EMBRACING REALITY

Chapter 6 EMBRACING REALITY

CHAPTER 6
Sidharth kept Shehnaaz close to him.. She wasn’t willing to leave him and hence he stayed close.. He kept pressing his lips on her forehead.. Once she was fully asleep, he walked out of the bedroom only after tucking her well in bed and keeping pillows around her so that she remains comfortable..
He didn’t know whom to talk to at the moment.. He scrolled down his phone and Neetu Didi’s name showed up.. He called her.. “Hey bro, what’s up?” she said.. “Tu kya kar rahi hai? free hai?” asked Sidharth..
“Haa, abhi lunch hua.. Bol na bhai..” said Didi..
“Tu kaisi hai?” asked Sidharth.. “Bhai, tu kya bol raha hai? kuch hua hai kya?” asked Didi.. “Tu baat nai kar sakti, normally… Kuch hoega tabhi baat karegi?” scoffed Sidharth..
Didi chuckled softly but replied, “Mai ek dm thik hu.. Tu kaisa hai?” asked Didi..
“Aisa seedhi baat karne ke liye pehle problem ho rahi thi.. Thik hi hu mai.. How’s everything? How’s life?” asked Sidharth..
“Work is great, Rumi is doing well.. We both are absolutely fine.. Waiting for mom to come to my house.. Ek do din me Mai leke jaungi Preeti ke ghar se..” said Sidharth..
“Tum dono jaldi pura karo, meko wapas chahiye Mom ghar pe..” said Sidharth and Didi chuckled at her brother.. They kept talking for a while and didn’t realise when time passed..
Later, Sidharth got a call from Kaushal, for discussing something related to Surbhi’s arrival in the pandemic and the arrangements.. The call took time and it was almost evening…
While Sidharth was away, Shehnaaz slept well.. But that didn’t last long.. After a few minutes, she had a long dream.. The dream started off with blurry incidents..
The Dream
She could recognize herself and Sidharth.. The dream felt like a movie scene with the wind blowing high and the sky shedding water.. It was raining heavily..
Sidharth was driving a car and Shehnaaz was sitting next to him.. They both had their seat belts on and they were alone on a road.. Both were silent.. No one spoke a word..
The road was empty and Sidharth was increasing his speed with every passing minute..
“Sidharth, slow chala.. Itna zyada fast mat jaa..” said Shehnaaz..
“I want to reach soon.. Emergency hai. Isliye.. I need to be home as soon as possible.” Said Sidharth..
Shehnaaz stayed shut for a while.. Thunderstorm increased and with the mad rain, the small stones on the side of the road started flowing in the air.. Hitting their windshield and side windows.. Shehnaaz got scared but Sidharth was angry for some reason and she didn’t dare to speak..
Sidharth’s phone rang and they were on a very high speed.. He grabbed his phone and lost his balance and boom! They met with an accident.. They hit a tree and just next to it, was a beggar who was sitting with his wife.. They hit them both and Shehnaaz was absolutely fine..
She looked at Sidharth, who was unconscious and she lost her calm..
Dream Ended Reality starts*
She moved left and right on the bed taking Sidharth’s name.. But the ac was on and hence the bedroom door was closed.. Sidharth got busy in phone calls and realized it was evening when Kavita Tai came to him, “Chai banau ya coffee?”
“Shaam ho gayi? Ruko, mai Shehnaaz ko uthata hu Pehle..” said Sidharth, after disconnecting his call with Kaushal..
He went into the room only to hear Shehnaaz screaming his name, “Sidhaaartthh! Sidharth! Kaha hai tu.. Kaha chala gaya hai.. Mere pass Aa jaa na..” said Shehnaaz and Sidharth was in a shock..
He ran towards the bed and took her in his arms.. “Shehnaaz, Meri Jaan.. I’m right here.. Kya hua baby?” asked Sidharth and she held his t-shirt so tight that her nails went through it and touched his skin..
Sidharth rubbed her back and felt the wetness on her back.. He checked the temperature of the ac and was shocked.. She was sweating at 20°..
She held him tighter and sobbed.. Sobbed like a little baby.. “Mera Bacha.. Shant ho ja.. Bas na meri Jaan.. Bas, bas..” cooed Sidharth.. Turning down the temperature to 18° and hugging her back even tighter..
