i hope sur wesy to ap ko new format ka pta ho ga...sorry agr mri advice offend lgy but kayi logon ko ye prblm ho ri ha to agr ap update k title ma page no. na insert kr sko to ek new post bna kr apny readers ko bta dena k ap ki next update is page py ha..
p.s sorry again agr mra khna bura lga...😊
Hi all...
I'm back with another update. 12 bajne mein officially 15 minute hain to Sunday ka hi update hua...hehe...okay bad joke.
Well, coming to the update- I might have made some errors here (a bit sleepy). Also if you find any anomalies in the research I did on Diya's ailment or if you have any suggestions/ modifications, please feel free to reach out to me. I tried my best (I'm not a doctor :).
Also, this chapter is dedicated to Sweetylina aka Sweety- a doctor in the making. Thank you Sweety for your valuable advice. It meant a lot to me! Also, you were the one closest to guessing the disease! :) This chapter is also dedicated to Aaisha, who went out of her way to corroborate my research with her own knowledge and pestered her doctor friends for the same. A big thank you to your doctor friend as well Aaisha. And a note of thanks to Minu aka TereLiyeMinu for helping me out by acting as a relay between me and Sweety!
All you guys are amazing. I'm really touched with the love you all have shown the story till now and I hope I can maintain the interest going ahead as well. I know I'm not regular with my updates and you all are so understanding. Bada wala thank you to all of you lovely people! :)
PS: There is some issue with IF. I'd to edit the entire update for errors again after posting it here. And then it's erasing parts of its own accord. Let me know please if there are more issues.
Enough of bak-bak, here is the update:
Part 30: Diya's Ailment
Sameer ushered Naina to the park adjoining the cricket ground in front of his office and made her sit down on a bench nearby with Diya by her side. Diya’s sobbing had subsided a bit by now,but she seemed reluctant to let go of Sameer uncle. She lifted her doe like baby eyes to him as he moved away, wondering if her mother would hit her again.To top it, she felt bad that mother had shouted at Sameer uncle as well. All because he didn’t know Diya was forbidden to eat ice-creams.
Sameer gazed into those pitiful brown eyes and his heartbeat escalated with worry at the thought there was something wrong with the angelic girl in front of him. He looked over at Naina,who was wiping her own tears, looking ashamed, willing herself to speak. Sameer looked around and spotted a cart with juices and colas.
“Ek minute,” he announced and darted off in the direction of the cart, his brain zipping through possibilities like cancer, diabetes, a hole in her heart, kidney failure, brain tumour, Thalessemia. “Oh Lord no…!” he gulped as he asked for a bottle of chilled water from the cart vendor.
The next minute he ran back to Naina, now coddling Diya, who in turn had slightly warmed up to her mother.
“Lo…paani pi lo pehle!” Sameer uncorked the Bisleri bottle and offered it to Naina.
Naina gratefully obliged. Sameer noticed her fingers were trembling as she took hold of the water bottle and took a few sips.Looks like his worst fears are going to come true!
Sameer lifted Diya off the bench and without thinking planted a soft, urgent kiss onto her cheeks. Naina was filled with warmth at this display of affection from Sameer towards his own daughter, even though he wasn’t aware of the real relation between them.
Sameer seated himself on the bench besides Naina, careful to maintain a significant distance between them and pulled Diya near his lap.
If Naina noticed his whitened knuckles or if Diya felt his icy fingers, they didn’t show. Sameer was drowning with worry, yet he patiently waited while Naina screwed the cover back onto the bottle, took in a deep breath and began.
“Diya ko ek beemari hai Sameer…bachpan se…yeh ek genetic disease hai,” she sniffed and continued, “…iska naam Phenyl Ketonuria hai!”
“Phe…Phe kya…Hindi mein bolo na!” Sameer was confounded.
Even amidst her misery and her eyes shrouded with tears, a ghost of a laugh escaped her lips as she heard his old pet dialogue again after what seemed like ages.
