Caution: This is dramatic. Some, actually, many of the dialogues are in Hindi. This is unrealistic as well. Drishti does not have the future seeing power here. She is a normal human.
Silver Lining
Hamko Mili Hai Aaj Ye GhadiyaNaseeb Se,
Jee Bhar Ke Dekh Lijiye HamkoKareeb Se,
Phir Aapke Naseeb Me Ye Baat HoNa Ho,
Shaayad Phir Iss Janam Me MulaqatHo Na Ho.
"You are so beautiful."He runs to catch her in his arms, and caresses her cheek with his andshe smiles, giggles, feeling ticklish.
"I love you so much."He sweeps her off her feet, twirling her around with the never fading satisfactionand gratitude gleaming in his eyes.
"Mai bhi aapse... bohot..."She hides herself in his chest, fisting his T-Shirt, leaving the rest ofthe words of her sentence incomplete, like always.
"I adore you." Shekisses his cheek, flashing her smile and feeds him a piece of chocolate that hehas given to her.
*
Damn this car! Kickingthe tyre of his car in frustration, he pulled his shades away from his eyes. Helooked around the deserted area, he had got stuck in. There was no way he wasgoing to get any mechanic at the place where he couldn't see a single person onthe road, especially in the middle of the night.
Meeting... Shit! Hehad pulled out his phone and dialed a number the soon he remembered he wouldnot be able to make it. "I am so sorry, Mr. Mehra but I don't think, wecan finalize the deal tomorrow. Yes, I know, Mr. Mehra but I really can't doanything in this situation. It's okay. Let's do this after a week? Once you areback from your trip. Sure. Pleasure, Mr. Mehra. Have a safe journey."
He sighed, scratching hisforehead with his index finger. On seeing no other alternative, he decided toget some rest in his car till morning and he moved towards the car.
Dammit! Helet out many curses when the door did not open. He had left the key in the car.Foolish me! Why is today sobad? Having had waited there for more than half an hour, hoping to getany lift but he was greeted with only disappointment, he started wandering aroundthe area to see if he could get any place to spend the night.
After walking for good twentyminutes, he got a glimpse of a small house near the road. It did not look in agreat condition but it was fine, he thought. I hope someone liveshere. He knocked the door, anticipated to find someone there. Therewasn't any reply which made him low again. Almost absent mindedly, he knockedagain before he turned around.
"Yes?"
The soft voice that fell in hisears had his eyes close almost as an instant reflex. His heart throbbed againsthis chest, like it used to do. Everything had come to life, like it usedto... whenever she used to be around him.
"Miss. Sood." He turnedback, facing her, his eyes staring her from head to toe.
"Mr. Shergill," shewhispered. "You here?" If she was surprised, she did not make itvisible, rather pretended to be calm, more than ever. If it hadn't been hervoice, then he did not know for how long he would have stood there, just looking at her. Breaking hisreverie, he kept his hand on his chest to calm his racing heart down. "Uh,my car broke down." He couldn't manage more.
"Oh. Please come in. Youwill not get anything at this hour. Besides, you look tired."
His gaze at sharpened at her laststatement.
"That I am." Mumbling,he got in and settled on the couch. His gaze was travelling across her housethat was simply decorated, clean and neatly arranged. A smile crept on his lipsrecalling her inclination towards simplicity. She is still thesame. He had always teased her for her obsessive compulsive disorderregarding cleanliness and even if she used to frown at the same, she couldn't denyhow she had gotten so used to it.
She sat next to him, tucking her hair strandsbehind her ears. Some habits just die-hard, thoughthe.
Silence engulfed air with secretglances exchanging between them. She cleared her throat. "Everything isgood, no?" She asked, tapping her fingers on the palm of her other hand.
"Jab kisi ki zindagi se uskapyar chala jata hai, to sab accha kaise ho sakta hai, Miss. Sood?"
Ah, the pain his words held! Shehad frozen at her place, her fingers staying in the air.
"Lavanya is in your life,isn't she? So..." She stared at him who was already looking at her indisbelief.
"Why would she be in mylife?" He decided to dig a bit.
"Kyunki maine hi tobheja..." Her gaze shot up at him, squeezing her eyes shut. She shouldn'thave said that. She really shouldn'thave.
"Ah, I see." He did notknow when he left his place, got near her, held her by elbow and pulled her up.She had laid her eyes on the ground, and with a push to him, she tried gettingaway but that wasn't what he was going to allow, especially then. Sliding afinger underneath her chin, he made her look at him. "So, why did you sendher in my life? You think, I don't deserve anyone, right?"
