Posted:
Chapter 4: Missing you
Naina p.o.v.
Naina woke up to find herself alone in the room. Yeh Karan kahan chala gaya suba suba she thought. The bathroom door was also open so he wouldn't be in there. She looked at the clock to make sure she hadn't slept in, but no it was slowly ticking to 5a.m. Her usual wake up time. The first thought that came in her mind was fear. Kuch problem hai toh? Kahin use wapas allergy toh nahi ho gayi? Her mind started whirling with possibilities. It was unsual for Karan to ever leave off without saying anything. She slowly got off the bed in hope to look out of the window and see Karan's car. Her heart broke as she saw the vacant spot in the garden's parking lot. She hurried to the side table to pick up her phone when she realised a note stuck to it.
Naina,
Aaj office mein bohot badi meeting hai. Pehli baar mein aise meeting ko lead karne wala hoon. Toh mein aaj jaldi jaa raha hoon. Pareshaan mat hona, mere liye Bhagwan se subah pooja kar dena.
Tumhara Karan
Naina blushed reading the last words. She wiped the tears that had unknowingly started falling and went off to change. She did as Karan wanted, a pooja and decided to fast the day for him. Meghna and Kunal had gone off on a business trip to Delhi, while Nirmala mom hurried off to a funeral with dadaji leaving Naina alone at home. Even Khyati was staying over at her friends place doing s group project. To make it worse all the servants were off too, as on the happiness of Karan's curing dadaji had given them two days leave and a bonus. Naina couldn't help but laugh at her condition. It was just yesterday when she hoped that Karan would stay in office as long as possible, but now wandering alone in the corridors Naina missed him very badly.
She looked at the clock and saw it slowly tick to 12. Should she call him? Would the meeting be over? She played with her phone. Each time clicking Karan's name on her dialled list but not pressing the call button. Would he have eaten lunch? She thought. She hadn't even packed him lunch today. She couldn't leave the house and go too, what if Papa came and realised the house doors were locked. No no he would get mad at her. Nainas replayed all her encounters with Karan, their life was becoming like a dream she thought. After all she had never in her dreams imagined that Karan and her would ever be able to lead a normal life together. She blushed.
Convincing herself that she should call him, she clicked on the button. Only to be disappointed that the phone was switched off. Her face fell. He is so busy he forgot about me, she huffed. She dialled about 10 times more, each time getting the same reply, until the large ball forming in her throat couldn't be swallowed and the new tears dropped down her cheeks. How much she yearned to hear just his voice? But the sadness became anger, didn't he think about her at all? Couldn't he have made an effort to send her a message and tell her that he was fine and well, or how the meeting had been. She slammed the door shut in her room and plopped onto the bed sobbing, constantly clicking her phone to see if he had given her a missed call that she didn't hear. She wasn't going to call anymore. She would wait to see if he really missed her. The clock slowly ticking towards 5 now as her eyes stung with tears.
Karan p.o.v.
It had been one hectic morning for Karan, Kunal and Meghna had gone off and let him handle the meeting by himself but as nervous as he was, the meeting ended well and he couldn't wait to tell Naina about it. He stood on the stairs leaning and dialling Nainas number as the clock showed 11, when one of the staff bumped into him so hard that his phone went flying and crashed. He got mad ofcourse, but if there is one thing he had learnt from Naina that is the calmness she brought with her and now he tried to follow it. So as his employee begged for forgiveness Karan accepted and picked up what remained of his phone and headed to his room. The cracked battery meant the phone was not going to work. It had turned off completely, which meant that even if Naina called, he wouldn't be able to pick up. He would have to buy a new one soon.
He could call her from the landline he thought but then he didn't know her number by heart either. Well not only hers, he didn't know anyone's number by heart which meant that he couldn't even phone up his mum or Meghna bhabhi for her number. His Father, who now talked to him with much more respect, peeked in his room to say that he was also going to the funeral and that Karan should stay and manage any other issues that rose up at the office. Karan decided he could head home and come back during lunch hour so he could avoid his fathers anger. Karan was nearly down the steps when another staff came asking him to look at the corrections for a project that needed to be submitted tomorrow. Calming himself, he decided to finish the job before he left.
Hours passed and what started like an easy job was taking way more time than expected. He really wanted to talk to Naina. She must be worried about him he thought. He was low on energy now. He had only eaten a very simple breakfast and it was now way past lunch hour. His appetite was all but gone. He finally placed the last amount and sent off the staff. I better get going now he thought as the clock reached 4. Hurriedly putting on his coat and grabbing his belongings he set for home.
Karan slammed at his steering wheel for the 5th time. The traffic on the road had been at a pinnacle and that too on a day like this. A huge lorry had crashed into a tree which had fallen right onto the roads causing a huge traffic block. The police had taken their own sweet time to arrive on the scene and were finally clearing up. Steering the rest of the journey like a mad man, Karan reached home to find the house emerged in darkness, apart from the little hall light. A sudden panic rose in his heart and he used the spare key to get in. Naina he called as he came into the hall but she was no where to be seen.
Naina p.o.v.
Naina's phone had all but turned off now, her thumb sore with pressing buttons over and over again. Her head was splitting open from all the crying. It throbbed harder and her stomach ached. He didn't care, everything was a lie, she said to herself. She heard a small click downstairs and sat up in bed, what was that? Did papa come home? Or a robber? To her relief, the room door swung open and Karan walked in. An immediate smile came on her lips. Her face lightened up. But the happiness, was soon replaced by her bubbling anger.
