Finally posted the complete part...
PART 7C
Days passed by, samrat and gunjan did nothing but fight. Being away from their families, somewhere inside they had the satisfaction of having someone beside them. They had become each other's support during this time. Though they never showed but they did care for each other. Everything was going on fine until one fine day.
Samrat had an important file to complete because of which he returned home late. As he opened the apartment with his keys, he was welcomed by nothing but darkness. He was perplexed. It was merely 9:30 at night. Gunjan is usually awake at this hour. And she isn't she never switches off the light of the living room until he comes. He has been aware about her fear for darkness. Putting aside his thoughts he switched on the lights. He looked around for some signs of gunjan but she wasn't there. "Must be in her room" he thought.
Sighing he kept his laptop bag on the table and moved to kitchen to have some water. He looked towards her bedroom, the door was left ajar like always but the light were off. "Okay, now this is weird." He muttered.
He went near her bedroom door and just as he was about to knock, he heard muffled cries. Now worried he opened the door slowly and stepped inside. Complete darkness was so unlike gunjan. Going in the direction of the sound, he found gunjan curled up like a ball, with her knees pulled up to her chest, arms around her knees and her face dug in her knees. He felt miserable seeing her like that. He sat down beside her quietly. Keeping his hands on her shoulder, he whispered her name "Gunjan". She looked up at his voice. She looked so vulnerable. Her eyes red and swollen, her tear-stained face and her lips trembling. Seeing samrat, she hugged him tightly and started sobbing loudly. Hesitant at first, he hugged her and rubbed her back soothingly whispering sweet nothings. "Shh..Chasmish" he said rubbing her back. Finally when her sobs subsided, he moved her back and took her face in his hands. " What's the matter chasmish? What's wrong? Bolo kya hua?" He asked wiping her tears.
"Sam...rat...wo...pa..pa...st..ro..ke" she spoke in quivering voice and breaking into fresh sobs again. "Gunjan stop crying. Mujhe theekse batao kya hua? We can solve it together. Ok?" He asked patiently stroking her hair..."Wo papa ko he..art str...oke hua...he's in the hos..pi..tal." She said sniffing...Samrat was taken aback for a few minutes. Maintaining his calm he asked again " Shh..it's ok...tumne apni mom se baat ki? Kya kaha unhone?" He asked making her drink some water. " They all are in the hospital. Mere paas di ka phone aaya tha". " Chalo" he said getting up and pulling her along. "Kahan?" Gunjan asked confused. " We are going to get you to bangalore abhi. So pack your clothes quick. I ll get a cab to airport" he said walking towards the door.." Samrat" she called. He turned back. " Can you come along too" she asked hopefully. Samrat smiled looking at her "of course. Now hurry up" he said walking out.
"Maam, tea or coffee?" Asked the airhostess, but gunjan was lost in her own thoughts. The airhostess looked at samrat sitting beside her. He sighed and kept a hand on her shoulder. Startled she looked at him. " Tea or coffee?" He asked her. "Nothing" she replied in a monotone staring out of the window. "Coffee" he said looking at the airhostess who smiled back at him.. 'Cute couple' she thought.
Samrat kept the coffee on her table. "Chashmish have some coffee...you didn't have dinner too...Plus you need something to stay awake whole night." He said giving her the coffee. She took it without arguing. Samrat missed his "jhansi ki rani" who was always ready to fight with him. He despised this gunjan who was so quiet and depressed. Feeling something heavy on his shoulder, he glanced in that direction and found gunjan sleeping.. He smiled seeing her sleeping so peacefully...she deserved a peaceful sleep after so much crying and exhaustion. Sighing he kept his head on her head and dozed off..
As they reached Bangalore, gunjan quickly called her sister's mobile and informed her of her arrival. Inquiring about the hospital and other details, they both quickly took a cab to their destination. Gunjan was extremely anxious and was continuously playing with the hem of her T-shirt. Samrat saw this and kept his hand on hers. She looked at him and smiled in gratitude.
