Chapter 4

Delhi

    Manorama panicked when she saw her Mother in Law collapsing. Manohar and Manorama with the help of Prakash brothers carried her to the car. While Mohan was driving towards hospital Manorama made a quick call to Akash. They reached hospital and Devyani was immediately taken to the ICU, while the others waited outside. Tears started spilling from Manorama’s eyes. 

     Devyani became very weak after the the sudden turn of events in the last three years. Even if she is not showing , the past events managed to make her emotionally tired. It was mainly guilt which made her weak. Guilt of not stopping the life of an innocent girl getting ruined. Guilt of not helping her chote to see the truth.  Guilt of not being able to let Anjali see the truth of her husband. As the eldest one, it was her responsibility.  But she failed. The pain in her heart started taking toll on her health.

    Manorama took her phone out. Enough is enough. She is not going to stay silent. She did not try to do any amendments in the past. But not this time. She knows Anjali and Akash wont be call Arnav. So she dialed Arnav’s number with trembling hands.

    Arnav was surprised seeing his Mami’s number flashing on his mobile. She never called him in the last 3 years. Their communication was limited to pleasantries when he calls home once or twice a week. He panicked as he heard her crying as soon he answered the call.

“Kya hua mami. Why are you crying?”. 

“Arnav bitwa...woh  sausuma,  she is in ICU… “ She replied sobbing.

Arnav went blank for sometime ... Nani… the one who took care of him and his sister with so much love after the death of his parents..

“ I know you don’t want to come back to India, but please come for your Nani’s sake.“ Manorama continued.

“ I am taking the next available flight Mami” he replied instantly and cut the call.

He dialed Lavanya immediately and asked her to arrange for his ticket. He then made a call to Aman. It was first time he was calling Aman for his personal matter in these 3 years.

“ I am already here ASR. I will keep you updated. they are examining nani”  Aman said without even greeting him.

“ Thanks Aman, I will wait for your call.” He cut the call and immediately asked the house help to pack for his travel.  His phone rang again.

“ASR you can leave for Airport in an hour, your ticket is booked” Lavanya’s voice reached him as he pressed the answer button.

“ Thanks Lavanya and please take care of the office I don’t know when I will be back”

“ Don’t worry ASR I will take care of the official things, and Nani.. She will be fine..” Lavanya assured him.

“I hope so Lavanya.. “Arnav replied dejectedly and ended the call.

Lavanya put her phone back and sent a silent prayer for Nani. She sighed and dialed the familiar number in her recent call list and waited for the person in the other end to answer.

“She is stable now, it was a mild heart attack, they will keep her in observation for the next 24 hours. I just reached here , let me talk to the doctor, I will call you back in a while. “ he cut the call without waiting for her reply.

She felt relieved hearing Nani is out of danger now. She was about to send a message to ASR but decided against it as she knows NK will be passing the same news to him in a short while.

Delhi next day morning

Akash, Payal, NK, Anjali and Vijay are sitting in the hospital Café. Akash left with Payal immediately from Lucknow to Delhi after receiving his mother’s call. Vijay and Anjali landed in Delhi early hours of morning from Bangalore. NK was the first one to reach hospital last night.  He was in Agra when he got Manohar's call. Since Nani’s condition was stable, Vijay is leaving for airport from hospital.

“Nannav’s flight will be landing in 3 hours. Lavanya just called me” NK said sipping his coffee.

Payal shifted uncomfortably in her seat hearing this. Akash’s face was devoid of any emotion. Anjali observed everyone. Everyone was uncomfortable with the news of Arnav’s arrival but their reasons were different from each other.

“Di ?” Akash looked at his sister without voicing the question.

“ No Akash.. we are not going to tell him anything.I know he will get angry when he comes to know, but this time whatever will happen will be according to Khushiji’s wish. It will be her choice.” Anjali said with determination.

“ I totally agree with you Di.” Said NK

    No one told anything further. they all missed their beloved brother. But they cannot justify his actions. He chose to walk out and he should bear the consequences of his decision. 

