OK Sorry for the totally dramatic heading!😆 Since we are all tormented souls out here...😉
This one is a little sad. Maybe a two shot or a three shot! ********************************
It was 12 midnight. Asad was the lone attendant in the Waiting Room outside the ICU. Every one had retired to their rooms with promises of being alerted in case of an emergency to their near and dear ones.
Zoya had been shifted to the ICU near an hour back, and the formalities had been handled. He had dropped off her medicines to the theatre and ICU . He had thanked Ayan's friend, who had donated blood for Zoya and Ayan had left along with him. He had been reassured multiple times by the surgeon that she was out of danger, before he left for home, after checking her out one last time in the ICU. Ammi and Tamatar were safe home, he had ensured they had left around 10, after Zoya's.surgical team had come out. Zeenat Aapi and he remained in the hospital. He had seen Zoya's Aapi to the room, and come back to check on Zoya.
The ICU door remained shut. It would open only for the staff now. There was no use staying there, but Asad wanted to be as near Zoya as possible.He was weary after the day's adventure and his heart had not felt heavier before. And he knew this sinking feeling was going to last until he got to see her smiling face again.
Asad stared at the starless night and started reliving the events of the day.
"Aap ko andaza bhi hai aap kya keh rahi hai? Tannu? Aap ko lagta hai Tannu yeh sab kar rahi hai! You really need to see a doctor. How on earth can you come up with such a blind accusation?"
"Mr. Khan, Aap meri baat toh suniye..."
"Disgusting, Zoya! How can you even come up with this? I do get it that you cannot stand Tannu, but this is really too catty!"
"Mr. Khan, Aap ko meri baat maanna hi padega...This is not a theory. I am sure of what I am saying. You have to believe me", she had pleaded again.
"Oh yeah? You think I should believe a girl I have known for barely months over a person I know from my childhood? Grow up, Zoya. And iss tarah ki girlish jealousies...reallly...please spare me."
That had irked her. She had clenched her teeth, swallowed, and allowed a hint of tear to form in her eyes, but that was just it. Zoya never showed her tears.
That should have been enough to indicate to him that she was earnest, but he had turned a blind eye to that silent plea as he had, many times in the past. And that had taken his Zoya through a near death experience yet again.
It was 3 O' Clock in the afternoon when Ayan had rung him up. "Bhaijaan, Zoya ne abhi phone kar ke bataaya ki usske paas Tanveer ke khilaf proof hai. But the place she is in is a remote area. I don't know how she reached there. I think she might be in danger"
"Why didn't you stop her Ayan?" He had managed to scream out, despite the suffocation of his heart stopping. He had not bothered with Ayan's excuse, quickly gathered the Address and ordered him to meet up with him there. Ayan was already on his way.
He knew the area. It was in an undeveloped nook of Bhopal The place was an old Factory near the slums. He had even thought of acquiring the land some three years back, but had given up since it was way too undeveloped, though the price was cheap. Even the beggars and crooks seemed to have left the place alone, since it was surrounded by a maidaan, that kind of gave away the secrecy. The slum children stayed away from the old run down Factory, purely since they did not expect anything but snakes and a boring shed. There were more interesting things to do in their own residential part. Access was not too difficult, He had driven by car the last time.
He wondered if she was already there and how she'd get there. Her phone had been switched off. Smart move, if her snooping really got her somewhere this time. Any way he was going to kill her for all this. She could be in real danger if she had accidentally stumbled on Tannu's ill- doer.
It had taken him hardly 25 minutes, since he was already at a site nearer.. Ayan's bike was already parked outside the gate. The maidan was deserted as it was an unusually hot summer noon. And there was smoke coming out of the building.
Part 2: Page 3
Ye Hai Mohabbatein
Mangal Lakshmi
14