Mujhe Tham Le

Part 10: Jo Mila Uska Humko Bahut Shukriya

Raman jumped out of his car as soon as Adi stopped, running towards Ishita's car, his heart hammering in panic.

He had known there was something wrong, had known it the moment she had not taken his call. What had Ruhi said, that Ishita wasn't well. She had been perfectly fine 3 days ago when he had left for Chandigarh, so what was wrong? It couldn't be anything serious, it just couldn't. He could not even imagine losing her now, not when he he just found her again. But why was he thinking such nonsense he chided himself, as he reached the car, looking in in confusion at his wife and daughters, huddled together in the back seat.

"Ishita" His voice was frantic as he extended a hand to his wife, who was trying to get up and out of the car. "What's wrong. Kya hua?"

"Papa, Ishima was unconscious"

"Raman, I'm fine. I just fainted. It's nothing baba"

"No, papa, Ishita mumma kitni der tak uth nahi rahi thi."
(No papa, Ishita mumma wouldn't get up for so long)

"No beta, mumma is fine. Raman, I'm fine."

Raman listened anxiously to the contradictory voices of his wife and daughters, and then looked intently at his wife's wan face, coming to a swift decision.

"Adi" He called out to his son had also joined the group and was staring inside the car with a worried look. "You take Ishima's car and take the girls home, I'm taking her to her doctor, for a check up."

"Papa, humme bhi chalna hai" (Papa, we want to come too) Pihu piped up, as her father reached into the car to draw out his protesting wife, scooping her up into his arms.

"No beta." Raman shook his head decisively as he straightened up, his wife in his arms. "You go home with Adi bhaiya. Mujhe Ishita mumma se kuch baat bhi karni hai. Hum ghar aate waqt ice cream le kar aayenge, Theek hai? Adi, take the girls."
(No dear, you go home with Adi bhaiya. I need to talk to your Ishita mumma too. We'll get ice cream when we come home, okay? Adi, take the girls)

"Come on Pihu." Adi knew that his father meant what he said and would not brook any opposition. "Get in the car."

"Adi, Neelu se kehna in dono ke liye milkshake aur snacks prepare karne ke liye please" Ishita called out as her husband carried her away to his car.
(Adi tell Neelu to prepare milkshakes and snacks for the girls please)

"But papa, Ishima will be fine won't she?"

An anxious sounding Ruhi's words stopped Raman in his tracks as he realised that his daughter had finally addressed him as papa, was calling her mother Ishima again. He turned around, tears of joy fighting with his anxiety for his wife, and nodded his head quickly. "She'll be perfectly fine Ruhi. It's just a check up."

*******************************
City Hospital

"But nurse, what is taking so long?"

Raman had stopped the nurse hurrying into the antechamber where his wife was beinfg treated, and was now questioning her anxiously. It had been over an hour since they had arrived at the hospital and Ishita's doctor had taken her in for examination. Raman had been asked to wait outside and his anxiety had grown with every passing moment.

"Doctor will be out soon sir" the nurse replied, trying to get past the irate Raman. "I'll tell her you are asking. Now please let me go. I have test results doctor heeds"

Raman looked anxiously at the folder the nurse was holding but moved aside, letting her past. He continued his pacing, wondering just what the matter was with his wife, why the doctor was running so many tests. Surely, there was nothing really wrong with his Ishita. They had just all found each other again. Ruhi had accepted them again. And Ishita had told him in the car on the way over about Pihu calling her mumma today as well. Everything was finally going right f9r them. Surely God couldn't be so cruel as to allow something to happen to his wife.