"Mr. Shergill, please."
"Kyu? Khud ki kahi hui batesunkar takleef ho rahi hai?" He had pulled her more on to him, leaningdangerously close while all she had been doing was, averting her gaze from himto avoid any eye contact for she knew, she wouldn't be able to resist more ifshe did that.
"But you know, it's notreally your fault. Maine socha hi nahi, ke shayad... shayad koi aur baat hosakti hai. Jis ladki ko mai ek sal se janta tha, wo achanak ek din aise behavekarti hai jaise shayad maine use kabhi jana hi nahi aur mujhe weird nahi laga.Kaise maan liya maine?" He left his grip on her and his hand fisted andlanded directly on the wall behind with a force that it started bleeding. Therealization was finally striking him, after eight months... eight months sinceher withdrawal from his life.
"Mr. Shergill, please, don'tdo this." Tears began welling up in her eyes as the blood oozed from hishand.
"Pehle batao, kyukiya?" He demanded, pulling his hand back that she was trying to examine.
"Ye kya bachpana hai, Mr.Shergill?" She had enough. He was hurting himself and that was the lastshe could bear.
"Bachapana to bachpana sahi.Tell me or else..." There landed another punch on the wall, deepening hiswound more.
"Alright, alright. I amtelling. Pehle dressing kar lu?" She spoke looking at his hand.
"Dressing karte kartebatao."
She shook her head and ran in thekitchen to get the first aid box.
"Promise kiya tha, Mr.Shergill. Aapki life se jaane ka. Ruk nahi sakti thi mai," she said,cleaning the blood with the cotton.
"Kis se?"
"Mahima Ma'am se." Shedid not dare looking up knowing he was going to get the biggest heartbreak ofhis life.
"Mom se? But kyu?"Nothing was getting in his head. He found it nothing but senseless. Why wouldhis mom take any such promise from her?
"Kyunki unhe nahi lagta thake mai aapke liye sahi ladki hu," she replied calmly, continuing her work.
To say, he was shocked would beunjustified. He was rather confused, puzzled and perplexed.
"Aapki kundali meri kundalise match nahi karti thi, Mr. Shergill. Pandit Ji ka aisa kehna tha, ke agarhamari shaadi hui to aapki jaan ko khatra ho sakta hai." There came theentire truth of the fiasco she had pulled that time, to break her ties withhim.
"Are you serious? Tum jaantiho esa kuch nahi hota hai."
"Jaanti hu." She drapedhis palm with a clean bandage.
"To kyu?" He stillhadn't gotten his answers.
"Mr. Shergill." Sheshut the first aid box and stared at him. "Mahima Ma'am ne mujhse wopromise liya kyunki wo aapse bohot pyar karti hai. Aur maine wo promise kiya,kyunki mai bhi aapse bohot pyar karti thi."
He couldn't trust his ears. Thetwo most important ladies of his life had hidden such an important thingregarding his life from him. Both had taken decisions without even caring toinform him.
"Karti thi? Matlab ab koiaur hai?"
She chuckled at his question."Slip of tongue, Mr. Shergill. Karti hu."
"To bas. Tum chalo mere sath.Mai Mom se baat karta hu." He held her hand that he never thought he wouldbe able to, after their relationship came to an end.
"No, Mr. Shergill." She adamantly refused. She knew it was coming and what he was asking for could make them both happiest in the universe but unfortunately, she could not do that.
"Mai apna wada nahi tod sakti. Mai aapki zindagi me wapas nahi aa sakti." She was hurting him deeply again but not that she had any other option left with her.
"Tumhare bina meri koi zindagi hi nahi hai. Why dont you understand dammit?" He was getting frustrated with every word she was uttering. His life had been hell without her and she was just not realizing it.
"Aap aaj raat yahi ruk jaiye. Kal subah chale jana." She declared, reminding him well that he would have to leave tomorrow, without any argument or any attempt of getting her back withhim.
As soon as she stood up and took a step, she was stopped on her place by his grip on her wrist. "Stay please." The helplessness that his voice and eyes held did not let her move. She did not have a heart to refuse him in that moment. She did not.
Not exchanging a word, she just slipped beside him. Few moments later, her head fell on his shoulder and his arm rounded around her. Eight months! After bloody eight months, she was that close to him. He could not even express how it felt, having the love of his life in his arms. That was just something else. He was getting overwhelmed. He hadn't thought that he would be ever meeting her because she had just disappeared after that night. Pure luck, fortune and may be some good deeds ofhis previous life... that he was getting that precious time with her.
