तुम तो मेरी जिंद मेरी जान वे
मेरी तू ज़मीन है आसमान वे
तुझ बिन मैं की करां
रब्बा खैरिया हाये वे मैं की करण
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'Doctor, careful, careful, careful!'
The doctor looked at me, unbelievably.
Ok I know I was being a headache, but who won't be scared seeing that cast saw in front.
'Mr. Malhotra I have not even started yet.'
He complained, and I gave him a sheepish smile, a big tight one.
'And please take this kid outside. She won't be able to see the scene here. And I just don't get, why would you get her here? She is an infant and this is a hospital.
He was right. It was not safe to bring her here. 'I know doctor, but she was not ready to let go of me, and I can't see her tears, to be honest.'
He gave me a small smile, while preparing himself for the procedure.
'No parent in the world can see their child cry Mr. Malhotra, but sometimes we have to let them because it's for their own good.'
'I know doctor. Viraj, please take her outside, if she cries, then let her.'
I instructed Viraj and he stepped ahead to grab the little gangster, who was sprawling happily in my arms.
Viraj held her, and when she realised she was being drifted away from me, she clung close and muffled a cry.
Viraj looked at me in a dilemma but no matter much I hate her tears, but I can't let her stay here.
I blinked in assurance, and he pulled her away from me, and her silent sobs soon turned hysteric.
Unshed tears welled up in my eyes, but I immediately wiped it off. I did wrong to her, but I should have done that back to home itself, but never mind.
Viraj carried her out, and the sounds of her cries slowly faded away he went far away.
But soft, emotional eyes soon turned nightmarish one when they saw the doctor ready for the procedure. I gulped down my saliva.
It's been almost 6.5 weeks since the accident took place, and ultimately today I was going to be free from this heavy plaster in my hand. All these weeks I have been waiting for this day to come, but today, when this moment is in front of me, I don't want it.
Why? Because I see the cast saw right in front of my eyes, which would not more than a inch away from my skin. I am good with this plaster. I don't want it removed.
But sadly, that wasn't possible.
The doctor held my hand, and the pointed edges of saw of just a inch away, when my heart forgot to beat, and a scream escaped my lips. 'Doctor, careful please!'
The doctor sighed deep annoyingly, before thrashing the saw beside him. 'Mr. Malhotra, I know my work very well, I am experienced in it. Trust me please. Now please sit silently, with eyes shut, because if you keep looking at the procedure, you won't let me succeed.'
It seemed he was trying to control his displeased tone and keep his cool with his patient, but this patient of his has got into his nerves now.
Control Avyaansh. He's experienced. It won't hurt, but if you irritate him more, it will definitely hurt if he throws the saw on your head.
I nodded like a obedient kid, and sat silently with my eyes shut. He grabbed my hand, and in the next few second, I felt something on my arm.
I knew what it was. I shivered slight, when his held me tight.
I felt chills on my hand, as the cool air of the air conditioner hit my hand under the plaster. I shot open my eyes when I felt the weight pulling away from my hand. The plaster was away from my hand, and finally I was free.
'Try moving your hand. And tell if it pains.'
He instructed me, without giving a glance while clearing up the things he needed.
Softly, I moved my hand. 'Ummm nope. It's all good.'
'Great. I have few more things to talk, Now you can call your daughter back in.'
Without wasting a second, I grabbed my phone to dail Viraj and instructed him to return. And in no time, he was back with a silent Arya in his arms, and joined me on the chair beside me.
'Mr. Malhotra, your plaster's off doesn't mean you can do all the regular work with that hand of yours. Prevent carrying heavy weights and if you feel pain, then feel free to contact me.'
He guided me, and I nodded understandingly. 'And little madam, take care of your papa ok.'
He walked to Arya, bent down to her and squeezed her cheeks softly, before talking to her in a baby voice, but the moment he completed, Arya screeched loudly and tried hitting him with her tiny tiny feet.
He immediately stepped back. 'Oops! Seems likes she hates me already!'
'Sorry for that doctor.'
I apologized, embarassed over her actions making him chuckle. 'No issues Mr. Malhotra, she is just a baby. Even I was a father of a infant at a time, I can relate to it.'
I gave him a grateful smile, and thanking him for all his services, I headed out of his cabin, followed by Viraj.
I forwarded my arms to pull her back, but she snuggled deep into him, showing me her fake angry eyes. 'You angered her bhai, now manofy your princess.'
I tsked over his statement. 'She is three month old. She would forget every thing in no time.'
As the driver saw us, he unlocked the car for us and we hopped in, and started our journey to our house. 'Exactly my point bhai. She's just a baby, and look at her anger, seems like she will grow up to be hot headed.'
'Just like her father.'
I scowled at the driver over his absurd comment, comprehending his blunder in a blink of eyes, he bit his tongue, but what disappointed me more was Viraj going rofl.
'True bro true.'
Displeased over them, I stuck out my tongue at Viraj. 'Deepak, it would be great if you focus on the driving rather than noticing me so much.'
Shortly thereafter, my vexed face turned into a big aww when my eyes fell on my princess yawning tiredly. 'Mera baccha. I never knew that yawning can be this cute.'
