IPKKND FF: Trial by fire Part 33 updated on Pg 84 - Page 23

Yay! i'm so glad karan found her! great update 😊

Part 19 - Trial by fire

Arnav called up Akash to convey the news about Anjali asking the Raizada parivar to come to the hospital directly. Nani, Mami and Payal had tears of relief pouring from their eyes when they heard the news that Anjali had been found. They immediately got ready to leave. Khushi felt like a big weight had been lifted from her chest. She quickly darted to Devi Maiyya's temple, prayed to her and thanked her for saving Anjali di. "Bas ek aur praarthana Devi Maiyya...Anjali Di should not have any trouble with delivering the baby.", she prayed before grabbing the sacred ash and vermillion for Di. Payal collected the baby bag that Anjali had kept ready for many days now and everyone piled into the car to take them to Anjali Di.

****

At the hospital entrance, Karan directed the hospital staff to get Anjali a stretcher bed and lifted her out and onto the stretcher as though she were precious porceleain. He had the staff jump to his commands and provide the best service. "Typical rich father", commented one of the nurses to another. Karan turned around irritated by the snide comment, but decided not to pursue it. He held Anjali's hand all through and hoped she could draw upon his strength. Anjali for her part, forgot the rules of propriety and was just glad that Karan was around for support in her time of need. Reality and the Raizada family would soon intrude...But for now, Karan was her strength. Karan was held back to fill out the paper work as Anjali was readied for the imminent birth and she felt bereft. Arnav reached the hospital and ran in ...He saw Karan filling out the paperwork and was so relieved to see his friend, his sister's saviour that all he could do was just pull Karan into a tight hug of gratitude. The taciturn Karan for his part understood what Arnav was going through and quickly led him to the room where Anjali now lay changed with all the monitors hooked up. Through her haze of pain, Anjali saw her Chottey at the entrance of the room, with tears in his eyes.

"Di ,oh Di...I am so sorry, so sorry I let you be harmed yet again...If only I had been there with you..you would never...", Arnav burst out. Anjali managed to interrupt, "Chottey, Chottey, dekho iss mein tumhari koi galati nahi ...Aur naahi Karan ki...Kabhi kabhi itne saavdhaani ke baad bhi kuch ho jaata hai...", she managed to interject before the next wave of pain came on that had her moaning and both Karan and Arnav rushed to hold each hand. Arnav looked at Karan in surprise for a miniscule moment before turning to look at his Di. Karan unconsciously wiped Anjali's brow with his free hand...and then realized that Arnav was there and hesitatingly removed both his hands. Anjali was very glad to see her brother but felt something missing when Karan removed his hands. She realized that the closeness that they had developed in the past weeks and more so over the past couple of hours was not normal or usual. Perhaps, it was usual because Karan was her rescuer and she felt beholden to him and this was gratitude ...but the birth of a child was an intensely personal and private thing that was shared only with family members and Karan was an outsider, she told herself consolingly as Karan withdrew from the room.

Karan collided with the attending doctor and turned around and almost pleadingly requested her to take care of Anjali, her pain and make sure she had a safe delivery. He was recalling a similar situation almost 4 years ago when it was another doctor and he had been pleading when the doctor had consoled him and told him that nothing was in their hands. Karan felt helpless as he waited in the waiting room to be joined by a worried Arnav. He pacified and consoled Arnav that Anjali was in good hands and that all women went through this and the doctor was going to give her something now for the pain. Arnav just clenched his fists worriedly. "I will kill Shyam with my bare hands if something happens to Di.", he vowed to Karan. "Nothing will happen to Anjali - Your niece or newphew will make an entrance soon and Anjali will become perfectly alright. My men are waiting for Shyam to return and I should hear something from them shortly", Karan said.

The Raizada parivar was on tenterhooks till they arrived at the hospital. It was almost 11 PM when they were driving in. Khushi was wondering how Arnav was holding up. She had wondered where he was and what he was doing all day. On the way to the hospital, maami shared her secret - what Arnav had told her about Shyam's demand. Everyone was shocked; Khushi, privately, more than most. She was starting to feel all sorts of emotions; Anger at Arnavji who had put his Di in danger and had not informed them , not informed her or given her a chance to help with the negotiations. Hadn't she been the one who had found him after his kidnapping? Fury at Shyam who had compounded his sins by lusting after Khushi to the extent of kidnapping his very pregnant wife, Anjali, and using her as a bargaining chip; Small tendrils of hope that Arnavji had cared enough about her, had trusted her and had not handed her over to Shyam, hope that maybe he cared for her as much as he cared for his Di. That he had asked Maami to take care of her and ensured she didnt do anything ulta-seedha lit a small spark of trust that he really cared for her and understood what she might have done if she had known Shyam's demand.

When they reached the hospital's waiting room where Arnav and Karan waited, naani and mami quickly directly went over to Anjali's room while the rest first met with Karan and Arnav. Arnav saw Khushi and was just so relieved to see her that he reached out, gently pulled her into his arms and hugged her, smelling her unique jasmine fragrance emanating from the creamy neck revealed by the dark brown and gold Anarkali's dupatta. It felt like he had come home, like he had found the incomplete missing piece of a puzzle.

Flashback
When Khushi saw her babuji lying on the hospital bed, so pale and lifeless, she almost felt her breath taken away and her stomach dropping when she thought of a life without him. "What I would not do to get him back hale and hearty", she thought. Crying Payal, Amma and buaji appeared so frail in their helplessness as they looked to Khushi to be their tower of strength. The weight of the expectations got to Khushi as she made her way outside to sit and grieve, in private, outside the hospital room in a clinical, impersonal hallway. As she sat there with her images and impressions of bauji over the years, floating through her mind, squeezing her heart and bringing tears to her eyes, she felt a faint prickling, some warning of someone's eyes on her. She turned around and saw the one person she felt she could derive some strength from - Arnavji. He stood there looking as though he had rushed in as soon as he had heard the news, in clothes that he usually wore to potter around his garden. All she could do was run to him as a homing pigeon would, to hug him tightly, to gain some strength from him. She silently sobbed into his sweater, clutching it, hearing the steady thump of his heart and wishing that she was stronger to deal with the latest blow in the series, to her family. Not remembering that he had been the perpetrator of few of those same blows -- All his misdeeds blown away by some newfound trust that he would protect her like he had when the goondas had attempted to carry her off; he would care for her as he had when she had been feverish and ill.
End flashback

Khushi hesitated in bringing her hands around to return Arnav's hug .. was he really glad to see her or was she just another warm body he could safely hug. Their roles had been reversed. The last time they had met like this in the hospital, Arnav had hesitated hugging Khushi and this time, it was Khushi hesitating to hug Arnav -Like a rose bud slowly unfurls its petals in response to the sun's warmth, the bud of trust in Khushi's heart had just encountered the early morning sun.

Great update! I wonder if it's a boy or a girl? Please update soon!!!😊

superb part

lovely...wud like to read more

I'm glad that khushi is getting around
Awsome update
Thanx for the pm:)

Omg this update was surprising !! No I didn't see this coming as a plan or something I was. Seriously taken By uw writing.. Amazing job n yeah thnx for pm :)