Purvi is waiting outside the theatre lost in her thoughts. Her mind is occupied with Aabha and the result of the operation. It will be a long wait, she sighs.
Aakash: Mummy…he tugs her hand…mujhe bathroom jaana hai..
Purvi (absentmindedly): toh jaooo..
Aakash:kaise jaoon? Yahan se bahut door hai…..aur aise naye jagah me akele nahi jaana chahiye aap hi ne sikhaya hai..chalo na Mummy…urgentttt hai..he is standing uncomfortably.
Nurse: Aabha ki mummy aap hai naa…aapko abhi ke abhi doctor Thomas ne bulaya hai…kuch forms me signature pending hai..jaayiye..jaldi
Purvi gets up and starts to go.
Aakash:Mumyyyyy…..toilet….pleaaaseeee…
Purvi looks at him helplessly.
Sachin:If you donot mind..main Aakash ko le jaa sakta hoon..tum signature karke aaooo..
Aakash and Sachin walk away.
Aakash (relief):Thank you Uncle..meri toh jaan nikli jaa rahi thi wahan…
Sachin (smile):No problem partner..kya hua? aise pet pakad ke kyun khade ho?
Aakash: kuch nahi…main theekh hoon..
Sachin bends down and asks him gently.
Sachin:Bhook lagi hai? Itni der se yahan khade ho…
Aakash:Nahi uncle…main khaa nahi sakta..jab tak Aabha theekh naa ho jaaye..
Sachin:Kyun?
Aakash:Mummy ne fast rakha hai…Aabha toh meri bhi sister hai naa..agar hum dono milke fast karenge toh Aabha double speed se theekh ho jaayegi..isliye…
Sachin (feeling bad): tum bahut chote ho Aakash…tumhe fast nahi karna chahiye..
Aakash:lekin agar maine fast chodd diya toh Aabha kaise theekh hogi? The boy asks genuinely. He is trn between his growing, intolerable hunger and his love for his twin.
Sachin (thinking):ek idea hai..tum apna fast transfer kar do….phir tum khaa sakte ho aur Aabha bhi theekh ho jaayegi..
Aakash:kaise?
Sachin (without thinking): tum..tum koi game khelte ho?
Aakash (excited):Haan…main school ke soccer team me hoon..
Sachin (ruffling hairs): main bhi apne school ka soccer champion tha…he smiles…he suddenly gets an idea..hey jaise soccer me agar koi injured ho jaaye toh usse replace karte hai..waise hi tumhare jagah pe koi aur fast kar lega…tum aaram se khaa sakte ho
Aakash:ohhhh….main samajh gaya..give me hi five…he raises his small hand…
Sachin hi-fives him. Aakash slaps back on his hand.
Aakash:pass it on…no return..
Sachin:yeh kyat ha?
Aakash:hum soccer me aise hi pass karte hai..ab maine apna fast aapko pass kiya hai…
Sachin (shocked):Kya? Mujhe? matlab mujhe fast karna padega? Marr gaye…
Aakash (making a sad face): aap fast nahi karenge? Matlab Aabha theekh nahi hogi
Sachin looks at Aakash's sad face. The boy has tears in his eyes. He truly loves his sister.
Sachin (understanding smile): okay….main fast karoonga tumhare liye..happy..
Aakash:yayyyyy..
Sachin:ab chalo..pehle kuch khaalo..They both go to the cafeteria. Sachin watches with a smile as Aakash eats food and talks animatedly about his likes and dislikes.
Sachin moves his shirt cuff to check the time on his watch.
Aakash (exclaiming):Uncleeee…aapke haath me yeh heart shaped kya hai?
Sachin (smile, covering it):Yeh..yeh mera birth mark hai..
Aakash:ohhh..pata hai bilkul aisa hi mere haath me bhi hai…he rolls the sleeve of his shirt to show. Sachin is amazed at it. He picks Aakash's hand and studies the birthmark carefully. Indeed it's the same.
Sachin:yeh…yeh heart shape…yeh tumne draw kiya hai? Color se?
