FF|Arhi|Th#3 How IPK should've been[Ch18/Sc3 Pg117 - Page 2

Originally posted by: Theepthidevi

Congrats on the new thread.

[King George's Hospital]

It's a bright and beautiful Sunday morning in Lucknow and the corridor is bustling with the early visitors. Garima, Payal and Khushi are walking towards the ward that Shashi has been shifted to in the morning. It's been two days since his successful operation and he is in a much better shape now. As soon as the Gupta ladies reach Shashi's bed, his eyes lit up in his happiness to see them. Khushi and Payal excitedly clutch at each other's arms, thrilled to see their father reclining on his bed comfortably. A different nurse is checking his body temperature and smiles warmly at the family.

"Bauji!" Khushi immediately gushes, jumping on to his bedside. Shashi smiles crookedly in reply. Garima slowly walks by his side and rests her hand on his hand.

"Ab inki tabiyat kaisi hai?" she asks to the nurse. Before she can reply however, Shashi moves his left hand slightly causing Garima's hand to slide down on the bed. Then to her surprise, she watches his usually immobilized hand slowly rise shiveringly and rest on top of her hand. All three ladies gasp in surprise.

"Ab to aap jaan hi gai hongi, ki Shashiji kaise hain," the nurse replies affably with a smile. Tears of happiness spring up into Garima's eyes. It's like a present is being opened in front of her; the gift wrapping paper being taken off layer by layer. She rests her other hand on top of Shashi's.

"Dekhiye Bauji, hum aapke liye kya leke aaye hain!" Payal smiles and brings out a box from her jute bag. As soon as she opens the lid of the box, a wonderful smell of halwa wafts through the entire ward. "Aapka manpasand Mewe ka Halwa!" Payal takes out a spoon as well but before feeding him, looks enquiringly towards the nurse.

"Aapko inke doctor se ek baar pooch lena chahiye. Kyunki, hamare charts ke hisaab se abhi tak inka sweets khana mana hai," the nurse replies reproachfully. Khushi looks very indignant. But before she can open her mouth to retort, the neuro specialist Dr. Suri walks into the ward.

"Good morning!" he greets everyone with a beaming smile on his face. "Mr. Gupta!" The nurse passes Shashi's charts to the doctor. "I see, you are doing well," Dr. Suri says studying the charts. He then walks over to Shashi and takes out a small hammer from his coat pocket. Khushi's eyes widen.

"Doctorji, aap Bauji ko isse maarne wale hain kya?" she asks in an alarmed voice before she can stop herself. Dr. Suri bursts out laughing and lightly taps the hammer to her forehead. Khushi flinches back rubbing her temple in confusion. Payal slaps Khushi on her back reprimandingly. Shashi's smile becomes more pronounced at seeing his daughter's antics.

"Nahin Khushi, ye wo wala hammer nahin hain," the doctor reassures still smiling. He gently taps the left side of Shashi's body which was earlier paralysed. Every contact of the small hammer with his body, Shashi winces slightly and the doctor smiles more happily. He then turns to the family who have been watching the whole thing with bated breath. "Congratulations! Inki body pain ko respond kar rahi hai," Dr. Suri explains. "Definitely a major development." All three women take a collective sigh of relief. "Waise, aapne inki physiotherapy ke bare mein kya socha hai?" the doctor continues.

"Doctorji, hum thodi duvidha mein hain." Garima replies hesitantly. "Humara parivar to waise Dilli mein rehta hai. Lucknow hum keval inke ilaaj ke liye hi aaye the. Par ab humein samajh nahin aa raha hai, ki inke aage ka ilaaj hum yahan se karwayen ya Dilli se." Doctor looks up at her in surprise.

"Garima ji, isse koi farak nahin padega ki physiotherapy aap yahan se karwayen ya Delhi se. Inko hospital mein rehne ki zaroorat nahin hai. Physiotherapy ghar par bhi ho sakti hai. Haan ye baat zaroor hai, ki Delhi mein aapko better medical services milengi." The doctor explains his point of view. "To decision aap ka hi hai." Garima and Khushi exchange an uncertain look.

"Par hum Bauji ko iss haalat mein safar bhi to nahin karwa sakte hain. Hain na?" Khushi asks. The doctor again looks surprised.

