It had been almost 2 hours and Pallavi was still unconscious. Krishna and Aai were near the small Ganpati murti in the hospital praying for Pallavi.
"Humesha didi ke saath hi kyu bura hota hai? Woh bechari sab ka accha sochti hai aur karti hai par phir bhi unhe hi kuch ho jaata hai." Krishna cried.
"Beta, humesha acche logo ke saath hi bura hota hai. Bhagwan bhi unhi ki pariksha(exam) leta hai. Chinta mat kar, woh jaldi theek ho jaayegi." Aai consoled Krishna even though she needed someone to console her.
"Unhone kabhi kisika bura nahi socha. Sulochana kaku ne humesha unke saath bura kiya fir bhi woh unke saath kuch bura nahi kiya naa hi socha. Ulta Sulochana Kaku ko hi Vijay Kaka ke taano se bachaya, unki beti ke shaadi ke time saara kaam kiya. Woh Amruta, usne toh unhe humesha insult hi kiya hai fir bhi woh Amruta ki help hi karti thi. Yaha tak ki jab woh Amruta Raghav ke ghar pe holi ke din bhaang peeke ludhak gayi thi tab didi hi usko yaha leke aayi. Woh Raghav ka bhi jab accident hua tha tab uski jaan bachayi thi, uski Amma ko blood ki jaarorat thi tab bhi unhone blood donate kiya. Chahe koi bhi ho par didi ne humesha sab ki help ki hai. Par ab jab didi yaha hai hum mein se koi bhi unki chah kar bhi help nahi kar sakta." Krishna said frustrated.
Raghav who was standing there, heard Krishna's outburst. He was shocked when he heard that it was Pallavi who donated blood to his Amma. He couldn't believe that the person whom he was searching for was with him the whole time and still he didn't know that it was her. He rushed to the room where she was admitted. He looked at her with pride in his eyes.
"How can someone be this good? I was her enemy and still she helped my mother and saved her life, she even saved my life. She was an angel in disguise for us and now, when she is lying here unconscious, I can't do anything." Raghav thought to himself and held her hand in his.
It had been quite some time that he was sitting there and trying to control his tears seeing her but, he lost his patience and finally burst out crying when she still didn't wake up.
It was 6 in the evening and everyone was waiting for her to regain consciousness. She finally opened her eyes and looked around. Nikhil immediately pressed the bell beside her bed to call the nurse.
"Raghav.." Pallavi said as soon as she opened her eyes. Raghav went near her and held her hand.
"Kya hua, Pallavi? Kuch chahiye kya? Mein yahi hai." Raghav said.
"Sorry." She said making a puppy face.
"Kyu?" He asked confused.
"Woh mujhe lunch ke liye late hua isliye." Pallavi answered.
"Tum paagal hai kya? Tumko itna chot laga hai aur tumko lunch ka pada hai?" Raghav yelled but, realized that she wasn't well so lowered his tone.
"Mera kehne ka matlab tha ki tumko sorry bolne ka jaroorat nahi hai. Tumko kaisa lag raha hai?" He enquired.
"Theek hoon."
Till then, Nikhil had informed everyone and they came in.
"Pallu beta, kaisi hai tu? Dard ho raha hai kya bohot?" Aai asked her.
"Aai, mein theek hoon. Bass thoda weak lag raha hai. Aaram karungi thodi der toh ekdum takatak ho jaayungi. Aap chinta mat kijiye." She said.
"Chup kar. Thodi weak hoon bol rahi hai. Bohot jyaada weak hai tu. Aur thodi der nahi thode din aaram ki jaroorat hai tuze." Baba spoke.
"Barobar aahe.(It is correct.)" Aai spoke and Pallavi just nodded her head in response.
Everyone continued talking to her. Raghav was standing in one corner admiring her and thanking God in his mind for saving his Pallavi.
Amma and Keerti arrived in the hospital to meet Pallavi.
"Baccha, kaisa hai tum abhi?" Amma asked caressing Pallavi's hair.
"Main theek hoon, Aunty." Pallavi replied.
