mentally prepared for an emotional relationship. He had advised her that if they started a new life after he or she got back their memories it would be good for them both.

The next morning, an inspector rang the bell.

Arjun opened the door.

He saluted and said, "Sir, I'm inspector, Balsdhar. I received them from Mumbai. They sent them while shifting the things, sir. And I'm keeping them in the station for the past two days and giving them a grape each, every hour. I could have forgotten to sign the register, but not this."

Finally he produced a pair of love birds in a cage.

Arjun had to smile for the inspector's mystic speech and called him in.

"At least a cup of coffee?"

"Thank you sir. But I've to go to bazaar street before going to office. Sir!"

He saluted again and went away.

Arjun took the cage in and called Roshini.

"Rosh, come and see this."

The birds were cute- One in green and one in blue. They were talking non-stop.

He showed them proudly to her once she emerged out of the kitchen.

"Coming, coming,"

They were still talking.

"What's this Arjun, suddenly?" she inquired.

His face fell, but he asked slowly.

"Don't you like them?"

She could see his every move. Thus she said at once, "Who told I didn't? I just thought, why they should be pent up in a cage. They don't deserve it, don't you think? See how cute they are. They should fly freely."

"If you don't like them, we'll let them fly."

"No, see, their wings are too short. They can't fly, Arjun. We'll do one thing. We feed them, and ll ensure that when they wish, they can fly freely."

He nodded. And she thought she had convinced him. She went back to the kitchen. But Arjun was still sitting there, thinking.

If she didn't like them, then who brought them in Mumbai?...

If she didn't like why should they buy them?

If they had bought them for his pleasure, why should she talk like this now?

No, She asked, 'why suddenly'.

She didn't know them before.

His fingers touched some buttons and I came on the line.

ETF Mumbai= His past.

"Sir,"

"Shree, Roshini's birds-"

He gave a gap and waited.

As expected the answer came fast.

"I've sent them already sir. Didn't you?-"

"Yes, yes. I received them, just to say thanks I called. Ok, take care."

What could be the meaning?

Perhaps, she disliked them after the accident?

It's perhaps, her mental stress?

'She is not ready, yet.'

He let go of the matter at once.

But the cage got a place in their back lot.

#

Story of the birds!

They were their pets. Roshini had named them Biti and Giti according to their colors. They were a gift from a dear friend of hers.

After her, the pair had become a nuisance for him. Not only they always chirping happily, but also turned as a constant reminder that he was single, alone, without a pair.

He tried to get rid of them. Killing them was beyond him. When he opened the cage they did not fly away. They were not that kind.

He simply gave it to Chottu to keep them away from his sight, as we were always around the house to help him, but he took us as another nuisance was our pure fate.

Since then, he fed them in his apartment and now when the talk about shifting came up, I suggested sending them to Goa with other things.

"They may unite the hearts when they are around, you know."

"What if he kept them and threw her away once got back his memory?" Chottu asked quietly.

"Exactly," I detonated the bomb then said, "That's the idea. Can't you see? If he did as you said, then he would start missing her, start thinking about her, start trying to get her back. Uncle is a genius."

"You think? What if she got back her memory and kept the birds and left him behind?"

Then I started to realize that Chottu was dangerous sometimes.

I thought about it and then replied, "Simple, really," I emphasized.

"The same, from he would start missing her- to- trying to get her back. It's called Love. And since only geniuses can understand it, no wonder you are still arguing about."

nice updates
so not only arjun even sakshi had lost her memory and the doctor bonded with her and started feeling as if she was her daughter and for her sake and for the sake of arjun's happiness he said all those lies
and now they both r alright aleast physically and arjun has shifted to goa
but like how aisha had put what will happen when anyone's memory comes back will uncle's belief win
thanks for pm 😊

Oh so not arjun only sakshi too had list her memory... Poor girl

Like Aisha said.. True story will start when one if thems recover there memory

Amazing, superb, fantastic, mindblowing part

Love it

Thanks for pm

Update soon

Part-7:

To have seen much and to have nothing is to have rich eyes and poor hands.

