Situation: Abhi/Pragya's car wasn't tampered but Aliya meets with an accident unexpectedly. Someone admits Aliya in a hospital and informs her family members as he could recognize her as Rockstar Abhi's sister.
"She has lost her memory of past few years. She doesn't remember anything that happened in the last 3 years."
The doctor's voice kept echoing in his mind."Beta, you have been in the hospital since yesterday. Go home and take some rest", said Daadi.
He didn't move an inch from his seat."How long will you be like this sitting in the hospital corridor? She is fine now. Why don't go home and sleep for sometime?"
"Sleep?", he asked her surprised."What do you mean by go and sleep Daadi? How could I even think of sleeping in a situation like this?", he asked her but she didn't have an answer.
Pragya came to him after giving the medicines to nurse. She asked Daadi who was sitting by his side about what was happening there. Daadi explained her about Abhi being so disturbed and refusing to go home. Daadi asked Pragya to convince him to go home and left the place. She sat by his side and held his arm."She is fine. She would recover soon.", she whispered to him. He took her hand and intertwined her fingers in his. He wasn't speaking at all.
"Let's go home. You need some sleep", she said."I am not coming anywhere. You go", he said leaving her hand.
"You are coming. That's it", she said as she got up."Don't you understand. I said I am not coming anywhere", he shouted. They saw the hospital staff and patients around looking at them.
"Suniye..", she started but he interrupted her by telling he didn't want to go home and asked her to go instead in a low voice. She knew that he wouldn't leave the place unless he is forced to."I swear on myself. You are coming with me", she said and dragged him with her towards the car not giving him time to think about his reply. He didn't want to go home but he went home for her.
***
He was sitting on the bed for more than 20 minutes. She thought he needed some time to settle down to sleep. After all, what happened in the last 2 days was more than a emotional rollercoaster for him."Shall I give you sleeping pill?", she asked him.
"I don't want to sleep", he said not moving his face towards her."Suniye.. Don't make it difficult for yourself. I know it's not easy but.."
"What do you know?", he stood up as she sat besides him."It's all because of me", he said walking away from the bed. He looked at her teary and confused eyes and turned away with his back facing her.
"It's because of me. She is in this state now because of me. I spoiled her", he said in a broken voice. She hugged him from the behind."Please please don't blame yourself. You are the best brother one could have"
He broke the hug and asked her sarcastically how he was the best brother."Which brother would agree to a marry a girl for revenge when he thinks he is already in love with another girl so that his sister could be happy?", she asked him calmly. He seemed to have calmed down a bit. She made him sit on the couch and sat besides him.
"I didn't really mean it.", he paused for a second and continued, "when I said she is dead to me, I didn't want her to die."She wiped the tears falling from his eyes.
"You are not responsible for what is happening now. You always wanted good things for her. Don't think it's good that she lost her memory. She doesn't have any hatred or grudge now. It's like a new birth to her.""But now, she doesn't have her memory, how is she going to manage?", he sounded helpless.
"We are going to be around her na. So don't worry", she said as she leaned over his shoulders."You aren't angry with her?", he asked making her face him.
"Why?""After everything that she did to you... She tried to defame you, kill you several times and even killed your si.."
"Please... let's not talk about the past", she said and walked to the closet to bring a blanket for them.***
Aliya was discharged from the hospital after a week. The first question she asked as she entered MM was "Who is she?" pointing to Pragya. The doctors had told them not to force/stress to remember her past as it was not good for her health. They also told them to give her some time so that she that she could get her memories back slowly and gradually. Doctors also added that memory being recovered didn't have a fixed time period and it may take days, months or even years. They also said that in some cases, recovery of memory is not possible at all. Anyways Daadi, Abhi or Pragya didn't wish for her to get her 3 year memory back as it was full of bad memories.as it might stress her, all of them agreed to not tell her that Abhi is married.
"My PA", answered Abhi."PA? Where is Purab? He was managing your appointments and clients na?"
"Yes Aliya. But Purab has a business on his own. It's difficult for him to manage both. So I appointed a PA. She is good too.", he said smiling."Hello! I am Pragya", said Pragya offering her hand. Aliya gave her a handshake and smiled subtly. Somehow Pragya's presence didn't make her feel good but uneasy.
"I... I.. just came to"
"Aren't you my brother's PA? What are you doing in the kitchen near the stove?"
Pragya didn't know what to reply as she was cooking lunch but as soon as robin entered, she came up with an excuse.
"He wanted lemon juice. So I came to"
"I may not know cooking. But I definitely know that people don't cook lemon juice using stove."
"No..! I was preparing coffee for him", she said quickly rushing the words.
"But you said lemon juice.."
"Uhh.. First.. he wanted lemon juice but then he changed to coffee", she finished her stammering talk.
Pragya felt uncomfortable that Aliya was standing there in the kitchen until she made coffee like she was checking whether her words were true. Just when she was about to leave the kitchen with the coffee, Aliya stopped her. Pragya was getting nervous as she thought "What now?"
Aliya came closer to Pragya and said, "Nice Sari. I like your choices"
Pragya was so relieved that she started grinning like a cheshire cat.
***
"Aliya"
"Come in Bhai!"
"Daadi said you wanted to see me. What's the matter?", he asked worried.
"I have to ask you the question", she said.
He gave her a perplexed look.
"I don't understand Aliya"
"I also don't understand Bhai. Why are you not talking to me properly these days?"
"No, why do you feel so? It's just that I am busy so I am not able to spend much time with you. Didn't we watch a movie together two days before?"
"It's not that you are not spending time with me but even when you are spending time with me, you don't spend it wholeheartedly. I know you love me like before but the way you talk to me is not the same. What happened in these 3 years Bhai? Something distanced us from each other?"
