IPKKND FF: Trial by fire Part 33 updated on Pg 84 - Page 24

As he walked away quickly from his apartment block, Shyam thought to himself that he must have guardian angels in the form of watchmen watching out for him. The first time around when Khushi had ended up the hospital, it was a watchman at AR Industries who had alerted him to the fact that his "innocent" Rani Sahiba was hiding something big - And he had been saved from the cops waiting for him at Shantivan. This time, it was probably Arnav's stooges who must have uncovered his and Anjali's hiding place. He could not take the risk of going back to his flat to find out. It would be better to keep tabs on where Anjali was by calling up shantivan he thought. After an hour of loitering around and firming up an excuse, Shyam used a phone booth to place a call to Shantivan. He decided that his cover story was that of an administrator calling from the hospital which Anjali used. The phone was picked up by Lavanya who had been left behind along with NK and the Guptas as all the cars were taken. Akash had requested NK to stay back to provide some male coverage at Shantivan.

Shyam changed his voice and asked to speak with Anjali saying he was calling from the hospital about the results of a test. Lavanya blurted out.."Anjali Di to abhi hospital mein hi hai...Aap kaun se hospital se baat kar rahe hai?". Shyam gave the name of Anjali's regular hospital and asked whether Anjali had had her baby. Lavanya said that .."Di ka baby abhi..." when NK hearing her speaking, snatched the phone and asked, "Who is speaking?". Shyam got tensed and cut the call. NK's hackles were immediately raised and he immediately called the guards guarding Shantivan outside to report the suspicious call. Lavanya was berating herself for being caught unawares ..but it had not sounded like jijaji to her and she hoped that she had not given away any confidential information. The guards investigated over the next hour and found that the call had been placed from a PCO booth. On showing the PCO manager, a picture of Shyam, it was confirmed that it had indeed been Shyam who had placed the call. He escaped this time, next time wont be so easy, Lavanya and NK promised each other.

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With the painkillers, Anjali was feeling slightly better and was not writhing in pain as she had been before. Arnav verified this before ushering in Khushi - He did not want his sensitive wife to see Di amidst all her pain , especially now when she herself was pregnant. Khushi must be so sheltered that she may not even know all that happens during childbirth, naani had advised him on the side and he took care to make sure that Khushi was not exposed to Di's pain when she was in a semi-depressed state herself. "Di, Di ...aap theek hai?...Aapko kuch hua?...Dard kaisa hai?...", Khushi blurted out as she moved quickly over to Anjali's side to hold her hands sitting on the side of the bed. "Hum theek hai Khushi ji...Bilkul fikr mat kijiye...Bilkul theek hai", Anjali pacified Khushi. Anjali looked at Arnav and smiled through her pain...She felt that perhaps Khushi was starting to feel something based on her reaction to Anjali's recovery and imminent birth.

Naani and Mamiji sat with Anjali throughout. Akash, Arnav, Khushi, Payal, Mamaji and Karan waited in the waiting room. Khushi was trying her best to keep her eyes open...But around 1:30 AM, her eyes closed of their own accord. Arnav, who was watchful of Khushi's comforts, lay her down on her side on the squishy but small loveseat with her head on Payal's lap. He gently pulled the pallu of her dark blue saree from underneath and tucked it in lovingly under her chin, effectively covering her against the cool breeze from the overhead A/C.

Flashback

End Flash back

Arnav thought of the rain incident from nearly a year ago and marveled at how love had changed him. He felt bad that he had been so mean to Khushi during her time in AR Industries. As he saw the fetal position that Khushi was sleeping in and the goosebumps on the exposed part of her hand, he remembered another incident when he had stayed with the Guptas. Used as he was to having a perpetually cool home, he did not realize how low he had turned on the airconditioner in that small room until he saw Khushi peep out in the morning, like Punxsuwtawney Phil* and Rudolf** combined, from underneath the blankets. He remembered how flustered she had been when he had approached her.

He wished he had worn his usual suit today so he could cover her up now with the coat...But in his usual inimitable ASR style went over to the nurses and asked them to give him a couple of fresh sheets for his cold wife. He then covered Khushi up. "You should go home Karan...Suraj must be missing you. I really appreciate all you have done...But you have waited long enough. I will call you as soon as Di has had her baby.", Arnav told his friend. Karan saw the logic in that ...But he was feeling very left out..On one side, he wanted to go back home, hug his son and be thankful for what he had...On the other side, he wanted to make sure that Anjali was okay, wanted to see her baby. Finally, his head ruled over his heart and he gave Arnav a brief hug and left.

It was almost 5:00 AM in the morning. The family in the waiting room was just stirring and stretching after a long time spent waiting and shuttling between Anjali's room and the waiting room. Naani hurried in with a smile on her face. Arnav and the rest of the family rushed over.."Anjali bitiya ko beti hua hai...". Everyone hurried over ... The nurses insisted on everyone washing hands before entering the room or holding the baby. Anjali was lying in bed, tired and drained, but very happy and proud, with her cute smile. Her little princess was passed around from Akash to Mamaji to Maami.

Arnav and Payal helped Khushi up and the trio entered to hear Maamiji cooing .."Arre vaat a qute princhess hai hamri bitiya ki bitiya..naya din, nayi bitiya". Khushi shrugged off Arnav's supporting arms and rushed off to maami's side...everyone was silent as she watched entranced as the baby opened its eyes and looked at her in an unfocused manner. "Khushi bitiya, tum baith jaao aur main tumhaare godhi mein princhess ko deti hoon", maami said correctly guessing the longing in Khushi's eyes. Khushi moved in a trance to sit on the couch at the side of the room. The minute the baby was in her waiting arms, she traced its soft, rounded cheeks, held her feet in her hands, counted the fingers. Arnav watched the baby overawed by the miracle of it, from his perch next to Khushi.

Soon a tiny hand curled itself around Khushi's fingers. When that happened, it was like a dam had opened up as tears welled up and started falling unchecked down Khushi's cheeks. She wept, a tornado of emotions whirling through her. Wept in happiness that there was hope, wept with the miracle of a new life, wept for the innocence that babies possessed, unshadowed by their fathers' sins. Wept thinking of how horrible this world was. Wept thinking if they would all together be able to raise a girl and protect her in this big bad world. Wept not knowing what she was really weeping for.

Payal gently took the baby from Khushi as Arnav sat next to Khushi holding her close. Khushi sunk her head into the crook of his neck and cried like there was no end. Arnav who had despaired ever getting through Khushi's stonewall-like behaviour felt that there was some breakthrough and that the walls were crumbling. Slowly he felt her sobs ebbing away and felt her going limp. When he gently plucked her away from him, he realized that she had fainted with the strain. He drew his phone, dialing the kindly psychiatrist who had diagnosed Khushi and had provided his cell number to Arnav ..He handed over the phone to Akash who read his brother's mind and walked away talking to the psychiatrist and arranging to have him come over to that hospital. In the meanwhile, Arnav did what he did best...Hoisted his beloved wife into his ever-ready arms and walked out in the direction of the room that maamaji was arranging for Khushi - Not before giving his beloved Di a congratulatory kiss on her forehead...Words were not necessary between brother and sister...They knew and understood each other too well.

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* Arnav studied at Harvard and was familiar with the local lore in a rural town in Pennsylvania where a groundhog peeping out of its hole in February is believed to indicate whether the cold winter is going to continue longer. See Punxsutawney_Phil

**He also remembered the Christmas song, "Rudolf the red nosed reindeer" as he saw Khushi's red nose. See Rudolf