OS: Post barsi-outburst

~OS~

After the ceremony, Khushi was helping out with clearing up everything. She had made sure to not interfere with anything - just quietly stood around helping out whenever needed. She had stayed out of Arnav's eyesight as far as possible - a fact that Arnav subconsciously noted.

The phone started ringing and Anjali picked it up.

"Hello?"

It was Payal on the other side "Hello? Khushi? Khushi hai? Hume Khushi se baat karni hai jaldi.." She obviously sounded distraught.

"Payal ji?" said Anjali recognizing her voice. "Haan Khushiji hai na, hum abhi unse baat karaate hai aapki. Sab theek toh hai na?"

"Anjali ji" sobbed Payal "Bauji ko heart attack hua hai. Aap Khushi ko kahiye ki jaldi se City Hospital pahunch jaaye"

"Oh Payalji" said Anjali clutching her chest "Aap apna aur sabka khyaal rakhiye. Hum abhi Khushi ji ko bhejte hai"

"Ji rakhte hai" said Payal before hanging up.

Anjali walked towards Khushi where she was helping Arnav, Jaiprakash and Akash clear up things.

"Khushi ji?" said Anjali softly.

"Ji Anjali ji?" said Khushi turning around, but continuing to work.

Anjali wasn't sure how to break it to her "Khushi ji aap ye sab chodiye aur jaldi se nikaliye. Aapko City Hospital pahunchna hai"

Khushi stopped and turned to Anjali. Arnav, too looked up at his Di.

"Ji? Kya hua Anjali ji?"

"Woh Khushi ji, abhi abhi Payal ji ka phone aaya tha.. aapke.. aapke Bauji ko heart attack hua hai aur woh hospital mei hai. Aap jaldi se jaaiye"

Khushi dropped the plate she was holding and said "Kya? Kya keh rahi hai aap? Jiji ne? Bauji..?" Khushi looked around disoriented, holding her dupatta.

"Khushi ji hum samajhte hai. Aap apne aap ko sambhaaliye. Aap hi ko toh sabki himmat baandhni hai"

Khushi took a deep breath and said quietly "Ji Anjali ji. Hum nikal rahe hai. Aap Lavanya ji ko bata dijiye"

Khushi picked up her bag and started walking out when Arnav called out "Khushi."

She stopped in her tracks without turning around. He walked up to her and  said "Chalo mai chod deta hu tumhe" and started walking past her.

"Nahi Arnav ji" she said. She walked up to him and said softly "Kehne ke liye shukriya. Lekin hum jaante hai ki aapke liye bhi ye mushkil din hai. Hum chale jaayenge"

Arnav looked at her tear filled yet strong eyes for a moment and said "Behas mat karo. Iss waqt jaldi se hospital pahunchna zaroori hai. Chalo"

Arnav started walking and she quietly followed him, having no energy to argue.

They were having a quiet car ride. Arnav could see Khushi wiping her tears quietly turning the other way thinking he couldn't see.

"Khushi, woh ek achcha hospital hai. Woh unka khyaal rakh rahe honge. He's going to be fine" said Arnav looking straight ahead.

"Ji" whispered Khushi.

"Lo hum pahunch gaye" said Arnav stopping the car. He looked to see Khushi take a deep breath and wipe her eyes and clear her face.

Khushi saw him looking at her and gave a half teary eyed, watery smile and said "Woh Anjali ji ne sahi kaha tha. Hume hi toh sabki himmat baandhke rakhni hai."

Arnav said "Chalo. Mai bhi aata hu andar tak."

Khushi looked at him for a moment and got out of the car. They walked into the hospital. Arnav took charge and asked her for her dad's name and asked her to wait at the entrance. He went and found out the location and aisle number of the ICU where her dad was admitted and gestured her to follow him.

When they walked into the the ICU, they saw only Payal standing outside. Khushi ran into her arms sobbing.

"Amma aur Buaji kahaa hai?" she said wiping her eyes.

"Woh bahar mandir mei hai Shyamji ke saath." replied Payal.

