Aarohi Khanna
Dr.Rahul Mehra
"Mrs. Aarohi Khanna!" the nurse called out among 30 women sitting in the waiting room of Dr. Mehra's hospital.
"Miss. Aarohi Khanna." she said in a broken voice as she stood up from her seat and tried to walk uneasily in pain while she headed towards the doctor's cabin.
"Please lay down there", the nurse instructed. She laid there on the examination table lifelessly. A whirlwind of emotions going on in her head. She was so lost in her thoughts that she did not even realize when the assistant doctor had finished examining her and asked her to come to Dr. Mehra's cabin as her reports were handed over to him.
She came out and took a seat waiting for the doctor to arrive.
Dr. Rahul Mehra the owner of this magnificent hospital and a well-known gynecologist of the city was the crush of every lady doctor working there and was equally famous among his patients. Every girl who visited him would forget her woes and drool over him once.
He entered with Aarohi's reports in his hands which he was discussing with his assistant doctor since 15 minutes.
He took a seat opposite to her and said in a pitiful tone "I am sorry Mrs. Khanna, but you have suffered from miscarriage. We couldn't save your child."
She did not even look at him as she was taken aback by the shock that her life had given her. She stood up, took her reports from his hand and said in a glazed voice "Miss. Khanna". A tear rolled down her eyes as she turned her face away and started walking out of his cabin.
Rahul had been practicing this career since years. He had seen various cases where women go through even worst phases of life but in this case, it seemed like the tear that rolled from her eyes had shattered his heart into pieces. The entire day he was upset thinking about it.
It was 8 in the evening and the staff had left. Dr. Mehra wrapped up his stuff and headed towards his car waiting for him outside the gate. As soon as he opened the door to get in, he saw Aarohi sitting there near the corner of the road crying inconsolably. He ran upto her seeing her condition.
Rahul : "Miss. Khanna, kya hua? Ap itna ro kyu rahi hai? Dekhie I know what you went through but please control yourself. Apka abhi abhi miscarriage hua hai.... Apko medications leni chahiye, proper rest karna chahiye, please ap ap uthye or ghar jaiye".
He tried to make her stand up to which she resisted and pulled her hand off.
Aarohi : "Ghar? Kaisa ghar? Sabke paas ghar nahi hota" She said in a deep voice with swollen red eyes on a flushed out face.
Rahul observed that something has happened in her life that has leaved her in ashes. She appeared to be from a rich family as not everybody could afford a visit to his hospital.
Rahul : "Dekhie Mam, sabki life aisi koi na koi problems hoti hai.... I am sure sab theek ho jayega but for now you got to take rest and have some food and medications." He knew this consolation had no effect on her but still he tried to give his best.
She refused to get up.
Rahul argued "Dekhie agar ap mere sath mere ghar chaliye apko rest ki zaroorat hai cmon. Or else andar chaliye mera staff apka dhyan rakhega ap aj raat meri hospital me ruk jayie." He somehow wanted her to come with him so that he can take care of her but she was a stranger though, he couldn't force her.
Aarohi : "Meri kya galti thi? Just because I am a girl, sabko haq hai kya mujhe is tarah se.......? Meri khud ki family ne bhi mujhe hi galat samja...... kya kya nahi kaha..... kya uski koi galti nahi hai? Us se to kisine koi sawal nahi kia....use to kisine ghar se bahar nahi nikala....phir mujhe hi kyu????" She bursted out in tears and cried her heart out not realizing he was only her doctor! Not a friend, Not a family, Nobody! Just her doctor.
Rahul shattered on hearing this. He so wanted to wrap her in his arms but couldn't. They shared a strange sympathetic relationship. He held her by shoulders and made her stand up.
"Chalo mere sath mere ghar....aj ruk jana....till then we will figure out something okay. Come." He took her to the car, opened the door and made her sit.
He sat beside her and both headed towards his home. Rahul and Aarohi were sitting together on the backseat. A strange curious silence thrilled between them and Rahul was lost in his thoughts looking at her miserable condition.
A 20 minute long drive suddenly ended as the driver pulled the breaks and their chain of thoughts were broken.
They stepped out of the car and Rahul opened the door to which suddenly a kid ran and got curled up around Rahul's legs. "Papa!!! You know what.....aj ki match me meri team firse jit gai!" Arush exclaimed with joy as he narrated his victory to his DAD.
Arush questioned : "Ye didi kon hai?"
Rahul looked up at Arush and said : "Kal tumhara exam hai na English ka.... Ye didi apko tution padhayegi aj...."
Aarohi's eyes glittered with surprise but her nerves calmed a bit into this happy and homely atmosphere.
Aarohi too wanted to enjoy this time a little bit and sat down helping Rahul who was removing Arush's cricket pads and shoes he was wearing.
Arush to Aarohi : "Didi, ap ko pata hai mera English ka syllabus? Kal ki exam me bohot lamba course hai or mera abhi tak pura Grammar section baki hai..... chaliye chaliye...mujhe Essay finish karne me meri help kijiye" He dragged her to his study table and started taking out his school notebooks.
Rahul looked upto Aarohi and hesitated: "Look I am so sorry but Arush ko kaise explain karu ye sab or......" Aarohi breaks his sentence in between and smiled "Its okay doctor apne mere liye itna kuch kia hia....me itna to kar hi sakti hun...." They smiled at each other and Rahul went to kitchen to fetch dinner for all of them.
They sat round the table and giggling listening to Arush's funny talks.
Aarohi : "Okay next, next konsa essay hai? Kya kya topics hai? Show me"
Arush : "The next essay is 'My Family'. Kahan se start karu ye didi?" He questioned.
