Chapter-15
Malhar told Agni's driver the address of the hospital where Moksh's treatment was going on. As soon as Malhar entered the doctor's cabin, the doctor had earphones in his ears, the doctor almost shouted at him, "Das baar aapse kaha hai Mr. Rane ki aise hi mere cabin me bina appointment ke andar mat aaya kariye. Jaiye pehle reception se appointment lijiye. Abhi tak aapne Moksh ke naye treatment ke liye fees bhi submit nahi Kari. Kaise kaise besharam log hain. Afford kar nahi sakte lekin mehenge hospital ki saari facilities chahiye."
Malhar was already stressed and the words of the doctor further aggravated him. He yanked the cellphone from Doctor's hand and threw it across the room causing it to shatter. "Samajh me nahi aata Apko doctor. Mere bete ki haalat itni kharaab hai aur aapko use dekhne Tak ki fursat nahi hai."
"Himmat kaise hui tumhari Malhar Rane ek doctor se aise baat karne ki?" The doctor said darkly, "Dhakke maarkar..."
Agni cleared her throat.
The doctor first couldn't understand what the business tycoon was doing there, but start stammering, "A...Agni madam. A...ap yahaan?" And pulled a chair for her and started dusting it, saying, "Aap mujhe bata deti. Aapko CMO sir ke saath main khud receive karne gate par aa jaata. Vaise don't mind me magar aap itni zyada good looking hai ki koi bhi aapko top businesswoman ki jagah supermodel samajh le.
Agni yawned and said, "Yahaan tumhari faaltu bakwas sunne nahi aayi hoon main. Agar mere bacche ka treatment tumne agle das second me start nahi Kiya, to tumhara medical registration sirf dustbin me fekne ke kaam aayega."
"Madam aapne pehle kyon nahi bataya ye baccha aapke saath hai," Doctor said, "Are har patient ki jaan bachana to hamari duty hai. Fir ye baccha to itna cute..."
Agni looked at the doctor sharply so the doctor called stammering, "Sister...sister..."
Meanwhile as doctor was checking Moksh, he thought, "Tu to sone ke ande dene wali murgi nikla ladke. Main soch hi Raha tha Tere ACP baap se uski naukri jaane ke baad kaise moti rakam ethoonga. Magar tu to poori ki poori heeron ki khaan apne sang le aaya. Ab to Tera Aisa ilaaj karoonga ki zindagi bhar tu theek nahi ho payega."
The doctor closed the gates and called Sampada, "Tumne mujhe bataya kyon nahi ki ACP Rane ke bete se Agni ka bhi koi rishtaa hai?"
"Agni? Are tujhe kahaan mili vo?" Sampada said.
"ACP ke saath aayi hai, uske bete ko lekar. Ab to hamaari chaandi ho gayi."
"Ae doctor," Sampada said, "Sambhalkar, bahut chalaak hai vo Agni. Apna muh band rakhna uske saamne. Use agar hamare iraadon ki bhanak bhi lag gayi na..."
"Nahi lagegi," Doctor said, "Accha phone rakho. Is ladke ka acche se ilaaj bhi to karna hai."
Malhar was pacing up and down the room. He was continuously on phone.
"Pawar, kya matlab tumhara mere jaaye Bina FD nahi tootegi? Mera beta is haal me hai. Use chhorkar main bank kaise Jaa sakta hoon...Accha I understand, bank officers bhi rule ke against nahi jaa sakte. Ruko, aata hoon main?"
"Kahaan jaa rahe hain aap Ma...Mr. Rane?" Agni asked.
"Ab main aur delay nahi kar sakta. Moksh ka naya treatment jald start karna hoga. Apni aur Moksh ki FD todkar main fees ka kucch hissa to de hi paaunga. Aur baaki paisa...baaki paisa main kisi soodkhor se loan..."
"Mr. Rane," Agni said.
"Fir kucch bhi karke main unka loan chukaa doonga, chahe zindagi bhar mujhe kisi ka naukar banna pare. Aur agar loan nahi chuka paaya to Moksh ko orphanage..."
"Mr. Rane," Agni said more sharply, and stood in front of Malhar, "Shh..." She placed a finger on Malhar's lips, "Bas...chup ho jaiye ab."
Getting tenderness from another human except his son for the first time in five years, Malhar couldn't control himself. He broke down in front of Agni, his knees on the hospital floor and broke into tears. He was not in his sensible mind.
These five years Agni had always dreamed of making Malhar kneel in front her, begging. But when it finally happened, Agni couldn't prevent a tear escaping from her eye. Malhar held her wist and Agni caressed his hair.
Malhar was saying, "Main jaanta hoon Maine tumhare saath bahut bura kiya Kalyani. Mujhe pata hai mujhe tumhare saath kiye gaye julmon ki hi saza mil rahi h. Maine tumhe us haalat me dhakke dekar ghar se nikaal diya bina ye soche ki aadhi raat ko tum kahaan jaogi. Aur fir jab tumhare accident ki khabar aayi, to maine bahut koshish ki tumhari body dhoondhne ki. Magar jaanti ho jab bhi morgue me body identify karne jaata tha na aur vo chehra tumhara nahi hota tha to mujhe ek ajib si tasalli milti thi. Jab main tumhe Ghar se nikaal raha tha, to kitni ummeed ki thi ki tum mujhe thappad maro, mujhse kaho ki mera koi haq nahi h tum par Shaq karne ka, jo main keh raha hoon sab jhooth hai. Magar tumne to palatkar mujhse kucch poocha hi nahi. Tumse maafi maangoo, vo haq main paanch saal pehle hi kho chuka hoon. Par please mere bete ko bacha lo. Main haath jodta hoon."