"Apne aap ka khyaal rakhna chahiye na. Aise gaadi chalayega toh yahich hoga na. Thoda sambhalke chalata toh yeh nahi na hota, beta." Amma spoke lovingly.
"Ji Aunty."
"Waise itna jaldi mein kisse milne jaa raha tha tum? Woh bhi itna dhoop mein." Jaya asked.
"Wo...h me..mein ek client se milne gayi thi." Pallavi replied fumbling.
"Accha. Toh woh thoda wait kar leta na. Itna kya jald baazi karna." Amma said making faces.
"Aunty, woh thoda important client tha isliye." Pallavi said.
"Thoda wait karleta woh."
"Haan, next time se khayal rakhungi."
Keerti and Amma sat there for a while and met other family members. They took everyone's leave and were about to go when Vijay came there and stopped them.
"Dekhiye, Jaya ji mujhe yeh kehna toh nahi chahiye par phir bhi keh hi deta hoon. Aapke bete ko gussa thoda kam karne ke liye kahiye. Aaj usi se milne gayi thi Pallavi tab hi hua yeh sab. Bichari uske gusse se itna darr gayi ki use speed mein gaadi chalani padi taaki pohochne mein late na ho jaaye." Vijay told Jaya.
"Pallavi Raghav se milne gaya tha jab yeh sab hua?" Jaya asked shocked.
"Aapke bete ne bataya nahi aapko?" Vijay asked.
"Nahi. Jab mene Pallavi se pucha tab usne bhi nahi bataya." Jaya said.
"Woh toh Raghav ko hi bachayegi par aapke bete ne bhi aapko bataya nahi yeh toh kamal ki baat hai." Vijay said.
"Mein baat karta hai usse." Jaya said and left.
Raghav had gone to buy medicines for Pallavi which the doctor had prescribed. He came back and heard the conversation between Jaya and Vijay. The fear of Amma leaving him once again, clouded his mind. He ignored everyone and went inside Pallavi's room.
"Pallavi, tumhara medicines rakha hai yahape." Raghav said keeping the medicines on the side table and sat on the couch.
Pallavi could clearly see the worry written on his face and understood that he was upset about something.
"Kya hua, Raghav?"
"Kya hua? Kuch bhi nahi." He answered looking here and there.
"Fir tum aise naraz kyu dikh rahe ho? Kuch hua hai kya? Baba ne kuch bola kya?" Pallavi asked.
"Nahi, Pallavi. Tum aaram karo. Aisa kuch nahi hua hai. Mein thoda thak gaya hai. Mein ghar jaake aata hai." He said and left.
"Yeh Raghav ko kya ho gaya achanak? Aise kyu behave kar raha tha yeh? Aur waha couch pe kyu baitha tha? Kabse mere baaju mein chair leke baitha tha aur abhi aise dur kyu baitha tha?" Pallavi thought to herself.
"Aree devaa!!! Yaha mein itni der se thi, toh shayad uski meeting miss ho gayi hogi aur usse loss hua hoga. Isliye itna upset dikh raha tha. Kya karu ab main. Bappa!! Yeh kya hogaya mujhse. Meri bhi matt maari gayi thi ki woh turn miss hogaya aur ab meri wajah se Raghav ko loss face karna padega." Pallavi thought.
"Mujhe usse baat karni padegi." Pallavi decided to talk to him and video called him.
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Raghav reached his den and was thinking about Vijay's words.
"Am I the cause of Pallavi's accident? Do I scare Pallavi? Is she scared of me? Have I changed her a little too much? Does she do things just to make me happy or under my pressure? Is she really happy with me?" Raghav had thousand such questions in his mind.
His train of thoughts was broken by her call but, he didn't pick up the call.
"Baba has already believed that I am the reason why Pallavi is in the hospital and has convinced Amma the same. By this time, Pallavi will also blame me for the accident and leave me. It's better to not listen to those words." Raghav thought.
Amma had come home and wanted to meet Raghav since then. She got to know that Raghav had returned home and came to meet him.
"Raghavv." She called him and he came out of his thoughts.
"Haan, Amma." Raghav said preparing himself for the worst.
Amma came and sat on the opposite chair in the den.
"Pallavi ka jab accident hua tab woh tujhse milne aayi thi kya?" Amma asked.