“Phe-nyl Keto-nuria…PKU bolte hain ise short form me….!” She repeated for him as Sameer digested this information.
“Yeh ek genetic defect hai…Diya ki body kuch tarah ka protein nahi digest kar paati…toh jin jin cheezon mein wo protein ya wo protein banana wale tatva hote hain wo Diya ko khana allowed nahi hai…jaise doodh, cheese, ice-cream, chocolate…isliye wo sab main Diya ko khane nahi deti…,” Naina locked her eyes to his and completed, “…isliye nahi ki tumne di hai!”
Sameer was taken aback by this explanation,his mind running into an overdrive as to the possible repercussions and the cure.
“Kya yeh bahot serious hai?” he swallowed a lump in his throat and asked in a feeble voice.
Naina shrugged. “Ab to theek hai…depend karta hai…kisi ko mild hota hai kisi ko severe…lekin Diya ke hone ke time to mujhe is baare mein kuch pata nahi tha…kaafi der kar di yeh samajhne mein ki kuch gadbad hai..wo to bhagwan ki kripa hai ki isse pehle kuch bahot galat hota Arvind ne sab sambhal liya!”
Sameer was stunned. He hadn’t even heard of this disease before, but his heart shuddered to know the implications of it all on poor Diya.
“Tumne kabhi notice nahi kiya Sameer…ki Diya zarurat se kayi zyada gori hai…kuch abnormally zyada?” Naina’s question halted his chain of thoughts. Now that she was asking him, Sameer realized it was indeed true. While her fairness accentuated her beauty, Sameer remembered always thinking she looked a little different. His eyes scanned hers and she nodded, “haina? Yeh bhi kayi baar is bimari ka ek symptom hota hai!”
Naina continued, “jab Diya paida huyi thi…maine notice kiya ki uski body se ajeeb si smell aati thi…chahe paseena ho ya urine…mahina bhar beet gaya lekin kuch badla nahi…pehle mujhe laga chote bacchon mein hota hai…vehem samjha maine…fir tests huye to pata chala ki use yeh beemari hai…Doctors ne kaha ki der kar di hai…Diya ke dimag pe asar hua ho sakta hai…,” Naina’s voice choked.She tried to reign in her tears and elaborated, “keh rahe the per…permanent mental retardation shuru ho gayi hogi…ya heart mein problem ho sakti hai…main report aane se pehle pura din bina khaye piye Diya ko lekar mandir mein puja karti rahi…bhagwan ne tab meri sun li aur kuch nikla nahi…varna main kya karti Sameer…meri bacchi meri laparwahi ki wajah se….”. She broke into a fresh fit of sobs as Sameer looked at her and Diya in pity. Without meaning to, he inched closer to her and covered her hands with his and pressed them. This time the grasp was not sexual, but reassuring. Naina didn’t draw her hand back and again wiped her tears on the back of her pallu.
After a couple of moments of silence, Sameer prompted, “iska koi ilaaj hai?”
Naina shook her head in negation.“Ilaaj to kuch nahi hai…bas parhez karni padti hai kya khana hai kya nahi khana aur chunki bahot kuch mana hota hai to dawai leni padti hai nutrition pura karne ke liye…kaafi ganda taste hai supplement ka…Diya bahot nakhre karti hai par kya karun…kabhi pyaar se…kabhi gusse se, kabhi maar se khilati hun use dawa…yeh sab kamse kam dus saal ki umar tak to karna hi hota hai, jise jitna severe ho…kayi baar zindagi bhar bhi…Diya ke case mein doctors ne abhi kuch nahi kaha hai…kehte hain observe karte rahenge for a few years aur us hisab se faisla lenge…tab tak diet se chookna high risk hai…abhi bhi brain development mein asar pad sakta hai…kuch mental disorders ho sakte hain…even heart problems bhi…tumhe pata hai kisi kisi ki body structure mein deformities tak ho jaati hain…yahan tak ki chehra tak ajeeb ho jata hai insaan ka! Raat din bas iske haath pair dekhti rehti hun main ki kahin kuch badla to nahi…”.
