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Chapter 103

rulama

@rulama

[MEMBERSONLY]
[NOCOPY]

(Thanx a million, Naughtymallu!)

FINDING KHUSHI

Part 24

Ganesh ran up the last flight of steps to reach the waiting room of the critical care unit, water still dripping from his hair from the shower he had been taking when Anamika had called him.

His anxious eyes fell on the still figure of Anamika, sitting alone, patiently, waiting for news about Gaurav's condition.

White tunic and a pair of dark trousers. Hair in a neat ponytail. Nothing on her face betrayed worry. No sign of nervousness could be detectedin her still figure. No one would think that she had her son in the room fighting for his life. Only he had an inkling of the world of pain she was containing within her body.

He walked up to her on silent but fast feet, and stood by her.

Anamika looked up.

For the first time in the 20 years they had known each other, Anamika threw her arms around his waist and buried her face against his stomach.

He stood shocked for a moment, and then slowly lifted his beefy arms and put them around her, gathering her closer to his warmth. The fingers of one hand cupped her head, gently patting her head.

After a few moments, Anamika moved away from him, no evidence of self-consciousness on her face.

He stared at her, seeing the marks of devastation on her face and the hint of tears in her eyes. He felt helplessness rage through him like a forest fire.

Anamika slowly lifted her hand, curled her fingers into his, and tugged at them to make him sit by her.

Ganesh dropped into the seat by her.

Anamika tightened her hold on his fingers, and pulled his hand over to her lap, holding it in both of her hands.

"How... how is he?", Ganesh asked, his voice sounding as though it did not belong to him.

"The doctors are trying to stabilise him. Find out the extent of the damage.", Anamika whispered, tightening her hold on his fingers.

"How...?"

"He was crossing the road to order flowers & gifts for Koel. It is her birthday tomorrow.", Anamika swallowed. "A car ran the traffic lights and... The driver was drunk..."

Ganesh engulfed her fingers with his.

A doctor came out. "Gaurav Mathur's family?", he asked.

Anamika & Ganesh stood up. Ganesh held her hand tighter.

"He is asking for his Mama & Papa.", the doctor said. "I will talk to you after you meet him."

Ganesh & Anamika walked into the room together, and felt their hearts sink. Gaurav lay in the midst of many machines attached to him, his face pale where it was not bruised.

As they watched, he opened his eyes.

"Mama! Ganesh Uncle!", he whispered, trying to smile.

Anamika tried very hard to smile, but all Ganesh could say was "Gaurav!"

They moved closer to the bed.

Anamika cupped his face gently. "Does it hurt?", she whispered.

"No.", Gaurav smiled. "I am fine."

Ganesh touched his fingers gently. Gaurav clasped his.

The nurse said, "Please meet the doctor now."

Anamika looked at Ganesh. Then she dropped a kiss on Gaurav's forehead, and stood up.

Gaurav said, "Ganesh Uncle, remember what I said. At school."

Ganesh nodded, his eyes red.

"Promise?", Gaurav asked.

Ganesh nodded. "Promise."

Anamika & Ganesh sat outside the operation theatre in silence, praying for Gaurav's recovery. Night fell like a cloak, and the bright lights of the hallway made Anamika & Ganesh look like zombies. The over-powering smell of the disinfectant, the nurses working silently, the worried relations of patients pacing the corridors...

Ganesh held Anamika's hand.

"What did he make you promise?", Anamika asked, leaning back in the uncomfortable seat.

"That I would look after you, never leave you alone... if something happened to him.", Ganesh whispered.

Anamika swallowed.

"When?"

"When he was in boarding school. Eighth standard.", Ganesh was equally direct.

"You used to visit him every weekend.", Anamika stated softly.

Ganesh nodded. "Principal Mohan Sharma is my friend.", he said simply. "You knew...?"

"When I called him, it was all about the football match you watched together, the meal you had together, the movie you watched together, the chess game, the shopping, the video games, the books you purchased together, the biking lessons you had given him...", Anamika smiled wryly.

Ganesh looked at her, disturbed. "I.. I should have told you..."

Anamika shook her head. "He was safe with you. Very happy with you. That was all that mattered to me. And... and he was lucky to have you. I was always scared...", she paused.

Ganesh looked enquiringly at her.

"Growing up without a father... I was scared..." Anamika looked down at their clasped hands.

"Who is Gaurav's father, Anamika?", Ganesh asked gently.

Her face paled further if that was possible. She tried to free her hands from his, but he held on firmly.