Aakash:nahi…yeh toh mere haath me pehle se hai…mujhe acha nahi lagta….sab bache tease karte hai..isliye Mummy mujhe hamesha full sleeve shirt pehnati hai..
Sachin looks at Aakash. The boy smiles at him, Sachin feels its him smiling back.
Girl voice: Oh my goddddd…Sachuuuuuuuuu..ttuuuu…
Sachin turns at this excited and high pitched voice. He takes a second or two to recognize the person.
Girl (hugging him):Unbelievable…tum India me ho…itne saal baad aur mujhe bataya tak nahi…she exclaims.
Sachin:haan Nadia (childhood friend)…mujhe aaye bas 2 mahine huye hai..Papa ki achanak death ke wajah se mujhe London chodd ke aana pada..aate hi unka business, deals, meetings…I have been crazy busy…tum bataoo tum yahan?
Nadia:mere husband yahan Children specialist hai..i just came to say Hi to him..heyyy…she spots Aakash eating food..yaar Sachuuu..tu toh bada chupa rustam nikla
Sachin: matlab?
Nadia:matlab yeh ki…..8 saal tak kisiko pata nahi lagne diya….tumhari shaadi ho gayi….ek handsome beta bhi hai…whattttt? Where is your wife? Milwaaoge nahi mujhe…
Sachin:shaadi? Aur meri? No ways…main jaisa hoon bilkul theekh hoon..
Nadia (confused):Phir yeh bacha?
Sachin: yeh mera beta nahi hai..mere ek friend ka beta hai…
Nadia (shocked):Ohhh…I am soo sorry….but yaar isse dekhke koi andhaa bhi bolegaa…yeh tumhara beta hai…so much resemblance..tumhe yaad hai..hamare school ka who dance…tumne aise hi kapde pehne the..aur bilkul aise hi dikhte the….mere paas puraani photo bhi hai..
Sachin:tum bilku nahi badli…poori ki poori paagal ho
Nadia:haan..woh toh hai..acha listen…mujhe ab jaana hoga…here is my card..she hands it…you should come to my house sometime for lunch...Feroze, my husband will love to meet you…Bye….meet you soon..
Sachin bids bye to his friend Nadia. He looks at Aakash, he has the same eyes as him, he feels. He shakes off that feeling and holds Aakash's hand to leave the cafeteria.
Purvi watches them walking towards her. She has a smile even though she is in a difficult situation right now.
Purvi (smile, mind):kitna khoobsurat lag raha hai…Aakash apne papa ka haath thaam kar chal raha hai…she feels sad….lekin yeh kabhi sach nahi ho sakta…main aisa nahi hone doongi…Sachin Joshi ka ehsaan mujhe jaldi chukaana hoga…magar kaise?
Sachin: Aabha ki koi khabar?
Purvi (nodding head as no):Nahi…bass prarthna kar rahi hoon…sab theekh ho...she resumes praying for her kid.
3-4 hours later….
Doctor:Ms Purviii….
Purvi (opening eyes, scared):Yes doctor..Aabha theekh hai naa?
Doctor: Congratulations! The transplant is successful…Aabha is fine..
Purvi clasps her hands tightly to thank God. The doctor leaves the place. Aakash hugs Purvi.
Purvi (hugging him tight): Sunaa tumne Aakash..Aabha theekh hai..thank God…who theekh hai..
Aakash:who theekh hogi hi naa…aapne fast jo kiya hai…aur aapke saath Sachin uncle ne bhi
Purvi leaves Aakash and looks at Sachin.
Purvi (shocked): aapne Aabha..Aabha ke liye fast rakha hai?
Sachin: woh…Aakash ne fast rakha hua tha…who itna chota hai..toh mujhse raha nahi gaya…isliye uske badle fast rakh liya….tumne toh shayad kal se kuch khaaya nahi hai..
Purvi:ek baar Aabha ko dekh loon..usse baat kar loon..phir dekhti hoon..waise..Thank you..magar aapko yeh karne ki zaroorat nahi thi..
Sachin: haan zaroorat toh nahi thi…magar ab kar liya hai….main bhi Aabha ko dekhke hi apna fast todoonga..
