~If Only...~
Naina was getting impatient. Sameer had still not come. Naina had worn the saree Sameer had gifted her. It was his Nani's saree, he had told her and it was given by his Nanu in form of his blessings. The farewell had started an hour back, but there was no sign of Sameer. Naina strolled over to Munna and Pandit, "Sameer kahan reh gaya? Use phone karein kya? "Haan yaar Naina...pata nahi kahan reh gaya wo! they responded. Pandit and Naina excused themselves out of the farewell and went to Principal sir's office. Pandit tried dialing Sameer's landline, but no one answered. Naina was getting worried now. She took the phone from Pandit and dialed again. Still no answer! Pandit tried convincing her that maybe Sameer had already left for school and maybe Nanaji was out somewhere. Another hour passed by. Sameer was nowhere to be seen. "Abhi tak to Sameer ko pahunch jana chahiye tha na...mujhe bahot fikr ho rahi hai...wo aise to nahi karta...wo soke na utha ho...lekin fir toh phone to utha leta na...mera dil bahot bechain ho raha hai..., Naina told Munna and Pandit. By now, Munna and Pandit were also a bit tensed and irritated at Sameer's irresponsible behavior. This was quite unlike Sameer. "Hum ek kaam karte hain Naina...hum Sameer ke ghar jake use leke aate hain, they told her. Naina acquiesced, as the duo ran outside.
Munna and Pandit reached Sameer's home to find Ramdhari on the phone. "Acha hua aap log aa gaye...bade saab ko heart attack aaya hai...Sameer baba unhe hospital leke gaye hain...wo akele hain..., he told them, wiping a tear from his eyes. Munna and Pandit ran to the hospital immediately as they heard this. As they entered the hospital, they saw Sameer weeping, trying to juggle a few papers in his hand. Sameer looked up at them as they ran towards him. Sameer hugged them and started sobbing really hard, "Nanu...Nanu mujhe chod ke nahi jaa sakte... Munna and Pandit tried to pacify him. Munna hurried to bring the medicines requested by the doctor as Pandit waited by his side. When he came back, Pandit told Munna, "Munna...tu yahan Sameer aur Nanaji ke saath ruk...main Naina ko bata ke aata hun!
"Naina! Naina! Pandit was half-panting as he called out her name. Naina rushed towards him, Preeti on her heels. "Naina...Sameer..., he started. "Kya hua Sameer ko...bolo na..., Naina was hysteric now. "Nanu ko heart attack aaya hai...Sameer unhe hospital leke gaya hai...wahan wo akela hai..., he managed to complete, amidst tears in his eyes. Naina's eyed widened with shock and Preeti's hand went to her mouth. The next second Naina was running out from the school and Pandit, Preeti ran behind her. They desperately tried to hire an auto, but were not able to get any from the past 10 minutes. Naina was worried to death about Sameer and Nanu now, when she saw Arjun there. Arjun walked upto them, "yahan kya kar rahe ho tum log...andar farewell me kyun nahi ho? "Bhaiya...Sameer...Sameer ke nanaji ko heart-attack aaya hai...wo akela hai hospital me...mujhe uske pass jana hai..., Naina pleaded with her brother, tears streaming from her eyes. Arjun was shocked to hear this. He stood shocked at his sister's guts when it came to Sameer and then said, "Main gaadi leke aata hun..., and ran to get his car. Soon, the gang settled in the car and they rushed to the City Hospital.
"Sameer...Sameer..., Naina was shouting as she reached the hospital. She saw Sameer sitting on the bench besides the wall, looking completely shattered. He looked up, dazed, as he saw Naina enter. And then as if a child would start explaining his pain to his mother, tears rushed to his eyes as he got up. "Naina...Nanu...Nanu ke bina main nahi reh sakta..., he started. He was losing control. Naina could see that Sameer was completely broken. Her own eyes were misty with tears. She couldn't see her Sameer like this. "Sameer..., she said as she caressed his face with her hand. She had to be strong for him. She cradled his face to support him, pushed the hair out of his face, wiped his tears. "Tum ghabrao mat Sameer...main aa gayi hoon na..., she squeezed his hand tightly. Sameer was shivering. Naina pulled him towards her and enclosed him into a tight hug. She patted his back and his head, consoling Sameer, who was sobbing unrelentlessly. Sameer too wrapped his arms around her, unable to hold back his sorrow. He needed support. And he had got it from Munna, Pandit and Naina. Arjun and Preeti entered a minute later and they saw Naina consoling Sameer and he was lying completely broken in her arms. Preeti felt extremely sad. She ran upto him and said, "jeeju...hum hain na aapke saath...kuch nahi hoga Nanu ko...dekhna bahot jaldi wo bilkul theek ho jayenge! Sameer let go of Naina as he listened to Preeti. Arjun too felt pained to see Sameer like this. He pulled him into a hug too, "Sameer...tum bilkul chinta mat karo...main sab dekhta hun...tum akele nahi ho... Soon, Munna, Pandit and Arjun were dealing with the doctors, getting medicines and coordinating with the staff. The sudden tragedy on Sameer had bought even his foes on his side now.
