Part 50

Ambulance arrived. He hopped in to accompany his Di to the hospital. He saw Aakash rushing home. "Aakash throw that maid out of the house, right now!" He screamed.

"Chote...! Its not her fault. Its just an accident" Said Anjali faintly.

"No Di! I know who is behind all this. This is not an accident. He is doing it. I know.. I am not going to leave him." He muttered.

"Chote.. what are you talking about? Who is doing this?" She asked. Arnav turned his face hopelessly.

"Shh! be quiet. You need to stay still. You are bleeding. " The paramedic in the ambulance silenced her. Arnav sat there holding her hand helplessly. They reached the hospital. Doctors took over. He waited there pacing restlessly.

He called up Khushi's Papaji and felt a little better after talking to him. He said he will talk to Khushi in the evening. He saw Aakash and Sham rushing in. He clenched his fists in fury. He wanted to kill him. Aakash dug his fingers in his shoulders to stop him from doing anything in a fit of rage.

"Bhai... NO!" he said.
"Where were you? Di is in pain and ... what was your maid doing? She was supposed to take care of Di ...Damn it!" He came on to Sham aggressively raising his fist. Sham paced backwards in defense holding his hands in front of his face to avoid the blow from Arnav.
"Saale Saab. This is not the time to fight. I need to see my wife" and pushing Arnav aside with all his might he ran forward towards the operation theatre. The ward boy stopped him. He waited there near the door glancing at Arnav.
Doctors came out. Sham came forward with tears in his eyes. "Doctor...?" He almost sobbed.
"She is fine. Her braces penetrated into her ankle. Don't you worry. She is all right now. We have bandaged her wounds and have fixed her braces. You can take her home in an hour. I would like to talk to you Mr. Raizada" Said the Doctor.

"Talk to me Doctor. I am her husband" Said Sham "Ok. Both of you please come with me" The doctor said. Arnav was shocked with Sham's behavior.

"You need to take care. Frequent injuries to her ankle will damage her soft tissues permanently. She is already undergoing treatment with us and had shown improvement in her ankle movement. There can be a set back with this kind of accident. I have given instructions to the physiotherapist. Please take care." The doctor told them

"Yes, Doctor, I will take care." Sham said with tears in his eyes leaving Arnav speechless and aghast.

Sham rushed to Anjali who was sitting on the bed of a VIP ward. He hugged her saying "Raani Saheba... aap ne to hamari jaan hi nikali thi.. My heart stopped when I heard about this... Please Raani Saheba... don't be so careless ... " His grip over her tightened and he wiped his tears.

Arnav felt hopeless. He had succeeded yet again in taking away his sister from him. He banged his fist on the wall hurting himself in frustration. Sham came forward looking straight into Arnav's eyes.

“Saale Saab... don't worry. She is ok now. Let us take her home.” Aakash came forward looking at Arnav's clenched fists and holding his hand said "Let us go Bhai..."

…..
"Khushi, Arnav had called up. It seems his sister had an accident in the kitchen. He had taken her to the hospital..." Papaji said seriously.

"What? Anjaliji? What happened? How is she? Oh! My god. Hey devi mayya Raksha Karana!!" Khushi stood up with a jerk. She started dialing Arnav's number.
"Stop it Khushi!" Papaji snatched her mobile. She looked at him bewildered.
"What? Why?" She asked.
"Because, they are in the hospital and his brother in law is there with them. Arnav must be busy, Khushi!" Papaji said calming her down. "He said he will call you in the evening. Wait for his call Khushi. Don't call him..." Said Papaji authoritatively.

"He called you! Why didn't he call me?" Khushi was hurt.
"Khushi, he called me so that I can be of some help to him. He knows you get panic and he really did not want to put you in more trouble. Khushi he will call you... please understand his situation and sit down" He looked at Khushi reading her mind.
"I know, HE has done it. He can do anything." Tears welling up in her eyes, Khushi said slowly sitting on the chair.
"Khushi, she is all right now. Puttar, promise me, you are not going to call him. That will add to his problems." Papaji said putting his hand on Khushi's trembling hand.
"Why did you tell me? You should have waited till he calls me, Papaji!" She put her head down on the table.
"I told you because, Khushi, I wanted you to be strong and stable when he calls you. Your panicky will cause him more pain. He should be strong enough to handle the situation and you should stand by him."

