Part 38 Disbelief

Arnav came downstairs. Khushi and Anjali were not there.

"HariPrakash..." Arnav called him.

HP rushed out of the kitchen.

"Bring Di"

"Jee..." HP went to Anjali's room to bring her.

"Nani, where is Khushi?"

Before Nani answered, Arnav saw Khushi coming from the kitchen, bringing hot water for Nani. Seeing Arnav, she thought about their confession and blushed with a smile. Arnav also smiled at her.

"See, she is here..." Nani said.

Khushi looked at Nani.

"Chotte was asking for you"

"I'm going to the hospital to bring Shyam... to tell you that only I searched for you," Arnav said.

Khushi nodded her head plainly.

They saw Anjali coming downstairs. She heard it.

"Di... I'm going to the hospital"

She said nothing.

"Akash is also getting ready," Manorama said.

At the same time, Akash and Payal came.

"Shall we?" Arnav asked.

Akash nodded ok. They were supposed to go but stopped hearing a calling bell sound. Akash opened the door and saw Shyam standing. Akash looked at Arnav contently.

"Sale Sahib, there is nothing to think much. I myself came..."

He walked in. Anjali looked at him perplexed.

"Rani Sahiba, nothing to worry... I'm alright" he smiled.

Anjali looked at Arnav.

"Didn't Sale Sahib tell you about my accident? I won't wonder if he didn't tell you. I know he will not let you be tensed"

"How are you Damadji?" Nani asked.

"I'm all right Naniji. Until Rani Sahiba's prayer is with me, nothing will happen to me. Am I right Rani Sahiba?"

Anjali smiled artificially.

"Rani Sahiba, are you all right?"

She nodded yes.

"I told you, nothing to be worried... I'm all right"

That was When Shyam saw Khushi and Payal. He frowned and looked at Anjali.

"Rani Sahiba, who are these girls?" He asked.

Arnav and Akash were not wondered. They expected that. Arnav came to Khushi and stood next to her.

"She is my wife..." Arnav said.

"Wife?" Shyam frowned.

Arnav nodded yes.

"And, she is Mrs. Akash"

"Whaaaaat?"

He looked at Anjali.

"What's all this, Rani Sahiba? When did they get married? Today? When I was in the hospital?"

"No... they got married two days ago"

"Whaaaat? Two days ago? Then how don't I know that?"

"It's because you have forgotten everything," Arnav said.

Shyam looked at him with a confused expression.

"Due to the accident, you have forgotten all the recent happenings"

"What are you talking?

"Yes, we don't know from when..." Arnav intentionally said that.

"I went to Lucknow to meet my Bua..."

"Your Bua passed away within a few months of your wedding"

"Whaat? Did my Bua pass away?" he asked shockingly.

Anjali nodded yes. Shyam's eyes brimmed. He sat on the couch with a thud. Tears flew through his eyes. He did exactly what he did when his Bua died but Anjali didn't. Arnav wondered. She stood silently without reacting to his sob. When his Bua died, Anjali was the one who cried more than Shyam, seeing him crying.

"Damadji... you have already cried a lot for her... you met with an accident. You need rest. Go to your room and be on rest" Nani said.

Shyam wiped his face and stood up.

"Did you finish the hospital formalities?" Arnav asked.

Shyam shrugged his shoulders.

"Did the hospital staff know you left the hospital?"

"By now they would have known..." he said casually.

"Why didn't you complete the formalities? Being a Lawyer, how could you be so careless?"

"I'm not careless, Sale Sahib. I don't think it's necessary. Do you think government hospital doctors would care for the patient who left the hospital?"

"They do... because your case is on record"

"It's not a big deal. I just walked out and they didn't even notice it..."

Arnav rolled his eyes.

"Anjali, take him to your room..." Nani said.

Anjali nodded and walked with him.

"Who are Arnav and Akash's wives, Rani Sahiba? From which family they are?"

"They are Guptas from Lucknow..."

Shyam stopped and looked at them.

"Lucknow? But, how did that happen? These girls look simple. No wonder Akash liked her but what about Sale Sahib? How did he marry a simple girl?" he asked looking at Arnav.

"We will talk about it later. Let's go" Anjali said and walked to their room.

Shyam sighed and followed her.

"What did the doctor say about his condition?" Nani asked.

"They didn't say anything hopefully..."

"Chotte, can't we treat him?"

