"Hello"
"Haan Aanchal, boliye na"
"Abhi kaisi tabiyat hai?"
"Bukhar down hai, par utra nahi hai, weakness bahut hai abhi"
"Oh!woh ek baat poochni thi, sach sach bataiyega" Aanchal was hesitant
"Aapse jhooth kyun bolunga main?"
They both smiled over the phone
"Aapko dikkat hogi main wahan aaungi toh, meri wajah se shift hona padega?"
"Aanchal,pehli baat toh ye ki ye idea mera tha..aur doosri aur sabse important baat ye hai ki, iss waqt it's all about Arjun!
Woh mere liye sab kuch hai..mera Dost, mera Bhai, meri family infact meri puri duniya usi se shuru hoti hai aur usi par khatam ho jaati hai.
Iss duniya me mera uske alawa aur koi nahi hai!"
Raghav got emotional.
Aanchal though too had the same emotions..but could she say it aloud?
She didn't know!
"Main aadhe ghante me aa jaoongi."
"Mujhe intezaar rahega...Matlab main wait karta hoon!" Raghav was ecstatic but did mentally whacked himself later!
As Aanchal came over, Raghav went out for the day. Arjun today was extremely weak and tired, he would barely be able to open his eyes throughout the day.
Aanchal took a lot of care and was around all the time.
In the evening, as it was getting dark
Arjun asked her to leave soon.
"Main theek hoon, tu jaa...der ho rahi hai" He breathed heavy and was still very uneasy
"Kahin nahi jaa rahi main, chalo aaram karo" And kept on patting his head. Arjun dozed off again.
Raghav instructed her about locking the house and said "kuch bhi lage..koi bhi time ho..bas ek phone karna...saamne hoon main" and pointed towards their office building
As he left, she kept on sitting by Arjun's bedside and kept on caressing his hair. He was still feverish. Arjun in his sleep turned over and kept his head on her lap and circled his hand around her waist.
Aanchal teared up badly, she remembered her childhood when she wouldn't sleep until she clung to Arjun!
"Idhar aao" The 6 year old smiled and opened her arms and called her brother
"Kya hai?" Knowing fully well, what his little one was up to now
"Godi le lo...le lo peease" and gave the sweetest smile possible
"Abhi sone ka time hai na" the elder one pinched her nose
"Haan to main godi me so jaungi na" she tried convincing him and he melted like every night!
She wouldn't sleep until he carried her around in his arms. As she clung onto him and rested her head on his shoulders "ab so jao chalo" Arjun told her only to hear the reply "Pyaari bhi nahi kiya" Pihu spoke with a pout!
Arjun smiled, kissed Pihu forehead and pinched her cheeks "Goodnight Pihu"
Today years later as he lay in her lap, Pihu held his hands, fondled his cheeks and kissed his forehead and said "Goodnight"
How much she missed him when she was in Orphanage and how for years together, she would wear his shirt and hug herself to sleep!
How much she had missed him through the years!
And today while a part of her mind did tell her to ensure and maintain a distance, she didn't have the heart to either remove his hand or head!
She finally too hugged him and tugged him closer.
She kept on sobbing quietly and caressing him! She loved him too much, he was all she ever had!
Why did he have to leave her??
Was she so much of a trouble??
Why did she went through all these years of abuse??
She always refrained from sharing her past...it was too harsh and couldn't be undone!!
She kept on sobbing and dozed off sitting while Arjun slept peacefully in her lap!
As Arjun woke up from his deep slumber in the morning, he found himself draped in something other than his blanket....He looked at himself and then at the drape....he found himself cozily snuggled to Aanchal, for a moment he thought he was dreaming! As he tried getting up, Aanchal also got up.
She touched his face and forehead, there was no fever.
"Theek lag raha hai ab...Hmm?" She asked softly
Arjun still couldn't register, how come was she here? He couldn't believe it. She smiled sweetly and suddenly the door bell rang.
"Raghav honge...main aati hoon" As she got up "Woh ek minute!" and very carefully removed her dupatta entangled in his hand. Arjun was bewildered!
She was at home, in his room, he probably slept all night in her lap covered in her dupatta...."What is happening?? Where is Raghav?