-Shakespeare.

The Uncle's story!

"I discarded most of the things from that house, Roshini. I thought what for many old things in a new life. But still you can keep him."

She laughed out.

"This way you don't have to explain him much, right? Moreover, you both can purchase everything to your taste, anew. Relax, Roshini, it's your life. You've to live it not explain every now and then about it."

"Uncle,"

"Oh, what's this like a fool? See, from now on you don't have to cry, ok? You got everything. Just realize it."

She touched his feet as Arjun came there and did the same.

"This is enough for me. I won't ask more."

Uncle's voice broke, "This is a next life for you both. Start it over, guys."

He sent them off at the airport. He was standing there still as the flight faded in to distance.

#

She was alone in the house.

She could not understand, what was going on in their life.

What had happened to him, suddenly?

When she thought, she got back everything she had once lost and was going to believe to be all right, he was proving that nothing was going to be all right.

It was the third day, before which he had talked to her, casually.

If he adored her before, now, he was... God, avoiding her!

She was coming over the thought that she was cheating him, but his silence threatened her differently.

She was still having trouble in believing that the first week they spent in Goa was not her hallucination.

The hours they spent in malls, beaches, bazaars, restaurants... the gifts, the candle lights, the laughter... the long walks, his nearness, his touch...

HOW COULD THEY GO AWAY so quickly? Leaving her alone so suddenly?

Something was nagging him, except that she could not interpret anything from him.

She thought he was ill, at first. But he was going to the morning runs briskly and seemed fit.

She tried variety in food. But nothing reached his heart.

He was still the same, she reminded herself, but their communication was getting worse day to day and finally, stopped at one point.

She thought a thousand times to talk to his uncle about this. But every time she postponed it and tried to give her husband some space.

Slowly it became a gap.

What was her worst fear was she might have made some mistake on something that was related to their past and it was worrying him since.

That meant he remembered something?

Or- or else- he recovered from his memory loss? A- And found her?

But why didn't he tell her that? To anyone! She corrected herself. Uncle would have told her if Arjun had.

No, but WHY?

Does this silence means anything bad? Anything disastrous?

Is he waiting for something?

Would he decide to discard her altogether, for her mistake? Is he thinking it was a trait?

If she could, she would explain him everything. Even uncle would do that for her.

But first she had to confirm what was in his mind.

For that she wanted to talk to him, first.

"Aunty," a small voice called her.

It was Haseena, three year old, next door kid. Now was a friend to both.

"Why are you crying?" she asked as Sakshi turned to her.

She hastily blinked back the tear that was trying to form a line in her eyes and said, "It's just the dust," then took her hands and asked, "Tell me, what you did in your drawing class today."

It was quite a scene when they met the kid for the first time.

Arjun was getting ready for his office.

He bid his wife a good-bye and came out. There he saw Haseena running out of his compound through the open gates.

He got the situation the moment he saw the ball on the ground.

He called out, "Don't you want your ball?"

He waited. A moment later the kid peered out as she hid herself behind the side wall near the gates.

Arjun smiled and took the ball.

He extended the ball, but she didn't move from her hiding place.

"Come on. Take it."

She hesitantly came out and took it from him.

"Daddy tells me you are police man."

"Yes, what's your name?"

"Ha-Haseena, yours?"

"It's Arjun. What's your father?"

"He is a business man. Dad calls me Hasnie."

She offered.

"Are you afraid of him?"

She shook her head fast.

"And I'm a police man."

She smiled at him shyly as though she got his point.

"Can we play?"

She threw the ball at him.

"Oh," he caught it and said, "Sorry, I can't. I've to go to office. But do one thing, " he showed her the house behind and whispered, "There is an aunty in this house. She doesn't go to office," he offered, "Go straight and ask her. Bye, Hasnie." He gave the ball to her.

He went to his car as she went toward the doors.

Sakshi was standing there, silently watching this silent drama.