"I don't know who he is.", she said simply. She tried to withdraw from him, but he held on.

"It doesn't matter, Anamika.", Ganesh soothed her. "Nothing matters as long as he is healthy and safe."

The doctor came out at the end of the surgery. "His arm and leg have been set. There is, luckily, no internal injury. We are going to shift him to the post-op. Let him rest. You can see him in the morning when he wakes up."

Anamika almost collapsed in relief, but Ganesh's arm came around her to hold her up.

"Thank you, doctor.", she whispered.

"Why don't you and your husband get some rest? Gaurav will be sleeping all night anyway.", the doctor asked.

Anamika looked at Ganesh.

Ganesh nodded at the doctor.

They sat in silence for long.

Then Anamika spoke, her whisper sounding loud in the still air.

"Babuji died when I was eighteen. It was just Amma and me. She had asthma. Used to have bad attacks. One evening, she began wheezing badly. I went out to buy a new inhaler..."

Ganesh looked at her, his kind eyes resting on her face.

"I was gangraped.", she said.

Ganesh felt his heart stop.

"I woke up in the hospital. It took 2 weeks...", she paused. "Amma could not take it. She.. she died... I couldn't even get out of bed to attend her funeral..."

Ganesh looked at her tearless eyes and rigid face with tears in his eyes.

"We had a house and some land in Kanpur. I couldn't stay there anymore. People were hounding me, their curious eyes following me... I didn't know who the men were. So there was no use filing a case... I sold everything at the price I got, and came to Delhi."

Ganesh put his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her closer to him. Her head fell against his wide, muscled shoulder, and lay there.

"I registered for a fashion designing course, found a room to stay, battled my demons day & night... And then I found out that I was pregnant." Her voice was totally free of self-pity.

Ganesh tightened his hold around her, pressing his lips against her hair.

They sat silent, taking comfort from each other.

Then Anamika said softly, "Remember the first time we met?"

Ganesh nodded. "You came to my studio for a shoot."

"Gaurav was one. I needed the money. His day care. My fees, our rent, food... I was hired as a model, and told to go to you for the shoot. I was so scared...", Anamika confessed.

Ganesh looked at her, regret in his eyes. "And I knew nothing about you..."

Anamika smiled. "You spoke little, but were so kind. I used to make sure that I stayed away from men of all ages... but with you.. I.. I didn't feel threatened."

Ganesh looked at her.

"You never touched the models. You never shot without Sana or Vinni assisting you. You used to send me home in your car if the shoot went on for too long. And make Sana or Vinni accompany me.", Anamika said. "I felt safe."

Ganesh swallowed his pain.

"What you did out of your good heart and human decency meant the world to me..."

"I never knew...", Ganesh shook his head.

Anamika shook her head in agreement.

"I didn't want anyone to know... And you got me projects. Many of them. I knew that you had recommended me for most of the work I got.", she said.

"You were good. The best model I had worked with. So natural... and so professional.", Ganesh said. "It was a shock when you brought Gaurav to the studio with you."

Anamika smiled. "He was three. His sitter couldn't make it that day."

Ganesh smiled. "He was so naughty. So sweet..."

Both of them smiled at their shared memories.

"When did he start calling you Papa?", Anamika asked.

Ganesh looked at her for a moment. Then he said, "At boarding school. Kids asked him about his father, about me visiting him every weekend..."

She nodded. "Did you mind?"

Ganesh shook his head. "He asked me if he could call me 'Papa'. I... I wasn't sure if you would like it. So I didn't reply."

"But he read your reply in your silence.", Anamika smiled wryly.

"How did you find out?", Ganesh asked, a small smile on his lips.

"Gaurav is bad at dissembling. In a sentence, if he refers to you 4 times, he calls you 'Ganesh Uncle' two times and 'Papa' two times.", Anamika said, her voice dry.

Ganesh had to smile.

"Your hair is still wet.", Anamika touched the tip of his shaggy locks. "Did I call you when you were in the shower?"

Ganesh nodded, smiling.

"And your shirt! See how you have buttoned it!", Anamika sighed.

Ganesh looked down at himself.

The buttons were in the wrong buttonholes.

"I... I don't remember what I did... when you called... I dragged on the first thing...", Ganesh felt his voice vanish as Anamika leaned towards him and began to unbutton his shirt.

He watched with shocked, fascinated eyes as she pushed the buttons into the right holes.

"No wonder you get along well with Gaurav.", she said. "Both of you are still kids."

Part 23 : 82170264 Part 25 Section1: 82423743

rulama2013-05-17 07:25:47