Part 4

Part 4

“Hello, is this Arnavji?” A male voice asked and Arnav got up with a jerk.  “Who is this?” he asked raising his voice in suspicion.  “Her fiancé?” he clenched his fists with the thought.

“I want to know,  who is the owner of this phone I am calling from!” the deep husky male voice spoke gravely.  “What? This is Khushi’s number!” he said sounding confused.  “Where is she?” he asked hastily.

“I am sorry! The girl collided with my car...!” the voice sounded panic.  “What? Is she ok? Where is she?” Arnav had reached his table to pick up the car keys.  “Sh.. she... is unconscious... we have taken her to the hospital!” the voice said.  “Which hospital?” Arnav asked reaching the main door. 

“City Hospital.  We found your number first in her contact list and called you!” the person explained.  Arnav didn’t bother.  “Stay there! I am coming!” he barked hopping into the car. “Yeh ladaki muze ek din ...! This girl will give me a heart attack!”  He blurted racing at the rocket speed to reach the hospital.   He was not sure in which condition he would see her.  “Damn it, Khushi...!” he floundered at her pain.  

“Khushi...!” he was at the door of hospital room! Khushi looked aghast.  She looked at the person who took her to the hospital and the next moment she was in Arnav’s arms. “Khushi..!” he blurted in anguish!

 He pulled apart after a while and “Dekh kar Chal nahi sakati? Do you even know, how worried I was? Kahan kahan  Lagaa hain?” he moved his hands on her body with furious face.  “Why can’t you be careful?” he pulled her again in his arms.  She shrunk embarrassed.  

 “Ssss!” Khushi moaned in pain and he looked up.  “Are you ok?” he asked cupping her face and looking at her bandaged forehead.  She gave a nod and the other person came forward.

“How dare you hurt her!” Arnav got up aggressively ready to strike.  “No! It’s not his fault! I was careless..! ” Khushi spoke faintly.  “It was I who bumped on his car!” she went ahead. He  sat back on her bed.  “Shuuu don’t talk!” he kept his fingers on her lips and looked at the person.

“Woh.. actually I was not reckless.  But she appeared all of a sudden from nowhere and before i could do anything, she bumped..!” the person explained. 

 “As usual... Dhyan Kahan rahataa hain tumharaa?” Arnav again looked at Khushi..keeping his palm on her cheek.  She closed her eyes.  

“No major injuries..! Just some bruises..!” the man mumbled.  

“Ok! I will take care.. you give me your contact number..!” Arnav ordered looking at the time.  And the man joined his hands gratefully.  He gave his card to Arnav.  

He went straight to the RMO of city hospital.  “Arnav Singh Raizada!” he stood before him and everything was taken care of after that! RMO himself instructed to take utmost care.  Arnav came back to Khushi who was on the bed with head injuly.

The nurse entered the room of a soup bowl and told khushi to drink it. 

“No!” Khushi turned her face.  But arnav took the soup bowl “Chup chap Pi lo!” he ordered and she opened her mouth. He fed her when the RMO entered the room!

“Ok! She is alright now.  But we would like to keep her under observation for she has suffered a head injury and concussion.  We would run some tests!” Arnav nodded and “No!” Khushi winced. 

“Shut up!” Arnav held her shoulder.  RMO looked at the duo.  

 “Who is this beautiful young lady?” he asked ASR but before he could answer, 

“I am his ex employee! I was working in his office!” she said plainly.  He was hurt.  She looked away.

  The nurse entered again with medicine tray and took out the syringe.  “No!” Khushi closed shut her eyes scared to the core.  He held her tightly when the nurse gave her the injection.  She shivered in fright he breathed on her shoulder bending over and holding her tightly.  “umm  she is scared of injection!” he said looking at their embracing position, releasing her.  RMO smiled understandingly.  She pushed him away.  She sat up  when the RMO went away.

“I am ok. Now!” he pushed her back on the bed again resting her head on the pillow.  “I will decide!” he took charge of the situation.  

“No.. thank you!  I will go home now!” she said trying to get up.  “Suna nahi, Doctor nay kya kaha?” he was furious and she was adamant.  The ward boy carried her out of the room for tests. He accompanied her everywhere issuing frantic instructions to the support staff to be careful...!  when she was back in the room, he gently put his arms around her and cuddled her. Said "ab so jao.. mai yahi rahunga"  she was flabbergasted.  “Stay here!” he warned her and went out.  Remembering that her family must be worried he called up Aman and told him to call khushi's house and tell them that she will be staying with Lavanya tonight.

He came back, sitting by her side he took her hand in his.  She felt the engagement ring in his finger and withdrew her hand.  He gazed at her releasing her hand and took out the ring from his finger and kept it in his pocket.  She looked at him bewildered.  “Chubhati hain!” he said coolly.  She looked shocked and looked at her finger for her engagement ring.

“No!” she got up with a jolt.  Her engagement ring was missing.  “Woh... my ring.. !” she couldn’t continue.  He too had seen the ring missing.  “I...I lost my engagement ring..!” she said getting up and searching around.

“Stop it! Its not important!” he pushed her back on the bed and said.  “Ab so jao! I will be here!” he drew the blanket over her, drew a chair nearer, took her hand in his, caressingly.  A sweet, agonizing shiver ran through her spine and she closed her eyes shut.  It was hard to believe that Arnav ji was there with her at her bedside holding her hand.  “I wish he had written my destiny!” she drifted away in sleep.  “I wish the cabin fiasco had never happened!” he thought gravely squeezing her hand gently and closing his eyes shut, resting his head on her bed 

Khushi opened her eyes and looked around. It was early morning and she saw arnav fast asleep in the chair next to her bed resting his head on her hand. Slowly she extricated her hand from below his head. Tip toed out of the room,  went to the nurse and requested for a paper and pen.

Scribbling something, she gave it back the folded paper.  “Will you please give this to Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada? I don’t want to wake him up.  He is in deep sleep!” Khushi requested and the nurse nodded.  Khushi moved out of the hospital quietly.  She knew Arnav ji will take care of the other formalities and manage her disappearance without a discharge from the hospital.  

Arnav woke up with a start. He looked the empty bed. He called out "Khushi....Khushi.." The nurse came rushing in 

“She has left. This! She has left this for you!”  She handed over a paper note.
Arnav, staring blankly at the nurse took the letter.

“Arnav ji,

Hum aap ko aur ulzun me nahi dalana chahate. Aap ka ye ehesaan bhi hum par udhar raha. Aap apani jindagi me khush rahen.
Hum devi mayyaa se prarthana karenge ki hum aap se dubara na mile.
Aap ka shukriya, jab jab hum gire.. tab tab sambhalane ke liye, hame hamari aukat yaad dilane ke liye aur har baar hamase dobara na milane ki kasam khane ke liye.
-Khushi.”

“Arnav ji,

I am really sorry, Arnav ji! I don’t want to complicate the things further.  Thank you very much for everything you have done for me and my family.  I am indebted to you forever. 

I  promise I will pay off everything I owe you.  I wish you all the happiness in your life! I am beholden to you for this care also. 

Khushi”

ASR gritted his teeth in rage crumpling the note in his hand. “Khushi Kumari Gupta!” He marched out of the hospital enraged.