Colour drained from Sameer’s face listening to all these repercussions. He pressed her hand further and gulped. “Kuch nahi hoga Diya ko…main hone nahi dunga! Kitna bada gadha hun main bina soche samjhe use ice-cream khila di…”.
Naina shook her head. “Tumhari galti nahi hai Sameer…mujhe tumhe pehle bata dena chahiye tha saaf saaf…tumhe kaise pata hota…?” She took a pause and continued, “Sameer, meri laparwahi ki wajah se Diya ki zindagi kharab hote hote bachi…isliye pata nahi main tabse bahot protective ho gayi hun uske liye…hamesha ek darr laga rehta hai ki use kahin kuch ho na jaaye! Fir main…main kaise jiyungi…Main jaanti hun main bahot chidchidi ho gayi hoon…bahot muhfat aur tum meri itni madad kar rahe ho…fir bhi main tumse aise…!”
Sameer moved even closer to her,“it’s okay Naina…main samajh sakta hoon tum pe kya beetati hai!” If he being a stranger had felt so much concern for Diya, then Naina was her mother.
Some fifteen minutes later, Naina was seated on that park bench with Sameer at her side, as he continued to listen intently to the details about Diya’s case, while Diya lay down on the grass doing something with the grassblades. As Naina erupted in a fresh bout of tears, Sameer couldn’t help but clasp his hand around her head and pat it in consolation as he fought to stay strong himself. Why was Diya’s condition worrying him so much?
This was a question he was struggling to answer.
“I’m sorry Naina! Main tumpe bekar mein gussa kar raha tha..tumko galat samajh raha tha.” Naina shook her head. “Nahi Sameer…I’m sorry…main jaanti hun is tarah gussa karna Diya pe…tumpe…kisi cheez ka paara kisi aur pe nikaalna bahot galat baat hai…pata nahi mujhe kya hota jaa raha hai…us din bhi main Diya pe gussa thi ki wo exam adhura chod ke aayi…lekin usne tumhe yeh bataya ki usne aisa kyun kiya…main to bina usse kuch puche, kuch samjhe use daantati rahi…aur fir Rita ki puri baat sune bina…pata nahi tumhe kya kya bol gayi…I’m really really sorry…”.
Sameer hushed her and patted her head more as his mind focused on the child on the ground, wondering what on earth could he do to provide her with a normal life. Naina’s hand inadvertently crept onto Sameer’s shoulder as she keeled towards him, still whimpering, her eyes fixated on Diya in worry.
“Lekin ab jo ice-cream khayi uska kya?” Sameer asked.
“Kuch treatment leni padti hai…hormonal therapies, kuch supplements…to bahot expensive ho jaata hai…har mahine ka stress…! Actually isi wajah se meri financial condition aur bhi kharab hai!”
“To Naina tumne mujhe bataya kyun nahi…mere pass kaafi paise hain…I can help…tum log chaho to baad mein mujhe lauta sakte ho…but Diya ki life ko leke main koi aur risk nahi lunga!”
“Nahi Sameer tumhare already ehsaan hain ab mujhpe…main aur nahi le sakti…! Main jaanti hun sab bahot badal gaya hai hamare beech…hamare halaat, main badal gayi hun...tum badal…!”
“Main nahi badla…,” Sameer cut her sentence.
Naina raised her eyes and met his. The stark ferocity of his gaze captured her and sent her into a trance. A sudden silence prevailed. Sameer was the first to regain his composure. He cleared his throat and motioned for the bottle of water in her hands. As Naina passed him the Bisleri bottle, he took a few draughts and felt at ease again. He recollected his friends’ advice, “paani pi…dimag shaant hoga!”Where do Munna and Pandit get such ingenious ideas from and when they do, why do they take it so long to tell me?