(My child.)
As her yawn ended, she got herself comfortable in Viraj's arms, and slowly felt into a slumber. When we made sure she fell into deep slumber, I carefully pulled her back in my arms.
The journey was passing with silence. The only tranquillity heard was the car's engine the honking outside. My phone echoed, and I picked it up immediately, switching it on a speaker.
It was from Arya's paediatrician. 'Yes doctor?'
'Mr. Malhotra, I just received Arya's reports and....'
My heart skipped a beat when she took that pause. I prayed in my heart silently for my baby. 'I am sorry to say Mr. Malhotra, but the reports are not very great. Due to lack of mother's milk, she is severely anaemic.'
For the next few second, I forgot to breathe. I felt a lump creating in my throat. 'But don't worry. We can help her with mother's milk from the donation centres. It will surely do good to her, but god forbid, if it doesn't then, we will have to go for blood transfusions.'
I wanted to reply, but words won't escape my lips. I gulped a lump down my throat.
'Okay doctor. Thank you.'
'Mention not Mr. Malhotra. And I will immediately check on the milk donation centres and will let you know.
Nodding, I cut off the call, and stared out the window, endeavouring to decode what exactly was happening with my life, with my daughter's life.
'She will be fine bhai. Anaemia is not life threating, the donated milk her surely help her.'
'Why her Viraj? What wrong has she done to someone? She's barely three months old.'
'Our Aru is very strong bhai, and the god up there is checking her strength.'
I didn't have words to reply. I turned away to look out of the window, but saw her when she stirred a bit, but got comfortable soon. 'It's......really tough Viraj.'
'What is tough bhai?'
I sighed deep, not giving an answer, while my palm slowly caressed Arya's hair. My voice felt heavy, it felt like I would break down if I open my mouth.
Holding her securely, I bent ahead and grabbed the bottle of water and gulped down a sip, feeling better. 'Handling Arya...without her. It's a huge responsibility Raj, I...I can't do it alone.
Viraj shifted close to me and pulled me in a side hug, his hand caressed my shoulder. 'I know it's not easy bhai, but you aren't alone. You have us, you have the whole Kapadia family with you. Hum saath mein sambhal lenge Aru ko.'
(We all will handle Arya together.)
I sniffed, before continuing. 'I know Viraj. And I don't care for me, my soul weeps for my daughter. What is her fault Viraj? What wrong did a unborn child do to someone? I did wrong, I paid for my sins, I lost Radhika. But why should Arya suffer due to her father's mistakes? Whenever I look down at her innocent face, I feel so...guilty. Guilty for snatching her mother away from her, when she was not even a day old. A father can love his child life long, care for her, take up all the struggles for her, irrespective, a new born needs her mother, her warmth, her affection. And most important, her mother's milk, and ever since she is born, my princess is living on the formula milk and the consequences are in front of my eyes today. Damn! She will grow up Viraj, she will go to school, she will see every kid in there talking about both their parents, their mumma, everyday she would see her friends mothers coming to pick them up and everyday she would see them with craving eyes that only if she had her mother with her, only if she would be waiting for her outside the school and would pull her into a tight hug with a big smile. Everyday I pray to the god up there, that he can punish me, punish me anyhow he wants, but he just returns my child her mother back. She has us all Viraj, but no person in the world can fulfil the void of mother's absence. What will I answer her Viraj when she asks me about her mother? You know, all the 8 months of Radhika's pregnancy, almost a million times she would have said this that she is just too excited to hold her child in her arms. And I couldn't even fulfil that too. Neither could I fulfil my wife's wish, nor my daughter's wish of having her mother by her side. I failed as a husband, and I am failing as a father. I failed to protect my daughter, Viraj.'
All these feeling have been residing in my heart ever since Radhika, and today, after all these months this was the first time I broke, I opened up, and poured out my true feeling.
'Don't! Don't even say that bhai. You have been a great husband, and trust me on this, you are proving to be great father too.'
I didn't reply, I kept looking at my princess's innocent sleeping face, who doesn't even have a 0.01% idea that what shit is happening with her life right now.
'You know why? Because bhabhi died as a warrior, and not a victim. We have seen her getting scared like a kitten when at every tiny things, but the way she fought for herself in those last moments of her life was commendable. But the strength she had in her was gifted by you. She was strong deep inside, but she didn't have the courage, it was you who pushed her ahead. In today's world when men can't get over their stupid ego, can't tolerate seeing their wife's success, you pushed bhabhi ahead to stand like a warrior in front of the cold-blooded world.'
My face felt warm as the tears refused to halt, and continued strolling down my cheeks. 'But it was me who killed her Viraj!'
'No you didn't. It was not your fault bhai. It's just in your head. Even her father doesn't consider as the culprit, then why do you do so?
'It was my impulsive nature Viraj, the aggressive part of mine killed her.'
'No bhai, bhabhi's death had nothing to do with you, or your nature. By that logic bhai, every person in the world is a murderer, because at any point of time in their life, they have been connected to someone passing away!'
And I did not look up at him. 'And about Arya, you did not fail her bhai. Trust me, and our Aru is a miracle kid, she overcame death, she will overcome this too.'
