Chapter 26: Beasty Regrets

Arnav stood leaning on his SUV on a lonely road at that evening time. It was getting dark all too soon. Arnav stood there like a lost kid who did not know his way back to home!
He restlessly paced the road for few minutes. But his frustration and helplessness got the best of him. He kicked his car tyre so hard and he fell back as it repelled. He sat on the road by his car hugging his knees.
The words, cries from his past started ringing in his ears haunting him more. A picture of himself sitting in a dark room in a same position as now flashed in front of him.

SLASH.. SLAP..!

Aah! You are hurting me.. Leave me.. Leave us alone please.  You already have a family. Then Why are you doing this to us?.. (Lash)
Aah.. Stop hurting me!

His mother's pleadings and an evil rasp asking her to shut up and the sound of belt lashing started ringing in his head. Just like then he closed his eyes and shut his ears with his hands shaking his head to get rid of it. Silent tears made way down from his eyes.

Slowly the voice of his mother's pleadings changed to Khushi's. The images of that night flooded through his mind.  Arnav clenched his fist so tight that his nails started hurting his palms. The past and present collided in such a way that it exploded everything inside him. When he could not take anymore he stood up and yelled and screamed in that lonely road. Just like his childhood, there was no one to hear him again!

Arnav(with disgust): What have I done? I have behaved just like him! The man whom I despised all my life. The Monster who took away Maa and Anjali. I have done the very same to Khushi. I have taken away the sister of that boy and have separated her away from her family.
He gave a disgusted scoff to himself.

Arnav: After all I have his blood running in me. Why did I have to turn into a Monster.. a Beast to that one person whom I wanted to protect with my life and soul! WHY?!!

His voice echoed the same question back to him.  He hid his face in his palms and leaned his forehead on his SUV. Suddenly his mobile rang startling the Eerie silence. It was from Muskaan.

Arnav: Hello!

Muskaan: Bhai! Where are you? I asked you to wait here right?

Arnav: Muskaan, Tell me what it is.

Muskaan: Its about Khushi's surgery. They are waiting for you. And You irresponsible person..

Arnav(cutting in middle): I am coming!

Arnav understood the edge in her voice and knew that something was wrong.

Arjun's office...!

Arjun was packing his files and was about to leave when Raghuveer entered in.

Raghuveer: Ranawat!

Arjun: What?

Raghuveer: Just got information from our informer! About Khushi!
Arjun: And..?

Raghuveer: She is admitted in DMF! Where the Gupta's are already there!

Arjun: Holy Cow! There will be an explosion for sure.

Raghuveer: Late! It already happened. As per the informer, it is said that Khushi has some complication and seeing her family has resulted in something serious and now the world famous Ob-Gyn Dr. Sarah Grace Lisbon has been called to treat her!

Arjun: God! What is going to happen!

Raghuveer: Nothing bad. When are you planning to talk to Mr. Sachdev?

Arjun: I thought of tomorrow. But looks like its better to do it as soon as possible.

Raghuveer nodded and both left the place for some serious jobs.

Delhi Medical Foundation..! Outside Pre & Post Surgery Care Unit..!

Muskaan stood tensely looking at the doctor who was removing her sterile surgery clothes and changing into new one.

Muskaan: Dr. Lisbon! Are you sure there are no other chances? 

Sarah Lisbon: Muskaan! You are one of the best students I have ever taught in Foreign Exchange Programs for Ob-Gyn! Weigh the chances yourself. She has a chronic uterus because of which her birth canal is possible narrow and in worst case damaged. As she has been under stress and went unconscious that lead to C section, what are the possible chances than the one suggested?

Muskaan: But you said you are not very sure about the bleeding. You have not seen the patient yet!

Sarah: You know me well Muskaan! I am not one to give false hopes. And I don't believe in delaying a proper treatment to anyone in need. As far as I read the reports, I see only this way. And once I go inside and check her, I may not able to get the time to keep you people informed at every interval because it may be fatal to her. I rather prefer preparing you to anything worst and myself concentrating on doing best to save her.

SAVE HER?

They turned to see Arnav standing behind them with a pale face that turned more pale with every passing second.

Sarah: You are Mr. ?

Arnav: Arnav Singh Raizada! What is wrong with Khushi?

Sarah: What is your relation with the patient?

That was one question that threw Arnav off his balance! What was his relation with Khushi after all? Nothing At all! Calming himself down, he answered in his low voice.

Arnav: I am the baby's father!

Sarah gave him one look that made him burn then and there!

Sarah: Muskaan! Is she related to you too? Because I see you are not in the OT performing the procedure!

Muskaan(nodding): He is my brother!

Sarah: Khushi is married?

Muskaan hesitated and Arnav was not in state of answering anything. But Muskaan was a person who believed in "Never keep secrets from a Doctor".

Muskaan: No She is not Married Lisbon.

Sarah gave an exasperated sigh and head shake.

Sarah: Well then Muskaan.. Mr. Raizada! You people don't have any rights to know about the inner details about the patient's conditions. But Muskaan, being junior Gynac yourself you might have your guesses which may be true too. Mr. Raizada Are you aware of any of her immediate family so that I can take their consent before I proceed?