Sameer looked in the direction of the girl, now playing with the folds of her mother’s saree. He patted her head and nodded. “Please batana mujhe…Diya ke liye mujhse jo ban padega main karunga! I promise!”
***
As Sameer flopped down on his bed without bothering to change, Deepika knocked at the open door.
“Andar aaun?”
Sameer sat up slowly and nodded.As he began untying his shoelaces, he casually asked, “kaisa raha din aaj college mein?”
Deepika noticed his forlorn face,then shrugged, “acha tha…aapka?”
“Good!” He responded without meeting her gaze. “Rohan kab aa raha hai?”
“Next month ka plan hai unka…bhabhi aur wo saath hi aayenge!”
Sameer nodded as he took off both his shoes and placed them neatly besides the bed. He then extracted his socks and walked to the almirah.
Deepika remarked, “shaadi to formality hai…varna to yeh pehle se hi saath hain!”
Sameer nodded absently as he fumbled in his cupboard for his night-tracks.
Seeing her attempt at humour fail,she decided to take a more direct approach. “Itne shaant kyun ho bhaiya…bahot dinon se dekh rahi hun…kabhi itne gusse me hote ho…kabhi ekdum gumsum…kabhi Md.Rafi ke gaane sunte rehte ho stereo pe to kabhi guitar bajate rehte ho ekaant mein…kuch problem hai?”
Sameer clutched his clothes in his hand and shook his head and smiled. “Bas Md. Rafi aur guitar dono mujhe bahot pasand hain!”
“Wo to mujhe pata hai…lekin sirf sad songs…vaise nahi batana to theek hai…,” Deepika got up to leave.
Sameer hesitated, then called, “Deepika?”
She halted at the door and turned.
“Phe- nyl kanaria pata hai?”
“Kya?”
“Uhh…PKU…PKU karke ek disease hoti hai…”.
“Phenyl Ketonuria? PKU? Haan ofcourse pata hai…lekin aap achanak se iske baare mein kyun puch rahe ho? Nani ko thi na?”
Sameer was taken aback, “nani ko?”
“Haan nani ko…aapko nahi pata kya?”
Sameer shook his head in negation. Deepika sat down to explain. “Last year yaad hai maine aapko bataya tha Molecular Genetics ka ek course hai jo bahot tough hai…to main exam se pehle bahot nervous thi..aur mummy ko suna suna ke yaad kar rahi thi…us time ek book mein PKU ka mention tha…mummy ne suna to boli ki yeh to nani ko thi teri!”
Sameer tried to recollect what he remembered of his maternal grandmother- her appearance, her food preferences.All he could recall was that his nani was used to a simple diet and never ate outside. But as a child, Sameer had taken that for granted for all elderly ladies of that era.
Deepika was rattling on, “…doodh, dahi, nuts vagerah sab mana hote hain…ek alag diet hoti hai…agar time pe detect na ho aur care na li jaaye to kaafi dangerous ho jaati hai…mental health ya fir vital organs pe…seizures aa sakte hain…fits…Liver transplant karna pad sakta hai…lekin aap yeh sab kyun puch rahe ho?”
“Wo tu chod…yeh hoti kyun hai lekin…aur iska kya ilaaj hai?”
“Ab bhaiya genetic hai na…agar kisi ke maa baap mein wo gene rahega aur bacche mein express hojaye to beemari ho jati hai…”
“Maa se ya baap se?” Sameer was hoping that Arvind was at fault here.
“Well…dono se…!”
“Dono se?”
“Haan to bhaiya hota kya hai na…,”Deepika eagerly pulled a stool nearby him and began expounding on her favourite topic, ‘Genetics’, “har insaan mein na do type ke genes rehte hain dominant aur recessive allele…to agar….”.
“Arey Hindi mein bol na…mujhe nai samajh aate tere jeans venes!” Sameer interrupted restlessly.
