Arshi FF: Entwined(T1) *Completed* - Page 4

Entwined:

Chapter 4:

Waiting up late until his entire staff is dismissed for the day and then getting engrossed in examining his patients' files is one such habit of Dr.Angad, which always helped him in deriving quite constructive conclusions of certain complex cases. It was one such day and Dr. Angad Khanna found himself occupied with one of his patient's latest reports. Khushi Kumari Gupta"this patient's case has been quite inexplicable since the time she had been admitted into the hospital all those months ago.

She was admitted with a severe head injury and a few other little injuries on her body owing to the fact that she fell from a considerably dangerous height. She was then subjected to a very complicated brain surgery however the results haven't been much positive. The investigation part of her case remains a mystery which he is hardly concerned about but what actually concerns him"her recovery progress, has never been a mystery, at least not to him.

It was his friend the mighty Arnav Singh Raizada, who had been persistent on not giving up on her, although his concern in this regard, seemed strange yet quite interesting. Moreover who was he to refuse devoted attention and sophisticated treatment to his patient when it meant flow of money from the Raizada?

He chuckled at his own cynical nature, not that he is ready to give up on a chance to bring a dying patient back to life, but his experience taught him better than to rely on miracles. And he believed in facts that his profession deals with. Not that Arnav believed in miracles anyway, but then Arnav definitely hoped, which again was something absurd to the Raizada behavior. Understanding his friend could be as complicated as it gets. He sighed again glancing at the report in his hand almost skeptically.

He was truly surprised by the latest reports of the patient and this opened to many rational logics for his further treatment. He smiled content with himself when he heard the knock on the door causing him to shift his attention to the person at the door.

"Arnav---" he stood up offering his hand which Arnav took it for a firm shake hand.

"I was almost turning around to avoid this discussion today if the smile on your face wouldn't have caught my attention. And now, I can only hope you have something to say that I'm gonna like for a change this time?" Arnav said sitting across Angad's desk.

Angad chuckled, while Arnav settled himself in his place opposite to him. "You are smart Arnav, we all know that, so let us just get directly into the point of concern?"

"I'm waiting--"

"You will have to come with me first--"

"What are we waiting for?"

**

"As much as I'd love to achieve a PHD in medical sciences and understand this better, right now, I'd rather prefer you speak---"

Angad let out a small laugh while taking the plastic file away from Arnav's hands. "Impatience it is--" he stated turning around while walking towards Khushi's bed in the middle of the OU they are in.

"Your smile, nonchalant behavior is freaking me out!" Arnav snapped as he followed him.

"And that's called anxiousness to be hoping for something good and yet not being able to actually hope for it--" The two men were now standing on the either side of khushi, one observing Khushi with conviction while other throwing fierce glances at him.

"Since when has your specialization changed from Neurologist to psychiatrist?" Arnav heard him chuckle again and that irked him more. "Angad you assh---"

"Shh, sh, no swearing in my hospital, and definitely not in front of a beautiful young lady--" he said as he was now observing Khushi closely. Arnav's further words stuck in his throat as he shifted his gaze to Khushi for the first time since he entered the room. With Angad's instructions Khushi has been changed to a fresh gown, her hair was just recently washed and the silky straight strands were now jeweling around her face properly above the pillow. Her face was a little less pale and it looked like the dry skin has been applied with some moisturizer, all in all Khushi looked a lot more human unlike a mere body consisting of a functioning heart; and it more seemed like the efforts made by Angad's staff.

Arnav looked up to meet Angad's thoughtful gaze which was now directed at him. The blood rushed inside his nerves with unknown anticipation which he never knew even existed and his breath got held in his throat. "Angad, pl"please just just say it" his voice choked as a heavy lump formed in his throat. Angad then took his hand from across the bed and placed it tenderly over the place where Khushi's heart resided with Angad's own hand pressing over his. Arnav's hand trembled when it came in contact with her tender spot; nevertheless he settled his palm over her chest and closed his eyes feeling her heartbeat. Suddenly his nerves relaxed and an unknown tranquility settled in his stance as he finally let out the breath he had been holding.