“Ok guys.. I got to go now, I will be back by next week. If something is there please call me. I am just a phone call away” Vijay glanced at his watch and stood up.

“ I know Vijay.. and thank you for accompanying Di, I know you did it for her.. still... ” Akash smiled and hugged Vijay.

" That's ok.. Akash, I couldnt let her travel alone.."

    Vijay said with a small smile. Akash knows what his Di means to him. He is thankful to this man for helping her to come out of her past.  He silently hoped for their happily everafter they deserved.

    Vijay quickly took leave from Mama and mami and walked towards hospital entrance with Anjali. His driver was waiting at the hospital entrance.  He turned towards Anjali before opening the door.

“ Anjali you are ok right. ?  my trip is unavoidable, I could have stayed otherwise” his voice was full of concern.

“I know Vijay, and I cannot be more thankful to you for accompanying me to Delhi. I was so devastated with the news of nani. And you delayed your trip one more day due to that. Now you need to leave. I am ok...  “ Anjali assured him.

“ you don’t have to thank me Anjali. I am with you always. And I know you are tensed about Arnav’s arrival, so much have changed here and you are also afraid of his reaction to our relationship”

“No Vijay, It's not that... I am just worried for Khushi... She is coming for a vacation.. What if Nani ask for her ..In this condition we can't deny her also. But I don’t want to force Khushi for anything.“ Anjali voiced her concern.

“Then we will deal with it that time. Even you knows that her return is inevitable. Let it happen if it is meant to be. I will be back soon ok…  Don’t take too much stress.”. 

Anjali nodded in understanding. He gently placed a kiss on her cheek.

She pushed him away gently “What are you doing Vijay, it is a public place.” Anjali smiled shyly.

 “Please take care of yourself.. I will be back soon” . He gently rubbed his thumb over her cheek and gave her a small smile.

“ok  you go now, you will miss your flight otherwise” Anjaly pushed him towards the car door.

He seated inside and waved at her. she waved back with a warm smile. She stood there until his car disappeared from her sight... She smiled and went back to the hospital ward.

    Arnav came out of the arrivals and saw Aman waving at him. He received the message of Nani being out of danger . That made him relax while boarding the plane.

“Welcome back ASR” Aman gave a small smile while shaking hands with him.

    Aman gave a call to Mohan to bring the car to the entrance as they walked towards the exit. Arnav seated on the back seat and Aman occupied the passenger seat. Arnav looked though the glass window observing the changes in Delhi in last 3 years. But one thing was not changed at all. Khushi.. he felt her memories hitting him hard.. He is going towards the cruel reminder of his misdeeds to her. He Promised her a lifetime of happiness and then ditched her at Mandap and ran away leaving her all alone to deal with the mess. He is a rakshas like she always said. 

“ASR .. we have reached”

Aman’s voice broke his chain of thoughts. He came out of the car and walked towards the hospital entrance. Aman lead the way towards the VIP ICU ward.

Manorama ran towards Arnav and hugged him shedding happy tears of seeing him after a long time. He hugged his Mami back and consoled her. He missed his family and they missed him too.

“ Arnav bitwa.. ? “ His Mamaji came and embraced him. “You can see Amma shortly, she will be very happy to see you back”

“ When she will be shifted to the room?” Arnav asked

“ by tomorrow hopefully” Mamaji replied

He couldn't find Di, Akash or anyone else other than mami and mamaji here. Sensing his question, mami told

“ Anjali and Payal are taking rest, they are tired . Akash is in the Doctor’s cabin”.

    He nodded and was about to ask the room number he saw Akash entering the waiting area talking to someone over the phone. He paused for a while as he registered Arnav’s presence. He hang up the call as he saw Arnav walking towards him. Akash’s face was devoid of any emotion. His brother did not show any effort to greet him.

“Kaise ho Akash?” Arnav asked as he tried to meet his eyes with accusing ones of his younger brother.

“I am good bhai “Akash answered in a no nonsense tone.