“Uff…okay…to PKU hone ke liye wo beemari ka gene maa aur baap dono me hona chahiye…agar ek me hoga aur dusre mein nahi to beemari nahi hogi…agar dono maa baap mein hai wo gene to 1/4th chance hota hai ki bacche ko wo bimari hogi..samjhe?”
“Matlab maa baap ko bhi wo bimari hogi fir? Aur unko bacchon ko bhi?”
“Nahi nahi…ho sakta hai maa baapmein wo gene ho lekin express na hua ho…matlab keh sakte ho ki wo gene chupa rehta hai…unhe wo beemari nahi huyi lekin agar dono mein wo gene hai aur bacche mein express ho jata hai…maane ubhar aata hai…to bacche ko wo beemari hojayegi!”
Sameer contemplated on this newfound bit of information.
“Ab batao to sahi kahan se achanak is bimari ka naam soojha aapko?”
“Ohhh wo…office mein ek lady hain unki beti ko hai…aaj pata chala…badi pareshaan hain!”
“Arey baap re…kitni badi hai bacchi? Kuch negative effects to nahi na?” Deepika asked in alarm.
“Nahi..abhi tak apparent to nahi hain…5…4…aise hi kuch hai umar bacchi ki…detect to ho gaya tha but thoda late!”
“Ohh…bhaiya unhe boliye chinta nakarein…nani ko bhi tha…lekin khaane peene ka dhyaan rakhna mandatory hai baaki agar mild hai to itna issue nahi…dekhiye na nani ko bhi agar wo bhayankar Malaria nahi hua hota unko to aur rehti wo…aap ek kaam karo na Dr. Mehra se baat kara do unki…wo kisi ache pediatrician ya genetic scientist ke pass guide kar sakte hain!”
“Hmmm..haan thik keh rahi ho!” Sameer smiled at her in gratitude, feeling relieved that it wasn’t a life-threatening situation as of now. He felt extremely angry at himself for having made Diya eat the ice-cream.Chocobar se hi nafrat ho gayi yaar!
Deepika eyed him staring at the ceiling,his face contorted in contemplation, and wondered why was he so concerned about the woes of a colleague and her daughter.
***
“Mom…Nani ko PKU tha?”
Vishakha lifted her gaze from the magazine and looked at Sameer in surprise. “Haan…lekin tu kyun puch raha hai?”
Sameer sat down on the sofa in front of her and sipped his juice. “Aise hi…uska kya ilaaj karwati thi wo?”
“Ilaaj to beta pata nahi…kuch dawaiyaan rehti thi unki…doodh, makhan, kheer vagerah nahi khaati thi…!” Vishakha was eager to have this conversation. For some reason, it was important to Sameer. Why else would he have sought her out and initiated a conversation with her?
“Hmmm…,” Sameer finished his orange juice but did not move.
“Dawai expensive hoti thi kya?”
“Tab to thi…aajkal pata nahi…!”
“Aur Nanu ne yeh jaante huye unse shaadi ki thi?”
Vishakha smiled. “Apne nanu ko to tu mujhse ache se jaanta hai…tune apni zidd unse hi to li hai…hua yun ki wo zidd pe ad gaye the maa batati thi…unhone kaha tha ladki pasand hai mujhe…aur jab ladki ne khud saamne se mujhe sab sach sach bata diya hai apni kamiyon ke baare mein…aur khaane peene ki parhez se sab theek rehta hai to kya dikkat hai…aur bole ki mere pass bhagwaan ki daya se itna paisa hai ki inke dawai ka kharch utha lunga!Bas fir kya tha…tere nanu ki zidd ke aage koi tika hai aaj tak? Ghutne tek diye mere dada dadi ne…ho gayi shaadi!”
Sameer had never known this about his grandparents’ wedding. He smiled reminiscing of their love for each other.
“Lekin tu kyun puch raha hai achanak se is beemari ke baare mein?” Vishakha enquired.
