Abhinav

Part - 6: Hallucination

'Abhinav! Thank you, Kanha ji! Are you alright?'. Abhinav looked around, feeling a little disoriented. He was lying on the sofa in the living room, with Akshara and all Goenkas around him. 'Abhinav! Are you fine?'. Akshara's hoarse voice sounded very tense. 'I am fine, Akshara', said Abhinav, drowsily, 'What happened?'. 'You fainted after..'.

Abhinav heard a roaring because of which he couldn't hear the words. 'What?', asked Abhinav, confused. Bade Papa intervened, 'Let him rest. He will be fine. Stop worrying, Akshara. You go to sleep with Mimi and Badi Maa. Don't protest, Akshara, you are fatigued too. I will take care of Abhinav ji. No, Kairav, you be with Muskaan. She needs you, new environment plus everything that happened t..'. Again, that roaring. Where was it coming from? Abhinav got up from the sofa with great difficulty but fell back again. 'Abhinav!'. 'Akshu, beta, I am here. Abhinav ji, we will sleep here only. Pushpak, please arrange for our sleeping requirements'.

'Papa, Papa, why are you not getting up? I want to play'. Abhinav got up with a start. The room was dark, Bade Papa fast asleep on the sofa opposite him. Abhinav clutched at his chest. He felt unwell. 'Papa!'. Abhinav threw back the sheets covering him and ran in the direction of the voice. The thumping of his heart was a sound that paled in comparison to this. Every fibre of Abhinav's being responded to  that voice and who it belonged to and pushed his sleepy, exhausted body desperately. Yet, how could it be?, thought Abhinav, only partly in his senses. Abh... the voice was coming from the garden!

Nikkeji! His Nikkeji! Playing football. How was it possible? Nikkeji had.. Abhinav pressed the sides of his head. It felt like someone was hammering in there. 'Papa! How many times do I have to call you? KPK'. 'Katti, Papa, Katti', said Abhinav, as the hammering sound slowly vanished.  He realised in surprise that he understood Nikkeji's abbreviation.

'Papa! Papa!', called Nikkeji, tugging at Abhinav's hand. Abhinav bent down and swooped Abhir in his arms. He cried,' I am so sorry, Nikkeji! I am so sorry! I know I have hurt you. I love you, Yaara. More than my life. Please forgive me'. 'Mere BBP! Why are you saying sorry?'. Abhinav laughed and placed Abhir on the garden bench next to him. 'I am still Bhole Bhale Papa?', asked Abhinav, overjoyed. Abhir pulled Abhinav's shirt collar, 'Come on, Papa! Let's play!', Abhir ordered. Abhinav played with Abhir and after some time both sat on the bench tired. 'You are a champion, Nikkeji! One day, my son will play on international grounds'. Abhir nodded, pleased.

Abhinav leaned back on the bench, relaxed. The moon and the stars shone down at him. 'Why are we playing at night, Nikkeji?', asked Abhinav, dazily. Nikkeji should be in bed alseep in his roo...Dr. Birla's house. 'Ouija!', screamed Abhinav as he felt a sudden severe pounding in his head. 'Nikkeji, why aren't you at Dr. Birla's house?', Abhinav spoke through the pain. 'Who is Dr. Birla?', asked Abhir, curious.

Abhinav stared at him. 'That is a very distasteful joke, Abhir. Dr. Abhimanyu Birla, your Pa..Ouija! your father..'. 'Abhir? I am Nikkeji, your son. You are my Papa. IGJ, Papa'. Abhinav felt very uneasy,' Itne Gande Jokes? You are not Abh.. Ab..'. ' I am Nikkeji Abhinav Sharma'. Abhinav rubbed against his temples again. 'Dr. Abhimanyu Birla - he did your heart surgery. You had to go through so much at such a young age, my son', said Abhinav, pulling Abhir in for a tight hug. Abhir hugged back his dad equally tightly.

After Abhinav released him, Abhir looked in his papa's eyes and said,' I never had a heart surgery. I have lived a wholesome and beautiful life with you - my papa and Akshara - my mother. I don't know any Dr. Abhimanyu Birla. I don't know any Abhir..' Abhinav frowned. Abhir spoke in a soothing voice,' I am Nikkeji Abhinav Sharma'.

Abhinav's head exploded from the pounding and the hammering and he sunk to the ground catching his head in his hands. Images flashed before him - Court, hospital bed, camp, birthday - each one flitted away before Abhinav could catch them. The pain in his head vanished as suddenly as it had appeared and Abhinav looked around, breathing heavily.

He sighed in relief when he saw Abhir sitting comfortably, unharmed, a hand stretched out to him. Abhinav gazed at Abhir's hand and slowly placed his hand over Abhir's. 'Ready to play again, Nikkeji?'.