Neil made Vaishnavi lie on the bed and went out. Mini changed her clothes and bandaged on her hands. She came out of her room and saw Neil had already changed his clothes.
Mini's bandages were dripping too and she needed redressing again.
Neil: Mini... Tum bhi change karlo main kapde lekar aata hu tumhare.... (Mini nodded)... And redressing ke liye main nurse bulau ya khud help karu tumhari?.... Jaisa tumhe better feel ho.
Mini: Tum help kar doge?
Neil: Hmm.... Aata hu...
Mini went in the room and changed into the bathrobe. Neil brought clothes for her and redressed Mini's injuries.
Mini lied weakly on the bed, exhausted by the pain once again.
Mini: Main theek hu ab.... Tum Vaishnavi ke paas jao abhi... Jab tak Bobby nahi aa jaata.... Usko akela mat chodo zyada der tak...
Neil: (tucking the comforter on her) Hmm.... Kuch chahiye ho to awaaz laga dena.... door khula hai to awaaz niche tak aayegi.
Mini: Ok.
Neil came down to Vaishnavi's room and got tears in his eyes again remembering her breakdown upstairs. He tucked her comforter on her properly and patted on his head when felt her temperature higher. He brought the thermometer and kept it in her mouth.
He saw the temperature to be 103.9
He came out of her room and saw Bobby entering.
Bobby: Neil Bhai.... Dr ke paas reports pahoch gayi thi to unka call aaya tha.... unhone bola ki agar Vaishnavi Mini ke aaspaas react kar paa rahi hai to acchi baat hai but Mini ka bhi dhyaan rakhna padega... kahin vo affect ka ho jaaye Vaishnavi ki condition se....
Neil nodded but he was stuck in Vaishnavi's outburst and was in a mental mess.
Neil: Bobby.... Abhi Chubby ne phir suicide karne ki koshish ki.... baarish me bhi chat pe gayi.... Mini ne confront kiya to chillayi vo...
Bobby: Vaishnavi chillayi?
Neil: Ha.... Samajh nahi aaya.... Boli ki vo Bachpan se akeli hai.... pata nahi... par...
Bobby: Hmm.... Ho sakta hai uska matlab iss baat se ho ki.... Jab uske parents chale gaye the... tab uske Chacha Chachi bahot taunt karte the... kayi baar uspe haath bhi uthaate the.... You know Vaishnavi ne bahot himmat karke tumhare school me admission liya tha... par phir... vo bol rahi thi ki kuch Niraj wala incident ho gaya and vo depression me thi aur tumne nikaala tha usko depression se...
Neil: Hmm.... Hamare school ka senior tha.... Bully karta tha students ko... Vaishnavi ko harass kar raha tha jab maine complaint karne ka threaten karke bhagaa diya tha.... Tab baaton baaton me depression se nikal gayi thi vo... Par haath uthaate the uske Chacha Chachi uspe?... Kyu?... Aur tujhe kabse pata hai yeh?
Bobby: Jis din Veer aaya tha na.... usko threaten karne office building me.... uss din hi Mini yaha lekar aayi thi usko.... raat me mujhe neend nahi aa rahi thi to main chat pe chala gaya thodi der baithne ke liye par dekha to vo ro rahi thi.... tab bataaya tha usne emotional hoke.... Kuch property wagera ka problem tha... uske parents ki property chahte the dono.... but anyways... iss sab me ek baat to acchi hui hai ki Vaishnavi ab at least bolne lagegi shayad....
Neil: Hmm.... Yeh to point hai.... Par kuch aur bhi baat hai.... Usne bola ki usko himmat dikha ke.... pain tolerate karke kya mila.... vo phir aa gaya.... aur pain dene and all.... aisa kuch pata hai tujhe?
Bobby: Nahi.... aisa to kuch nahi...
Neil: Ok.... Idhar aa do min.... (coming to the kitchen, poured cool water in a bowl and keeping handkerchieves in it, forwarded it to Bobby) Chubby ko bukhaar hai.... Patti kar de usko... main ek baar Mini ko dekh kar aata hu... Kahin usko bhi bukhaar na ho gaya ho... Baarish bahot tez thi...
Bobby: Hmm...
They went to the rooms.
.
.
.
Neil entered his room and saw Mini lying with her eyes closed. He thought maybe she is sleeping. He kept his hand on her forehead, cheek and neck but felt her temperature normal and sighed.
Mini: (opening her eyes slowly) Kya hua?.... Vaishnavi ko bukhaar hai?
Neil: Ha... Tum jag rahi thi?.... Mujhe laga so gayi...
Mini: Neend nahi aa rahi... (forwarded her hand)
Neil held her hand and wrapped his other arm around her to let her sit up comfortably.
