Aabha finally opens her eyes and sees a worried Purvi in front of her.
Aabha (weak, scared):Mumyyyy….sorry…her eyes fill with tears, her throat aches..
Purvi: shhhh..Aabhaaaa….bolo mat beta..rest karo okay..
Aabha: Aakash kahan hai?
Purvi: school gaya hai..
Aabha: mujhe bhi school jaana hai…yeh hospital bahut boring hai…
Purvi: haan beta..hum log jald jaayenge okay..
Doctor:Ms Purvi…Aabha ki reports aayi hai..aapse kuch discuss karna hai..
Purvi steps out of the room with the doctor.
Purvi: doctor..Aabha ki reports theekh hai naa?
Doctor (woriied):No Ms Purvi..jaisa maine kaha pehle bhi uske lungs bahut weak ho gaye hai..usse urgent transplant ki zaroorat hai..maine ek-do hospitals me baat bhi ki hai…Aabha ka naam unke list me hai..jaise hi hume koi donor mil jaayega…hume fauran transplant karna hoga…we donot have time
Purvi (worried): aap ko jo theekh lagta hai who kijiye…meri bachhi ko bachaa lijiye…please..she has tears in her eyes.
Doctor (nodding): Allright..magar transplant yahan nahi hoga..uske liye aapko Seven star hospital jaana hoga..
Purvi(shocked): 7 star hospital? Who toh..woh toh bahut bada hospital hai…uski fees main kaise afford karoongi?
Doctor: I am sorry but saare transplant cases wahi jaate hai…aap please abhi se paiso ka intezaam kijiye..
Purvi hears this and stand against a wall. She can no way afford the expensive treatment and hospital fees. She racks her brains thinking where will she arrange the money from.
Purvi (mind): kya karoon main? Naa mere pass bank me itne paise hai…naa koi achi naukri…Papa ke savings bhi toh kabke dawaaiyon pe kharch kar diye..ek ghar tha who bhi Chachaji ne dhoke se le liya..koi nahi hai mera…hey Bhagwaan ab kaun meri madat karega..
Sachin (voice): Aabha ko hosh aa gaya? Main..main mil sakta hoon usse?
Purvi opens her eyes and sees Sachin standing in front of her. She turns her face and quickly wipes her tears.
Purvi:aap? Aap kyun aaye hai?
Sachin (guilty): Aabha ke saath jo bhi hua usme galti meri thi..naa main bachon ke liye ice cream laata, naa Aabha chupke usse khaati, naa woh aise bimaar padti..isliye..sorry bolne aaya hoon..
Purvi (wiping tears): Aabha jaagi hai..aap mil sakte hai..
Sachin and Purvi enter the room together.
Aabha (happy):Uncle…aap? Aapko bhi admit kiya hai yahan pe?
Sachin (smile): arre nahi nahi…main toh yahan ek princess se milne aaya hoon..he smiles at her.
Aabha (excited): Princess? Kaunsi waali? Cindrella? Ya Belle? Ya Snow white? bataooo naa…please…mujhe bhi saath leke jaayenge?
Sachin:nahi…inn sab princesses se bhi pyaari ek princess hai…usse milne aaya hoon..
Aabha (thinking): Snowhite aur Cindrella se bhi sundar kaun hai? Mummy aapko pata hai? She asks Purvi. Purvi nods her head as No.
Sachin:nahi..yeh secret sirf mujhe pata hai..aap milna chahoge uss princess se?
Aabha (excited):haan….
Sachin: uss princess ka naam hai Aabhaaaa….he announces…
Abha (squealing):wowwwww….main princess hoon? Mummy dekhaaaa….in her excitement she screams..and then starts coughing.
Purvi (panic): Aabhaaaa….
Sachin gets up immediately and gets a glass of water. He holds Aabha gently and makes her sip it slowly. Aabha feels better.
Sachin (smile): relax..relaxx beta..I think tumhe zyaada baaten nahi karni chahiye..he gives her some colors and a coloring book…yeh..yeh main tumhare liye laaya tha..
Aabha (tired):Kyun Uncle?
