PART 17
Radha turns. It's Dadaji. In Mumbai? What is going on? Anyway she is glad to see him. Her uncles are bullying them. Dadaji continues, "You may think that we are Radha's in laws but we consider Radha to be our daughter. Therefore her sister is also our daughter and she will make her home with us for as long as she needs to.
Bullies are cowards and as soon as Radha's uncles find themselves challenged they back off. Wow, they think - the whole family seems to have turned up. It is best to leave quietly. There is no telling what this old man might do to them. On the way out, they call someone and say the plan has been a failure and they are leaving Mumbai. Sankarnath has turned up with his whole family and Radha is not showing any signs of breaking down.
Radha runs into the arms of Sadhna and sobs. "No Radha beti. You have to be strong for your mother and sister." Radha turns on hearing Dadibua's voice. "Dadibuaji, you travelled all the way from Mathura?" ask Radha. "Of course. These people think I am old and worn out. I was determined to come with them to see you and so I insisted. LD comes forward to take Dadibua's blessing. Radha sobs and says "LD..." LD turns and thinks what has happened to Radha. She doesn't sob like this. In fact he has seen her sobbing only once - the day she bumped into the chair in his room and was in pain. He hopes she is not falling sick. Radha says, "Thank you so much, LD". "Thank you for what?" asks LD. Something is definitely wrong with Radha. "Thank you for loving me. Thank you for not letting me go even though I hated you for it. Thank you for giving me this beautiful family. Thank you for being by my side the way no one has been before." LD says, "Sorry, I did not fall in love with you. The Radha I loved was brave and boldly taking whatever life threw at her. This weepy person is not the girl I fell in love with. Now stop crying before I register a missing person report." Radha smiles.
The nurse comes in and reminds them that this is a hospital. Govind and Dadaji go to see Sudhakhar. They come back and say they will go to the flat. Sadhna suggests that Rupa also goes with them. It is not nice for a child to be in the hospital like this. Rupa goes with them. LD asks Radha if she can manage on her own. He needs to start making security arrangements for Mr Khanna since he is taking over the security operations from the first of next month - less than a week away.
The Chaturvedies go down the corridor. A doctor is talking to a small boy. He straightens up and Dadaji recognises him as the obnoxious doctor who gave him a check-up the last time he came to Mumbai. The doctor says "Bapuji?" Dadaji is surprised. That doctor did not speak in Hindi. "Bapuji, it's me. After you spoke to me, I did a lot of soul searching. I realised that somewhere in life's journey I had taken a wrong path. I left that corporate hospital and joined this mission hospital. Now I have a sense of fulfilment that I did not have before." He notices Dadibua in the wheelchair. He wants to know how she ended up in the wheelchair. She had a fall some years ago and damaged her nerves. The doctors at Mathura could not do anything for her.
Dr Malhotra asks if he can examine her. Dadibua is hesitant. So many doctors had raised her hopes and then let her down. She has got used to a routine in the wheel chair. Her brother thinks otherwise. He was responsible for her fall and still feels guilty about it.
The doctor examines her and says that there is a procedure that he can do that he feels will give Dadibua the use of her legs again but intensive physiotherapy needs to be done after the procedure. Will they be staying in Mumbai for at least two months? Dadaji says yes. He will stay in the city for ever if it means his choti can walk again. Dr Malhotra says he will fix up the appointment and contact them. The family returns to the flat.
A tired LD reaches the hospital. He has made most of the arrangements for the new assignment and he just needs to fine tune them. He will do that over the next week. Mamaji has arrived. Suhasini says that the doctors have arranged for Sudhakhar to travel on the same flight as them and so she is not anxious about travelling. They will be leaving in the morning. She thanks LD for taking care of Radha and Rupa. LD takes Radha home. She needs to pack a suitcase for Suhasini. They go to the Chatruvedi flat where they hear the good news about Dadibua having a chance to walk. Sadhna says she is cooking dinner for all of them and so after packing for Suhasini, they should come back here and have dinner. LD gets Rupa and they go to the Pathak flat.
Radha starts packing while LD sits with Rupa and they work on her homework. Radha smiles. Rupa is her sister but it is LD who has taken up the role of being a parent to her. Radha finishes packing and sees that Rupa has finished her homework. They go across to the Chatruvedi flat for dinner.
Radha gets a call from Rukmani...