“Wo Nai…,” Sameer checked his tongue. His mother shouldn’t know that Naina is back in touch with him. She washell bent on finding the girl because of whom he’d taken that stupid decision of ingesting an overdose of sleeping pills and berate her for threatening her son’s life.
“Kya Nai? Kahan kho gaya?”
“Woo…Nai…nayi…nayi writer aayi hain ek hamari company mein…unki beti ko hai…Deepika se pucha to usse pata chala ki nani ko thi…mujhe kabhi pata hi nahi tha…!”
“Tu ghar pe raha hi kahan…har samay hostel mein…”. Now it was Vishakha who wished she’d controlled her tongue.
Sameer’s expression immediately tightened. “Of course…mujhe ghar parivaar walon ke baare mein kya pata hoga…aapki meherbaani se…!” With this, he slammed the empty glass onto the table and went out.
Vishakha saw his retreating form and sighed.She’d failed him as a mother and she would never get another chance.
***
The early next day, Sameer fixed up an appointment with their family physician.
Sameer was seated across from Dr.Mehra and was discussing with him about Diya’s case. Dr. Mehra was an elderly man, with a genial wizened face. A tall lanky man, he exuded warmth and an aura of friendship that had got many patients to trust him with their life in his career spanning over forty years. Dr. Mehra propped the gold rim spectacles and studied the file carefully, his skeletal fingers scanning a line hither and thither to verify as he nodded now and then.
Finally he closed the file and looked over at Sameer. “Kaun hai yeh bacchi?”
“Wo…ek dost ki beti hai…kuch serious to nahi na?”
Dr. Mehra gave him one of his well-known warm smiles and shook his head. “Nothing to worry about young man! Mild case hai…Bas diet follow karne ko kaho! Medicines and therapies sab theek hi prescribed hain…AIIMS is the best…aur Dr. Satish Raghavan is a good friend of mine and an excellent pediatrician…Kuch problem ho to mujhse aake milne ko kaho…!”
“Bas?” Sameer prodded.
“Haan…to be on the safe side, unse kehna routine checkups karate rahe bacchi ka- brain pe impact kaafi jaldi hota hai…it’s not life-threatening but diet ka behadh dhyaan rakhein..kamaskam dus saal ki umar tak…!” Dr. Mehra said and added, “financial condition kaisi hai unki…theek hai?”
Sameer shook his head, “kaafi needy hain!”
Dr. Mehra clucked in understanding.He scribbled something in an untidy handwriting and tore off the page from the pad and handed it to him. “Yeh mere ek contact hai…yahan pe unko therapy pe thoda discount mil sakta hai…mera reference de dena okay.”
Sameer nodded. “Tumhara dost sath nahi aaya?”queried Dr. Mehra as he neatly replaced his spectacles back in their metal case.
Sameer smiled. “Wo thoda busy thi…isliye main hi aa gaya!”
Dr. Mehra’s brows furrowed for an instant and he remarked, “ohh!”
Sameer tried to cover up, “wo actually hamare sath hi kaam karti hain…unki bacchi badi pyaari hai…bahot bura laga yeh sunke…” Dr. Mehra was more of an uncle for him now rather than their family doctor.
Eager to change the topic Sameer continued, “Doctor…vaise Deepika bol rahi thi ki parents se aati hai yeh bimari…parents ko bhi ho sakti hai kya…matlab Deepika ne bataya meri nani ko bhi thi!”
“Dr. Mehra shrugged hisshoulders. “Ho to sakti hai…lekin agar unke parents ko hoti to bacche ka detect thoda jaldi ho jati!”
“Right…okay doctor..thank you!” Sameer felt relieved by this explanation. Since last night, he’d been counting the number of ice-creams he’d made Naina eat in college and wondered if that somehow aggravated that gene (‘g-e-n-e’ and not ‘j-e-a-n’ as Deepika had corrected him).
“Aur baaki sab kaise hain gharpe…Mummy ka BP normal hai?”