She smiled at the kid as she approached her.

"Hi,"

"Hello, Aunty. Uncle tells me I can play you with this," she showed her the ball.

Sakshi laughed out and led her in.

#

Arjun sat beside Sakshi as she extended a cup of tea.

He took it from her.

"You know, I read something today. It's a small story."

"Tell me," he looked at her.

"Right, a mom calls her son, but he is enthusiastically playing outside with his friends. She is repeatedly calling him and finally when he returns home half-heartedly, his mom says something to him. Now what do you think she said?" she stopped and looked at him.

"I thought it was a story, but it seems a riddle," he commented.

"It's now," she didn't waver.

"Well, Hmm.. From tomorrow he can't go to play?"

"Nope, she is not that much cruel."

"Then, she'll complain to his father, if he-"

She shook her head.

"Sorry," he surrendered at last.

"She told him to take her to the playground with him," she waited.

"That much boring here?"

"Sometimes," she admitted, "You are coming home at any time from 6 in the evening and even sometimes without informing," she accused, "No one will believe it is 10 minutes drive to home."

"But I can't take you to the office."

She laughed out at that.

"I don't want to, too. I've decided to write something."

He jumped at that.

"Wow, an auto biography? Nice idea. Am I in or..." he raised an eyebrow.

"Without you there won't be an auto biography from me," he lifted his collar proudly. "But no, it can wait. I plan to write poem, instead."

"Oh, yes?" his interest was gone, dramatically.

"Why, still I can include you. You are in."

"Then, okay," he got his energy back, "When are you going to?"

"It seems you do know nothing about writing."

"Yeh? Come and see our reports before accusing, unjustly."

"Now I got your point,"

"And one more, that is, not to show me the poems too?"

"Not in a thousand years," she declared.

"No, no, take it back. Then you'll start complaining about boring, sitting here alone. Ok, it's all right. Seriously, when are you going to write?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because, I'm planning a trip to Mumbai if you said when I'd make sure that I-"

"Put that down, please," she said sweetly and once he placed the cup on the tray with a ,'Why?' , she took a pillow and approached him.

"You, how dare you?" she started attacking him.

"Oh, please," he was covering his face, "Listen," he shouted and tugged the pillow from her as was laughing.

"I'll, after you finished planning that trip," she took another.

"If you don't write, why I should plan it- Hey wait," he was breathless now.

Part-8:

They told me that to make her fall in love I had to make her laugh, But every time she laughs I am the one who falls in love.

-Shakespeare.

"Aunty, chocolate," Hasi extended a chocolate once entered.

"Really?" Sakshi asked and as she took the chocolate Hasi screamed.

"You can't pull it," she complained.

"I thought you were giving me,"

"No. I can't do it. Neethu did the same, but only the wrapper came," she whimpered.

Sakshi got the idea and seated her on the sofa and told her how to hold the chocolate for her plan.

"You've to cover half the chocolate, at least. So one can't pull the chocolate, but the wrapper at its end as you've decided to give them the chocolate they would not suspect you."

After practicing twice Hasi ran to the back through the kitchen door.

~.

Sakshi and Hasi were in the garden watering the plants. Hasi was constantly talking about the birds. The birds were now her favorite pastime. She was explaining how they turned their heads toward her and then started talking to each other.

She would feed them in the evenings and at least once talked about them to Sakshi.

Suddenly she said, "Aunty, I'm going to buy a parrot."

Sakshi turned to her and stopped collecting flowers for her decorative pot she would place on the teapoy every evening.

"Don't you like the love birds?"

Hasi nodded, "But I heard parrots talk to you."

She smiled and said, "But you've to give practice first then only they'd talk to you."

"Very well, aunty. We can do that together. While I'm in school you teach them and when you are in the kitchen I teach them."

Sakshi laughed out at her problem solving and took the flower Hasi extended.

She arranged the pot and set it on the teapoy.

"Aunty, it's beautiful," Hasi exclaimed and Sakshi thanked her back.