"Nahin, aisi koi baat nahin hai. Travelling to ye kar sakte hain. Bas zara careful rehna padega." Then he turns to Garima, "Although ye aapke family ka matter hai, I'm sure aapke hone wale daamad aapki help zaroor karenge." Khushi gapes at him. She exchanges another look with her mother, this time a confused one.

"Ji..." Garima starts off uncertainly, "hone wale daamad?"

"Haan. Khushi ke fianc," Dr. Suri replies as if this was the most reasonable thing in the world. Khushi's jaw drops down in shock. Humara mangetar? Ab ye kahan se paida ho gaya? She wonders. "Woh bhi to Delhi mein hi rehte hain na?" All three Gupta women are staring back at him looking completely lost.

"Doctorji, humari kuch samajh nahin aa raha. Kahin aap humare jeeja ji ke bare mein to nahin baat kar rahe hain?" Khushi asks clarifyingly. Dr. Suri smiles at her confusion.

"Nahin Khushi. Main tumhare hi mangetar ki baat kar raha hun." Dr. Suri replies reassuringly. "Woh mujhse milne aaye the kal. Aapke father ki condition ke bare mein kaafi der tak mujhse baat bhi ki. A very nice young caring man," the doctor says appraisingly.

Khushi's mind kicks into overdrive again. Humare mangetar? Woh bhi Dilli mein rehne wale? Suddenly, something clicks in her head and her eyes widen in understanding. She looks at the doctor, her eyes narrowing as she asks"Unka naam kya bataya aapne?"

"Arnav Singh Raizada," the doctor confirms looking slightly confused and walks out of the ward. Garima and Payal look extremely surprised, however Khushi has only one thing to exclaim

"What the-!"

[Purani Haveli]

Roopmati and Geeta are helping around the table serving breakfast when the three Raizada brothers walk down the grand wooden staircase. NK is at his noisiest as he is discussing something animatedly with Aakash. Arnav also looks amused listening to his cousin's theatrics as he walks slowly behind them. Suddenly he looks across the room to the beautiful maple wood dining table to see Anjali, Nani and Mamiji already seated and waiting for them. He pauses for a moment on the stairs meeting Anjali's eyes. Anjali smiles warmly at him and reassuringly nods her head at him; a gesture to remind him about their discussion of last night. So positive was her stance that Arnav had to smile back at her.

The family settles down on the table and starts piling up food on their plates for lunch. Arnav lets his eyes roam around the table and is happy to see his Nani looking slightly better. His eyes linger at the other end of the table to the empty seat which used to be occupied by his Dadi. He had no clue where she had gone. Was she still at the Haveli?

"Subhadra wapis Aashram chali gayi, Chotey," Nani suddenly says. Arnav freezes. He turns to see Nani watching him. She'd probably seen him staring at the empty seat. Arnav shrugs it off as if saying I really don't care.

"Hum log wapis kab tak ja rahe hain Di?" Arnav asks Anjali who is being fussed over by Roopmati who seems to be piling lots of butter on her paratha and a tangy pickle to go with it. Arnav watches in amazement at the silly facial expressions on his sister's face as she bites into the pickle. A smile creeps on his face. "Di?" he repeats trying to get her attention.

"Oh sorry Chotey," Anjali turns to look at him apologetically. "Tum kuch keh rahe the?"

"Haan Di. Main pooch raha tha ki Delhi wapis jane ke kya plans hain?" Arnav repeats his questions picking up his buttered toast.

"Chotey hum soch rahe the. Wapis jana bahut zaoori hai kya? Humara matlab. Lucknow aaye humein kuch din hi to hue hain," Anjali says. Mami nods her head in agreement.

"Hello Hi abhi to hua Arnav bitwa. Abhi ke bye bye bhi bole diye kaa? Abhi to humne MotiMahal maa kulfis bhi eat nahin kiye hain!" she exclaims disappointedly. Arnav shakes his head in exasperation.

"Di mujhe kisi bhi haal mein kal pahunchna hi hai. Fashion shoot bas kuch hi hafton mein hai. Aur uski details finalise karni baki hain," Arnav explains apologetically. Anjali looks thoughtful.