Mini: Thand lag rahi hai.... Dusra shrug le aao na.
Neil: Hmm...
Neil went downstairs and after few mins came up again.
Neil: Mini... Vo... Penny gav gayi thi 2 din pehle to kapde dhokar daale the usne... Main uthaana bhul gaya... aur baarish me bheeg gaye.... abhi geele hai.... to... a... ha... ek kaam karo... Meri shirt le lo.... That would do... Hmm?
Mini: Ok...
Neil opened his almirah and gave his shirt to her. She put it over her top and tried folding the extending sleeves but couldn't due to weakness.
Neil: Main kar deta hu...
He sat in front of her and folded the sleeves upto her wrists.
She folded her arms and shrunk slightly.
Neil wrapped his arms around her and rubbed firmly to let her feel the warmth.
Mini sighed.
Mini: Ab better hai....
Neil: Hmm.... Tum soup piyogi?.... Vaishnavi ke liye banane ka soch raha tha.... shayad bukhaar hai to bina realise kare pi le....
Mini: Bina realise kare pi le matlab?.... Ha kal bhi hamare saath to nahi hi khaaya tha usne.... baad me bhi nahi khaaya kya?
Neil: 4 din se kuch nahi kha rahi.... Glucose ka paani kisi tarah pila dete hai taaki medicines jhel paaye par aur kuch nahi kha rahi... Tumhe to phir bhi 7-8 kaure khila paata tha main par vo to ek nivaala nahi leti.
Mini: Hmm... Aaj khayegi... Chalo... Main bhi chalti hu neeche...
They came down and Neil brought the blanket for her and she leaned back on the couch with the blanket wrapped around her, closing her eyes.
Neil closed all the windows and door of the lawn too so that no blow of wind enters and he made soup.
He came to Bobby after the soup was ready but Vaishnavi was still sleeping while Bobby was keeping wet handkerchieves on her forehead.
Bobby: (whispering) Mini theek hai na?.... Usko to bukhaar nahi hai?
Neil: (whispering) Nahi.... Mini theek hai.... Vaishnavi ke liye soup banaya hai... Uth jaaye to bata dena.... ho sakta hai weakness me peene se mana na kare....
Bobby nodded.
Neil came outside to Mini and caressed her head.
Mini opened her eyes and looked at Neil.
He was holding a tray in his other hand.
Neil: Soup piyogi?
Mini nodded.
He fed her the soup and she felt much warmth in just a couple of mins. She sighed and took off the blanket.
Mini: Bahot better lag raha hai... Vaishnavi ne piya soup?
Neil: Nahi.... abhi so rahi hai...
Mini: Tum bhi pi lo thoda... Baarish me to tum bhi bheege the na...
Neil hummed. Mini saw him tensed but trying to fade off his frown.
Mini: Neil... Navi kitni baar koshish kar chuki hai suicide karna ka?
Neil: Aaj 8vi baar.
Mini: 8?
Neil: Hmm.... kabhi dawaai ke overdose karke.... kabhi hum dono nahi hote to kitchen me jaake nas kaatne ki koshish karke... kabhi chat pe aisehi jump off karne ki koshish karke.... 5 baar Bobby ne roka hai... 2 baar maine... aur aaj tumhe pata chal hi gaya aakhir....
Mini: Mujhse chupaaya kyu tum dono ne...
Neil: Doctor ne bola tha ki tumhe bhi aise khyaal aa sakte hai.... Hum tumhe pata chal jaane dete aur kahin tum....
Mini: Main suicide karne ka to nahi sochti Neil.... Kabhi aisa kuch nahi socha maine treatment ke time pe....
Mini saw Neil's face getting pale and him not saying his emotions once again. She kept her hand on his cheek and caressed softly.
Mini: Tell me..... Kya soch rahe ho?
Neil: (tears brimmed in his eyes) Dr ne kaha tha na Mini... tab you know.... Main andar hi andar toot gaya tha.... agar tum ek baar bhi koshish bhi kar leti na... main dekh nahi paata.... main bardaasht hi nahi kar paata Mini.... tum kabhi bhi kuch bhi hojaaye.... aisa kuch mat sochna... hmm?
Mini: Hmm.... Kabhi nahi.... (caressed his head after wiping his tears) Tum tension mat lo.... Sab theek ho jayega.
A smile crept on Neil's face as these words in Mini's voice were enough for Neil to believe in it and get hopeful again.
Bobby came outside.
Bobby: Neil Bhai.... Vaishnavi uth gayi hai.... par mana kar diya soup ke liye.
Mini: Mujhe Navi ke liye soup dedo... Main dekhti hu usko...
Neil nodded.