Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters and places mentioned. All the places are fictional and any resemblance is a mere coincidence.
The medications started, but it came with side-effects. Daya's speech was now more slurred and broken than before while he was having great difficulty in swallowing. Eating liquid food and drinking water had also become difficult for him. Movements were also creating problems for him. Mostly he was confined to bed.
Disha forwarded another spoon filled with soft-liquidy rice: lo beta kha lo…
Daya denied it: nahi…
Disha insisted: thora sa or kha lo beta… usky baad tumhy sara din kuch nahi khana hai test k liye…
Daya shook his trembling head: uhun… na…hi… khaya… ja… ta…
Disha gave him a sad look, she settled him on the bed properly and came out of his room…
She remembered the time when her boy was so fond of food.
"Ohoo… aj to biryani bani hai… maza aye ga khanay ka…"
"kya Mumma aj apny meri pasand ki aik bhi cheez nahi banayi… Sarra khana bhai k kehny pr bna diya… maine koi nahi khani yeh salads, mjhe to Alu k parathy bna k do…"
"wahh… kya khana bnaya hai ajj Mumma ny… (putting more in his plate) aj to mazzy sy khaun ga mai… (also put a spoonful of gravy in Abhijeet's plate) lo Abhi tum bhi khao… bht tasty hai…"
"mai… nai… kani kichi… eww… dandi oti hai… (Daya cried while speaking in his baby tone) mai theet hun… bulgel thaun da…"
She wiped her lone tear and got busy in her routine work.
Abhijeet came back home at 3 o'clock. Disha came to him with a glass of water. He thanked her through his eyes and took the water silently.
After drinking water, he asked his mother: sb kuch ready hai na?
Disha took back the glass: hmmm… sb ready hai…
Abhijeet nodded: theek hai… Rahul keh raha tha k aj raat hospital mai hi rukna pary ga…
Disha sighed: haan maloom hai… maine zaoorat ka sara saman rakh liya hai… mai raat ko hospital rukungi… (sternly) akeli…
Abhijeet protested: Maa mai bhi rukun ga na…
Disha strictly: nahi… tum ghar ao gy or aa k araam karo gy or subah bureau jao gy…
Abhijeet argued: mai manage kr lun ga na…
Disha in same strictness: Jeet, try to be rational… is tarhan krny sy aapky liye hi problem bary gi… you have to be alert for your job… is tarhan araam na krny sy aap bhi beemar ho jao gy…
Abhijeet was again going to say something but Disha interrupted: Jeet please mjhe itna pareshaan mt karo… (teary tone) mai wesy hi aik bety ko ly k pareshan hun… tum kya chahty ho? k tumhy iss tarhan apni sehat neglect krty dekh k mai chup rahun or pareshan na hun… to yeh possible nahi hai… (she passed the final verdict) raat ko hospital main mai akeli hi rukun gi… (to decrease his restlessness) tum subah tyar ho k breakfast ly k aa jana… wesy bhi dopehar tk to discharge bhi ho jaye ga…
Abhijeet agreed: theek hai… jesa aap kahain… (as comfort gesture he patted the shoulder of Disha) or aap please pareshan na hon… jald hi sb theek ho jaye ga…
Disha just nodded. She was always praying just for one thing that everything gets alright soon.
Abhijeet was sitting beside Daya, weaving in his hair. He was lost in his thoughts when felt a loose trembling grip on his hand.
Daya was looking at him and spoke in his distinct tone: Ab… ii… tum… da…ro… na…ii… (Abhijeet looked at him in pain) Ra… ul ba… iiya… ny kaha… hai na k wo… mj…ee… bil… kul… teek… kr dai… gy…
Abhijeet caressed his hair with a nod: hmmm… Rahul tmhy bilkul theek kr dy ga… bilkul pehly jesa…
Daya gave him a small smile. His face had developed a distinct smiling feature due to facial dystonia.
Daya was admitted and prepared for the liver biopsy. Disha was inside the room with him while Abhijeet was sitting before Rahul.
Abhijeet in a serious tone: yaar koi problem to nahi hogi na… I mean yeh biopsy wagera… koi risk ki baat to nahi hai na…
Rahul tried to fully satisfy him: nahi yaar koi problem nahi hai… humny bs liver ka aik tissue lena hai sample k liye… aik chota sa cut ayega Daya ko wo bhi aik do din mai theek ho jaye ga… koi tension ki baat nahi hai… pareshan na ho…
Abhijeet sighed: hmmm… theek hai…
Rahul asked him after seeing him in some kind of constant thought: yeh kahan khoya rehta hai tu aj kl?
Abhijeet spoke in his own thoughts: kahin nahi bs yeh sochta hun k waqai zindagi kesy ail lamhe mai kya sy kya ho jaati hai… Insan kya sochta hai, kya chahta hai koi faraq nahi parta… (looked at him) Insaan ko to yeh bhi nahi maloom k agly minute usky sath kya hony wala hai… I just wonder how unpredictable life really is…
Rahul nodded and agreed with him: tum bilkul theek keh rhy ho… hummy agly pal ki khaber nahi hoti or plans retirement tk k banaty hain… This is what life is…
Abhijeet: humny kabhi sapny mai bhi nahi socha tha k kabhi yeh din bhi dekhain gy hum…
Rahul just consoled him; he also did not expect anything like that to happen: socha to maine bhi nahi tha… (he released a cold sigh) khair waqt to badla nahi jaa skta hai… acha yeh batao k iss tarhan bureau sy chutiyan leny mai koi problem to nahi hai na…
Abhijeet shook his head in no: nahi mai manage kr raha hun sb sath… sir sy bhi baat ki thi… unhony bhi kaha hai k koi problem nahi hai mai emergencies mai off ly skta hun… kl bhi dopehar tk ka time liya hai sir sy… Daya or Maa ko ghar chor k phir jaun ga bureau…
Rahul nodded: chalo aa jao time ho gaya hai…
Abhijeet, Disha and Rahul are standing outside the operation room.