"Aunty, mom told Mr.Rabbit is coming again," as she switched on the TV.

Sakshi sat down on the floor with carrots and started peeling them for raitha.

Hasi was watching the cartoon without taking her eyes off the TV.

Sakshi called her, "Hasi,"

"Mm.."

"Do you like Mr. Rabbit that much?"

"Mm."

"You know what Mr.Rabbit likes?"

Hasi turned to see her.

"Carrots," Sakshi showed her a carrot as though she was advertising it.

"You know how his eyes are sharp?"

"I know."

And when Sakshi put a bowl of chopped carrots before her Hasi took it without question.

She was back with Mr.Rabbit when Arjun returned from his office room.

"Hasi, didn't you say you were going to give uncle a chocolate?"

Sakshi reminded her once he sat beside Hasi on the sofa.

Hasi turned to her and giggled before darted off to the kitchen.

Arjun was watching the scene unbelievingly.

"Hasi, really?" he asked her as she extended a Dairy Milk chocolate.

"Take it uncle," she insisted.

And when he touched the chocolate she pulled it from its wrapper and ran to Sakshi as singing, "Listen to your heart."

"Better I had," he commented and got their plan and smiled, "Isn't it, Kiss me, close your eyes and- uh, miss me'?"

They both laughed and Sakshi said, "That too."

"I suspected it when you said you were going to give me a chocolate."

"And now she'll give you a half," Sakshi looked at Hasi's face, "A bit," as still Hasi's face didn't clear, "She wants to show the trick to Neethu. It seems you can't get even the dregs from it today," she turned to him, "I think," apologetically. "You've to give her the wrapper back too."

"And what if I said I too have a chocolate and I'm not going to share it with anyone today?"

He asked and looked away.

Once heard he had a chocolate with him Hasi looked at Sakshi hesitantly and moved toward Arjun.

"Show me," she asked him as clutched her chocolate securely.

"Hasi, careful. Uncle too would sing the same."

Sakshi warned her in advance.

Hasi extended her chocolate to Sakshi at once and looked at Arjun.

"Oh, really?"He smiled and took a bar chocolate from his pocket.

"On one condition," Arjun covered it in his hand, "For cheating me."

Hasi looked back at her chocolate once and turned to him.

He showed his cheek now and motioned her.

She was all glitters and happily gave him a kiss before plucking the chocolate he extended.

She ran back to Sakshi and showed the chocolate proudly.

When Sakshi gave her the other chocolate Hasi kissed her without condition.

The first month in Goa was a rill.

The second month was still.

And its second part of the third week was hell.

Once Hasi entered in their house, she became an important part, soon, in their life.

The evenings were more pleasant than before. They had arranged a small bell hanging in their hall and its long rope went all the way to their portico beam for her use. And the outer small gate was always ajar in the evenings.

If they went to a grocery, Sakshi would tell, 'Hasi'd like this biscuit,' and if they entered a mall, she'd say, Don't you think this'd be fun for Hasi?'

That day when they were in the boutique, waiting for the bill, she turned to him, "We've to buy painting-brushes for Hasi. The one she has-"

He moved closer to her and as if was going to say something about the cloth in display, "And what should we buy, for our child?" he winked at her, "Really, you seem to know everything," he added.

She was dumb-founded, It's not a simple question. He is asking, why don't we?-

It was very straight. Her cheeks started betraying her. She looked away to hide the red from him.

"See, those velvet ribbons are beautiful, aren't they?"

She tried to change the situation casual as it was before.

"I don't use them," he replied seriously and it made her look at him. He was smiling.

She smiled nervously. And the bill came and saved her from his looks.

That was one of the moments she started believing everything was really going to be all right.

Part-9:

There are things that

We don't want to happen

But have to accept,

Things we don't want to know

But have to learn,

And people we can't live without

But have to let go.

-Shakespeare.

The First Crack:

It occurred at the end of their first month in Goa.

He stopped the car before the shop and she got out.

He locked the car as she moved toward the shop.