"Mr. Shergill, aap kal ke baad yaha kabhi wapas nahi aayenge." She mumbled to him, hearing which he quickly released her.
"Aaj ki raat to rehne do. Kal kisne dekha hai." His words sounded strange to her ears but she didnot react to them.
"You are still so beautiful." He confessed, gently cupping her cheeks. The moment they were sharing brought back so many memories. Every day... every day, he used to tell her the same. Her eyes had closed with his touch and he had smiled with that.Nothing much had changed, really.
"I love you so much... so, so much." He brushed his lips gently against hers and she was left stunned. She was neither expecting him to say that nor to do what he did. In that moment, world stopped still and everything felt perfect... just perfect!
"Mai bhi aapse...bohot..."
Pass Aayiye Ke Ham Nahi Aayenge Baar Baar...
Baahe Gale Me Dalke Ham Ro Le Jar Jar...
Aakho Se Phir Ye Pyar Ki Barsaat Ho Na Ho...
Shaayad Phir Iss Janam Me Mulaqat Ho Na ho...
The sound of his phone disturbed the beautiful moment that was going to be created.
Doctor calling...
Her eyes caught it with laser speed and concern took over her. "Mr. Shergill... Doctor... why? What happened? Put the phone on speaker." She snatched the phone from his hand and she herself put it on the speaker and held it in front of him, signaling him to talk.
He shook his head at the way she was panicking and handling the situation. "Hello, yes, Doctor."
Doctor- Rakshit, the reports of the tests that we have conducted have come. I suggest tum hospital aa jao. Phir baat karte hai. Kal aa sakte ho? Delay mat karna.
Her heart gripped with fear. It began beating frantically. Rakshit pulled the phone closer. "Anything wrong Doctor? You can tell me now."
Doctor- Where are you now? Is there anybody with you?
The doctor's questions were just adding on to an already terrified Drishti's fears. She grabbed the phone from Rakshit'shand. "What's wrong, Doctor?
Doctor- Who is this?
"This is Drishti. Mr. Shergill's friend." She did not have time for the useless talk. She was getting worried sick and impatient. She was chanting prayers in her mind, remembering every god she knew existence of and even those she did not, for his well-being.
Doctor- Do not panic. What I feared for has come true. It's brain tumor... and it's in a deadly condition.
Tears rolled down her cheeks. She wasn't prepared to take what was being thrown at her. Destiny had played its game and a brutal one. A brutal one indeed. The phone escaped her hold, and fell near her feet. A blank Rakshit did not know how to respond to the news either but he still had control over his senses unlike Drishti. He lifted the phone and finished the conversation, agreeing to visit the hospital the nextday.
He immediately looked for Drishti beside him who without her realization had slipped from couch on the floor. She drew knees closer to her chest, and tightly wrapped her hands around them. The news numbed her senses. He was left dumbstruck to witness a devastated, shattered and helpless Dristi. Her pale face screamed the extent to which knowing about his health condition had affected her.
He sat next to her, softly whispering her name as if to break her reverie. "Drishti."
"Why did you come here?" Despite knowing it did not make any sense, she went on spitting out what came in her mouth.
"Drishti, stop it. Ye yaha aane se kafi pehle se hai. I have been having symptoms but I neglected it initially thinking it would be nothing serious. The doctor thought it is migraine, when I got a check-up done after a week but the medicines did notrelieve the pain so I had an MRI done in the morning. So stop blaming yourself, alright? He held her hand and rubbed his thumb tenderly over it. Her agonized self was too painful to see, for him. He could do anything and everything tomake her feel good. In that one moment, he regretted coming there for it had put her in the pool of guilt of causing him what he already had.
"Shh, stop crying. Stop crying." Pressing his thumb on her cheek, he wiped the stream of tears flowing from her eyes. "Do you understand now? Tum meri life me nahi thi phir bhi ye hua... hua na? Aur shaayad, tum nahi thi, isiliye hua. Ab batao, were you right in leaving me even if you did it thinking for my good? Was it worth?"
One thing came out good from the revelation of his brain tumor. Like they say, everything happens for a reason and probably it was the reason, to bring him with her.