I sniffed, nodding, trying to stay positive. I looked down as her when I felt her unusual moments, she looked at me from second before screeching to climb on my lap.
I caged her in my arm, protectively before making her stand on my lap. I blinked my eyes when her tiny tiny hand hit my face, considering my tears as her favorite water. Playing with my face, she soon wiped it off, and I didn't stop her and continued to adore my princess.
'Daughters can never see father cry. Unknowingly, it's her who wiped your tears off.', I let out a sad chuckle, and nodded.
Caressing her hair softly, my eyes were stuck at the the world outside which was passing by. Sequentially, the vision of my eyes used to obscure as a layer was tear used to coat up my eyes.
Each drop of tear simulated a new pain, a new story deep inside. Ever since I was born, I have been bereaved of my loved ones, reason? Still unknown.
Everything was so good, till I was...three I guess. I didn't have my father by my side, I was surrounded my women, and mumma always used to say they are my maasima's. While being in playschool, the kids were schooled to maintain a distance with me, and I never knew why.
The three year old me, who had no luxuries, no comfort, just a small ten by seven room with a half broken bed, was contended, because I had mumma by side who never failed to watch me out even in her worst scenarios.
Until one day, my life fell apart, and I lost her perpetually, where everyday the little me between the lost of whole new people, who cared the least, hoped that one day she would return and say that it was just a game of hide and seek and she was waiting for me to find her.
But alas! That day never came. The jolly and vibrant heart of the kid, who promised his mumma to always stay smiling, and cheerful, turned the wheel of his life, adapted to a life where only solitude, anguish, wails, surrounded him when he didn't knew what these words meant.
I slowly connected with a child my age, who befriended my in the school, when I used to sit in the corner most area of the class, sprawling on the desk wondering what shit I was going through.
He befriended a fragmented lonesome boy whom he proudly calls his best friend. Being the softie boy of the class, he managed to be the centrepiece of the school when he throttled a boy for picking up on me, resulting in a suspension of seven days.
But seems as if the god up there hated the smile lingering on my lips, he left leaving me alone, actually I did. Year and years passed by, until I came across the most beautiful human of my life, everything started falling back on the track, smiles took a reverse gear running back to me, happiness hugged me, positivity embraced my heart, and I learnt to love again.
Until the day she left, she also left leaving a hope named Arya behind, optimizing her to be cupid of my life, but today I am at the pivotal point of my life, where I am on the threshold of losing my baby too.
Fallen deep into the ocean of my thoughts, I was startled when the loud chime of my phone banged my ear. It was from office. Wiping my tears, and gulping down a sip of water to stabilize my voice, I accepted the calls. 'Yes Ayush?'
'Sir, you have a few interviews lined up for the candidates third round which you were gonna handle this time. They are already here.'
What the fuck did he just say? 'Ayush. Are you drunk? I have postponed the interviews, they are due tomorrow.'
'I know sir, but it was a system glitch. The mail didn't deliver to few of the candidates.'
Why always me? Many in a times in my life I feel that I am magnet, and the iron like problems always stick to me, out of no where. 'Unbelievable.'
'Uhh...sir, would you able to reach or do I send them back?'
The chain of my thoughts broke. 'Huh...uhh let it be. I will be there.'
He complied and I cut the call. 'Deepak, drop me to the office, and then carry on till home.'
Viraj looked at me, but didn't raise a question because now after all these years, he was habituated to my last minute office trips. 'How long have been the candidates sitting?'
I asked Ayush as I marched to my cabin, followed by Ayush. '45 minutes.'
'Damn so much inconvenience this is! Please get the systems checked.'
He nodded, keeping his head low. 'Sir, I have a question in mind, if you don't mind, can I?', does he consider me as a hitler who will slit his throat apart if he asks me something. 'Shoot!'
'Sir, you are the owner of this company with worth in millions. Out of all your busy schedule, why would you take the interview? I mean there is a long list of people in the company who were eligible enough to conduct the interview.'
'Of course there are many, but I guess no employee in the company would know the company as much as the owner does. Right? This is not just a interview, but a conversation, to make them know the company they are joining, about the clients, about how we deal with them, and etc etc. I hope I am clear now?'
He nodded. 'Now send the first candidate in.'
I muttered and he walked out of the cabin, while I scanned few papers on my desk till the first one joins me. 'Come in please.'
My lips muttered the words when I heard the knock on the door, without lifting my gaze away from my documents. 'Good morning sir.'
A professional yet chirpy voice fell into my ears, but have I heard this voice somewhere? 'Good Morning Miss..............Aradhya?'
Agar story pasand nahi aa rahi hai toh bata do na, aise ignore toh mat karo 🥺🥺
Pheww. This one was tough to write, I don't know why. Please ignore karke mat jaya karo!
And how was the chapter?
And our poor baby Aru 🥺🥺 she doesn't deserve this, does she?
Do you feel aage chal ke Radhu ki death mein Avyaansh ka haath hoga?
Date - 17/03/2024
Word Count - 3245 Words
Instagram ID - ek_kahanikaar (Follow for reels and spoilers)
Love Y'All ✨🦋