    He deserves this indifference for leaving his family. He never looked back to know the impact of his mistakes in their life. He was afraid to do that. He was a coward to face the consequences of his mistake. 

    A nurse came outside the ICU and told any one person can enter and see the patient. Mahender and Manorama asked Arnav to go inside. 

He painfully swallowed the lump in his throat as he saw his grandmother’s weak body is supported by several machines. Her eyes were closed, she looked very old and drained.

“ Nani.. “ he called softly as he gently placed his hand over her’s.

Devyani gently opened her eyes to meet her Chote’s moist eyes. 

“Chote .. tum aa gaya. I have given up my hope of seeing you before I die“ His nani’s  weak voice made his eyes welled up again.

“ Nani.. please don’t think about anything else. Everything will be alright. I am here.. “ he assured his Nani.

    She faintly smiled at him and drifted into sleep again. He quietly left the ICU watching her sleep. When he came out he saw his Di and Payal has come to join others in the waiting area. He was shocked to see his Di. the change was evident in her appearance. She was wearing a white linen blend embroidered saree with a sleevless blouse. The pallu was pleated. He never saw her wearing this type of sarees. 

 Not only her saree, her neck was devoid of her mangalsutra and the lack of sindoor on her forehead was very much foreign to him. she had a Rolex Oyter Perpetual  Datejust 31 watch on her left wrist and the right one had a platinum chain. She looked like a strong independent women - he always thought Anjali can never become one. He kept staring at his sister in shock. 

"Chote... " Anjali came forward and hugged him.

    He hugged her back. He turned to greet Payal which was returned with a formal namaste from her. He had too many questions in his mind. What exactly happened in last 3 years? Why is everyone so different ? And where is Shyam? Anjali's appearance told him that she was separated from her husband. But how? Why?  Did he really lost all the rights on his family to ask for an explanation? 

" you kids can go back home, Arnav bitwa will be tired after the journey. Me and Manorama will be here. One of you can come back tomorrow morning." 

Mamaji told. 

"I will stay here papa. You please go home with Ma and take rest. Bhai, payal and Di can come with you. " Akash insisted.

" NO beta. You and payal travelled all the way from Lucknow and you people stayed awake full night. So is Anjali and Chote. You all go home. Me and your papa will stay. And NK will be coming here after few hours from home. " 

Manorama told with finality. Few minutes later Arnav, Anjali, Payal and Akash were driving towards Shantivan. Everyone was silent thinking how to start a light conversation. Suddenly Anjali's ringtone broke the silence in the car. She answered the call in the first ring. Arnav was curiously gazing at his sister through the mirror.

" Ya tell me.. you reached?"

"---------"

"Ok.. I am going back home. Mama and Mami staying in hospital today."

 "------"

"Yes.. The papers are ready. they sent me the copy "

"------"

" ok.. I will call later.. Byee.."

"Who was that Di" Arnav asked out of curiosity 

"It was Vijay"

"Vijay..?"

"Yes.. Vijay Verma.. the one who owns Verma Contructions. I work for him" 

"What?"

    His Di is working now? Why?? If she wanted to work why she did not join AR? Why she decided to work for other company? And what happened to Shyam. he wanted to blast his questions at everyone. But decided against it. There is something about the attitude of everyone told him that he is not in a position to question them.

They reached the gates of Shantivan and everyone silently came out of the car and walked towards the house. Payal and Akash walked on the front while Anjali and Arnav followed.

"Di.."

"Not now chote.. I know you have many questions. And You will get your answers. Right now we all are tired. Have food and take rest. we will talk later"

    His sister dismissed him. He silently went towards his room . He opened the door and ran his eyes through the room, nothing has changed.. his closed his eyes as her smiling face came to his memory. He renovated the room adding colors of her liking before marriage. But he never gave her a chance to see that. He destroyed the beautiful dreams they weaved together with his bare hands. 

    He wish If he had the powers to go to the past and fix things...At least he should have explained his behavior and begged her to come back .. but he did not do that also.... Now what he wants.. He had no idea.. He simply laid on the bed and closed his eyes without even bothering to change the clothes.