“Sidhaaartthh!” she said and cried harder.. It had become difficult to get her to stop crying.. He badly wanted to know what was troubling her..
“Mai yehi hu.. Kya hua? Kuch Toh bol baby.. Mai nai Jaa raha kahi bhi.. Please, tell me baby.. Mujhse share karegi, meri Jaan?” cooed Sidharth and Shehnaaz came out of his chest and looked at him.. “Sidhaaartthh!” she cooed.. “Haa, bol na mera bacha..” cooed back Sidharth, making sure his arms were wrapped around her..
“Sidharth, bura sapna.. Bho bura.. Sidharth.. Tu thik hai na? Mai nai dekh sakti tujhe kuch hota hua.. Sidharth..” said Shehnaaz..
Sidharth was a little surprised, she took his name in every sentence.. He understood how the intensity of the dream by seeing her reaction.. He decided to divert her mind..
“Relax, meri Jaan.. Sapne ko itna seriously nai lete.. Abhi chor, mat Baat kar us baare me.. Mere pass reh.. Acha, kya peena hai? Chai ya coffee? Ya chocolate shake?” Asked Sidharth..
Shehnaaz happened to ignore his question, “Sidharth, tu tez Gaadi nai chalaega.. Chahe kitna bhi urgent kaam ho.. Lagi samjh?” said Shehnaaz..
“My love, please relax.. Jo bhi Sapne ke wajah se react kar rahi hai, wo mat kar.. Mai..” said Sidharth but he was cut by Shehnaaz.. “Sidharth, sapna ho ya na ho, tu please wada kar.. Nai chalaega Gaadi tez..” said Shehnaaz, with a little dominance but her eyes were red because of crying so much…
“Okay, I promise, mai tez gadi nai chalaunga..” said Sidharth.. “Chalti gadi se phone nai uthaega.. Bluetooth se bhi nahi.. Gusse me gadi nai chalaega.. Baarish me bina Adith ke ya fir mere driver ke bina tu nai niklega.” Said Shehnaaz, looking directly at his eyes..
Sidharth decided to agree to whatever she was saying at the moment only to make her feel a little better..
“I promise, I won’t drive alone in the rainy season, or whenever it rains in other seasons. I won’t drive alone when angry and also, without a driver.. Ab shant ho Jaa.. I’m here, with you.. Relax please..” said Sidharth, wiping her tears and kissing her forehead multiple times..
Shehnaaz felt her world crashing as the visuals of the dream came in front of her eyes again.. “Shehnaaz, baby, agar bol ke nikal dena hai toh bol de.. Please don’t think about it alone.. I don’t want you to be in pain alone.. Please, meri Jaan, agar comfortable hai toh bol meko..” said Sidharth.. Cupping her face and kissing her cheeks..
“Sidhaaartthh!” She said, which sounded more like a whisper.. “Haa, meri Jaan..” said Sidharth, rubbing her arm gently and she told him everything..
She cried again in the end, “Mai thik thi.. Sirf tu mere samne aise behosh padha tha.. Sidharth, please mazak me mat le.. Maine jo wada karne boli hu, wo tujhe seriously nibhana padega..” said Shehnaaz..
Sidharth was at shock.. Listening to the dream.. He had somehow understood that it was something major and that’s why she was reacting like that. But he got a clear picture after listening to her..
“I promise.. Pakka wala.. Meri Jaan, I am sorry tujhe akele chor ke gaya.. Didi se Baat kiya.. Abhi Mom ko Neetu leke Jane wali hai.. Isliye Mai thoda usse Baat kiya.. Fir Kaushal ka call Aa Gaya.. Surbhi Aa rahi hai jaldi.. Uska Sydney me kaam ho gaya hai time se Pehle.. Abhi sab arrangements me Mai help kar raha hu.. Time kaha nikal gaya pata hi nai chala.” Said Sidharth, pulling her in his arms..
She stayed shut.. Just in his arms.. Resting her head on his chest.. She had forgotten about her ankle pain.. Sidharth looked at her swelled ankle and changed her position..
He tried putting her on the bed and she panicked.. “Mujhe chor mat.. Please Sidharth, mai tere bina nai reh sakti. Mai jee nai paungi.. Sidharth mat chor.. Mai Mar jaungi Sidharth..” said Shehnaaz.. “Chup kar Shehnaaz..” scoffed Sidharth but understood her..