“Ji!” Sameer nodded courteously.
“Aur tum theek ho? Last time dikhe the to tapte bukhar mein behosh the…”.
Sameer grinned, “nahi ab theek hun bilkul…aur health ka bhi dhyaan rakhta hun! Abhi to kaafi time se cigarette bhi chod rakhi hai!”
“Good!” Dr. Mehra bestowed him with another smile as he disappeared out the cabin door. He pondered for a minute on Diya’s case, and then went back to analyzing the case history of another patient of his clinic.
***
Days passed by as Sameer contacted the finest doctors in the city for the said ailment. He began referring Naina to several treatment and therapy centres, where she was given a hefty discount, partly on taking Dr. Mehra’s name and partly due to Mr.Maheshwari’s insistence. Soon enough, Naina understood what Sameer was trying to do and confronted him on the same.
“Sameer yeh sahi nahi hai…tum aise apni mehnat ki kamayi kyun zaaya kar rahe ho…mujhe pata hai kya costs hoti hai treatment ki…itne kam mein kaise milta hai jahan bhi tum refer karte ho?”
“Naina yeh tumhare liye nahi Diya ke liye hai…uski life ka sawaal hai!”
“Sameer…wo sab theek hai…lekin yeh kaafi mehengi treatments hain! Mujhe acha nahi lagta…!”
“Naina yaar tum hamesha paise ko leke itna tensed kyun rehti ho…aur na maine sab hisaab kitaab lena hai tumse…marwari hun…,” he grinned.
“Aur agar main nahi de paayi toh?” Naina cocked her brows.
“Toh..toh…tumhare us Arvind se lunga…,” he offered.
“Unhone bhi na diya toh?”
“Toh tumhari book ki sari royalty meri!”
“Aur agar book na chali toh?”
“Aise kaise nahi chalegi…SameerMaheshwari ki nazar bahot paarkhi hai madam…!”
Naina smiled, wondering how did Sameer have such different shades of character in him- one that was so evil and frivolous that he ended up ruining her life and the other so caring, so kind that he strived to ease all her miseries in life.
It was then that his voice broke her reverie. “Acha suno…yeh 50,000 ka advance hai…rakh lo tum kaam padega! I swear maine official accounts mein likha hai…aage adjust kar lenge!”
Naina was alarmed. “Pa…pachas hazaar? Yeh bahot zyada hai Sameer….itne paise main nahi le sakti!”
How does she seem so selfless now- exactly the way she used to be in college? She was always righteous- never wanted anyone to help her used to say that degraded her dignity. And yet, this was the same woman, who’d moved over him in an instant, appeared as an opportunist who married an attractive, super-rich NRI scientist and didn’t even bother to inform him. Life could be weird.
“Naina…kya US mein bhi iska kuch ilaaj nahi?” Sameer asked as they walked towards the printing press.
“Ilaaj to nahi…but haan alag alag dawaiyon pe research chal rahi hai wahan pe…gene therapy pe especially!”
“To tumhe Diya ka ilaaj wahan pekyun nahi shuru kiya?”
“Diya to yahan thi na!” Naina realized a bit late at what she’d let out.
“Toh Diya ka janam India mein hua hai? US mein rehna tha na us time Naina…Arvind ko visa bhi extend hoke mil jata!” Sameer tried to explain.
“Chodo na…mujhe nahi chahiye thaki meri bacchi kisi paraye desh mein paida ho!”
“Lekin wo US hai!”
“Toh? Mujhe Hindustan hi pasand hai!”
Sameer smiled. “Achi baat hai!”He thought to himself, “fir us aadhe angrez ki jagah mujh jaise Hindustani se karni thi na shaadi!”
“Kya sochne lage?”
“Wo…yeh ki tum India aayi to pata nahi chala kisi ko…Swati ko bhi!”
“Uhh…wooo…actually main...wo Ahemdabad mein nahi thi na isliye…aur tabyat kharab rehti thi…Rajkot se aana jaana nahi hua! Door hai na!”