"Her heart beat increased---" Angad spoke intently looking at him.

"Is"Is it a good thing or bad" He managed to ask as they retrieved their hands and were now looking at each other. "It's really a good thing Arnav. Her heart-beat has been very low all these days; the reports from past 2 weeks suggest that it has shown a considerable improvement. The blood pressure has been building up to the level appropriate for her age, she is actually showing improvement, as little as this could be, well, it's a start" he paused and Arnav just looked on expectantly urging him to continue.

"I have checked her brain surgery reports again, I told you back then even though the surgery has been successful and there are no signs of memory loss as such, we still cannot hope for anything, because---"

"She will have to try" Arnav completed for him.

"Yes, I'm sorry I have been such an ass about this all these days, but you have to understand Arnav, as long as I see some results practically, I cannot just lead you on--"

"Are you telling me that?---"

"Yes, I can see a chance now, but now we really have to try harder, by harder I mean, really harder"

"We?"

"Ofcourse we, I'd need your help"

"Looks like you have a process thought of?" Arnav asked finally feeling actually good about his today's visit unlike all those times before as he folded his hands across his chest and looked on letting Angad know that he was having his complete attention.

As on cue Angad started walking away from the bed and Arnav followed him as he made his way out of the room and into the corridor before glancing back at Khushi .

"We both know Arnav that no one has ever come to claim responsibility of Khushi as of now--"

"We have been through this Dr, if no one is coming, there isn't any need of anyone, I'm right here--"

"But that is not enough Mr.Raizada" If Arnav could DR him with his stern voice, so could he. Both wore their professional argument shields on and the message about the same is being communicated across quite evidently.

"What do you mean it's not enough?" Arnav reduced his tone efficiently and decided to hear his friend out, which as of now is more important than anything else.

"Look Arnav, her heart has always been functioning and so are her other important body parts. But the question here is not about her physical improvement, it's about her mental willingness. I have done my research with one of the psychiatrist here and I've learnt that the patients' willingness to try and live is going to be really important. If we consider that she did try to kill herself--"

"She dint Angad, she wouldn't"

"We have been through this argument as well Arnav, stop interrupting me and here me out, will you?" He furrowed his eye-brows with his serious tone and looked on as Arnav sighed and relaxed himself in his chair. Taking the clue Angad continued.

"So, if we consider that she did try to kill herself, then this improvement will be of not much use to her recovery. But if we consider the alternate case, we will have to really get through her--"

"What do you mean?---"

"Arnav, from whatever you told me about her, you were just someone from her past life, a mere someone whom she just knew or she might just not remember you at all--"

"What does it have to do with any of this?"

"It has a lot to do actually, it is really important that she is around people who are emotionally attached to her, whom she knew personally, someone who could reach out to her subconscious memory and trigger some activity in her brain. I know you are really trying hard Arnav but somehow it isn't really enough. And I know we did look for all possible ways to find out details about her, I was just hoping if we can do anything more? I mean you mentioned about the CBI delayed reports you received last week? Anything in it that we could use?"

"Those reports just makes this worse man, studying it makes me lose my mind. Apparently her parents passed away in a road accident in Mumbai a few years ago. The family abruptly moved out of Delhi before that and no one knew where they stayed in Mumbai. The neighbors in Delhi aren't much of help either, it's just all very much fishy---" Arnav sighed bringing his forehead to rest on his hand that was on the table. Angad just fell silent processing all the information.

"If not a person, maybe we could even get something that she could associate with. I mean she have to find a reason Arnav; we should get her eyes react first, if not her whole body. And for that the brain should trigger something, anything, you will have to know more about her. Whatever you know already isn't just enough, you are aware of this, aren't you?" Arnav just nodded.