Sachin: tumhe sorry jo bolna tha..I am sorry beta..meri laayi huyi ice cream khaane se aapko yeh hospital me stay karna padh raha hai..yeh kadvi dawaai khaani pad rahi hai…I am sorry..will you forgive me?
Abha: isme aapki galti nahi hai…maine hi ice cream chupke se khaa li thi…Mummy hamesha manaa karti hai..ice cream laake nahi deti..isliye chupke se thodi si khaa li..she smiles..
Sachin: aapko Mummy ki baat maan leni chahiye…she knows the best..chalo jaise maine aapko sorry bola..aap apni Mummy ko sorry bolo…chalo…
Aabha (looking at Purvi): Sorry mummy…she makes a sorry face.
Purvi (hugging her): Its okay beta…..bass tum jaldi se theekh ho jaoo..ab tumhe aaram karna chahiye..
Sachin:oh haan beta…mujhe bhi chalna chahiye..
Aabha: Bye uncle…
Sachin (smile):Bye…get well soon..
Purvi goes till the door to escort Sachin.
Sachin: Kya kaha doctor ne?
Purvi (lying): kuch khaas nahi..Aabha kal shayad discharge ho jaayegi…
Sachin: ohh…umm..he hesitates…Tumhe hospital bills pay karne me koi help chahiye?
Purvi (tired):Nahi..main..main manage kar loongi..Thanks…
Sachin: maine ab tak kuch kiya hi nahi aur tum mujhe thanks bol rahi ho..waise..mujhe khushi hogi agar main tumhare liye kuch kar sakta hoon toh..
Purvi remembers Sachin's father's words when they had gone to him with Nirvi's case.
Purvi (standing straight): No Mr Joshi..maine kaha naa..hum manage kar lenge..
Purvi goes inside the room quickly. Aabha has slept. Purvi touches her forehead lovingly.
Sachin talks to Aabha's doctor and realizes that Aabha needs the transplant immediately and Purvi has difficulty with arranging money. Aabha is discharged and comes home. Purvi watches helplessly as the little girl suffers a lot. She spends many nights sleepless because of pain in her lungs and is constantly ill because of infection.
Purvi (sad, dejected): kaaki…mujhse Aabha ka yeh dard dekha nahi jaata..main jald hi transplant karwaa leti hoon
Kaaki: magar Purvi…paise?
Purvi(determination): Kaaki…maine..maine ek faisla liya hai…main..she looks down, her heart aches…main Sachin se baat karoongi..
Kaaki: kya? Sachin se? tu…tu usse sach bataani waali hai?
Purvi (scared): nahi..nahi Kaaki..main usse abhi kuch nahi bataane waali..pehle..pehle usse sirf yeh ek baar Aabha ke liye madat maangne waali hoon..agar..agar usne mujhe manaa kiya..toh..majbooran usse batana hi hoga..
Kaaki: lekin kya who teri baat maanega? 8 saal ho gaye Purvi..
Purvi: jaanti hoon Kaaki..8 saal..kya kuch nahi ho gaya iss 8 saal me…Nirvi Di inn bachon ko chodd ke chali gayi…mere papa bhi ab nahi rahe..ghar ke saare bade aur doosre rishtedaaron ne mera saath chodd diya..meri padhaai bhi complete nahi huyi jiski wajah se aaj tak ek bhi dhang ki naukri nahi hai mere paas..mera hai hi kaun iss duniya me? Sivaaye bacho aur aapke..ek aap hi toh hai jo mere baare me sab kuch jaanti hai..phir bhi mera saath nahi chodaa aapne..she hugs the old woman and cries.
Kaaki: iss boodhi aurat ka kaun hai iss duniya me..uss accident me mera poora parivar chal basaa..tera mera koi khoon ka rishta toh nahi hai magar tujh me apni beti dikhti hai mujhe…she touches her cheeks..jaa beta tu der mat kar…jaake Sachin se baat kar…sab theekh ho jaayega..Aabha bahut jaldi theekh ho jaayegi..
Sachin office
Purvi feels odd to be in the same office. 8 years before she had accompanied her father to meet Sachin's father. Her father was insulted badly and they had left the office crying.