On reaching the hospital, they inquired the room on the reception and quickly headed towards the I.C.U. on the third floor. Upon reaching there, gunjan saw her mother on the farther end on the corridor sitting and shedding silent tears. She quickly rushed to her and took her in her arms.
"Shh..Mum..Everything's going to be fine..Dad is a strong person, he'll fight it..." she said soothing her mother and assuring herself. Samrat was amazed. Was this the same girl who had been crying since 5 hours? As he saw the mother-daughter crying in each other's arms, he went to the coffee machine and brought 2 cups of steaming coffee for the ladies.
As he came back, he saw another lady standing there. He assumed her to be gunjan's sister. He went forward and offered them the cups. When her mom looked up at him in confusion, gunjan spoke "Mum, he is samrat, my colleague and friend. He only brought me here when I was crying back at home." She said smiling up at him. He was surprised when gunjan spoke of him as her friend. Her mother smiled at him and whispered a small 'thank you', while Neharika (gunjan's sister) simply watched the duo.
"Arre aunty aap ro rahe ho" he handed gunjan the cups and sat beside her mum. "Yeh to sirf gunjan ka department hai" he said winking at gunjan while she simply rolled her eyes and her mother smiled at him. "You know what meri mom kehti hain ki jab bhi tum depressed ho na to aankh band karke us cheez ko yaad karna chahiye jisse tumhe sabse zyada khushi milti hai. Phir dekhna saari problems chhoti lagne lagti hain.." he said side-hugging her. She wiped her tears and smiled at him which he gladly returned.
"Aunty I think aapko ghar jaana chahiye. Aap thak gayi hongi. Main aur gunjan yahan ruk jaate hain raat ke liye" he said looking at Neharika and gayatri. "par beta" she said reluctantly. "It's okay aunty. We will manage. Aap rest karo aur kal subah aa jaana" he told her politely. "Haan mum aap jaao, I'll stay back alone. Samrat tum bhi jaao. You don't have to worry.." she said looking up at him. "I know I don't have to worry chashmish, but I am staying whether you like it or not." He said defensively, while she simply sighed. Nobody can beat samrat shergill. But she was glad that he was helping her so much. He indeed is an amazing friend.
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" Life is so unexpected" said gunjan staring into space. Samrat looked at her. Sighing he held her shoulders and turned her towards himself.
"Chashmish it's destiny. We have no control over it. But we can definately overcome it by being strong and facing it with a postive approach rather than crying over it." He said looking into her eyes and wiped her tears. Gunjan looked at him surprised.
"What?" He asked confused seeing her surprised look.
"I didn't know you were so philosophical. I thought of you as a more practical person." She said smiling.
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" He asked wriggling his nose.
"Certainly" she answerd chuckling at his 'cuteness'.
"By the way, I m practical. It's just that I m good at giving advises." He chuckled.
"Yeah I can see that" she laughed softly. She continued "but on a serious note, thank you samrat. I don't know how to thank you enough for all that you did for me" she said looking at him with tenderness in her eyes.
"Who told you I did this for you?" He said seriously while she looked perplexed. " I did this to be in your mother's good books. I quite like your sister. She's hot" he said winking at her humourously.
"Yeah sure" she snorted. "Keep your hands off my sister. Dur rahe usse" she warned him.
"To kya tumhare paas aaun?" He said romantically forwarding towards her, while she stepped back. " Bolo na chashmish, can I keep my hands on you?" He whispered while she looked at him wide eyed.
"Sa..mrat..yeh...tum" she said stepping back, much aware of their close proximity. Suddenly, samrat started laughing and gunjan looked at him confused.
"Oh god...hahahaha..chashmish tumhari shakal...hahaha" he said holding his stomach and laughing till his eyes watered.
Gunjan looked at him angrily. "Disgusting!!"
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"Coffee" samrat offered her the third cup after the former two cups of coffee were left ice-cold.
"Samrat, what part of I don't like coffee do you not understand" she spoke irritated.