Naina, he said and rushed to the bedside. But she didnt care, she got up and starting walking towards the door. He wouldn't leave her easily, he pulled her hand and turned her around and caught her against the wall, his hands on either side. Naina, tum gusse mein ho, I'm sorry, woh meine tumhe ... she cut him off. Tumhe koi explanation dene ki zaroorat nahi hai, she replied sternly. He slowly tried to wipe her tears but she slapped his hand away. Although they were so close that their breaths mingled, Naina ignored the churning in her stomach as anger overtook her. Subah se call kar rahi ho tumhe, meri khalat kharab ho gayi hai aur tum sorry bol rahe ho? Nahi chain yeh sorry she said, as she pushed him aside and started to leave.
She noticed Karans expression was sad, his eyes brimming up their own new tears, but before she could say anything else, a sudden wave of dizziness took over her. The head throbbed worse now, her stomach ached harder. Se held her head and looked at Karan, the things in the room began swirling and the blackness slowly engulfed her. She fell.
Karan p.o.v.
Karan felt heartbroken. He had been the reason for Naina's tears. He felt angry with himself. She had done so much for him and here he was making her cry. Each word she said was saying, splitting his soul apart. He watched as she pushed him off her and started walking away. She slowly started to hold her head. Suddenly she collapsed, he caught her. Naina, Naina Kya hua? Aankhen kolo, he screamed but no response. Naina was limp against him. He slowly picked her up and rushed her towards the bed.
After settling her down, he started splashing water on her face, all the while tears dripping and his heart aching. It was all his fault. He saw Naina come round slowly. Her eyes fluttered opened and her hand caught her head. Naina, he said relieved, ab kaisi ho, teek toh ho? He questioned. She could only nod. He slowly helped her sit up and fed her water. Tumne kuch kaya hai? She shook her head. Tumhare liye vrat raka tha, she answered. His heart melted. Tum aise kyun Ho Naina?, kyu? Another tear formed in his eyes. She gave him a weak smile, tumhare meeting ke liye. The love in him rose. How could someone do so much for him? His thoughts had to wait. He had to feed her something now. Ek minute mein tumhare liye kuch leke aatha hoon... he said as he walked off. She didn't have the energy to refuse.
Naina p.o.v.
Naina saw Karan return with a tray in hand. As he placed it down on the bedside table, she saw that there was a glass of orange juice, an omelette, a plate of vegetable Maggie noodles. Tumne banaya? She asked. He nodded. Her heart fluttered. Karan had cooked. Well although the dishes weren't completely complex, he had made them. Her anger slowly reducing. He offered her the juice and she took it gladly. She gulped in down, as he watched her. Karan slowly began to explain the days events. Naina listened. She felt bad for him, and happy for herself, he hadn't forgotten her. He was just busy. A smile crept to her face. I'm sorry Naina he said, holding her hands. She couldn't be angry anymore, and so she accepted. It's ok, meine tumhe maaf kiya.
The smile she got in return made her heart beats increase. He slowly picked up the plate of noodles and fed her a spoonful. She swallowed gratefully. It was nice. Her husband wasn't a bad cook either, she thought. She suddenly realised that in his story, he never mentioned about eating too. Tumne kuch kaya? She enquired. Woh he began, but she knew the answer. He probably hadn't had a morsel since morning. She slowly picked up the fork from him and offered him a mouthful too. He smiled.
They continued feeding each other and finished off the noodles. There was a small piece on her cheek and he wiped it away slowly. He finally fed her some water and took the tray and put it aside. She was feeling better now, both heart wise and physically. He had gone off to change. He came out in his usual set of pyjamas. Naina tum washroom jaogi? She nodded. He slowly helped her to the door, mein andar aao, he asked winking. Her cheeks turned pink. Nahi, mein sambhal loongi, she replied, quickly shutting the door before Karan managed to do something.
She took her time to clean herself. Finally she opened the door and found him waiting there. He slowly escorted her back to her side. They heard the cars come in downstairs. Mein dekhtha hoon said Karan, his parents, Khyati and dadaji had reached back so he went down and opened the door for them. Naina stayed up until Karan returned. Tum soyi nahi abhi tak, he said as he sat down on his side of the bed. Woh meri sar dukh rahi hai, she replied. He slowly came forward, and started pressing her temples. The electric feeling returned to her veins. Mein dawai Lata hoon, he offered, slowly rumbling through the first aid kit and returning with a tablet and some water. She took it and swallowed it.
She looked at Karan now, his face filled with concern and pulled him into a hug. Aage kahin bhi Jana ho, toh please mujhe bata ke jana, aur phone bhi kar lena she said. He nodded and put his arms around her. They stayed like this for a few minutes, just happy in each other's presence. She was getting used to this now. His thumping heart in her ear. The warmth of his body engulfing her. She felt safe. As Karan slowly pulled back, he smiled and took her hand. He pushed himself to his side and got inside the blanket, helping her lie down. She didn't know if it was the effect of the drugs or the smell of his cologne but she couldn't help but crawl over to him and hug him from the side. Karan looked surprised but welcomed her with open arms onto his pillow and allowed her to tuck into him. Her heart beats increased a little feeling his deep breathing on her neck. But she felt complete. And sleep came to them in ways that it never had before.
Book Talk
Cricket
