RaYa Snippets

Sudden Attack

Priya noticed that Ram's face was flushed and he was shaking in anger. As she stood up and got closer to him, she noticed that he was also having trouble breathing, enough that she could hear him wheeze.

"Mr. Kapoor, aap please shaant ho jaiye. Aapka BP high ho raha hain, aap please pehle apni dawaai le lijiye aur phir hum sab isko suljha denge."

Ram turned to face Priya, but his vision had already started blurring. She could see him begin to sway and struggle to focus on her face.

"Main uthu toh main inn do chehro ko apne ghar mein nahi dekhna chahta," Ram rasped before falling back in his chair and losing consciousness.

---

When Ram woke up next, he found himself laying on the center of his and Priya's bed, with Pihu sleeping with her head resting on his chest. He smiled instantly and slowly moved his hand to caress her hair.

Pihu stirred, opening her eyes to see her father looking at her with a caring smile. She immediately sat up and launched herself at him, breaking out into tears.

"Papa, aapko kya ho gaya? Main itni darr gayi thi jab main Pawan ke saath andar aayi aur maine Doctor uncle ko dekha. Mumma bhi ro rahi thi aapko dekh kar."

"I'm sorry, Pihu bachha. Maine apni dawaai nahi li na aaj, toh meri tabiyet bighad gayi."

"Aise kaise nahi li! Aapko aur zyaada responsible hona chahiye na, Papa."

"Zaroor, Pihu," the doctor remarked as he walked into the room. "Ram, tumhara BP bohot zyaada high ho gaya tha. Shukar hain ki sirf hypertensive attack aaya aur heart attack ya stroke tak baat nahi pahunchi. Tumhe khayaal rakhna hoga aur dhyaan se medications leni padegi."

"Doctor saab, main iska khayaal rakhungi ab se. Aur ye chhoti Pihu bhi, haina?" Priya insisted as she stood in the doorway.

"Priya, tum ho toh mujhe Ram ki tension nahi hain. Mujhe pata hain woh tumhaari baat ko nahi taal paayega. Maine IV drip laga diya hain, subaah tak woh bilkul theek ho jaayega. Aur haan, dinner ke baad ye relaxer pill de dena toh usko aaraam milega. Ab main chalta hoon."

"Tum...ro rahi thi?" Ram asked while Priya helped him sit up.

"Aapko kaise pata?"

"Pihu ne mujhe bataaya. Pichli baar bhi tum phoot-phoot kar ro rahi thi na?"

"Pichli baar?" Pihu asked.

"Haan bachhe. 5 saal pehle Diwali ke time pe same hi hua tha. Uss time pe aapki Mumma ne charge liya aur Doctor se kaha ki main apna khayaal nahi rakh raha hoon, lekin ab se woh mera khayaal rakhengi. Tab hum dono sirf friends hi the, lekin aapki Mumma bohot royi thi."

"Aur nahi toh kya! Aapke Papa mujhe bohot sataate the, har waqt junk food khaate the aur dawaai bhi nahi lete the. Aur ab dekho, ab bhi mujhe sataate hain," Priya grumbled, eliciting giggles from Ram and Pihu.

She continued, "Waise Pihu, aap neeche jaa ke Pawan ke saath Papa ke liye cake banaoge? Sab ka mood bhi achha ho jaayega."

"Of course, Miss Sood! Main abhi jaati hoon!"

Once Pihu had left the room, Priya sat down on the bed next to Ram and caressed his face.

"Ab aap theek feel kar rahe hain na?"

"Pehle ye batao, woh dono kaha hain?"

"Commissioner saab ke saath chale gaye. Krish bhi evidence leke unke saath gaya hain."

"I'm sorry, Priya."

"Aap kyun sorry bol rahe hain?"

"Aaj bhi main tumhe protect nahi kar paaya. Nandini Kapoor ne phir tumhare saath badtameezi ki, aur jab mujhe unko jail ghaseet ke le jaana chahiye tha, main behosh ho gaya."