" How could you not like coffee" he said sipping his cup. She looked at him with a disgusting face.
"Hot coffee disgusts me" she whispered gritting her teeth. He looked at her cocking his eyebrows.
"See that's why I call you weird" he said pointing out at her, while she just rolled her eyes.
" I love hot coffee. For that matter, anything hot fascinates me." he continued stretching at 'anything'.
Gunjan shot him a dirty look but kept quiet. "So now you must be aware why I don't really like you" he told her grinning. She looked at him. Her eyes spitting fire, while he grinned some more.
"You are such a jerk! You know what I just don't care. Go rot in HELL" she seethed in anger.
"Well it doesn't look like you don't care. Look you are getting angry which clearly implies that you care." He told grinning, showing his complete set of 32 teeth.
"Whatever. Get yourself admitted in a mental asylum." She said angrily.
"Why don't you come along as well? Saath saath treatment karwa lenge" he said suggestively, while she just walked away angrily. He laughed out loudly until he was glared at by the hospital staff.
"Sorry" he whispered clearing his throat looking embarrassed..
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"Miss bhushan, your father is progressing quite well. He's conscious now so may go and meet him. We will be keeping him for a day or two and just run some basic tests as well." The doctor smiled.
"Thank you doctor" she said smiling, while the doctor just patted her cheek and left.
"So, jao ab andar." Samrat said nudging her gently. "Aur tum?" she asked. " I ll stay outside" he smiled. "I want you to come along" she said softly. "Par.." He started only to be interrupted by her " no par var.. You are coming along and that's it. Ab jab itne dur aa hi gaye ho to thora aur bhi sahi. Comeon. Dad will be glad to meet you." She smiled widely.
"Gunjan?" Her dad whispered softly seeing his princess over there. Gunjan ran towards him and hugged him tightly.
"Aap humesha aisa hi karte ho. Kabhie Apna dhyan nahi rakhte." She said sobbing. "Aww..mera bacha.. Galti hogayi phir se nahin karunga. Pinky promise" he said stroking her hair gently. She giggled lightly, still sniffing.
Samrat felt his heart squeeze looking at the father-daughter duo. How he missed sharing such moments with his dad. But he knew that was impossible. He've never had such pleasant memories with his father. They always had a formal and cold relationship between them. But today he realised the missing place in his life. Though with his mother and friends by his side always, he didn't feel the need of a father as much as he felt now. He was somehow jealous of the cordial relationship gunjan and her father shared. So stupid of him to think something like that about his friend.
Gunjan's father noticed samrat standing on the door. " Tum kaun beta?" He asked politely. Gunjan looked back at samrat and then at her dad. "Dad he's my friend, samrat. We both work at glamour. He's the senior photographer there and we both joined at the same time. He has helped me a lot. He only brought me here when I was so broken on hearing about your stroke." She explained.
"Oh! That's great. Thank you samrat for taking care of my princess" he said smiling warmly at him. "It's fine sir. What are friends for?" He said glancing at gunjan, who was blushing slightly.
"Don't be so formal beta. I would prefer uncle than sir." He said. "Oh ok. Uncle." Samrat said embarrased
"And its quite rare to see people like you these days, son. So warm and so friendly." Her dad said smiling at a surprised samrat. "Umm.. Thank you uncle. I m glad I could be of some help" he said looking down. "And its my pleasure to have met you" her dad spoke laughing softly.
"Dad I think you should rest. It's quite late now." Gunjan said looking at her father. " Yeah yeah.. I know I m an old man and need to rest all the time." He said emotionally while gunjan laughed. "It won't work now dad.. Too old a trick" she said giggling. "Good night" she said planting a kiss on his forehead and turning away.
"You enjoy yourself too darling" his dad said aloud winking at samrat, while he blushed. Her dad smiled knowingly. "Young love"
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Precap- samrat confiding in gunjan about his problems...
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Love
Ambika.
Edited by ..Ambika.. - 14 years ago
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