"Main Pillu ko kucch hone nahi doongi, Malharji," Agni said in tears, "Kucch nahi hoga hamare bacche ko." Agni hugged Malhar.
An old compounder came near Agni and took Malhar away, saying, "Are madam. Ab isne aapko apni patni maan liya. Pata nahi kaun si beemari hai inhe? Ekdum sahi rehte hain fir jaane kya ho jaata hai kabhi hospital bench me unhe apni patni dikhai dene lagti hai to kabhi potted plants me. Kucch bhi kehte rehte hain...jaane kya kiya tha inhone apni patni ke saath. Bas mujhe maaf kar do Kalyani. Pillu tumhare baare me pooch raha tha...kehte rehte hain. Fir jab hosh me aate hain to inhe kucch yaad nahi rehta kya bakheda khada kiya tha inhone."
Agni hoped no one could hear the cracks in her voice, "Kaka. Aap bata sakte hain ki kab se inhe ye...kab se ye aise hain?"
"Madam, pehle to ekdum theek the. Gusse me rehte the. Hamesha gumsum se rehte the magar kya kadak police officer the. Meri poti to fan thi inki," the compounder told, "Fir hospital aate aate hi jaane kisi ne kya kaala jaadoo kar diya inpar jo ye aise ho gaye."
Agni was sitting on a bench and Malhar's head was on her lap which she was involuntarily caressing and patting.
Agni thought for sometime, then carefully getting up and putting Malhar's head on the bench with her silk scarf under his head, she called someone, "Hi Jay. I want you to hack a system."
Doctor was eating lunch in his cabin when Agni entered.
"Ma'am," the doctor stood up seeing her.
"Are khaiye Doctor sahab. Kya pata ye aapka aakhiri lunch ho?" Agni came towards the doctor's chair and he got up. Agni sat on the chair, her legs crossed.
Doctor started eating while standing across Agni.
"I brought a coffee for you doctor," and Agni handed over a coffee mug to him. The doctor drank the coffee. After drinking the coffee, he held his head.
He started staggering.
"Excuse me madam," the doctor said.
"Are doctor sahab, at least confirm to kar lijiye kahin aapki coffee me bhi vahi chemical na mila ho jo Sampada Malhar ki chai me mix karti h."
"Sampada? Kon Sampada?" Doctor said.
"Memory badi weak hai aapki," Agni said drawling, "chaliye ek movie dikhati hoon aapko. Shayad kucch yaad aa jaye."
Kalyani played a live video on her cellphone. A young girl was sitting in college canteen with her friends and a waiter brought cold coffee for her and cold drinks for her friend.
"Ye jo cold coffee aapki beti peene wali h na," Agni whispered, "Usme vahi chemical h jo aapne Sampada ko Moksh ke khaane me milaane ke liye diya tha. Bas uski dosage bees Guna zyada h. Aww...Doctor Tawde. Aapki beti ka brain to boom..."
"Please roko use," the doctor tried to stand up, holding Agni but Agni pushed him away, dusting her blazer where the doctor had touched.
"Rok doongi," Agni said yawning, "Bas meri ek baat maanni hogi."
"Kya?"
"Mr. Malhar Rane ko jo chemical tum log de rahe ho, vahi same chemical tumhe Sampada ko har roz Dena hoga. Badle me tumhe itne paise doongi ki tum gin bhi nahi paaoge."
"Par madam," then doctor saw his daughter was bringing the mug to her lips.
"Aap jo bolengi main karoonga ma'am," The doctor finally said.
When Agni got out of the doctor's cabin, she found Malhar sitting on the bench.
"Sorry ma'am. Pata nahi main kaise so Gaya tha."
"It's all right, Mr. Rane," Agni said without looking at him.
"Ma'am," Malhar said with hesitation, "Is beech maine aapko kucch aisa kaha...ya kucch aisa kiya jo mujhe nahi karna chahiye tha?"
Agni looked Malhar in the eyes and said, "Aap hi bataiye ki aapne mere saath kucch galat kiya tha kabhi?"
Malhar couldn't understand.
"Don't worry, Mr. Rane," Agni said, "Main itni kamzor nahi hoon ki aap mere saath kucch galat karenge aur main vo hone doongi."
Why did Agni see a pride gleaming in Malhar's eyes when she said this? Agni remembered the time when Malhar forced her to study to make something of herself.
"Kalyani, sirf Pillu, main aur Aai ke alawa bahut kucch hai is duniya me!"
"Malharji meri duniya to bas aap teeno hi hain.
"Nahi Kalyani, khud ko seemit daayre me baandh Lena acchi cheez nahi hai. Tum sirf ek beti, maa aur patni nahi ho. Kucch aisa karo ki mujhe bhi proud ho ye kehne me ki Main Mrs. Kalyani Rane ka pati hoon."
Malhar's hands were still shaking due to chemical's impact. To calm them, Agni held his hands and both Agni and Malhar were lost in each other's eyes.
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