Khushi looked through the glass at her dad lying motionless. Arnav too, looked over her shoulder.

"Khushi mai doctors se milke aata hu" he said before walking out.

"Ye yahaa kya kar rahe hai?" said Payal after he left.

"Hume chodne aaye the Di. Toh bola ki ek baar andar aayenge. Doctors se baat hui aapki?"

"Kahaa Khushi. Tu toh jaanti hai na yahaa ke tor tareeke. Hum sabne koshish ki lekin koi kuch bataa hi nahi raha hai. Bola hai 4 baje tak wait karna padega."

Khushi and Payal went and sat on the chairs for a while. 

Arnav, too, faced the problem in finding the right doctors. But, he made a couple of calls, and was in the doctor's cabin within no time. It turned out that the doctor was an old man whom he had met a few times for his sister.

"I'm sorry, Mr Raizada, I wasn't told that the family or you were trying to reach me. You know how busy I am with all the cases."

"What's Mr Gupta's situation, doctor?"

"I think he's out of danger right now. I'm waiting for a couple of test results before talking to the family. The attack wasn't too massive, but I'd rather have my facts before I say anything to the family."

"Doctor, don't you think you'll ease their nerves by sharing some good news?"

"I understand your point. Let me see what can be done. I didn't know you knew these people."

"His daughter works with me."

"Oh Payal? I didn't know she worked."

"No Khushi."

"Khushi? Oh Payal's cousin" said the doctor, nodding.

"Cousin?" said Arnav.

"Haan, I was talking to Mr Gupta's sister to try and get some medical history. She likes to talk a lot, so she didn't fail to mention that he had a single daughter, but long back, he adopted his wife's orphaned niece, Khushi. Her parents had passed away when she was a child. I'm glad to hear that she has grown up to be good enough to work with Arnav Singh Raizada" smiled the old man.

Arnav was speechless. He closed his eyes remembering the hurtful words he had said to her. Again, he thought. Again, he had hurt her wrongly. He kept going on about how she wouldn't understand whereas she probably understood and more - he at least had his Di. She had only her cousin. She had genuinely felt bad for not realizing the occasion and had come to share his grief. "Mai rakshas hi hu" he thought.

"Mr Raizada?" said the doctor.

"Yes doctor, sorry. I'll be going now. I hope you can talk to them soon. I myself am going to have a word with them right now."

The doctor nodded and Arnav left. Throughout his walk to the ICU, he felt remorse like he hadn't felt after he raised his voice at Anjali Di the day before rakhi. He wished he could take back what he had said to her. He could still see her pain filled eyes when she looked at him as he shouted at her.

He went into the ICU and Khushi stood up.

"Khushi, maine abhi doctor se baat ki. Woh confirm karne ke liye ek do reports ka wait kar rahe hai, lekin keh rahe the ki ye ab khatre se baahar hai."

Khushi and Payal hugged each other in relief.

"Doctor tumse baat karne aate hi honge" said Arnav.

While Payal went to let the others know, Khushi came to Arnav and said "Shukriya"

Arnav said "Khushi mai.. mujhe bhi pata nahi tha ki tum.. tumhaare.. Doctor ne bataaya ki Payal tumhaari cousin hai. Mai.." Arnav stopped as he wasn't sure what to say.

Khushi smiled weakly at him and said "Koi baat nahi Arnav ji. Bina kuch jaane hi kaafi madad ki hai aapne humaari aaj. Humne bhi toh nahi samjha ki aapke ghar pe aaj kya hai."

Arnav said "Tumhaari family aati hi hogi. Mai jaa rahaa hu."

"Ji theek hai" said Khushi.

Arnav started walking, then stopped, turned and said "Khushi?"

"Ji?"

Arnav hesitated, then said clearly "Kuch baat ho ya kuch kaam ho toh.. toh mujhe phone kar sakti ho"

Khushi stared at him for a moment and smiled softly and said "Ji hum karenge Arnav ji. Shukriya"

Arnav nodded and walked out.

~End~