Meanwhile, Naina had got Sameer settled in a chair and was sitting besides him, holding his hand for support. Sameer was still feeling helpless, "Maine bahot der kar di...wo mujhe nahi chod ke jaa sakte Naina... "Sameer...Kuch nahi hoga Nanu ko...tu himmat rakho...lo paani piyo...piyo..., Naina tried to make him drink some water. Sameer moved away, "nai...mujhe kuch nahi chahiye...Nanu...Nanu..., he could only think of his Nanaji fighting death in the ICU next to him. "Sameer...tumhe meri kasam...tum apna dhyan nahi rakhoge to Nanaji ka kaise rakhoge? said Naina. These words hit Sameer. He had to be strong for his Nanu. He would take care of him, nurse him back to health. He looked at Naina and obediently took a few sips of water from the glass in her hand.
Naina was patting Sameer's head, trying to comfort him, when Vishakha entered along with Mr. Somani. Sameer got up from his place as he saw his mother. Vishakha embraced Sameer tightly. She hardly paid heed to the familiar girl standing next to him. "Sameer...kahan hai papa...beta hum aa gaye hain na...don't worry..., she wiped tears from his eyes, unable to control her own, and ran over to the ICU window to check on her father. Mr. Somani as usual started reprimanding Sameer for not informing them on time, when the doctor interrupted. "Sameer ne sab bahot ache se sambhala...usi ki wajah se inhe time pe treatment mil saki hai..., he clarified to Mr. Somani. "Abhi aap unse mil sakte hain...jaaiye..., the doctor said, and Vishakha and her husband hurried inside. Sameer was about to move too, but on second thought stayed back. He left Naina's hand was started walking away morosely. Naina understood he wanted to be on his own for a while. She let him do so, but kept an eye on him from a distance. "Why had this sudden tragedy struck them? She sat down there and closed her eyes, praying to God to make Nanu fine soon. She started doing the mahamritunjaya jaap, but before she could complete the first shloka, she heard Munna and Pandit screaming. She opened her eyes and saw that Sameer had collapsed. Naina rushed to the spot and held Sameer along with Munna and Pandit. Sameer's eyes were closed. He was only chanting, "Nanu...Nanu... With difficulty, they revived him and splashed water on his face to get him back to consciousness. Naina was worried about two things right now- Nanu's health and Sameer. They both were in an extremely precarious condition now. She knew how attached Sameer was to his Nanaji and silently prayed that nothing would happen to him. She didn't want Sameer to lose his only support in life- his mumma, his Nanu.