"If we cannot get any person, we can actually talk to her, I know I said I'm not sure if her senses are working like they should, but we can always take a chance, but whatever you talk to her should have some influence to her brain. It can be positive, it can be negative, it can be something that reminds her of something very fond, or may be something that she hates. Her brain should process the information and in turn trigger a reaction to her senses. The reason I'm saying this is, though her limbs are paralyzed, her senses could be working. And to achieve this, you have to start somewhere Arnav that is for you to figure out. But you have to know more about her, just try somehow, there should be some way?" he asked expectantly and Arnav just stared into the distance thoughtfully.

"And let me clarify, the information about her should be of recent past, not from the time when you met her, clearly a lot has happened after that, and mayI just repeat myself, there is a very high possibility that she hardly remembered her easy happy teenage life, am I making any sense?" Angad added.

"Yes, I get you--" he finally acknowledged still looking lost. Suddenly he blinked his eyes and shifted his gaze to look at Angad. "I think I know where to start!" he suddenly exclaimed.

"Wow, that's pretty fast"

"Yeah, I guess this could be useful, it would be a start at least?" he more or less talked to his own self.

"Would you like tell me about what your mighty brain has come up with?"

"Later, let me call you back okay, I have to go, see you man" he said already getting up and left the cabin before patting lightly on Angad's back. Angad just smiled at his retreating back and resumed his work.

**

The next morning saw Arnav sitting in a coffee shop in Andheri East as he sipped the foam from the steam of his hot cappuccino, he looked right ahead the glass wall of the coffee house at the building staring back at him. Amazing Add-Agency, he studied the name and chuckled to himself remembering his activities from last night.

After the brief meeting with Angad, he went straight to his home, switched on his research mode and started tracing the details of the particular add-agency. By the time the dawn was peeping out, Arnav has his planned sketched out perfectly. With one phone call to his P.A Aman, the plan was implemented into action within few hours and now he is here waiting for the results of it. Aman the ever obedient P.A was able to do it all with a few more phone calls. He made sure the AR -agency reached out to this particular organization and make a deal with the CEO. The deal was simple. The agency would get to work with AR for the next big AR consignment and will be rewarded with a 20% profit, in return to which they would hand out confidential details from their records of this particular employee who worked with them in the past. The confidential details usually included vital information of the employee throughout her term with them. This is something no organization chooses to reveal outside their organization, as it would mean revealing the internal organizational schemes and policies.

But a deal with AR, was not an easy one to turn down and so he was here waiting for one of the employees from the Amazing add-agency, who would be completing their part of the deal.

"Mr.Raizada?" he lifted his head from his coffee to meet his gaze with a tall young woman dressed in a short pencil skirt and a formal shirt. She looked oddly familiar and it only took a few moments for Arnav to realize where he have seen that similar tan skin and dimples that appeared along with her genuine smile.

"Hi--" he stood up and made way for her to take her place opposite to him dragging the chair for her.

"I'm Lavanya, Lavanya Kashyap, Personal Assistant to Mr.Bijlani"

"Hello, please to meet you Ms.Kashyap--" he extended his hand when she cut him off. "Call me Lavanya" she flashed a smile and Arnav smirked internally as they shook their hands across the table firmly.

"Lavanya--" he paused to see that she was pleased to hear her name and then flashed another smile at him.

"I guess Mr.Bijlani have talked to you about--"

"Oh yes, here" she said handing him a file. "It has got all details of Khushi, but let me tell you this doesn't have anything much different from what the CBI investigated from us a few days ago"

He nodded quickly glancing through the pages. "Except for the few instances that were reported from her, these are printed formats of the entire summary during her term here" she added suddenly sounding professional and her initial traces of flirting vanished. Arnav observed her face intently and at that moment he knew he was right about this girl.

"So Lavanya, tell me about your friendship with Khushi" he stated and seen the quick flash of apprehension in her face.