As he crossed a car, heard someone calling him from behind.

"Arjun," and before he could turn something touched his back. "Don't move," the man laughed.

"Watch your back-"

"Is the first rule of defense," Arjun finished it for him.

He turned and saw Mario standing there.

"Hey, what a surprise man!" Arjun exclaimed as Mario extended a hand.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

They shook hands.

"I'm working here, now. It's a long story. Come to our house we'll talk."

"Ah, how is Roshini? Last seen-"Mario stopped and said, "That girl is calling you."

He pointed Sakshi, who was standing at the entrance of the departmental stores. She had forgotten her list and returned back. She waved toward him but he turned to a man and shook his hand.

Arjun turned and looked at her.

She conveyed the message in sign and went back in.

"Who is she?" Mario asked as a man appeared and informed him, "Sir, it's getting late," in a polite voice.

"Arjun stared behind her and said, numbly, "A- A friend."

"Right, see I'm in a rush. I'm in china now. Same job," he winked at Arjun and went on, "Came here on duty. Now I'm going back, but next time I'll come to your house surely, okay? Remember me to Roshini, bye Arjun."

He went away with his companion.

It all happened too fast that he couldn't get a chance to react, even to do a double take.

'That girl is calling you, who is she?'

He could have forgotten her face and she could have forgotten- and how long are you going to believe these cock and bull stories, Arjun?

When he entered the shop with the list she was watching something on the display case.

"Who is he?" she asked and moved in.

"A friend," he replied.

"I thought you'd introduce him, but when you-" he was staring at her, "Are you okay?" she asked and reached him at once.

"Oh, yes- just a headache," he said quickly. He was not ready for a scene then.

"Come, we'll go home."

"No," he wasn't ready to drive now either.

"Ok, wait here I'll buy a coffee."

"I'm waiting in the car. No - I need nothing. You finish here and come." He insisted.

"Are you sure?"

"Yep,"

"Come, I'll walk you to the car."

Once she went back in, he took his mobile out.

"Suji, how is Mumbai?"

"Sir, Good to talk to you. How are you sir?"

"Scratching my head,"

"Sir?"

He grinned at once."They ask everything to be filled online now. See I'm now filling the form for Insurance Fund Nominee and I've filled most of the things. Thought, you could help."

He talked fast.

"Sure sir," she agreed at once, or she hesitated a little?

"Address, identity marks, Hmm... yes, I need Roshini's blood group. Can you see it in the files and tell me?"

Before he could decide between hesitation and delay she replied back, "It's O- positive sir,"

"O+, Suji, do one thing. Send me her picture to my mail- see she is smiling at herself for not even knowing her blood group."

This time without hesitation the reply came, "Sir, I've to ask Shree sir once-"

"Oh, it's ok. It seems she has one in her mobile. Thanks Suji."

He cut the call and confirmed that ETF Mumbai was doing something here. They were in this with Uncle.

Sakshi returned quickly and when he asked she said she would buy the other things in the list later.

But he said, "You said to go to some glassware?"

"Yes, second house aunty told me a shop, but we can go home now."

"Where is it?"

"Arjun-"

"I'm all right now, tell me."

"It's a shop named, 'Cling Cling' and it's-"

He smiled at the name.

"Good," she looked at him smiling, "You know it's dedicated to glassware and clay articles. Aunty said you can get nearly anything there and the shop's history goes back to Portuguese times."

They entered the shop and a small chandelier jingled once the door was opened. It sounded, "Cling, Cling", and made them smile.

"Now I agree," he said and they moved in.

She was seeing some cups.

He wanted her to relax, first.

"What's your blood group?" he made that question sound casual.

He knew it would not prove his point if she said-

"Show me a smaller one," She turned to him, "AB+,"

"I take this one."

Then who is she?

"Who are you?"

"Roshini. I need two pieces in that."

#

Suji came to me, "Sir, Arjun sir called."

"Right,"

"He asked what Roshini madam's blood group was."