Secretary: Ma'm..aap andar jaa sakti hai..sir is waiting
Purvi gets up and walks to the cabin. She clutches the cold knob of the door and opens it. Sachin is seated on his chair, working on his laptop. Purvi is getting flashes of a similar meeting 8 years back.
Purvi (voice): Hi..
Sachin (looks up, surprised):Purviii..tum? tumne mujhse milne appointment kyun liya? Aur Nandita (secretary) ne toh bataya koi Ms Gupta hai…kissi charity yaa donation ke liye aayi hai…
Purvi (head down): Mera..mera poora naam Purvi Gupta hai…
Sachin (getting up): ohhh..maine kabhi tumse tumhara poora naam poocha hi nahi..baitho naa ..please..what would you have? Tea/Coffee?
Purvi: nahi…mujhe..mujhe yeh sab kuch nahi chahiye..
Sachin: Okay…Aabha kaisi hai?
Purvi (looking at him, hesitating): Aabhaa….main…Aabha ke baare me baat karne aayi hoon..she again looks down at her bag which is on her lap…she is still not mentally ready to ask help from him. Afterall he had left her sister and the kids in problem the first place !
Sachin: haan toh kaho naa..kya baat hai?
Purvi (trying to figure words): samajh..samajh me nahi aa raha ..kaise..kaise kahoon..
Sachin (coming closer):Purvi…tumhe mujhse darrne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai…aur tumhe kuch kehne ki bhi zaroorat nahi hai..
Purvi looks up in his eyes. He smiles and speaks softly.
Sachin:Tumhe Aabha ke ilaaj ke liye help chahiye naa?
Tears fall from Purvi's eyes. She had never wished she would have to face Sachin ever in her life. She didn't know him personally but her heart was filled with hatred for him. Yet today, she had to ask for help from the very same man. She could only curse her fate. She controls her emotions. Her love for Aabha and Aakash is way more than the hatred for Sachin in her heart ! and Love wins…
Purvi (small voice):Mujhe aabha ke transplant ke liye paiso ki zaroorat hai..
Sachin: itni se baat..samjho ho gaya..Seven star hospital ke chief doctor mere papa ke bahut ache dost the..maine already unse baat kar li hai..Aabha ko bahut jald donor mil jaayega..
Purvi (stiffens at the mention of his father): Aapke papa?
Sachin (pointing to his large photo on the wall behind his desk): mere papa..Mr Shivnath Joshi..kuch mahine pehle hi woh heart attack me chal base..issi wajah se mujhe India aana pada..unka business sambhaalne..
Purvi stares at the photo. She shuts her eyes remembering the past again.
Sachin: Purviii..are you allright?
Purvi (opening eyes): haan..main…main theekh hoon..with great difficulty she utters the next words..Thank..Thank you Sachin…
Sachin (smile): Thank you kaisa? Yeh mera farz hai..
Purvi (snapping): tum sirf hamari madat kar rahe ho..yeh tumhara farz nahi hai..Aabha aur Aakash mere bache hai..sirf mere…
Sachin (taken aback):Maine kab kuch aur kaha..tum Maa ho unn dono ki..isme koi shaq nahi hai..kya maine kuch galat kaha?
Purvi (controlling): nahi..nahi..woh bass main zara tense hoon…
Sachin: its okay Purvi…tum Aabha ki ilaaj ki chinta mat karo..main handle karta hoon..tum bass mere secretary se baat karlo..woh hospital me appointment le legi…aur tumhe inform bhi karegi..
Purvi (gets up): Theekh hai Sachin..main chalti hoon..She reaches the door of his cabin. She turns to say one more thing to him.
Purvi (confidence): Mr Sachin Joshi…main yeh paise chukaa doongi..jaise maine cake ka hisaab baraabar kiya tha…yeh bhi kar doongi..Bye..
Sachin (smile, mind): iss bahaane mera tumse milna julna toh rahega….dheere dheere dosti ho hi jaayegi..
Sachin helps Purvi..will they come closer..Sachin is maybe attracted to Purvi already...will Purvi also get attracted to him?
Thank you for your lovely comments. I am glad you are liking this story. Keep reading, keep reviewing :)
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