"Friendship? I'm sorry Mr.Raizada, she was just another employee under the boss for me" she looked away.

"I have seen the picture that the CBI collected from your board of memories by the way, as much as I would like to be convinced that it was just a random photograph with a random employee--" he paused as her eyes registered astonishment""but it just doesn't fit in, you know, given your gorgeous yet genuine smile in the photograph?" he smirked again looking at the effect his sentence had and leaned back in his chair never leaving her eyes.

"What do you wanna know Mr.Raizada?" she asked popping her chin on her hand.

"Tell me all that you know about her" he stated just concentrating on her face.

"Might I ask the reason behind all this?"

"I might tell you the reason depending on what you would tell me, so you go first"

No one, no one can ever argue with the finality of the voice when ASR sets his eyes on something. Lavanya is quite an intelligent woman and hence she knew better than to argue with him. He smiled internally pleased with himself while seeing the flash of decision being made behind the dark orbs of her eyes.

"Khushi was a very different girl to start with. She was very aloof and hardly talked to anyone--"

"I know most of this Lavanya, can you please recollect and try and tell me one such thing about her that you might have observed, which probably an outsider might not have?" he suggested.

"Look Mr.Raizada, let me very honest with you, she wasn't like my best friend or something, not even a very close friend. I just found her very mysterious you know from the whole lot of the people around me, I found her different and I just reached out to her myself. She never talks about herself at all. If you do reach out to her, the only way you would know that she indeed needs a company is when she sits with you in complete silence. She a very good listener I must say, she always listened to what others talked about their life with a very keen interest. But when it comes to her, she shuts off people. So I just want to say, I hardly know anything about her; I reached out to her and she felt comfortable in sharing my silent presence sometimes, I was just being there. That is all."

"You are really a good friend Lavanya. So, if there isn't anything else, I guess our meeting wraps here--" he raised an eye-brow looking at her hoping she would come up with something.

"Um, actually there is something else I'm not sure if that makes any sense for whatever purpose this information is needed---"

"Just tell me, anything any small little thing will be very helpful, trust me" he assured her and she took a deep breath.

"I noticed this myself; she maintains this kind of abnormal distance from men---"

"What???" he asked incredulously.

"I mean, although generally she is aloof from everyone, when it comes to men, she is all the more aloof. She doesn't really mingle with them well. It's always only for professional purpose. If anyone tried to approach her for anything else beyond work, she freaks out. In this cooperate world, you know how it is, but she freaks out beyond what is necessary. Self defense is one thing but she becomes this ferocious self which I thought is very abnormal. You would see these complaints filed by her in that file which comes under sexual harassment in workplace, but trust me, I have seen it all very closely and all those instances aren't that severe to actually file a complaint---"

"Like what?" he almost snapped suddenly finding himself very much disoriented.

"Um, like this one incident when one of my colleagues asked her out for a date, if she wasn't interested she could have just said a simple no, trust me, he is a good guy and would have let her be. But I have seen her go all ferocious on him, even cursed him and in turn filed a complaint. I'm not blaming her as such, but this seemed strange, because I have genuinely seen it in her eyes, she was strangely scared very much actually. She just doesn't even like a guy's presence around her. She is unusually very self conscious and pissed beyond a limit if a guy is around the vicinity of her, but she manages pretty well as long as work is concerned. She is very conservative that way, or so I concluded that myself--"

"She isn't" he more or less mumbled to himself.

"No?" Lavanya asked suddenly looking curious but Arnav was by then already lost in his own world as uninvited memories of past made their own way.

He closed his eyes instantly right when he heard the chirpy tone and the laughter that echoed along with the sound of her running foot---

"Pass the ball Arjun! Here!!" and her laughter followed her running self.

"Put me down, idiot!! I have to take the ball, Sunny put me down!! NO!!"

"Here, here, common, common, yeah!!! That's my basket!! Yippie!!!"

**

Chapter-5