Seeing my face she got tense, "I told him that," she swallowed, "Then asked her picture and told him I'd to check with you."

She said and looked at me, but was surprised as I smiled and said, "Good."

#

Ayesha was on a mission.

She got the confidential file and sat at her desk.

It was the file of the accident-which caused this chaos.

The pair Veer and Preeti who informed the police about the accident claimed they were tourists and for sightseeing they went to the view point at the top of the hill. A visit they thought would be memorable had turned as an unforgettable.

The couple returned from the view point. They started down hand in hand.

Suddenly, an alarmed Veer said, "Pree!", he stopped short and looked the scene before them. Preeti followed his gaze and whispered, "Dear, God!"

He ran to Sakshi and kneeled down beside her. Preeti started crying at the heart wrenching scene. Sakshi was lying near the edge of the road and a few feet from there she would have ended in to the wide valley below. She stared at the unconscious girl smeared with her own blood all over.

"God, she is alive," Veer turned to Preeti. She ran to them and stood near him.

"Pree, call the police!"

~.

Preeti was still crying as the ambulance moved away. Veer was at her side and talking to her in a lower voice.

The inspector turned toward them once he checked the car standing there without a clue.

They suspected at first, it was a hit and run, but why should leave the vehicle there. They found the owner and were informed that an ACP from Mumbai took the car to the hill.

The idea changed then. The forensic team had found foot prints near the edge of the road and now they started suspecting the valley.

~.

Preeti and Veer informed the police what they had witnessed and pointed out that Sakshi cried as seeing a paper, that seemed as a letter. They told them she was holding a hand bag.

The police did not find a bag, anywhere near the scene, but they found a small pouch behind the rock covered with mud where Sakshi was sitting.

The pouch found its way there, while Sakshi tore the letter vigorously and didn't attract her attention then.

It had some money and a train ticket from Shirdi to Pune.

They had tried a lot to locate where Sakshi had come from, Ayesha could see.

The commissioner of Mumbai had arrived the next morning along with ETF team.

Everyone was silently mourning and taking in the progresses of the case, she remembered.

When Sakshi opened her eyes two days later, they had found father in Shirdi.

Father informed them that Sakshi went there for an interview and he could not tell them why she went to the hill. And when he was informed that they had a suspicion that perhaps, she could have ended as a victim of suicide, according to the couple who called the police from the spot, he was appalled, tremendously.

Father visited her, but she could not recognize him.

#

Uncle's Story!

Once started it took hours for them to find Arjun under the hollow.

They informed uncle about the accident and he was hard from inside as he reached the spot.

First Roshini went away, without a trace, now this!

She had called him actually and told him that she was coming, but she never did...

The ambulance went straight to the hospital where he was one of the board directors.

Once heard about Sakshi, he rushed to the General hospital where she was admitted.

He looked at her through the glass opening of the ICU as a nurse approached him. When he was asked to tell the name of the patience, he said on impulse, as 'Roshini', and theyd change once the police found her relatives.

When father appeared at the hospital, Sakshi was named/ informed as her name was Roshini, by a nurse.

He went with father to visit Sakshi and she just stared at them. He said that father was there for praying for the patients, at once, to console the patient.

Then he talked with father about the accident and the compensation he was ready to give.

But father needed nothing.

The next morning when he started to Shirdi, uncle expressed his wish to adopt Sakshi and took her responsibility, he was somewhat relieved, he had to return to his place, but leaving her there was excruciating him.

Soon, once she was ready to move she was transferred to uncle's hospital, still with the name Roshini, which was first intended to keep for file maintenance.

And when father signed the document for adoption he was informed duly that as she was a major without her consent he could not sign her adoption and as she was not mentally fit-there was a line in the document which gave her full authority to cancel the document in the court, if she did not agree when she got back her memory.

Uncle again suggested giving him money for the sake of the home, but his conscience did not agree to accept it. But when uncle gave him a check in Sakshi's name as a donation for the home, he could not deny it.

From that day, he got a check every month in Sakshi's name.