Arjun was sure he was hallucinating until Raghav came in the room.
"Soya theek se? Abhi kaisa lag raha hai?? Bukhaar toh utar gaya hai"
"Kal poori raat aaram se soye, fever nahi aaya phir" Aanchal informed him
Raghav ruffled Arjun's hair...
"Main darr gaya tha" and he patted Arjun's cheeks
"Aap freshen up ho jao, main chai banati hoon"
Aanchal remarked and left
"Ye ho kya raha hai?" Arjun thought. He still couldn't comprehend a thing!
"Pihu yahan kya kar rahi hai?" He finally asked "Aur tu itni subah kahan gaya tha?"
Raghav informed him all about yesterday and then Pihu's subsequent decision of moving into their home. Arjun couldn't believe it for once! He was over the moon, although got upset when Raghav told him that he had shifted out. Arjun felt guilty!
As he settled Arjun for the day
"Ye le!" Raghav put a small bag besides him
"Ye kya hai?"
"Naya phone hai tere liye, purane wale ne accident me dum tod diya tha"
Arjun smiled and then saw the card reciept of a lac of rupees.
"iPhone khareeda tune?"
"Nahi apan android wale hai, iPhone kyun lunga?? Woh bhi tere liye..pagal hai kya? Samsung hai, wohi tera purana model..achhe discount me mila"
"Toh yeh 1 lakh rupay Reliance Digital me?? Kiska payment kiya??"
"AC kharida, TV liya...aur yeh phone bhi toh laya main tere liye..Thank you toh bol Kamine"
And Raghav started unplugging some wires
"Kyun par?" Arjun was shocked beyond measure "Itna kharcha karne ki kya zaroorat thi? Paise kahan se aaye?"
"Tere insurance se" Raghav replied casually
Arjun was stunned "Mere accident ke paise se tune TV or Fridge khareeda? Tujhe sharam nahi aayi?"
"Abe saale, tere hospital ka bill bhi maine hi bhara tha..toh ye insurance ka paise bhi main hi rakhoonga na!
Dekh Ajju, rishta bhai bhai ka..lekin hisaab pai pai ka...yaad hai na tujhe"
"Aur Fridge nahi, AC liya hai maine, 1.5 ton ka...main garmi me sou kya?"
"Tujhse bada kameena nahi dekha maine...ab yeh kya kar raha hai?"
"Bhai apni haalat dekh, zyada door chal phir sakta nahi hai, ek haath me plaster hai..aur PS me mujhse pehle kabhi nahi jeeta..toh ab toh bhool hi jaa...
Tu karega kya PS5 ka? Faltu ka bathe bethe timepaas...isse behtar hai kuch kaam kar.
Isiliye ise leja raha hoon, aur tera laptop le aaunga, chup chap kaam pe lag ab...bahut chutthi ho gayi teri"
"Meri tabiyat theek hoti toh tera mooh tod deta!"
"Gussa mat dila Meri Jaan, abhi newspaper pekh ke maarunga toh doosra haath bhi toot jayega"
Raghav grinned and kissed Arjun and walked out with the Playstation.
Arjun in his heart kept on grumbling!
Aanchal witnessing their banter was elated. She loved seeing them together.
"Woh aapka lunch maine office ki pantry me rakh diya hai" Aanchal told Raghav as he was leaving "Aur shaam ko aap dinner yahi kar lijiyega"
Raghav felt blissful, he really couldn't ask for anything more!
"Aapke haath ke khane ki itni aadat ho gayi hai na..ki ab darr lagne laga hai!" Raghav replied with his permanent sweet smile
"Darr...kyun... Main samjhi nahi?"
"Tumhare jaane ka darr...kahin tumhe kho na doon, ye darr...Main kisi keemat par ab apne se door nahi hone doonga tumhe..chahe jo jaaye...Kaise kahoon kitna pyar karta hoon tumse!" Raghav thought in his mind
"Aap kya keh rahe hai?" Aanchal asked again
"Ji woh main bahut zyada khana khata hoon...aap bana bana ke tang ho jayengi..gussa na ho jaaye..yahi darr lagta hai"
Raghav grinned and left!
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