Abhijeet in worry: Rahul tu kyun nahi gaya sath ander…
Rahul tried to calm him: relax Jeet… ander expert doctors hain jo din dasion dafa yeh test krty hain… no need to worry…
Abhijeet in tension started strolling in the corridor. Disha was sitting on the steel bench with closed eyes and praying lips.
The doctor came outside: He is fine… abhi behosh hai… aik ghanty tk uth jaye ga…
Everyone released their stopped sighs.
Rahul: Report parson subah tk aa jaye gi, sath hi blood tests ki bhi reports aa jayein gi…
Disha in heart prayed for the wellbeing of his elder son too. She was in the constant scare of her elder son being in the same condition his little boy is suffering from.
Daya was fine after he woke up. He had a little pain and discomfort on his right side where the biopsy site lies.
Late at night, Daya slept as he was feeling pain on the incision site so the doctor gave him the pain killer. Abhijeet and Disha were sitting on the couches present there. Disha forced Abhijeet to go back: jao ghar jao or thora rest kr lo…
Abhijeet again tried to convince her in allowing him to stay: Maa theek hai na… mai rukta hun…
Disha sighed and again spoke in a strict tone: Jeet dus min baad agar tum mjhe yahan nazar aye na to acha nahi hoga… (in a soft tone) beta ghar jao thora fresh ho k rest kr lo, subah aa jana… wesy bhi Daya to so hi raha hai na…
Abhijeet couldn't shrug off her soft tone so he agreed.
He approached Daya and softly pecked his forehead with love.
He faced Disha: Maa agar kuch bhi problem ho to mjhe call kr dena…
Disha nodded: aap bilkul tension-free ho k jao…
In the early morning, Abhijeet entered the hospital room. He got worried; Rahul was seeing the thermometer while Disha was pressing Daya's head.
Abhijeet hurried to Daya's side: kya hua? (he put his hand on Daya's head. Daya opened his eyes feeling Abhijeet's hand upon his forehead) issy to bukhar hai… (to Disha) apny bataya bhi nhi…
Disha tried to relax him: beta kuch nahi hua hai… relax…
Daya: Bh…aai… aa gaye… (pain-filled expressions) da…rd ho… raha… bh..t…
Abhijeet looked at Rahul; Rahul answered his question: tension ki koi baat nahi hai… halka sa fever hai… medicine k side-effects or dard ki wajah sy ho gaya hai… maine medicine di hai theek ho jaye ga…
Abhijeet looked at Daya's face; his face was pale and scrunched in pain: kya hua bach'chy…
Daya in pain spoke with difficulty: Sa…r biii… da…rd krraaa… aaiii…
Disha gave Abhijeet space beside Daya: Abhi theek ho jaye ga… mai aa gaya hun na…
Daya tried to nod his trembling head but stopped with a moan: aahhhh…
Abhijeet gave a worried look to Daya; which Rahul noticed: migraine trigger ho gaya hai fever sy… maine injection dy diya hai abhi thori dair mai theek ho jaye ga…
Abhijeet silently started pressing his head in worry. After sometime Daya's pain got less so he slept.
Abhijeet asked Rahul: kya Daya ko discharge mil skkta hai ab bhi?
Rahul nodded: haan… kuch bhi serious nahi hai… dopehar tk or theek ho jaye ga to ly jana ghar…
Abhijeet nodded and turned his attention to Disha: Maa phir mai bureau jaa raha hun… lunch break mai aa jaun ga or aap logon ko drop kr dunga ghar…
Disha agreed: haan theek hai tum jao… mai hun yahan
Abhijeet in slight anger: raat ko bhi aapny yahi kaha tha… pr subah jb mai aya to pata chala k raat sy Daya bukhar maitap raha hai…
Disha: beta subah to tuny ana hi tha na… mai kya tjhy bhi pareshan krti…
Abhijeet: saari raat mai yahi sochta raha k pata nahi Daya theek hoga k nahi… aapny to mjhe aik phone bhi nahi kiya…
Disha: Acha baba… sorry… ab theek hai… ainda sbsy pehly tjhe call karun gi… theek…
Abhijeet: haan g theek… (took his phone and file from the centre table which he put on it after coming to the hospital) mai jaa raha hun… lunchtime mai aun ga…
Abhijeet came back at 1 pm and found Daya sitting on his bed drinking water from Disha's hands.
Abhijeet: or champ ab theek ho?
Daya gave a small smile: hmmm…
Abhijeet also smiled seeing him smile. After discharge, Abhijeet dropped them at home and went to the bureau at 4 pm after having lunch with them.
"How complicated and unpredictable the machinery of life is."
A/N:
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