PART 33:
The hospital corridor was silent, except for the heavily beating hearts that stood far away from each other. Sometime back Arjun had walked into the hospital with Sameer by his side and went to the observation room. He saw his father standing by the glass door. If looks could hurt, then his dad would have been ashes by now. And his father too had the eyes that could scar him. As Arjun walked towards the door, Rawte walked away a bit. Arjun and Sam stood by the glass door and saw his mother deep asleep. He tried to walk in when Sam stopped him. "restricted area hai Arjun. lets wait for the doctor"
Sam was hopping there wont be any drama in the hospital. It was tough to keep tab on one Rawte. But two Rawtes was impossible. He was praying for the best for Aayi, and was worried for all.
Arjun couldn't watch his mom in such a state. And to imagine that his dad was the cause was heating him up quickly.
Doc came out and all walked to them. "kaise hai Aayi?"
Doctor took the 3 men in with him. Aayi was sleeping peacefully.
Doc: abhi sab control me hai. Thode der me hosh ayegi. Par thode weak hai. Tho unka dhyan rakhna hoga.
Ar: kab discharge kar sakthe hai?
Doc: most probably by tomorrow. But it can be finalized only after her getting up. Mr. Rawte, aapko apne wife ka pura khayal rakhna hoga. Koi stress nai honi chahiye.
Rawte nodded his head. That was enough to blow Arjun's fuse.
"Aayi inke saath nai, mere sath ja rahe hai"
Doctor looked at the 2 men and knew something was brewing up. He looked at Sameer who had a defeated look.
Doc: aap dono zara bahar aayiye. Inhe sone dethe hai.
All go out after glancing at Aayi once more.
In the corridor centre stood Doc with the two Rawte's on either side. Sam stood a bit away.
Doc: dekhiye, mujhe nahi patha ke aap dono ke beech me kya problem hai. Par iss waqt unhe koi pressure sehne ka himmat nahi hai. tho please...
Arjun kept his gaze hard on his father when the doc said it. And he answered still keeping the gaze. "patha hai doctor. Isiliye, mien unhe mere sath lejarahe hu. Mere sath hi wo teekh hogi. Aur inke saath... aayi ki abhi ke halaath ke zimedar yahi hai..."
Raw: Arjun...
His warning note was at higher pitch.
Doc: gentlemen, ye ek hospital hai. Please don't forget that.
Sam also comes up. "Arjun... sambhalke..."
Arjun tries to cool himself out. "Sorry doctor. Aap ayi ke sare papers thaiyar rakhiye. Wo jab ghar jaana chahthe hai, thab mien unhe le jaungi. And I am sure wo mere hi sath ane wale hai"
Doc: ok then.. let's wait till she get up. Till then...
He looks at them and walks away. Sameer gets a call and goes to attend it.
Arjun was still looking at his dad who was equally in stress. He takes a step to his dad. "akhir aapne wo kar dikhaya... you hurt her again..."
"dil sabke dukhe hai Arjun, ye tum nahi samjhoge"
"oh really? Sabke paas dukhne keliye dil tha? Ye mujhe nahi patha tha"
"Arjun..."
"aap mujhe nahi dara sakthe... ek samay tha... par ab nahi... after what you have done to her...mien aapko kabhi maaf nahi kar paunga..."
Sam walked in and he could take the temperature in the room very high. "Arjun..."
He knew Arjun was listening, though his eyes were burning his dad. "Arjun... mujhe office jaana hai.. kya tum..."
Ar: tum jao Rathod. Yaha sab teekh hai...
But Sameer knew better.nothing was alright over there. He took leave and went to his office.
They both stood against the opposite wall of the corridor not looking at each other. A nurse came and they both walked in together. She looked perplexed at both of them. "Mrs. Rawte ke papers hai. Sign karne..."
Both of them gave their hand to the paper. She looked confused again. But Arjun snatched the paper and signed it and gave it to her. She was getting a negative vibe that she fled from the corridor. Arjun turned but was stopped by dad's voice. "tum bhool rahe ho ke wo mere biwi hai."
Arjun turned to him. "mien nahi... balke aap bhool rahe hai. aur.."
The matter would have been worsened if another voice hadn't come up at the right time. "DAD..."
Both of them turned to the source and saw Adi in the corridor with Nani.
Arjun once looked back at his dad and walked to Adi and went down on one knee. Adi looked worried and Arjun knew well that Adi was afraid of hospitals. "Adi... Aap yaha?"
Adi hugged Arjun by his neck that showed his worry. "dad aap teekh tho hai na?"
Arjun hugged back. "haan Adi mien teekh hu. relax"
Ad: tho fir Nani mujhe yaha kyu le aye?
Arjun looked at Nani. She looked a bit taken aback. "sorry, jab Sakshi ne bathaya ke wo hospital me hai, tho mujhe laga unhe Adi se milke acha lagega. Sorry if I did it wrong"
Ar: nahi aise koi bath nahi. In fact aap teekh hi kiya. She will like to see him.
Adi left Arjun. "aap teekh hai tho hospital me kya kar rahe ho?"
Ar: Adi, Dadi ke tabiyath kuch teekh nai hai. isilye...
Ad: dadi kaha hai?
He took Adi's hand and walked towards the door. Arjun looked at his dad who was watching all these silently.
Arjun pulled up Adi and showed him Dadi through the glass door.
Ad: Dadi teekh tho hai na?
Ar: haan. Ab bas sorahe hai.
Ad: tho firse wo chale jayege?
Ar: nahi... ab wo hamare sath ayege... hamesha keliye...
Arjun had a pained tone, unknown to himself.
Ad: aur... Dadaji...?
Arjun took a moment and glanced to his side. And then said with a sigh. "no... wo nai ayega..."
