Samaina Story : Jeevansathi Hum

Part 5

After sending Vishaka and daddhi back home home, Sameer finally reached the hospital room. He saw the nurse checking the heart monitor and  attached IVs. He decided to explore the room ,meanwhile the nurse was observing Somani . An old TV set hanged from the ceiling, small window giving him the view of the outside world . There were two chairs kept in the corner. It was a typical hospital room sparse and functional. He sat down on the chair next to the patient bed and stared up at the ceiling dejectedly. After 5 minutes of extreme silence he asked the nurse politely "Inko ghar kab lejaa skte hai, 7 din hogye ab toh" to which nursed replied in a blunt tone as she was bugged with such questions frequently from the care takers of the patients " discharge k bare mein baat krni hai toh Dr se karo, yeh humara kaam nahi hai, humko sirf patient ka dhyan rakhna duty hai.. Samjha tum." 
     Sameer nodded his head in agreement and mumbled to himself "yeh bhi bina baat badak gayi, ghar par biwi ki suno, maa ki suno, daadhi ki suno aur ab is nurse ki bhi, beta Sameer kaha fas gaya tu.... kitna acha time tha tu, teri bottle aur teri tanhaai."
     "Kuch kaha kya tum" nurse questioned Sameer in a loud tone . He again nodded his head in denial just as a small kid would  when summoned by his school principal for some naughty deed. "Doctor ka cabin room se bahar nikal k left mein hai do rooms chod k, wahan baat krlo discharge ki... Chalti hai main ab ," saying so the nurse marched out of the room. "Doctor bhi aurat... tu na Sameer bach nahi paayega inse... hey bhagwan mujhko dahriye dena aur raksha krna inse" mumbling he stood up and walked towards the door but was stopped by a sharp noise of falling something. He turned back to look what's wrong and found Mr Somani struggling to move his hands and say something. Sameer immediately walked up towards his bed and tried to calm him and requested politely "Aap lete rahiye, aap abhi uth nhi skte doctor ne mana kiya h."
    Somani didn't pay heed to Sameer's  repeated requests to lay down peacefully . Even after repeated attempts to sit up Somani couldn't move due to his paralysed body. Tears rolled down his eyes. Seeing his helpless condition Sameer settled down on the nearby chair, held his palm gently and caressed it. Though Sameer didn't like Somani at all as he was the one who took away his mother when he was barely 4years old,growing up without mother had made Sameer too bitter towards him but at this need of hour he could not leave him like this after all he was his mother's husband, his late brothers father . Sameer tried  his very best to talk to him patiently " Jaanta hu main ,aap mujhe pasand nhi krte, na hi main aapko pasand krta hu, pr jitna bura aap samjhte h mujhko utna bura main hu nahi ,aapka beta toh nhi pr beta jaisa toh hu, is ghadi mein aapke sath hu, Rohan ki jagah toh nhi lena chahta pr koshish krunga ki aapke kuch kaam aasaku.... mummy aur daddhi k liye hi sahi pr aapko thik hona hoga ... sun rahe h na...  Rohan k guzar jane ka dukh toh maa aur daddhi kisi tarah seh gayi pr aapke liye mazbooti se khadi h..aapko kuch hua toh toot jayengi ,aap bhi unke bare mein sochiye," saying so he stood up to leave for doctor's cabin when he felt Somani's finger touch his hand gently. Sameer covered his hand with his own and said with a heavy heart " Rohan sirf aapka beta nahi mera bhai bhi tha, aapki tarah mujhko bhi utna hi dukh hai jitna aapko uske jaane ka... Par maine usko waada kiya hai ki main tootunga nahi... na hi aap sabko tootne dunga...himmat rakhiye..aap aaram kariye main doctor se milkar aapko ghar lejane k bare mein pta krta hu ." saying so he walked out of the room.
    Doctor informed Sameer about Somani's health condition and advised him to take the patient home day after tomorrow as they still wanted to monitor  the blood pressure of the patient as it was the case of hypertension induced paralytic stroke due to sudden shock caused by the death of his only son.

The door to the small chamber creaked softly as Rohan peered into the darkness . A hiss of butter on the hot tawa and shriek of kettle on the stove
awoke Ahana. Blinking and rubbing her eyes she stared at the two people.

         HAPPY BIRTHDAY AHAANA

Ripples, dimples and wrinkles of happiness crept onto her tiny face. She was hugged by the two people whom she loved the most. One person the man who was wearing the office formal suit meant the whole universe to her....... Her papa and the other person her favourite Shefali didi, the caretaker whom her father had hired to take care of his princess when he was away.
   Rohan took Ahana in his arms, he brushed her hair aside which were falling on her tiny eyes and kissed her forehead gently "Birthday k din kon sota h itni der tak sham k 6 baj rahe h , dekho aaj papa aur Shefali didi milkr aapka birthday mnayenge, chalo fatfat taiyar hojao" said Rohan excitedly.
     "But papa aap aaj bhi late aaye h,mera bday toh khatam hone wala h na "said Ahana dejectedly. 
   "Aise kaise khatam hojayega, sham ko hi toh start hota h birthday " said Rohan trying to convince his daughter. "Nahi papa didi ne bola night mein 1...2...3... nahi 12 bje start hota h "argued Ahana innocently looking towards her Shefali didi hoping she would support her arguments. Rohan smiled watching her innocent face and held his one ear by his left hand  asking for her forgiveness "acha baba papa ko maaf krdo tumhari didi ne mujhe toh btaya hi nhi tha ki birthday 12 bje start hota h...  meri maa ab taiyar hojao phir aapko kisi special se bhi milwana h mujhko ."
  Hearing about meeting someone new doubled up Ahana's excitement as she hardly met people beside her father ,Shefali didi and few church friends. Rohan asked Shefali to get Ahana ready and bring her for cake cutting. 
   "Kya hua Ahana bahar nahi aayi, usko mujhse nahi milna kya ? " questioned Naina. "Arey nahi aisa nahi hai Shefali laa rahi hai usko taiyar karke tab tak tum uska favourite halwa kitchen se le aao, tum hi khilana usko... jaldi friendly hojayegi ," said Rohan with a big smile on his face. "Aur haan meetha zyada hai na... usko meetha zyada pasand hai ."
    "Haan chinta mat karo jaisa tumne btaya tha bilkul waisa hai aur maine toh aloo k paranthe bhi bnayae hai, tumne btaya tha na usko pasand hai.. Aaj dinner mein vahi khilaungi " replied Naina happily. 
Rohan moved forward and encircled his arms around Naina's waist and pulled her towards him with a jerk "Kya baat hai tum toh abhi se perfect biwi aur maa k role mein fit ho rahi ho,shaadi k bd toh aur pta nahi konsa roop dekhne ko mile," said Rohan flirteously.
  "Papa dekho main kaisi lag rahi hu," Naina and Rohan drew apart immediately hearing her voice and smiled watching  Ahana running down the stairs in a bright red pretty frock. She looked angelic with a pretty little crown marking her as a princess.  Rohan caught her mid way to stop her from stumbling. He lifted her and twirled around. Her fits of laughter ringing throughout."
   Naina tried to stop him but he was too happy , a he signalled her to let him celebrate.  He started singing happily.