Originally posted by: turags
Here is Chapter 12: I especially thank my Mausaji for this chapter as he is a psychiatrist and i took his help to know more about this domestic abuse issue and its more glaring symptoms. here you go..hope you all like it.
Baba is pacing around in the hall n waiting for AshNi. Ashu comes in his wheelchair being pushed by Nidhi. Baba ' "Thank God you are here Ashu..i didn't know what else to do." Ashu ' "don't worry baba I'll take care of it." He pushes his wheel chair towards Mallika's room and knocks. No response. He calls out "Mallika open the door." Mallika opens the door in a flash and throws herself at Ashu. "where did you go off? I had nightmares last night and couldn't sleep and couldn't find you either. Jagan will come now and take me away. Where were you when I needed you?" Ashu pulls away Mallika's arms and says "I went out with Nidhi but now I am back. Relax and come on..baba said you didn't eat anything. Come and have something." Mallika ' "I'll only eat if you feed me." Nidhi is looking on the whole thing. Baba observes this and says "sorry beta. I didn't have a choice. I was getting scared that she would again harm herself like that day in the hospital." Nidhi ' "its ok baba. We don't get to chose our family. God gives them to us. But friends..we pick and chose and make our friends..and its our responsibility to stay behind them in time of their need." Baba is very happy to hear that n blesses her.
In Mallika's room, Ashu is feeding her lunch. Nidhi walks in to give her water. When she is about to leave, Ashu asks if Nidhi has eaten. She says no. he tells her to go and eat as she skipped breakfast in a hurry to get here and also has to go to JS for her evening rounds. Nidhi says she'll wait for him.
Mallika ' "I won't allow you to move from here Ashutosh..you'll again go away and leave me to face Jagan."
Before Ashu could reply Nidhi says "its ok you stay here. I'll eat with Baba." Mallika looks at Ashu and takes a piece of roti from the plate and tries to feed him. Nidhi stands there as if turned into stone. Ashu takes away the piece from Mallika and says "its ok Mallika I'll eat later." Nidhi leaves the room feeling a little disturbed.
Ashu has his lunch with Mallika and tries to engage Mallika in conversation. Ashu ' "You know Mallika..you won't believe it but guess where we went for our honeymoon! A Jungle! Nidhi's choice. I don't know much about these things so told her to decide. She took me to a jungle in a city bus. Oh my God! I never thought I would enjoy something like that but during those few days I found there are some things about me that even I don't know." He looked up with an expectant smile and saw that she was looking away from him as if she doesn't want to listen. He thought may be talk about marriage n honeymoon is bringing back bad memories for her and changed the topic and observed the way she relaxed and smiled at him.
Ashu wanted to see Nidhi before she left for JS but Mallika starts clinging again. Seeds of doubt start filtering in. as a doctor and a neurosurgeon he had seen a few cases of domestic abuse and one was so bad that the patient had sustained head injury and he had to treat her. So he was well aware of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and its symptoms. He could understand the mood swings, the anxiety attacks and the nightmares. But he was not very sure about her need to cling on to him and ONLY him. Women usually shied away from any sort of physical touch and intimacy after going through something like this esp with a man. He had seen instances where such patients only accepted a female doc or nurse anywhere near them. May be she should be treated by a proper psychiatrist. Her colleague Dr (Mrs) Rao would be ideal. She is a psychiatrist, female and Mallika's friend too. He tentatively suggests that to Mallika. She gets agigated and screams and clings some more saying "No Ashutosh I don't need anyone but you. You are my medicine. You are my treatment. I don't want doctors or drugs. No Ashutosh NO NO NO!" Further doubts start creeping in. Should he discuss this with Nidhi? No. not until he knows for sure whats going on here. He could be completely paranoid and off the tangent and he didn't want anyone including his wife to think bad about his friend without reason. He decides that may be he needs to get closer to Mallika to know whats going on.
Its time for Nidhi to go to JS so she comes in to say bye to Ashu and that she would return well before the dinner preps start to help HK. Nidhi turns to go but Ashu holds her hand and joins their palms and pulls her to him. Nidhi feels awkward in front of Mallika and seeing this Ashu turns his wheelchair facing away from Mallika and pulls Nidhi into a hug. Nidhi has a delightful smile on her face and while hugging Ashu her glance meets Mallika who was watching them with eyes filled with hatred. She moves away says bye and leaves for JS.
Nidhi finishes her rounds and medication at JS and is taking a break. She keeps thinking about Mallika and the way she was looking at her with so much hate. Doubts start crowding in. she tries to remember what she read about such victims and their trauma and symptoms during her MBBS. Something is not adding up here..she thinks. Should I tell Ashutosh? Then immediately thinks, no, I might be wrong and he'll get hurt for doubting his friend. May be I should get closer to Ashutosh in front of Mallika again to determine and test this theory of mine.
Meanwhile Mallika is busy with her plans to cause a rift between AshNi. Ashutosh didn't accept her love because Nidhi came into his life. He just got infatuated with her youthful beauty but it won't sustain them. They are not MEANT to be together. SHE is the one for Ashutosh NOT nidhi. SHE was his soul mate NOT Nidhi. And its time Ashutosh realized that fact. She waited for him for 12 yrs and meeting someone for 12 seconds and falling in love CANNOT happen.
That evening's fading sunlight shows all 3 of them with plans of their own for the days and nights to come!!
Comments welcome. 😊
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