Payal and Arnav! that's a nice thought... I am always in awe with how you bring out Manorama's character nuances.
The reader in me quickly jumps into various possibilities how the plot will take turn. But the writer in me has restrained myself from expressing them and wait for you to unravel the story!
Dear All…
Without much ado, presenting the next part in the series...
Dil ke rishte.. Part 2
Arnav would, for many, many years, remember with a shiver of terror the state in which he had found Payal. White as a sheet, collapsed on the floor behind his desk, her clenched hands hugging herself, and the look of intense pain still visible on her unconscious face.
Scooping her up and running out, he called out to his Mami, barely registering her shell-shocked face as he ran out, to call and alert the hospital that he was bringing her in immediately.
On a run, he reached his car, gently laid Payal in the back seat and realised that Mohan had stepped out to the garden. Not wanting to waste a single second, he jumped into the driving seat, calling out to Mohan to bring Mami to the hospital before screeching out of the driveway.
His attention split between the road and his sister-in-law lying unconscious in the back seat, he took a few minutes to get his thoughts in order. The ever present blue-tooth headset on his ear, he hit speed dial, the call answered in the first ring.
“Ji, Arnavji, hum abhi aapko phone karne jaa rahe the. Aap kab tak…”
“No Khushi, listen to me. Tum sab ko lekar abhi niklo. Seedha hospital pohoncho.”
“Hospital?! Hey Devi Maiyya! Kya hua aapko?” Khushi’s voice had become shrill in instant panic, imagining a multitude of illnesses and accidents. Arnav, who usually enjoyed his wife’s extreme reactions, couldn’t summon up the calm to answer her normally. HIs voice betraying his fear, he replied, “I’m fine Khushi, but Payal unconscious ho gayi achanak. I’m taking her to the hospital, Mohan is bringing Mami in the next car. Tum sab jaldi pohoncho.”
“Jiji!” Khushi’s voice dropped low in fear. “Arnavji aap saaf saaf boliye kya hua, hum abhi nikal rahe hai.”
“I don’t know what happened Khushi. She had gone to the library to get a file for me while I was getting the things loaded in the car. Bohot der se wapis nahi aayi toh mai check karne gaya and found her lying unconscious.” Honking hard to get the vehicles out of his way, he continued, “It might not be anything serious, but she is looking pale and in pain. Tum zyada pareshaan mat ho, just come as soon as you can.”
“Ji, Arnavji.” He voice trembling under stress, Khushi replied, “Hum abhi nikal rahe hai, Di aur Naniji ko lekar. Pa hume pohonchne me kam se kam do ghante toh lag jaayenge. Aur Jijaji ko call kiya aapne?”
“Nahi, abhi karunga. Mai nikalte hi tumhe kiya call. Rakhta hoon, I’ll take care of everything.”
“Ji, hum jaante hai, aap sambhaal lenge sab kuch.”
Ending the call and feeling steadier now, he took a quick look at the back seat. Finding Payal lying still, but breathing normally, he heaved a sigh of relief and dialled the next number on his speed dial, bracing himself.
This call also answered within seconds, his brother’s cheerful voice came over the headpiece. “Haan Bhai, boliye.”
“Akash, where are you now? Meeting over?”, Arnav asked, not wanting to break the news to him in the middle of a crowd.
“Haan Bhai. I just finished it. Abhi NK Bhai ke saath kuch files dekhne jaa raha tha, for an hour or so. I’ll be back at HQ in a couple of hours. Kuch kaam tha?”
“No, Akash. I want you to leave right now and come home. Payal is not well and it will be better if you are with her.”
“What? Not well matlab? Ussne mujhe call kyu nahi kiya? Ya Maa ne? Aur aap kahan ho? Ghar par?”
Not wanting to worry Akash too much, Arnav decided to play it low until he reached back safe. “Haan. I just stopped at home to get a few things enroute Prateeksha. And saw that she was not well. Toh I’m taking her to the hospital to get her checked out.”
“Hospital jaa rahe ho? Doctor ko ghar nahi bulaya aap ne? Bhai, sach boliye, is she okay? Phone doge please usko?”
“She’s resting now, Akash, I don’t want to cause her strain by talking. You just reach here as soon as possible. It’s okay, main hoon na, I’ll make sure she’s okay. Don’t drive by yourself, in your hurry, get your driver. And haa, bring NK too with you so that you’ll have company on the way.”
There was a pause at the other end. He could hear Akash taking slow, deep breaths. “Bhai, Payal theek hai na?”
Understanding his brother perfectly, imagining how he himself would be suffering, if it had been Khushi who was taken ill with him too far away to reach her immediately, Arnav replied, “She’ll be fine, Akash, tum fikar mat karo. I’ll reach the hospital in a few minutes. I’ll get her checked out and call and update you. Tum niklo jaldi.”
“Okay Bhai, I’m leaving as we speak.”
Ending the call, Arnav looked back again, to see Payal still unconscious, but sweating profusely now. Quickly stopping the vehicle, he jumped out to open the back door and check on her. Gently stroking her forehead, he found that she was running a high fever now, and mumbling even in her unconscious state. Soothing her once more, he close the door and got back in the driving seat. Stepping on the accelerator, he bulleted through the busy roads of Delhi, his worry throwing all caution aside.