"My dear little sister, you are thinking too much", he said caressing her hair.
"OK Fine. Let me doing something to cheer you up", he said and took his mobile.
Pragya was passing by and stopped as she heard them laugh. As soon as she saw them, she understood that they were having a good time.
"How good it feels to see them having fun together! I wish Aliya remains the same even if she gets her memory back", she thought.
***
"I am sorry. Hope you will understand me"
Aliya heard Pragya saying those words in a sobbing voice and looked into the room.
"What are you doing?"
Pragya quickly hid the photo frame in her hand behind her. Since Aliya came home, Pragya was staying in the guest room.
"Nothing. You want something", she asked.
"What's that behind you?", probed Aliya.
"Nothing", she told as she got up.
"Bhai wants to see you.", she said and Pragya left the room. Aliya was also about to leave the room but then she wanted to see what Pragya was hiding. Usually Aliya wasn't interested in knowing about others but this Pragya was different. She was just a PA but her brother made her join other family members for dinner everyday. The way her brother and Pragya smiled at each other without others noticing, talked sweetly, and their behaviour at office not resembling a boss and employee but something else. These were the things that made her skeptical. She once caught her brother flirting with Pragya but then he said that he was just writing lyrics for his new song and was just telling it to her. Aliya didn't know whether she liked Pragya or disliked her but there was something about her. She took the photo frame and it had a photo of a girl. She kept the photo frame back on the bed and left the room as she couldn't make anything out of it.
***
Aliya was going in her car when she saw Tanu getting into an apartment.
"What is Tanu doing here?", she thought and asked her driver to stop. She followed Tanu to her apartment and pressed the doorbell.
As soon as Tanu opened the door and saw Aliya, her face went pale. Aliya waved her hand in front of Tanu and asked her whether she wouldn't let her in.
"Come inside", she said nervously and thought whether Aliya got her memories back.
As Aliya came inside and looked around, "When did you shift here and Why didn't you come and meet me at hospital Tanu?"
"I am sparing you because of my sister. You were her partner in crime na. By now, you would have known that she has lost her memory of the recent years. I am leaving you alive because I don't want you to get into the headlines and steal her attention. One more thing. Don't you dare come near my family. Otherwise, I would make sure your live is a hell. I will make sure you don't get any modelling assignments in future and ruin your career."
Abhi's warning was lingering in her mind. She told Aliya that she was busy and hence she couldn't come to meet her. When Aliya tried to talk further, Tanu told her that she had to go out and literally asked her to get out from her flat as she had to lock it down. Aliya was hurt and enraged by Tanu's talks and attitude.
***
"How dare she?"
Daadi and Pragya saw aliya entering the house shouting.
"Who?", asked Daadi.
"Tanu"
As soon as they heard the name, they were shocked. They worried whether Tanu reminded her of her past. Daadi thought that just when she was happy that her grandchildren were getting happiness in their life, it was going to be over.
Aliya went to her room and slammed the door. Later, Abhi went and pacified her after getting to know what happened. He then informed Daadi and others that Tanu didn't tell Aliya about anything.
***
Aliya had fever since night and thankfully, Abhi noticed it from her unusual sleep schedule. He called their family doctor. The doctor told them that there was nothing to worry as it was a normal fever. Later that night, Pragya came to Aliya with a herbal juice. She told Aliya to drink as her Daadi had given her. Aliya took a sip and that was enough for her to reject the idea of drinking that potion' as she called it. As Pragya tried to make her drink again and again, Aliya shouted at Pragya that she was only her brother's PA and not a family member.
Pragya left the place keeping the glass on the side desk but Abhi brought her to the room after few minutes and asked Aliya to apologize. Aliya wondered why her brother was taking his PA's side instead of supporting her.
"Aliya, you are right. She is just my PA. She doesn't have to care for you. She doesn't have to bring medicines and herbal juices for you but still she does, right? You should thank for that not insult her"
Aliya apologized her half-heartedly and both of them left.
Aliya took the glass and was about to sip it when Pragya came back.
"Wait!" she said and Aliya looked curious.
She added something to the juice and asked Aliya to drink then. It tasted better.
"It's less bitter now. What did you do?"
"You didn't like the taste na. So I added a little of jaggery. It won't do much harm", she said smiling. Aliya was impressed.
***
Next morning, Aliya felt fresh and good. Her fever seemed to have gone. She went to see Pragya in the guest room.
"Can I come in?", she asked as she peaked in.
"Yes. Do you need something?", she asked.
"Nothing. Just came to talk to you"
Pragya was surprised that Aliya had something to talk with her. Aliya sat on a chair opposite to Pragya.
"I want to know something", she paused.
"What?"
"Actually what happened in the last 3 years?"
"I don't understand"
"You don't seem to be a new PA. You and my brother get along with each other very well. So I guess you must have been with him for more than a year?"
The girl in the photo frame caught Aliya's eyes again.
"Who is she?", she asked as she got distracted.
"She is my sister"
"Oh... Where is your family then?"
"You have any problem in me staying here?", asked Pragya as her thoughts were suggesting the same.
"No. I was just... I mean I saw you once apologizing to the girl in the photo. Just felt curious to know about you."
Pragya couldn't afford telling the truth to Aliya for two reasons - first being Aliya's health as the doctors told her mental stress was not good for her and second being that she secretly wished that Aliya shouldn't get her memory back as life was good for all of them this way.
"Do you love my brother?"
Pragya was dumbfounded by Aliya's question. Should she lie or should she not was the question stressing her mind. She didn't want lie again and again but she couldn't tell the truth too. She found a way to escape.
"I got divorced a month ago. I have been your brother's PA since then", she said answering her first question and last question together.
Pragya got Abhi's call and she excused herself saying she has some work.
To be continued...
Udne Ki Aasha
