Vodka on the rocks

Part - 2

"Im fine. I'm no.. I don't need the hospital! I SAID I AM FINE FARHAD! Swamy catch him.. go.. I'm fine.. Saree ka Dukaan... hello! Idhar...chodo mereko warna uthega kaise?"

"Shut up! Chup chaap hospital jaa rahe ho tum. Abhi! Utho..."

They all collectively took a rather grumbling and irritated Raghav Rao to get patched up in the hospital and surprisingly managed to keep their brains from frying and their hands from strangling the man before he could be sedated.

Later in the morning when Pallavi returned to take her belongings which she had forgotten the night before (and after an hour long, bone tiring and ear burning lecture of self preservation to her apparent boss and a not so subtle threat of doing bodily harm if he doesn't heed to her instructions) she saw that annoying saree lying tangled on the floor. She picked it up and looked over the blood smeared on it, critically. She looked at the path were she had seen that man..Ved Pillai run away from.

She hugged the material to her chest unknowingly whispering a distracted thanks to it.

2. After award function ki raat, Raghav Pallavi ke saath (hopefully Mandar and Keerti ko deke maat and VD ko lagake do laath..) sorry sorry main emotions mein beh gyi..

Pallavi hugged her mother in law declaring she missed her trying to hide her tears. Jaya Rao hugged her daughter tightly patting her back in a motherly way. Raghav bend down to touch Sharda's feet who instinctively blessed him and hugged him.

"Raghav main.."

Pallavi was about to say something when his mobile rang and Raghav stopped her picking it up. He started speaking to the caller in rapid Telegu and walked away from there. Pallavi felt her heart twist in her chest. She knew she had hurt him. And she knew he had every right to dismiss her. But it hurt. She went up the stairs sadly, to wait for him in their bedroom.

It was almost midnight when Raghav entered their room exhausted. Both physically and emotionally. He saw Pallavi and felt a pang in his soul. She had dozed off in a half sitting position on the bed clutching what looked like his favorite black shirt to her chest. Her lips were slightly parted as she slept like a kid and the hair stuck to her cheek blew due to her own breaths. He walked noiselessly towards her and gently caressed her hair away. He was about to touch her cheek but stopped midway. Yesterday night's events flashed in front of his eyes and he felt another gorge appear on the already broken surface of his heart with a painful crack. It was as if she heard it and woke up instantly as he stood up and backed away. Pallavi sat up on the bed and looked at him wildly. She scrambled off the bed and went behind him.

"Raghav...I am sorry."

He wasn't speaking to her. He wasn't even acknowledging her presence. She tried calling his name so many times trailing behind him all around the room like a lost puppy. She caught his hand finally as he was about to lie down on the bed.

He looked at her and regretted it immediately. She was looking like a puppy kicked one time too many. She held her ears like a child.

"I am sorry Raghav. I know maine tumhara dil dukhaya hain. Main... I.. I don't even have any valid excuse. I don't know how Mandaar got hurt. The iron was.. and then I had to go call the doctor, event dimag se hi nikal gaya main.."

"Nikal gaya? Obviously tumhe yaad nhi rahega Pallavi. Yaad humein important cheezein rehta hain. Choti batein jo unimportant hain woh hum bhool jata hain. Mandaar ke liye tumhara ye responsibility tumpe itna haavi ho gaya hain ke uske upar tumhe kuch na dikhta hain, na yaad rehta hain."

Raghav looked away. Pallavi shook her head vigorously trying to swallow her tears.

"Nhi Raghav.. tum galat samajh rahe ho.. aisa nhi hain.. main toh bass.."