Adi could feel that his dad was upset. He hugged Arjun tight. Arjun sat on a chair with Adi on his lap, both supporting each other. Nani took another seat. And Rawte, just kept on looking at them and then sat a bit far away.
The first time when Adi had called "Dad", he was reminded of his Arjun who used to call him when he was young. A glance at the kid he could say he was another Rawte. And then it was confirmed when Arjun went and hugged his son.
The way he was handling his son, made Rawte happy inside. Then came the reference Nani. But Arjun did not marry again. Then how is she Nani? And Roshni didn't have a mother. He didn't know the lady with Adi.
The way Adi was asking about his Dadi did stike somewhere deep inside Rawte. He could see a family picture infront of his eyes. And when Adi asked about Dadaji, it was lighting a small hope too somewhere deep. But the moment when Arjun said that he won't come, undid all the hopes. He knew well he didn't have any chance to even hope. But he himself didn't know what his mistake was. Was it keeping a dream for one's son a crime? Was it not allowed to have a broken heart when one's son goes away from those dreams? Was it not allowed to ask him to go away? And why did he actually go away? Was he not willing to stay back?
He didn't have any answers now as such.
He sat on a chair and was looking at how Arjun and Adi were supporting each other. He could not remember when his son was in his arm as such.
Sometime later, a nurse came and said that she is awake and any one person can come in. Arjun looked at his dad,who bent down his head and supported his forehead by his palms, as if giving silent permission to go in. Nani took Adi.
Ar: mien dekh ke atha hu. fir aapko bulaunga.
Adi nods yes and Arjun walks in.
Arjun walked in and placed his palm over his mom. She slowly opened her tired eyes to look at him and smiled.
Ar: kaise ho aap?
Da: mein teekh hu beta...
Ar: haan wo tho mujhe dikhayi deraha hai...
Dadi holds Arjun's hand. "fikar math karo Arjun. mein teekh hu, bas thode thakan hai..."
Arjun held his mom's hand tight with him. She could see he was holding back a lot. She forwarded her hand to touch his cheeks.
Ar: agar apko koi problem tha tho mujhe bula sakhthe the na? aise yaha...
Da: sh.. mein teekh hu... aur please tum unhe...
Ar: stop it Aayi. Hamesha unke tharafdari karna bandh karo...
Aayi holds his palm to calm him down. He notices her worry lines and remembers Doctor's words. "Sorry... aap ab kuch math sochiye. Jaldi teekh hojayiye. hume ghar jaana hai na?"
She nods yes.
Ar: aur Adi bhi bahar hai...
da: yahi hai? bulao...
Arjun goes out and brings in Adi. Adi was lifted to sit by her side. "Dadi... aap teekh ho na?"
da: haan beta. Mein teekh hu. ab aapke Dad se kaho ke mein teekh hu aur hume ghar jana hai...
Ad: aap hamare sath arahe ho na?
Da: haan... kush?
Ad: haan. aap fikar math karo. Mein hu na, aapke khayal rakhne...
Dadi pulls Adi to her chest and hugs him tight with tears rolling down.
Rawte was standing by the door watching all these. Unknown to him a tear rolled down his cheeks. He felt it fall on his hand and wiped it off quickly and turned away only to face Nani, who have been watching him all along.
He felt caught redhanded and tried to walk away, only to be held back by her words.
"mujhe nahi patha aap sab ke beech kya problem hai. aur ye bhi patha hai ke aapke family matters me interfere karne ka koi haq nahi hai... par sirf ithna keh sakthi hu... ek bar baitke bath karne se kuch zyada nahi bigdega."
He just gave her a look and walked out of the hospital.
Doctor came to check her and stated that she is good to go by evening. Whole day Arjun and Adi was around. Even the team mates visited her. She thanked Sakshi as she couldn't thank her the other day.
By evening a maid came from Rawte Mansion with a bag.
maid: Madam ji, ye saab ne bheja hai... aapke kuch dress...
Arjun smirked. "his farewell present."
He looked at her who looked face down. Arjun went by her side. "abhi bhi... aap chup ho..."
She looked upto him, "kuch aadatein uthne jaldi nai mit the Arjun..."
He didn't want to take off with the discussion. So he arranged her travel to his home. Adi was very happy to have her back.
***
Sakshi had completed her work and was about to leave. She was chatting with Sree and Liza when her mobile rang. It was from Rishabh.
Sa: hello Rishab. kaise ho?
Ri: I am good. Sakshi... can we meet?
Sa: yeah sure. kya hua?
Ri: I need to talk... how about in beach...
She was getting some negative vibes, "ok... I'll be there in 20 minutes"
They cut the call and went to the beach. Rishab was already there at the beach.
Sa: Hai...
he turned to her with a smile. "hi..."
Sa: kya hua? everything ok?
Ri: yeah I think so...
Sa: bath kya hai Rishab?
Ri: (sighing) Sakshi... its already late... what have you decided?
She didnt say anything.
Ri: Dekho Sakshi, tumhe fikar karne ka koi zaroorath nai hai. Its that we cant put our parents on hold. So I think its time we reply to them... to us...
She was silent and looks down. Rishab was noticing her every move.
He sighed again and said with a deep voice.
"its ok... even if its a no... but please say it loud..."
She looked upto his face. He was not angry, nor was he upset. H just needed answers, sincere ones...
And that's what she was trying to figure it out too...
Maybe saying whats in her mind would help her to figure it out...
"Rishab... I need your help... help me to sort out myself"
He smiled at her."at least you considered me as your friend... now speak up... I'll listen... Let's sort it out together"
She nodded and then moved ahead and sat on a rock,with the air moving through her hair... she felt him sit by her side.
Maybe its time...
35