All the harsh memories and horrible incidents stroke in her mind like a wild flash. Her broken engagement, how her family abandoned her, her physical pain everything just hit her hard on hearing the word 'FAMILY'. She immediately ran to the bathroom with tears welled up in her eyes.
Rahul asked Arush to finish his homework and went after Aarohi. He found her sitting under the shower and sobbing hard.
Rahul cupped her face and asked with tears in his eyes : "Kya baat hai? Ek baar meri taraf dekho.... Look problems sabki ki life me ati hai Miss. Khanna, iska ye matlab nahi ki hum unka samna karne se pehle hi kamzor pad jaye.....hmm....."
Aarohi sobbed : "Apno ko khone ka dard kya hota hai..... ap nahi samjenge doctor.... Apki to itni beautiful family hai..... isliye kehna asan hai!"
Rahul replied in a chocked voice : "Or kisi khoye hue ko apna banane ki khushi kya hoti hai...ye shayad ap nahi samjengi......! Or han..... sabki family nahi hoti...... bahar se jo dikhta hai...aksar hota nahi.
Apne ap ko itna badkismat samajna band kijiye......apne aspas dekhye....zindagi sab pe meherbaan nahi hoti.... Bas use jina ana chahiye!!!"
Aarohi stopped sobbing and looked upto him with hopeful eyes and for a bit she stopped thinking about her pain and wanted to listen Rahul's side of story.
She pulled his hand and made him sit beside him. She didn't say anything but looked at him with a pain in eyes and urged him to share his feelings with her. Rahul could read her eyes and somehow for the first time in life he wanted to share this episode of his life with somebody. Afterall they had found a companion in each other.
"Me 1st year internship kar raha tha is hospital me jab mera first case mene attend kia tha. That day a beautiful lady delivered a cute, innocent child. I held it in my arms for the first time and took it to the children's ward." He smiled.
"Dusre din jab me us bacche ko dekhne aya, to mene uske cradle ke upar ek letter dekha...jo uski maa ne uske lie likha tha."
Aarohi was so lost in his words that without uttering a word she listened to him gracefully.
"Us letter me likha tha ki vo use is samaj ke dar se accept nahi kar sakti....usne jis admi se pyaar kiya ab vo use shadi nahi karna chahta...or agar usne is bacche ke bare me apni family ko bataya, to vo bhi use jine nahi denge.
"Isiliye me tujhe is duniya me bas yuhi chodkar jaa rahi hun...agar kismat me hoga to dubara milenge kabhi..... mujhe maaf kar dena Beta!"
Rahul looked at Aarohi with tears in his eyes and smiled: "Duniya me sab ke pass family nahi hoti.... Lekin jab 2 tanha zindagiya milti hai na....to ek dusre ka parivar ban jati hai.
Khusiyan kismat se nahi milti...khusiyan to...... zindagi ke diye hue gham ke tukdo me dhundni padti hai!!!"
Aarohi looked at his with a gaze. She was shocked and taken aback. She tried to fit the puzzle of his words in her mind and lifted her eyes up slowly look directly upto him. She muttered in a low pitch
"ARUSH?"
He nodded with a emotional smile.
She took over his words and this time even with a clearer state of mind she stood up, wrapped the broken pieces of her heart and said with affection "Family khun ke rishto se nahi banti.... Do humdarad bhi ek dusre ke humsafar ban sakte hai!"
They paused.
"AAROHI.
AAROHI KHANNA" She offered her hand to him making the first move towards their friendship.
"RAHUL.
RAHUL MEHRA." He responded by shaking hands with her. Astonishingly this was the first time they exchanged their real names.
Their eye contact was soon broken as the water started showering over both because Rahul's hand touched the shower handle.
Aarohi and Rahul laughed.
Aarohi was about to leave when he hold her hand back. "Haste hue acchi lagti ho.....Zindagi itni bhi buri nahi hai.....bas acche logo ke sath raha karo.....phir dekhna....hasi ko tumhare hothon se koi alag nahi kar sakega." Rahul wanted to leave no stone unturned expressing his feelings as he had already started falling for her.
Aarohi turned back: "Khush rehna to chahti hun lekin koi apne jesa tanha mila hi nahi....jo muje samet kar apne paas rakh sake...."
"Kya aap........? Aap..............." She hesitated but then suddenly realized he was her doctor, she will leave these strangers tomorrow and will be back left all alone again in her miserable world.
She stopped. She nodded a sorry in embarresment.
Rahul lifted her chin up. "Age bolo na.......... kya mein .....?" He so wanted to hear from her that she wants to be with him.
Aarohi : "Kuch nahi....vo doctor... vo mein........"
Rahul whispered in her ears : "Call me Rahul. He pecked her cheek. And yes......... yes I want to be with you! Kya tum meri is adhuri family ko complete karna chahogi? Will you like to be mine forever?"
Aarohi broke into tears and hugged him tight. They both just wrapped up all their sorrows and surrendered themselves into the ocean of love.
THREE YEARS LATER.
Arush ran downstairs with a phone in his hand "Mumma!!! Nani ka phone hai......."
Aarohi's face got tensed. She did not like to talk to her family. She hesitated holding the phone while suddenly Rahul came from behind.
Rahul holding her hand: "Baat kar lo......kab tak naraz rahogi......? life me na.....practice the beautiful art of LETTING GO...... Narazgi dil me rakh kar insan ko bechaini ke alava kuch nahi milta..... Forget it my love.....talk to her cmon..... he holded the phone to her ears.
thats like my good girl." Aarohi always surrendered herself to his words and dropped all her defences when he spoke. After all now he was her personal philosopher and guide. ;)