"We can... with the help of a psychiatrist"

"Then do it, Chotte... he might have forgotten the recent happenings but basically, he is a thief... that means, it's his nature...right?"

Arnav nodded yes.

"Then why are you hesitating?"

"Psychiatric treatments would be hard, Nani..."

"So what? Every operation is also painful but it is needed to save lives... so is this treatment"

"Shall I proceed?"

"Definitely,"

"I found a good psychiatrist... I will talk to him"

"Do it without delay"

Arnav nodded ok. Taking his mobile, he dialed the psychiatrist's number.

"Naniji, may I give them juice?" Asked Khushi.

Arnav looked at her contently. It was not hard for him to understand what she was trying to do. So, he kept silent.

Nani nodded smiling.

She went to the kitchen and Payal followed her.

"Khushi, why are you going to their room? Is it necessary?"

"Let me check if he's lying or not"

"But how?"

"He may lie but his eyes... I know how he always looks at me"

"I think you are unnecessarily taking a risk"

"Letting him be with us without knowing his real self is the highest risk, Jeeji"

Payal sighed. She was not wrong. It was not safe to be under the same roof as a criminal. If he could steal his wife's jewelry, he would go to any extent.

Preparing orange juice, Khushi went to Anjali's room.

In the meanwhile,

"Rani Sahiba, are you all right?"

Anjali nodded yes.

"No... you are not. Don't I know you? You are disturbed... what's disturbing you, Rani Sahiba?"

"Nothing..." she said in a low tone.

"Rani Sahiba, do you think you could lie to me? Don't I know you? I met with an accident but you did not even ask me what happened. You are giving me the cold shoulder. What happened to you? Did I do anything wrong? Did I hurt you? please tell me but please don't be rigid towards me. Whom do I have other than you, Rani Sahiba? What would I do if you refused to talk to me? I'm not like you who has a big family and a brother who would fulfill all your wishes... I will be left like an orphan if you don't give heed to me"

Anjali was agitated. She didn't know what to do. She knew how sweet Shyam was when they got married. She didn't know if she should punish him for the mistake he was going to make after three years.

"I... I was shocked knowing about your accident... I don't know what to do..." she stammered.

"I too can't believe I forgot everything. I don't know what I did in the last three years. If I had done anything wrong... if I had hurt you in between, please forgive me... please don't let me do that again. I apologize to you even though I'm sure I would not have done anything like that because I know myself. I know my nature. Nothing could have changed me... nothing could have changed my LOVE for you because it's something I could not bring in words..." he kissed her forehead.

Anjali closed her eyes and a lonely tear slipped from her eyes.

That was when they heard an anklet sound. They sat apart. They saw Khushi coming with a juice tray. Anjali smiled at her.

"Come in, Khushiji..."

"Naniji asked me to give it to you, Anjaliji"

"It seems Raizada family got responsible daughter-in-law..." Shyam smiled taking a glass.

She smiled artificially.

"What's your father, Khushiji?" Shyam asked.

Khushi was stuck. Composing herself,

"He had a sweet shop in Lucknow"

"Oh... are you the daughter of a sweet shop owner...?" he asked excitedly.

She nodded yes plastering a smile.

"Rani Sahiba, it seems we will have Lucknow sweets in RM every day..."

Anjali nodded yes smiling. Khushi shrank her eyes as she was the one who taught him to make jalebi.

"You should miss your parents and you could not go to your mother's place as you belong to Lucknow"

Khushi was awed. Was not it Shyam who brought them to Delhi?

"No... they are in Delhi only," she said plainly.

"Is it? Yeah, they would have come to Delhi for your wedding... it's just two days since your wedding took place"

Khushi said nothing. She didn't want to answer him because she didn't think he forgot all this.

"Anjaliji, what do you want me to prepare for lunch?" Khushi asked.

"You don't have to do it, Khushiji... Let Hari Prakash prepare it. Don't take stress..."

"There is nothing called stress, Anjaiji..."

"Khushiji..." Shyam called.

She looked at him.

"Why are you calling her Anjaliji? She is your husband's sister... you can also call her Di... Rani Sahiba would also have accepted you as her sister by now... because she loves her brother so much. Am I right Rani Sahiba?"

Anjali nodded yes.

Khushi stood with an extreme level of confusion. Still, she could not believe Shyam had forgotten everything.

To be continued...

"By the way, Rani Sahiba, how did Sale Sahib's wedding happen?"