Arnav again stood dumbfounded at the question! From where will he bring Khushi's family who disowned her openly at this very same hospital.

Sarah: Mr. Raizada!

Arnav: uh.. No family.. She is all I have. What is wrong with her?

Arnav for once laid himself open for the doctor to see his vulnerable side. If anything happens to Khushi.. What will happen to him. Muskaan stood watching her very much in love brother trying to do one right thing for his love. But who said that the Life was Fair? and Love was more unfair than the Unfair Life!

Sarah: Ahh! I cannot discuss anything in detail. But being the baby's father, I am letting you know this much. I am at first going into PSCU to take an ultrasound of Khushi and if I find any anomaly, I will take her directly into surgery. Don't have high hopes. Just pray your deities for her well being!

Saying in one breath she wore her mask and went inside pushing the door open. She was so confident yet so detached making her a perfect doctor material and one of Muskaan's mentor and World's one of the best Ob-Gyn from Georgia.

Arnav stood there like a statue looking Sarah go in. He never believed in Almighty. For him there never was one.  If there was one, his mother and sister would never have died such a painful death. He would have not have turned into Beast. Heck!  He would not be standing here and Khushi would not be swinging between life and death!
But now he is now to pray! For Khushi! What right did he have to pray for her well being when she was there because of him in first place. A hand on his shoulder brought him back from his broodings.

Muskaan: Bhai!

Arnav: You called me and said it was about Khushi's surgery! What is it about? And who was that lady?

Muskaan: I will tell you. But first don't you want to know about the Baby?

Arnav shook his head and stared ahead at the OT door as if some magic would happen and Khushi would walk through the door calling 'Arnavji' in her angry voice with her hands on her hips.

Muskaan(shaking him): Bhai!

Arnav(coming back): Ha.. Haan!?

Muskaan: Don't you want to know about your baby?

Arnav(with determination): No! First tell me what is wrong with Khushi!

Muskaan sighed knowing Arnav's stubbornness and gave in.

Sachdev Villa..!

Sheetal: Rohan! listen to me. Why are you doing this?

Sheetal asked Rohan who was shrugging into his jacket and walking in long strides through the Living room while Sheetal caught up with him.

Rohan: I ain't doing anything. You are the one who wanted this child. So Well! Congratulations. But Don't try to impose that on me. I gave a fair warning about this well before.

Sheetal: Don't forget that this is your baby too Rohan!

Rohan: Sorry! Nope! I don't want to remember either. Now leave me. I have a dinner meeting.

Saying he moved out of the living room and then out of the door and soon his car zoomed out of the gate leaving behind a heartbroken Sheetal.
This conversation was not as private as they thought. Samrat Sachdev who was now wheelchair and otherwise bedridden due to his paralytic stroke heard everything as he was in a room in vicinity to the living room.

Silent tears made down his eyes. True that he never cared for his daughter. But the care and love Sheetal showered on him after his stroke has mellowed him down and made him see the broad daylight which was flashing in his eyes very brightly making him feel like a b*stard.
It made him realize the injustice he had done nearly 30 years ago. Now seeing his daughter suffer, he remembered the suffering of someone else and he was really ashamed of that now. This is what people called blindman's sight when people tend to realize their mistakes when in actual nothing can be done to make amends about it. Samrat too realized too late.

Slowly he pressed the button on his wheelchair with his working hand to move and reached living room where he saw his daughter sitting on one of the couches with her face in her hands. It did not take much to see that she was crying. With his babbling tongue, another result of his stroke, he called for his daughter.

Samrat: Sheetal!

Sheetal turned her face to wipe away her tears and smiling ran to her father and took control of his wheelchair.

Sheetal: You wanted something dad? You had dinner already. Its not yet time for medicines and I did fill in your water jug.

Samrat(with difficulty): Sorry.. For.. all

Again tears clouded Sheetal's vision. When people said that when god shuts one door, he also opens another one, she never gave it a thought. But she saw it coming real in her own life. When her husband started ignoring her, her father started respecting her like she always wanted him too.

Sheetal: Chodiye Dad! Why did you come here first?

Samrat: Rohan..

Sheetal(covering up): He has gone for a dinner meeting dad..

Before anyone could say anything they saw someone approaching them and Sheetal turned to see who was it.

Sheetal: Arjun Bhai!

Her smile halted seeing his working associate behind him and their professional demeanor. Samrat managed to get a look at them too. Arjun instead of giving a hug to Sheetal as usual, Arjun's eyes were pinpointed on Samrat.

Arjun: Mr. Sachdev! There is something important we need to talk. You do have rights to have your advocate by your side if you like.

Sheetal(shocked): Bhai?

Samrat: We.. can.. talk.. in.. my room.. Sheetal.. Call.. Advocate.. Sharma.
There in DMF, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit..

Muskaan stood with a nurse asking about the baby and its lungs and other health while Arnav was sitting outside the OT looking at the door with a blank face.

To be continued.

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