"There is a possibility that it could be a mere accident. So think about it with a clear mind, Khushi! Think about the possibilities."

"Why us, Papaji? Why these woes only for us?" She asked crestfallen.

"Its because, both of you are strong enough to endure ...! so be strong." He said calmly.

"Now, put these thoughts and worries aside and continue with your work. I am sure something good will happen after such an endurance" He patted on her back and went away.
Khushi sat there for a while thinking on what papaji had said. And then got up to carry on.
She frequently kept checking on her mobile hoping that it would flash Arnav's name.
She reached the hospital to meet Shondeep Sir's mother in the evening. She met his father. "Sir resembles his father so much!" thought Khushi.

"She is the one I talked to you about!" Shondeep's mother introduced her to his father grinning at her. She promised them that she would meet them again and left for home.

She reached home. Kids as usual were waiting for their Khushi buwa. But she had no mood to have fun with them. She silently drank tea and told Elsa about today's incident. Elsa took the kids out in the garden. Papaji came in at dinnertime. Still no phone from Arnav. "What was going on? Why all are trying my patience?" She was on the verge of breaking down.

"Khushi, when Arnav calls, I would like to talk to him first." Said papaji firmly looking at her. She nodded.

*** ****
Arnav came home with his Di, Aakash and Sham. Sham lifted her, brought her in and took her to their room. Arnav and Aakash went behind them. Nani and Mami were waiting nervously.
"Di.." Called Arnav. "Saale sahab, please let her take some rest now." Said sham hinting that they should leave the room. Arnav and Aakash came out devastated.

Nani came forward. "She is ok, Nani, nothing to worry about. Fortunately there is no further damage to the ligaments. She needs to be more careful" Arnav said looking at nani. She sighed. He looked around. The maid was not to be seen. He left the hall with Aakash and went to his room.

"Aakash....!" Blurted Arnav in despair.
"Bhai... let us not talk anything about it now and here. We will go to office after some time" He said. I will go freshen up and come back. Do you want some coffee? I will send it with Ram Prakash"

Arnav nodded. He sat there staring unfocused. Then came down and asked nani "Nani, tell me exactly what happened."

"Chote... Anjali bitiya had sent the new maid to the store room. Anjali bitiya wanted to prepare special dish for Damad ji. I was in the hall. Ram Prakash was in the kitchen with her."

Arnav called Ram Prakash and looked at him questioningly. "Arnav Bhaiya, I was in the kitchen with Anjali didi. She turned around to get the oil canister and was talking to me. I turned to get the milk. I heard her screaming as she tripped over something and saw that she had fallen down with the canister and the oil splutter every where. She could not get up and I could not help her as the floor was slippery. I brought the cotton cloth and spread it calling out for naniji and mamiji. We together lifted her and brought her in the hall." Said Ram Prakash frightened to the core.

"Apparently, this looks like an accident. But I should investigate" He thought. Without uttering a word he came out. He called Aakash and both of them went to office again.
*** ***
Khushi's cell rang late in the evening when she and papaji were in the hall. She looked at papaji and said "Arnavji..!"

"Ok give it to me!" He said and took the phone. "Arnav its me!" he said.
"Ok. Tell me one thing before you talk to her. Did you ask how did it happen?" He asked. He was listening hard for a long time and then asked "What was that she tripped over?"
"I do not know. Our servant had cleaned the Kitchen." Arnav said in frustration.
"OK. Try and find out. But I feel this could be a mere accident.... Talk to Khushi" he handed over the phone to her. He waved her to go to her room.

"Hello..!" Khushi called on the verge of crying. But she controlled herself. She remembered that she should be strong. "Hello Arnavji, How is Anjaliji now? What did the doctors say?" She asked in a shaky voice.
"She is ok, Khushi. Her braces came out and she was bleeding. But she is all right and can walk" Said Arnav gravely. There was a silence for a while

"Listen Khushi.... I wanted to call you when I was in the hospital but could not take the risk since he was there." Arnav said.

"I can understand Arnavji." She said consoling him.
"Arnavji, this is going beyond our control. We have to do something. We have to separate them. Can we not send him somewhere far away under the pretext of this new work?" She asked hopefully.
"Khushi, I was thinking on the same lines. “ he was relieved that they were thinking on the same solution.

"Arnavji please take care and call me" she said. "Yes Khushi! And you too, take care and don't panic." He told her. Both of them lost in their own thoughts hung up.