It was Evening time.. After a good three hour nap, Karan woke up first with his smile still on.. feeling refreshed, satisfied and relaxed as this was the first time he slept that peacefully after his brother's demise.
He looked up at Monami to find her still sleeping.. Not wanting to get up from the warmth of her arms.. Karan still laid down in her lap.. moving more closer to her, playing with her hands.
He released her soft hands from his grip, opened her palm wide & started writing their names - 'Monami' & 'Karan' in one palm and as 'Friends' on the other with his fingers..
He chuckled at his own antics and held her hands close to his chest as if they belonged to him..
Due to these slight movements of his.. Monami's sleep broke and she looked down to find Karan already awake.
Monami : "Karan tum uth gaye.. Mujhe uthaya kyu nahi? How are you feeling now..?" She asked him checking his temperature.
He got up and sat facing her answering.."I am feeling much better now Monami."
Monami : Hmm.. Your temperature has also come down, better than before! Have ur dinner early.. and then one dose of medicine.. Fever will subside by tmrw mrng.
Karan nodded and continued, "Wese mujhe naa tumse kuch puchna hai.."
Monami : I am all ears! Please go ahead Agent.
Karan : Do you treat all your patients the same way u treated me.. I mean this caring.. friendly.. soothing or is it just me?
Monami : Ofcourse I do treat my patients with care.. That's my responsibility! But that's bounded to certain limits.. to maintain professionalism and I abide to the rules of my profession.
And we are friends Karan.. So apart from my duty of being a doctor, as a friend I do genuinely care for you without any restrictions or limits coz friendship knows no bounds..! Right..?
Karan smiled and nodded to her words being contented with her answer.
Monami : Aur wese bhi iss Khadoos insaan apna dhyaan kaha rakhta hai ..? So careless when it comes to his own self.. Friend hu na I can't see u neglecting urself. So I've got a big responsibility on my shoulders regarding you. Huff !! (She said & sighed dramatically)
Karan : (giving a wide smile) Indeed !!
Monami : Okay then.. I need to go. Bye!
Karan : Bye ? Already ?? Dinner toh karenge na saath mein..?
Monami : Actually no.. I have got some cases to study and report it to my University. Aur mujhe bhookh nahi hai. I'll have cup noodles if needed. No worries. But u eat ur dinner on time and have this medicine. Don't forget !
Karan : Okay.
She then left to her room and got busy with her work.
Karan had his dinner and took his medicine, then went and sat at the deck watching the night sea..
The children were playing on the deck running here and there trying to catch each other.. giggling and laughing. Karan smiled looking at them. Those children seemed to be brothers. When the elder brother caught hold of his younger one they sat down trying to catch their breath.
The elder one took out a biscuit packet from his pocket and shared it with his brother. They both were munching their biscuits while talking and cracking jokes in between.
" They look adorable!", Karan thought as he reminisced his memories with his brother.
He could see himself and his brother in the two kids.
Exactly like them.. every night he used to sit with his brother on the terrace and discuss all the events that had happened the whole day with him.Whenever their parents used to get them something to eat..Param always used to share half of his with Karan. Karan always got his doubts clarified from his brother., Param used to become his strict teacher and him being his poor student. He still remembers the way how lovingly he used to address him as "Chote".
He missed it.. He missed himself being called like that.. He missed his brother. Tears brimmed in his eyes as he recalled his brother..
