Part 4
Naira: Nahi, nahi Kartik, tum mujhe chor ke nhi jaa saktein. Mera Mendak mujhe chorke nhi ja sakta. Tum aisa nhi kar saktein, please Kartik wapas aajao, mujhe tumhari zarurat hai. Aur kisike liye nhi toh apni BFF Mishti ke liye aajao. Please Kartik, please.
The doctors charged it to the maximum power and gave him the shock for the third time.
Naira: (screaming and calling out for him) Kartikkk...
And his heart answered her. The doctors found a pulse and a wave of relief spread in the OT. The doctors went on with the surgery and after an hour or so, they finished the surgery. She saw the nurses tying bandages around his wounds and she thanked the Lord. The nurse came inside the room and asked Naira to move out as the operation was over and soon he will be shifted to the ICCU. In being asked, the nurse informed Naira that internal bleeding had started in between the surgery that did not let his body respond to the ongoing treatment and that is why he started sinking. But now he was fine. His vitals were still not normal, danger was still looming over his life but now, everything was up to him, his will power to fight could only bring him back. Naira moved out of the room and Akshara Naitik rushed to hug her. She gathered herself and explained them the current situation. They were relieved for a moment but he being in danger yet made them worry about his condition all over again.
The four of them were asked to move to the waiting area and they did so. Kartik was moved to the ICCU and the same machines surrounded him completely. His body was not responding at the pace that was required and hence the doctors were in tension. Naira was taken to the cafeteria and made to have a sandwich and some juice by her parents and sister. Naitik and Akshara felt at times that Naira's worries were not those that we have for a friend but for someone more than that, but they shooed away these thoughts. The four of them were in the waiting area where one after the other they fell asleep, Gayu in Akshara's lap, Akshara-Naitik on each other's shoulder. Naitik's one arm was around Akshara and one around Naira who pretended to be asleep so that her parents could take rest but sleep actually was far away from her eyes. All she kept on thinking was what will happen to her if Kartik left her alone. The memories of Kartik kept on playing in her mind, his smile, their nok-jhok, his care for her, his helping nature, and everything about him. Another thought crossed her mind, why was she so worried about him, why did he matter so much? Even Gayu di was his friend, she was also worried but Naira's concern was way more greater than hers. But she calmed herself and concluded that she was just over thinking. He was her only friend and her BFF, that's why she was so scared and nothing else. It was around 3am when she woke up from her fake sleep, and very gently got out of Naitik's arms. She involuntarily travelled towards the ICCU and peeped from the window. She spotted his face between the machines, as calm as the morning sunshine. She opened the door and entered the room but was stopped by the nurse who was monitoring Kartik. She pleaded the nurse to allow her to stay with him for some time after which she would move out. The nurse agreed and allowed her to stay there for the time being, but once she returns for the next check, she shall leave. Naira agreed to it and went and sat beside Kartik while the nurse left. Kartik's body was bare, a number of electrodes were attached to his upper body and thick bandages covered his wounds. Naira lifted his left hand and entwined her fingers with his.
Naira: Mujhe pata hai Kartik tum mujhse gussa ho, naraz ho ki maine tumhe trust nhi kiya, tum pe shaq kiya. Main bahut buri hun na, humesha tumhe hurt krti hun aur ek taraf tum ho Jo humesha meri itni care krtein ho, mujhe itna support krtein ho. Tumne kabhi mujhe hurt nhi kiya aur main jaane anjaane kuch na kuch krke tumhe takleef pahunchati hun. But iska matlab ye toh nhi na ki tm mujhe iski itni badi saza do. Tum mujhe aise chor ke nhi ja saktein. Tum toh mere Jai ho na. Jai ne Veeru ka saath chor diya tha iska matlab ye nhi ki mera Jai mera saath chor dega. Ye Singhanias ke sholay hai, jiski kahani meri hai. Aur main apne Jai ko mujhe chorke ke jaane ki permission nhi dungi. Samjhe. Tum mujhe chorke nhi jaa saktein. Please Kartik, mere liye, wapas aajao. Please.
A tear rolled down her cheek and fell on his arms. She wiped her eyes and kept his hands on the bed. She felt a sudden urge to hug Kartik and not wasting time, she kept her head on his chest gently, cautious about not hurting him on his wounds and stayed like that for a while. The nurse came in again and kept a hand on her shoulders, asking her leave. She gently got up and moved towards the door. Holding the handle of the door in her hand, she looked back at him, asking him to come back and unable to control her emotions, she rushed out and began crying. But she had to be positive. His Kartik always listens to her. He will be back for her. She wiped her tears and went towards the waiting area and adjusted herself in the same position. She closed her eyes and prayed again for him. She didn't know when sleep over took her and nearly 2.5-3 hours later, she got up, only to find herself lying completely on the sofa, with Naitik standing nearby with a coffee cup in his hand. She immediately enwuired about Kartik from them.
Naira: Papa, Kartik kaise hai ab? Woh.. woh thik hai na? Use hosh aaya?