Some 2 minutes later, Mr. Somani rushed over to Sameer. "Sameer...Nanaji tumse baat karna chahte hain...jaldi... Sameer rushed to the ICU with Naina, Munna and Pandit on his heels. Sameer opened the ICU door and saw his beloved Nanu amongst hundreds of equipments, needles pierced in his hands, oxygen mask helping him to breathe. Sameer entered and sat down besides Nanu, taking his hands in his. "Nanu..., he was sobbing. "Arey ye aansu kaise...ye aansu tujhpar bilkul ache nahi lagte...tu muskura..., Nanu told him, breathing heavily. Sameer tried to smile and wiped the tears from his eyes. Nanu told him, that the time had come when Vishakha would do her duty and take care of him. He told him, "aaj isne mujhse promise kiya hai...ki ye tera bahot khayal rakhegi...teri ye hasi tere chehre se kabhi gayab nahi hone degi...bilkul tere Nanu ki tarah rakhegi tujhe... Sameer shook his head, "no no...I want to be with you... Naina again started with great difficulty, "beta...ab waqt aa gaya hai ki tu Sameer Maheshwari se JayPrakash Maheshwari ka beta bane...unki jagah le...maine badi mehnat se sab naam kamaya...ab sab tere hawale hai beta...ise aage kaise leke jaana hai...ye main tujhpe chod raha hun...haan...sambhalega na tu...sambhalega apne Nanu ka naam? Nanu asked him slowly, gasping for breath in between. Sameer clasped his hand harder in his and nodded, "hmmm...hhhaan Nanu... "Beta...pehle tere pass kuch nahi tha...to ye Nanu tha tera tere sath...lekin aaj tere pass sab kuch hai...ek pariwaar hai tera...maa hai, he looked over at Vishakha, "pita hai..., he eyed Somani, "bhai jaise dost Munna-Pandit hain, he looked over at Sameer's Rahu-Ketu, "aur ab to..., Nanu gestured Sameer to come closer to him, "Naina jaisi jeevan-saathi bhi hai... he told him smiling a bit. Sameer smiled slightly amidst the tears creeping in his eyes. At that moment, the door of the ward opened and the nurse entered to check up on Mr. Maheshwari. "Aap itne saare log ek saath ICU me nahi reh sakte...please bahar jaiye..., she told them. Mr. Somani, Munna, Pandit and Vishakha got up to leave, though half-heartedly, while Sameer stayed put. As the door opened again, Nanu's eyes fell upon the girl in his wife's saree, waiting outside the ward. He smiled slightly and gestured to her to come inside. Naina was startled. She looked over at Sameer, who through his teary eyes asked her to come inside. Naina entered, while Vishakha wondered why her father wanted to meet this girl. Nanu smiled at Naina as she came near him and touched his feet. "Jeeti raho...beta meri na jaan mere Sameer me atki thi...ki mujhe kuch ho gaya to iska kya hoga...lekin ab...ab mujhe iski fikr nahi hoti...kyunki kyunki tum iske saath ho...thank you beta...tumhari wajah se mera Sameer bada ho gaya...tumhe pata hai beta...isne mujhse vaada kiya tha ki jab bhi wo special ladki Sameer ki life me aayegi na...wo mujhe usse sabse pehle milwayega...aur dekho aaj main tumse mil liya...aakhiri baar...bas ek iccha thi beta...ho sake to mere Sameer ka saath kabhi mat chodna...main uparwale se dua karunga ki tum dono ki jodi wo sada salamat rakhe...ab Sameer tumhari bhi zimmedari hai beta...nibhaogi na ye zimmedari? Nanu articulated slowly. At this, both Sameer and Naina erupted in tears again. Sameer still hadn't let go of his Nanu's hand. Naina nodded, amidst her tears. Nanu smiled at her and told them, "Nainaa beta...aaj tumhe is saree me dekh ke mujhe Sameer ki Nani ki yaad aa rahi hai...ab waqt aa gaya hai ki main bhi uske pass jaun..., said Nanu eyeing Naina and then Sameer. Sameer shook his head, "nai nai... Nanu smiled and slowly said to Sameer, "ab tujhe tera pyar mil gaya...mujhe bhi apne pyaar ke pass jaane de... "Nanu...naiii...naii...aap kaisi baatein kar rahe hain...main aapko kahin nahi jaane dungaaa..., Sameer started weeping loudly, his hold on Nanu's hand getting tighter with each passing second. Nanu smiled at him and then looked over at Naina. It was as if his eyes were telling her to go and call everyone inside. Naina got alarmed and ran to call the family and Munna-Pandit inside. As everyone rushed inside, Nanu looked over at Vishakha, "Vishakha! Lo sambhalo apne Sameer ko...tumhare pita ki bas ek iccha hai...ki mere is Sameer ki har icchhaa..., Nanu looked over at Naina briefly, and then continued, "...ko puri karna... With this, Nanu lovingly caressed Sameer's face and heaved. And all of a sudden, his body went limp. His hand fell over to the side. The ECG machine went silent as the family erupted in grief. Sameer just stood there watching Nanu's face. Reality escaped him. Naina, without even realizing the presence of Sameer's family in the room, put her hands on his back to support him, as she herself cried her eyes out.
For Sameer, it was the beginning of a phase he dreaded the most- the phase which brought pain of separation from two people Sameer loved most in his life- his Nanu, who was gone all of a sudden and Naina, who destiny had decided to snatch away from him- at least for sometime.
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