“Hmmm…!”
“Sw…swati kaisi hai? Shaadi hogayi uski?” Naina asked hesitantly.
Sameer gazed at her in surprise. “Tumhe invite kiya tha na Swati ne? Preeti se kaha tha…tumhare ghar pe bhi invite dene gaye the uske parents!”
Naina’s face paled. “Gh…ghar pe gaye the?”
“Haan…tum to thi nahi to tumhare mayke hi gaye the uske parents!”
“Toh k..kya bole chacha chachi?”
“Ki wo bata denge tumhe…lekin tumhara aana shayad mushkil hai kyunki tumhare husband ko videsh mein chutti nahi!”
“Hmmm…!”
“Tumhe bataya nahi kya unhone?” Sameer asked all of a sudden.
“Nahi nahi…bataya tha na…wo main uljhan mein thi wahan set ho rahi thi…! Kab…kab thi shaadi exactly…mere dimag se utar raha hai…”.
“3 saal ke upar ho gaye…shayad November 96 mein huyi thi…unka beta Mihir bhi ab 2 saal ka ho gaya…!”
“Mihir…bada pyaara naam hai!”
“Haan…Munna ne pehle bola tha…ladka hua to naam Mihir rakhega!” Sameer chucked.
So Swati had married Munna! Naina was pleased to know that at least the love story of her friend had been successful. Eager for more information, Naina prodded, “Aur Pandit? Wo bhi tha na tumhara dost?”
“Pandit ne bhi shaadi kar li…Anjali hai bhabhi ka naam…infact us din jab Ahemdabad mein tha main aur tum phone pe mujhpe baras padi thi us saree ke chakkar mein…unhi ki beti ka naamkaran tha…Prachi naam rakha hai!”
Naina was embarrassed again. “I’m sorry Sameer! Bahot zyada bol gayi thi main us din!”
“It’s okay!” Sameer walked ahead.
“Aur Pandit-Anjali ko congratulations bolna meri taraf se! Bahot sundar naam hai bacchi ka.”
“Tum khud bol do…chahiye to number deta hun na…Swati se bhi baat kar lo!”
“Nahi…chodo…purane rishte naaton mein nahi padna ab…,” Naina smiled as Sameer looked at her in confusion.
“Kyun?”
“Bas ateet ko yaad nahi karna chahti ab…!” She answered and then changed the topic, “vaise Diya ko wo Barbie doll bahot pasand aayi…raat din usi ke saath lagi rehti hai wo…kabhi uske baal banati hai…kabhi uski dress silwati hai mujhse!”
And the rest of the evening passed by with Diya’s parents laughing together as they discussed the recent antics of their daughter.
Edited by Samaina_1990 - 4 years agoFriends...I haven't sent out the PMs to anyone as yet. Will try to do so by tomorrow morning. Please don't feel bad. Also, I'm unable to update page number in the title. New IF is very cumbersome to use for stories- it has hampered the formatting of my updates and spellings- I had to manually correct for this one. But it seems, the issue is there for the previous updates as well.
This was so beautiful Sur
My stalking skills are more active after IF ka jhol you see😅
Okay now back to the update
I never knew this kind of illness so thank you for giving me some information.
Poor diya
My heart goes out to her.
Naina please please btao Sameer ko she is his daughter
uska haq bnta hain yeh janna.
The way Sameer worked day and night just to get information regarding Diya's treatment and all shows the bond which they share unconsciously
Where is Mr A bade din lag gye inhe toh.ptani now I am having doubt on his character.
kya usne bhi itni mehnat ki hogi Diya ki bimari ke ilaaj janne ke liye.
I am waiting to read his character sketch now.
yeh kuch mystery toh pkka hain.
Oh btw the last lines diya's parents their daughter just truly amazing.
bas jaldi mil jaye yeh log.
Topic started by Samaina_1990
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