They all wait till Aabha is shifted to a room.
Aabha (weak): Mummmy…
Purvi:man yahan hoon Aabha….shhhhh..tumhe aaram karna hai bahut
Aabha (cry voice): bahut dukh raha hai….
The nurse injects painkiller and Aabha sleeps again.
Kaaki:Purvi…jaaa tu kuch khaa le…teri aankhen dekh…neend aur bhookh dono nahi hai…main hoon naa yahan..tu jaa kuch khaale
Purvi: nahi Kaaki…mann nahi karta
Sachin: Purvi chalo naa….maine kabhi fast rakha nahi hai..mujhhe toh bhook lagi hai…magar mujhe akele khaana pasand nahi..please..
Purvi:magar
Sachin:tum khaana nahi..bas mujhe company de doo…he winks at Kaaki slyly.
Kaaki:haan…yeh theekh keh rahe hai..thoda baahar chalke aayegi..acha lagega..jaa..main hoon naa..
Purvi accompanies Sachin out of the room to the cafeteria. She washes her face to feel better.
Sachin has ordered teas for both of them. She takes a sip of tea and feels really good.
Purvi (smile): Thank you so much Mr Sachin Joshi..main jitni baar bhi thank you boloon shayad kam hi hai…main..main aapke paise jaldi chukaa doongi..i promise..
Sachin:mujhe koi jaldi nahi hai..
Purvi (mind):Magar mujhe jaldi hai..jitni jaldi tum mere bacho ki zindagi se door ho jaoo..utna acha hai mere liye..
Sachin (mind):aaj Aakash ke saath waqt bitake pata nahi kyun…mann kar raha hai aur inn bachon ke saath time spend karoon..
Later, Doctor cabin
Doctor: Ms Purvi….Aabha ka transplant successful raha….1 hafte me who discharge bhi ho jaayegi..lekin..
Purvi: lekin?
Doctor:Post operative care bahut zaroori hai…Aabha ko kam se kam 2 mahine tak full time care ki zaroorat hogi…kuch khaas sessions hai jo usse karne honge..ek special medical bed hai jo use karna hoga…yeh sab karne ke liye behtar hoga aap ek full time nurse rakh lijiye..iske alavva yeh saare tests karvaane honge…he hands a long list of tests to a shocked looking Purvi..
Purvi (worried): Doctor…iss sab ka kharcha kitna hoga?
Doctor: who aap office se pata kar lijiye…merri ek advise hai aapse…aap list dekhke yaa expenses dekhke peeche mat hatiye…yeh operation utna aasaan nahi tha…Aabha ke liye yeh nayi zindagi hai….operation ka success hona ek baat hai..magar post operative care utna hi zaroori hai..
Purvi goes to the hospital office and checks the approximate expenses. She looks at the estimated figure and sits with a thud on the nearest bench.
Purvi (worried, mind): Hey bhagwaan…itne saare paise…paise kahan se aayenge? Dawaaii, diet yeh sab toh maine jodaa hi nahi hai..she places her hands on her head..yeh sab mujhse nahi hoga…bilkul nahi hoga…she starts sobbing..
Aabha room
Aabha:Mummy…doctor ne kya kaha? main ice cream khaa sakti hoon?
Purvi: haan..magar itni jaldi nahi…1-2 mahine baad
Aakash: kya Aabha bhi abhi se Diwali me pataakhe jalaa sakti hai?
Purvi: haan Aakash..jalaa sakti hai..
The kids get excited and start planning for the future.
Purvi (tears, mind): kitne masoom hai yeh…choti choti ichayen hai inki…aur main…main who bhi poora nahi kar sakti..she wipes her tears and makes herself strong…Mr Sachin Joshi..aapka ehsaan bahut hua hum sab pe..ab aapko aapka farz nibhaana hoga…inn bacho ke baap hone ka farz….
So whatis Purvi thinking now? will she reveal to Sachin that he is the father of the twins! How will he react?
Thank you all for waiting patiently. I hope to be regular now. Keep reading :) Keep reviewing :)
Love you all :)