"Mr. Shergill." She cried, circling her arms around his neck. Her sobs echoed in the room as he held her closer, letting her stay in his embrace. Absolutely, it wasn't worth and it wasn't that she wasn't aware of it but she had chosen to shield him from every problem before it could knock his door but sometimes, things are just not in your hand.
"Aapko kuch nahi hoga, Mr.Shergill. Mai hone nahi dungi."
Both wondered whom she was really assuring, him or her own self. Snuggling closer, she wrapped her hands tightly around him, as if fearing that he would vanish if she loosened her hold.
"That means, you are coming with me?" He asked with a small smile crept on his lips. Before she could answer, his phone had rang once again.
Mom calling...
"Yes Mom." He replied as normally as he could manage, pretty much knowing what was coming his way.
Mahima- Rakshit, where are you? Come home, now.
"Mom, why are you awake at this hour?" Pretending, he asked in spite of having the answer with himself. He was sure; the doctor must have made a phone call to her by then.
Mahima- Tum bas ghar aao.
"I know, Mom. Doctor ka phone aaya tha mujhe abhi." He gave in with the silent sobs he heard on the phone, that his mother was trying to suppress.
Mahima - Inn logo ko kuch nahi aata. Kuch nahi hua hai tumhe. Tum bas ghar aao. We'll consult best doctor.
"Mom Mom... I am fine. Don't worry. Waise aap janti hai iss waqt mai kiske sath hu? Miss. Sood."
Mahima - Drishti? Rakshit look-
"Again, I know everything Mom. She told me it all. Ab mujhe aap bataiye, wo to meri life me bhi nahi thi, buts till, ye hua... so what's your perspective now?" That was but obvious that Drishti would not return without Mahima's consent and wow, what a way he had got to make his ladies aware of how wrong they had been, in taking decisions for him.
Mahima- Bring her with you.
And with that, she disconnected the call. Drishti couldn't help but smile through her tears. He beamed inrelief stealing a glance of her, a bit relaxed.
"Mr. Shergill, aapko dar nahi lag raha?" She asked in a faint voice, clutching his arm. He kept his hand over her.
"Should I be honest? Then, yes, because tum abhi to mili ho. Itni jaldi nahi marna mujhe. Mujhe aur waqt chahiye, tumhare sath."
Her finger shushed him as it stilled on his lips. "Kuch nahi hoga, aapko."
He merely nodded, lingering hislips on her forehead before he took her in his arms.
Next Day...
Everyone was in the hospital.
"Rakshit, we need to hurry.We can't afford waiting more. Dr. Avinash had left his chair, walking up to Rakshit and kept his hand on his shoulder. Dr. Avinash was one of the most skilled neurosurgeons. He asked everyone to wait outside saying he needed totalk with Rakshit alone, as he signaled him to do so. As expected, Drishti refused to leave and Rakshit couldn't argue with her, knowing well that she would not listen.
"So, tell me, what it is, Rakshit?"Dr. Avinash waited for him to let out what was going in his mind. Of course, he must be thinking about a lot and that was normal too.
"How much time do I have?"
"Mr. Shergill." Drishti almost screamed, her eyes filling up again.
"Calm down. He took her hand in his, holding it to comfort her anxious heart.
"Not much." Dr. Avinash helplessly looked at him, especially at Drishti who was on the verge of breaking down.
"What percent chances of the operation being successful?"
Dr. Avinash knew it was coming. Dr.Avinash was a family friend of Shergills. He had seen Rakshit from his childhood to the grown up man, he had become. If he was emotional regarding his personal life, then he was equally practical. Dr. Avinash had always admired him for the balance that Rakshit managed between his emotional stability and practicality.
"50%. Because the tumor is in a complicated condition but we will try our best. Right now, we have to do this operation. If we delay this operation then you might not..." Dr. Avinash couldn't complete what he was going to say when he looked at the young girl, whose eyes had held her entire hope on him. "I have made all the arrangements. If you are ready, we can just start the operation now."
"Yes, Doctor. We will do this operation now."
Rakshit tilted his head, when heheard Drishti speaking up instead of him. Dhe heardhad wiped her tears. There wasn't really time to waste more. Rakshit blinked his eyes in agreement.
Dr. Avinash called for the nurse and asked her to lead them to the operation theatre. As they stepped out of the Doctor's cabin, Mahima held on to Mr. Shergill's arms.
"Ma'am, Mr. Shergill ko kuch nahi hoga. Lekin abhi operation zaroori hai." Drishti again, had spoken for him knowing it wouldn't be easy for him to talk with his mother, in that moment.
One hour passed!