"Haan, Amma."
"Accha."
"Amma, mereko pata nahi tha ki uska accident hoga naa hi mein usko daraya Amma. Please mera vishwas karo. Mereko chodke mat jaao." Raghav pleaded.
"Aee Raghav, tereko aisa kyu lagta hai ki mein tujhe chodke chala jaayega? Mereko pata hai ki meine bohot bada galti kiya hai 10 saal pehle tereko chod ke, jab tereko mera sabse jyaada jaroorat tha par, mein woh galti firse nahi karega." Amma told him and pulled him into a hug.
"Tereko aisa kyu laga ki mein firse chala jaayega?" Amma asked breaking from the hug.
"Woh mein tera aur Baba ka baat sunn liya tha toh mereko laga tu mereko daatega aur waapis chala jaayega kyunki mera wajah se firse kisi ka jaan dhoke mein aaya hai." Raghav replied.
"Aisa kuch nahi hai. Mein yaha sirf tereko yahi puchne aaya tha ki woh tujhse milne aayi tha kya, baaki mereko kuch nahi bolne ka hai. Uska accident hua usme tera galti nahi hai. Usne speed mein chalaya aur helmet nahi pehna tha isliye usko lag gaya." Amma explained to him.
"Par Amma, uske Baba ko toh yahi lagta hai na ki uska accident mere wajah se hua hai. Unhone mereko reject kar diya toh? Aur Pallavi ko bhi aisa lagta hoyega toh?" Raghav asked scared that he might loose Pallavi.
"Aisa kuch nahi hoga, Raghav. Pallavi samajhdar hai. Kisike kuch bhi kehne se woh apna opinion nahi badlega. Tu tension mat le." Amma consoled him.
"Mein terese Vijayji jo bola uske liye toh naaraz nahi hai par, tu abhi Pallavi ko akela chodke aaya isliye toh pakka naraz hai." Amma said.
"Amma, mereko laga ki Pallavi bhi mereko blame karega isliye mein chala aaya aur usne phone kiya woh bhi nahi uthaya." Raghav said scratching his neck.
"Uska tabiyet kharab hai aur tu use akela chodke aa gaya? Mana ki uska family hai uske saath par tu bhi uske saath hona jaroori hai. Apna insecurities ka wajah se usko hurt mat kar." Amma said.
"Waise Amma aapko pata hai woh Anjali ke matter ke time tumhara tabiyet kharab tha tab tumko kisine blood donate kiya tha woh kon tha?" Raghav asked his Amma.
"Kon? Tereko pata chal gaya kya? Kabhi se hum usko dhoond raha tha?" Amma asked.
"Amma, woh Pallavi tha." Raghav told her.
"Tereko kaise pata chala?"
"Amma, woh Krishna aur Aai baat kar raha tha tab meine suna. Krishna Aai ko bata raha tha ki Pallavi ne aapko blood donate kiya hai tab mereko pata chala."
"Pallavi humara life ka angel hai, Raghav. Usne tera aur mera dono ka jaan bachaya hai. Uske jaisa ladki humko dhoond ke bhi nahi milega. Woh itna humare liye kiya hai jitna koi saga bhi nahi karega." Amma said.
"Haan, Amma."
"Tu abhi hospital mein jaa aur Vijayji se baat kar. Jo bhi misunderstandings hai use clear kar aur Pallavi se bhi baat kar. Woh confuse hua hoga tera behavior se."
"Jaata hai, Amma." Raghav said and left for the hospital.
Author's Note - I know that this is probably not how you all wanted Raghav to know about the blood donation but still I wrote it because I feel that if Krishna told this to Raghav then it would be violating Pallavi's promise. Also, I feel that donations/help should be kept hidden and not publicized to tell the world how of a great person you are. Krishna said all of it in frustration and did not purposely bring it up and stated about other people too. I hope you all understand what I mean. Now both, Jaya and Raghav know that it was Pallavi who had saved Jaya's life.
Also, this accident track will end soon and the next track will start which is about Pallavi's past. Hope you all like this chapter. Do give me your feedbacks in the comments below.
Date - 25th June 2022.