"To ek kaam karo na Chotey. Tum wapis chale jao. Hum sab kuch aur din yahan reh kar phir wapis aa jayenge," Anjali suggests. Mamiji immediately cheers up and starts making plans with NK about the places she was planning to visit. Arnav stops himself from rolling his eyes.

"In that case, Aakash," Arnav turns to his brother, "we'll have to leave tonight. Main apne agent ko tickets ke liye bata deta hun." He notices Aakash looking slightly hesitant. "Kya hua?" Arnav probes him.

"Bhai, main soch raha tha ki Payal..." Aakash starts off hesitatingly. Arnav's eyes widen in sudden understanding. He again falls silent thinking about the conversation they had this morning. He nods his head towards the rest of the family indicating Aakash to speak to them.

"Dadi?" Aakash addresses Deviyani. "Main soch raha tha, ki agar aaj aap sabka koi plan na ho to hum Gomti Nagar ja sakte hain." Nani looks at him in surprise.

"Gomti Nagar kahe Aakash bitwa?" she asks him in surpise. Aakash looks hesitantly at Arnav who nods again at him reassuringly to go on.

"Woh Dadi... Payal ke bauji ka operation hua hai 2 dino pehle. To main soch raha tha ki humein unki family se ek baar milna chahiye." Nani looks immediately concerned, no doubt hearing about the operation. Aakash hastens to clarify, "nahin woh theek hain. Kal hi meri Payal se baat hui thi. Unke paralysis ke ilaaj ke liye operation hua tha. Woh shayad kuch dino mein phir se chal bol payenge." Everyone looks very happy with the news.

"Arre ye to bahut hi badhiya baat sunaye rahe aap Aakash bitwa. Ye to sach mein bahut khusi ki baat hai. Aur unka parivar bhi abhi Lucknow mein hi hai! Humein zaroor unse milne jana chahiye," Nani agrees to Aakash's plan.

"To hum abhoo uss khoon bhari tang ke maternity home jayenge?" Mami mutters. Aakash and Arnav exchange another glance. Arnav again nods at his brother.

"Maa, main soch raha tha ki... ab jab saari sachhai saamne aa hi gai hai to... Payal aur main... matlab hum dono..." Aakash stumbles through his discourse as Mami watches him curiously. Arnav does roll his eye this time and kicks Aakash's leg under the table. "OWWW! Hum dono ghar wapis aa sakte hain kya?" Aakash rushes out everything in one go, rubbing his shin and glaring at Arnav with his eyes watering. Mami looks extremely happy. No that is an understatement. She is overjoyed and happily hugs Aakash.

"Tum truth bolat rahe Aakash bitwa?" she asks him giddy with happiness. Aakash nods. She immediately hugs her son. "Arre humra bitwa ghar ko returns kari ka mentions kiya raha!" she quickly picks up a sweet and stuffs it into Aakash's mouth. Then she picks up another and stuffs it in her mouth as well. The whole table erupts into laughter.

"To aap mere saath chalengi na Maa? Payal ko ghar wapis lane ke liye?" Aakash asks his mother beseechingly. The expression of happiness slowly fades from Mami's face as she hears the desperation in her son's voice. Suddenly, Mami realises that her son isn't really asking for permission to return home, he's asking her to accept Payal back as her daughter-in-law. He is asking her to assure him that the reason why he decided to leave, that someone would say something hurtful to Payal, would not happen once she returns. Mami blinks.

"Pata nahin woo khoon bhari tang humre bitwa pe kaa jadoo kare rahi," Mami starts off and Aakash flinches slightly at hearing his mother's words. "Par hum Raizada parivar ki bahu ko wapis lane ke liye tumre saath zaroor chalenge." Mami smiles affectionately at her son. The hurt goes away from Aakash's face as he smiles and hugs his mother happily.

Arnav looks at Nani sitting next to her. She has tears of happiness in her eyes and happily looks back at her grandson. Arnav gently squeezes Nani's hand resting on the table. "Maine kaha tha na aapse Nani," he whispers to her, "jab tak main zinda hun, ye family nahin tootegi." Nani nods at him smiling, remembering the promise Arnav had made to her the night Aakash had first said that he was leaving Shantivan because Payal was no longer welcome in that house.

"Humein yaad hai Chotey," the matriarch of the house replies contentedly, finally seeing her prayers of filling up the cracks in her family beginning to be answered.

ENGLISH VERSION