Another one!
And a few more!
Mahima had been crying on the hospital bench without having anything since the time they had taken Rakshit inside while on the other hand, her husband was trying to console his wife but the mother in her had overpowered her every other form of the relation. And Drishti... she had been sitting on another bench, constantly staring at the picture of lord Shiva in her mobile gallery. Though she never believed in superstitions but she had always believed in that one power that has given birth to the universe, that has been responsible for the every happening beyond human control and Rakshit's life was certainly falling in that category. "Please." She had been requesting, pleading, crying right there, for his life.
She came running in front of the operation theatre when she overheard a nurse saying the surgery had been finished.
"I am sorry. He couldn't make it."
Her heart broke into zillions of pieces with the piece of information she got the moment she reached and heard the Doctor telling Mr. Shergill's parents who had already collapsed by then. She ran inside the operation theatre without caring to any doctor and nurses there. Her feet froze with him laying with his eyes closed as if had slipped in a deep sleep.
"Mr. Shergill." Sherl rushed towards him, squeezing his hand. Scooping his face in her palms, she started caressing, calling for him, asking him to wake up. "That's it, the operation is done. Get up now. You can sleep all that you want after going home. Mr. Shergill, please. Get up. You cannot do this to me. You said you want more time with me. You cannot go. Mr. Shergill. She was shaking him with her all. She wasn't sure if she was making sense but one thing was sure, he could not go. How could he?
Her head fell on his chest."This heart can't stop beating when it has its heartbeat right with it." Her cries saw no end. Mahima and her husband, who stood at the door couldn't gather the courage of stepping in. How were they supposed to accept the reality that their son had gone... far, far away from them? Gone to never come back.
Mahima's heart shuddered with the intensity of Drishti's pain. In that one moment, she realized one thing, that what she had done to protect her son by sending Drishti away from him wasn't aright decision. If this was what destined to happen, then at least... at least they both could have spent eight months with each other, at least she wouldn't have needed to see her son, waking up and sleeping mechanically every day, at least he would have been with his love for the time he had in this life. That was one huge regret, she realized!
Drishti still hadn't given up. She was still mumbling, asking him to wake up and that was when she felt as small caress on her hairs. If it hadn't been anyone else, in that moment, she wouldn't even have realized but then, it was the touch of the man whom she could feel even before her eyes could catch his sight.
She moved away with a jerk and there he was, struggling hard to blink his eyes, his hand still trying to hold her by some way. And that was it. She screamed with all the strength she hadfor the doctor.
Mahima and her husband startled with the girl's shout, rushed inside followed by Dr. Avinash who was just at the door of operation theatre when he heard Drishti.
"Mr. Shergill thik hai. He is here. He is here."
Dr. Avinash had stepped right beside Rakshit by then and even he saw the movement of him that was practically impossible for him. There were after shouts for the nurses and he asked everyone to wait outside but Drisht had adamantly refused again. She stood right there, holding Rakshit's hand.
*
"This is a miracle. Happens with some luckiest people and Rakshit... is one of them, I believe for having someone beside him who has literally snatched him from death." Dr.Avinash gave a confirmation to Mahima and Mr. Shergill, pointing at Drishti, who was now sitting on a stool, her hand still having his in her hold and it seemed like she was whispering something to him. She looked pleasantly relieved, with her tear stained face.
After six months...
"Mr. Shergill... Mr.Shergill, stop it now. You aren't allowed to work more." Frowning, Drishti pulled the laptop from Rakshit's lap, who was again busy cracking his business deals despite the several warnings from the Doctors but now, he had a wife who exactly knew how to make Mr. Stubborn Shergill listen to her.
He smiled sheepishly mumbling an apology to her like he always did and she kissed his cheek, like she always did. After all, how could she stay mad at her adorable husband who every time turned into her cute boy whenever she got upset with him?
"I love you so much."
She raised her brows when he pulled her onto him by her wrist and she landed straight on his chest. Shelifted her head just to find immense peace, satisfaction and gratitude in his eyes for having her by his side.
"Mai bhi aapse...bohot..." She wrapped her hands around him, leaving the rest of the words of her sentence incomplete, like she did... always.
*
Alright, so this is one old piece that I had written for some other couple months back. I don't know, out of nowhere I remembered having this in my folders and realized how well this goes for these two with all the drama Mahima Shergil did and is still doing for the Kundali and galat ladki and jaan ka khatra thing😆. I thought this went well so posting this. Hope you liked it.
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