Naitik: Haan haan Naira, Kartik bilkul thik hai. Infact, woh khatare se bahar hai. Kuch 2 ghante pehle nurse ne hume aakar bataya ki Kartik ne diye gaye medication ko respond kiya and uske saare vitals stable hogaye. Par haan use hosh nhi aaya hai. Hum use India lekar jaane ki taiyaariyaan kar rhe hai. Udaipur ke ek bahut ache surgeon se meri baat hogyi hai. Unhone aur yahan ke doctors ne Kartik ko India shift krne ke liye permission dedi hai. Ab baki ka sara treatment Udaipur mein hi hoga.
Naira: (a big smile crept on her face) Kartik thik hai.. mera Mendak thik hai.. yes! But papa aapne mujhe uthaya kyun nhi?
Naitik: Kyunki tumhe rest ki zarurat thi. Kal se tumne ek minute ke liye bhi rest nhi kiya tha. Isliye.
Naira: (Happy) Thank God woh thik hai. Waise Mumma aur Gayu Di kahan hai?
Naitik: Woh Gayu ke exhibition ka kuch pending kaam tha, woh hi khatam krne gaye hai dono.
Naira: Par papa, Kartik ko toh hosh aaya ho nhi hai. Toh hum is sensitive halat mein use kaise lekar ja sakenge?
Naitik: Naira, Kartik ko agle 12-13 ghante hosh nhi aayega. Use heavy doses diye gaye hai pain killers ke aur saath hi sedatives bhi kyunki uska aaram karna bahut zaruri hai. Agar woh journey mein sota rahega toh use pain bhi nhi hoga. Aur waise bhi hum use Zurich se New Delhi flight mein lekar jayenge. Phir wahan se Udaipur ki flight switch krlenge. Toh use bilkul takleef nhi hogi. And saare medical equipments flight mein humare saath jayenge. So no worries.
Naira: Matlab Kartik ko problem bhi nhi hogi and jab use hosh aayega, woh Udaipur mein hoga. Ye uske liye best hoga. Thanks Papa.
Naitik: Thanks kisliye. Kartik aaj jis halat mein hai woh humari wajah se hai. Toh uska khayal rakhna humari zimedari hai. Ab chalo, tum hotel jao aur jakar fresh hokar aajao. Main hun yahan pe.
Naira: Par aap fresh nhi honge?
Naitik: Main already fresh ho chuka hun. Jab tum so rhi thi princess, tab sabse pehle main aur Gayu fresh hone chale gye the. Phir main aagaya and tumhari mom chali gayi. Unhone milkar packing karli, aur ab dono exhibition ki bachi formalities puri krne gaye hue. Toh tm hotel jao aur jakar fresh holo. Maine hotel mein baat krli hai, woh saara saman airport pahuncha denge. Tum bas unhe supervise krna and saath mein airport aajana. Akshara and Gayu bhi wahan aajayengi. Aur main yahan se sari facilities ke saath Kartik ko leke pahunch jaunga. Fine?
Naira: Okay! Main jaati hun
She walked out of the hospital in a rush. She wanted to see him once but she knew Naitik would ask her to rush to the hotel first. So she moved out, thanking Ganga Maiyya for saving him. Naira hurriedly packed her and Gayu's belongings and then packed Akshara and Naitik's stuff and finally rushed to Kartik's room. She packed his clothes and other belongings neatly in the suitcase and while doing so, she found the same plastic toy, the small duck, that Naira was using earlier in order to cheer him up and apologize. On seeing it, the reel of all the incidents that had happened since they landed in Zurich played in her mind. She was guilty but more than that, she was ashamed of herself as to how can she doubt such a great friend as Kartik. But then she shooed away all these thoughts and packed up his stuff. After the staff organized all the suitcases and bags in the cars, she checked out of the hotel and proceeded to the airport, texting and informing her parents the same. All throughout the way, she kept on thinking about Kartik, his words kept ringing in her ears. Soon, she reached the airport and found Akshara and Gayu waiting for her there. After some time, even Naitik arrived in the ambulance along with Kartik who was still unconscious and buried under the web of the tubes and wires that were attached to his body. The airport authorities immediately took him toh the medical station at the airport and waited till the flight was ready to board. Akshara was with Naira and Gayu, waiting outside while Naitik went to get the boarding passes. Naira was restless, she wanted to meet him but she knew she couldn't. Soon, they boarded the flight. Kartik was kept in a different compartment of the flight while the four if them had their seats in a different one. Only one of them was allowed to stay back with him at all times. Initially, Naitik went but after sometime, Akshara took his place as Naitik was tired and wanted some rest. Naira was getting impatient and so she went to Akshara and asked her to take rest while she would be sitting there with her Jai. Akshara agreed and returned to her seat only to find Gayu fast asleep and Naitik trying to get some sleep. She sat beside him and held his hands under the blanket. The couple was enjoying and catching up for the lost time with some romance while on the other hand, Naira was eagerly waiting for Kartik to get up. Time passed and they reached Delhi. Soon they changed their flights and reached Udaipur. Yet, there was no sign of response from Kartik. He was still the same, unconscious, surrounded by machines.
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