Screeching to a stop at the entrance of their family hospital, he found the emergency room doctor ready with nurses, attenders and a stretcher, much to his relief. “Mami must have calmed down enough to call, “ he thought, doubtful that he had been if she would.
Quickly transferring her to the stretcher, they took her in, Arnav running behind, keeping her in his sights for as long as possible. Pacing outside the emergency room, Arnav updated Khushi and Akash that the doctors were checking on Payal. Within a few more minutes, Manorama also arrived, teary-eyed and frantic, her love and worry for her bahu evident for once. Grabbing hold of Arnav’s hand, she trembled, “Kaa ho raha hai Arnav bitwa? Kaa kehat rahe doctor? Payaliya kahan hai, humko dekhna hai use.”
Gripping her hands tight, he said, “They are checking on her mai, aap calm down keejiye. Maine raste mein Khushi aur Akash ko call kiya tha. They are also on their way.”
“Hum jaanat hai. Khushi bitiya humko call kiye rahe.”
Just then, the doctor came out, his face sober but calm. Holding up his hand to stem the flow of questions that had started, he said, “Mr. Raizada, aap ek dum theek time par laaye inko yahan. She has an inflamed appendix and it was about to burst. Ghar par hota toh jaan ko khatra ho sakta tha. We’re going to take her in for surgery, par pehle routine scans aur test karvaane hai. Tab tak aapke Bhai pohonch paayenge? Kuch form sign karna pdega unko.”
“Yes, doctor, he is on the way. You make the arrangements, I’ll call and make sure he reaches soon.” Arnav replied, as Manorama stood with her hands folded, giving thanks that her Arnav bitwa had somehow reached home in time to take care of his sister-in-law.
“Kya hum Payal se mil sakte hain, doctor?”, he asked, giving his aunt’s arm a getle consoling press.
“Ji bilkul, unko abhi hosh aa jaayegi, stable hain, drip laga diye hai.”
“Thanks.”
Opening the door softly, they both went in, stopping at the foot of the bed on which Payal was lying. Going up closer and sitting down, Manorama took her bahu’s hand in hers stroking gently, waiting for Payal to wake up. At the soft touch, Payal blinked open her eyes, wincing at both the light and the pain. Looking around in confusion, her eyes came to rest first on Arnav, who was standing directly in her line of sight.
“Arnavji, aapka file…. hum kahan hai?”, she asked, “Kya hua?”
“Shh, Payaliya, chup hi rahiyo tum. Sab ko kaisan daa hi diya, hello-hi, bye-bye!”, Manorama sniffled, stroking her hair.
“Maaji?”, she asked, still confused.
“Don’t worry, Payal, tum behosh ho gayi thi, aur hum tumhe hospital le aaye. You have appendicitis, and doctors are going to treat you for that”, Arnav said, leaving the surgery part to Akash to explain.
“Akash…”, Payal trailed off, looking around for her husband.
His eyes, softening in sympathy, Arnav smiled, “He is on his way, he’ll be here soon. Tab tak you’ll have to make do with me.”
Stammering in consternation, Payal replied, “Arre, aap hume galat mat samajhiye…”
“It’s okay, Payal, I’m just pulling your leg. We’re both here, Khushi, Di aur Naniji bhi on the way hai. Maine Amma, Babuji aur Buaji ko call nahi kiya, Lucknow me baithke they’ll just worry. Baad me I’ll call them. You just rest now.”
The nurse came in just then, to take Payal for her scan.
Sitting outside again, Manorama watched her nephew pacing, making call after call, first to update Akash and Khushi, then to their offices to clear their calendar for a couple of days, and finally to Dhruv, to update him and to ask him to reach the hospital, and not go home directly.
It was in the middle of the last call that the doctor approached them again, his face not so calm anymore.
“Mr. Raizada, there is a problem. Payalji ke pati aa gaye? Hume surgery immediately karna padega.”
Ah, so you updated Aparnaji with a short one but left another cliffhanger. Naughty you! Will wait for the continuation , soon please!
Take care.
Thank you for the PM! 😳
Woah! Appendicitis can be really painful... and what is this added complication now!? 😲
Worried for Payal 😳. But I've bharosa on you and Arnav.. that aap log sab sambhal loge 😆.
Mamiji is going to pamper Payal even after she returns home, I'm sure of that. And Arnav is already handling everything wonderfully, what more can one ask for! ⭐️
Waiting for next part. Update soon 😃.
Love,
Stuti
Don't tell me she's pregnant ok? That's scary 😲 I can just imagine all characters acting out this episode, you have written it so well. Only mami ji would be a touch too dramatic than that 😃 You have become a master of cliffhangers now, what have you been doing these past years?? 😆
P.S. please update sooon!
Loved the second part. Arnav and mami handling the situation. Poor Payal, what's the emergency apart from the appendicitis? Eager for the next part.
Thank you for the pm.
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