Sukoon (completed)

Part 7

Sidharth shivered at her touch, he was loosing his control. He turned to face her 'Naaz, kya hua?' he asked after seeing tears forming in her eyes. 'Nothing' she replied closing her eyes. He kissed her eyes drinking away her tears 'Tab ro kyu rahi ho?'. 'I just missed you so much, main kitni baar aapke room mein hi soti thi, just to feel your presence' she opened her heart. He tightened his hug 'you can feel me now'. She put her hands on his face caressing his stubble, She joined their forheads and rubbed their nose 'You are making me so weak' she hushed. Their lips were inches apart and he could feel her warm breath falling on his lips. 'And you are making me crazy' he said in his husky voice, closing the gap between their lips. He kissed her softly, he moved away to see her reaction but she had slept. The intoxication had taken better of him, he was now feeling guilty.

'How can I loose my control? You know she doesn't like you then whyyy? I really did feel she loves me too, what she said was it a drunk talk? God I don't know. Maine uski aisi halat ka fayda to nahi uthaya' he was cursing himself. He moved away from her and slept on the floor. She woke up early in the morning but was shocked to see Sidharth on the floor. She tried to remember what happened in the night but all she could remember was she pulling him close to her. 'SHIT, did I again make him uncomfortable. Ofcourse, warna wo floor pe kyu sote' she too was feeling guilty. She went to kitchen to prepare some coffee for herself, trying to move out from the same room as him. He woke up after hearing noises from kitchen and saw Naaz was searching for something.

Sidharth: Kya dhoond rahi ho Naaz?

Naaz flinched hearing his voice, she was unable to make eye contact due to embarrassment: Coffee nahi mil rahi

Sidharth moved inside the kitchen and took the coffee bottle and forwarded it to Naaz. She took it with hesitant hand. Sidharth too observed the tension between them and cursed himself for it.

Naaz: Sorry, agar kal raat humne kuch galat kiya ho, I was drunk. Please don't take it otherwise. I don't remember much.

Sid was ashamed, and he stammered 'Kuc...kuch bhi to nahi hua tha'. Sana was now sure that Sidharth was awkward because of her behavior and was now trying to cover up. While Sidharth too thought he made Shehnaaz uncomfortable. They both moved away embarrassed. (Ohhhh God...why are they both so dumb).

Sidharth cancelled his leaves thinking Shehnaaz would now be awkward with him and he did not want her to be uncomfortable. He called Sadiq and asked him to spend time with her, giving excuse 'I have some urgent operations'. Sana was sad 'Maine fir galti kar di, itni mushkil se sab theek hua tha. Ab wo mujhse kabhi baat nahi karenge' she sobbed. They both avoided each other for next few days and only exchanged pleasantries. Shehnaaz went back to Lucknow but this time their conversations reduced to almost nil. They only found about each other from family members.

*********

After 2 years:

Sidharth came out of operation theater and saw 20 missed calls from his home. Everyone had tried to reach him. He sensed something was wrong, he immediately called back his ammi but her phone was picked by Shehnaaz

Naaz said in a crying voice: Hello, Sidharth bhai, Mamu ki tabiyat bigad gayi hai. Aap jald yahan aa jayiye

Sidharth: Naaz, Kya hua hai Abbu ko?

Naaz: Stroke. But abhi wo theek hai, stable hai. Aap jaldi aa jayiye.

Sidharth immediately left for Lucknow and reached hospital, where he saw his Ammi and Phuphi sitting on a bench worried as hell.

Sidharth: Ammi

Reesha started crying as soon as she saw Sidharth as if she was holding her tears and trying to be strong but she became vulnerable in front of her son. 'Ammi chup ho jao, sab theek hai. Maine Dr se baat kari hai. Abba kuch din mein discharge bhi ho jayenge, aise mat ro' Sidharth tried to console her.

Salim survived a paralysis attack, he was now bedridden. Sidharth moved in the room and saw his father sleeping, his left side was paralyzed making his left lips fall. Sidharth was terrified looking at his old man, he always looked so strong and handsome. Today, he was laying on a hospital bed, unable to move one side of his body. He sat next to him, holding his hand and silently weeping. Shehnaaz came in the room and saw broken Sidharth, she put her hand on his shoulder 'Sab theek ho jayega, aap pareshan naa ho, Allah sab theek kar dega'. Sidharth was in no position to look at her and kept his head down. Shehnaaz realized and gave him space to mourn. After sometime he called her in, he gave her a feeble smile. Sana smiled back, 'Sorry, hum bas unka drip dekhne aaye the, khatm ho jayega. Aur unka khana aayega thodi der mein, usse pehle yeh 2 medicines bhi deni hai. Humne catheter empty karne ko bola hai woh bhi aayega thodi der mein. Agar aap ho to dekh lena, warna main rukti hu. Humne mami ko ghar bhej diya hai, wo kal se yahi thi' she said awkwardly. 'Main hu abhi, tum jao. Tum kab ghar gayi thi' he asked looking at her messed state. 'Ji humari night duty hai abhi, to hum subah jayenge. Aap bhi chale jaiyega. Hum hai idhar Mama ke paas' she replied. 'Nahi, main hu aaj. Kal tak Sadiq bhi aa jayega. Tum apna kaam dhyan se karo, hum log dekh lenge. double duty karke khud ki tabiyat kharab kar logi' he scolded softly. She just nodded her head and went out.

It was only the night, that Sidharth and Shehnaaz met each other. The things were already so stressful that they did not have the strength to pretend. Sidharth made coffee and took it to Shehnaaz's room. She was already sitting on her swing and humming a song. 'Your room is exactly the same' he said while handling the coffee mug to her. 'Thank you' she said politely. 'What about you, you don't look the same' he again commented. 'Nahi, hum to waise hi hai' She replied. But she knew too, she was not the same, she was still in love with someone who she thought didn't like her. Her eyes were no more shiny neither was her smile glittery. 'To hasna bhool gayi ho?' he asked again to lighten the mood. 'Arey nahi, woh mama ji ke tabiyat theek nahi hai to thoda pareshan the. Aur thak bhi gaye hai duty karke. Bas' she defended herself. He didn't say anything.

Naaz: Aap theek ho? Aap itna pareshan mat ho, hum sab hai naa.

Sidharth smiled, yes she is there, he had seen her taking care of his Abbu: Tum apna khayal rakho bas

Naaz: Arey, aisa kyu keh rahe, hum sabka khayal rakh sakte hai. Bahut aache doctor hai hum.

Sidharth chuckled to hear old Naaz: Haan pata hai kitni aachi doctor ho. Tum gynae mein ho?

Naaz: Nahi, hum pediatric mein hai. Kya hai, aap itna bhi jante? she asked with a frown

Sidharth: Sorry, ammi ne bataya tha. bhool gaya tha. Kaisi chal rahi padhai. bacho ki chocolate ke liye to pediatric nahi join kiya?

Naaz: Aap kitna mazak uda rahe hai humara. Hum nahi baat kar rahe aapse. Jaiye apne kamre mein.

Sidharth laughed for the first time after his fathers attack. Naaz admired looking at him: Aise hi haste raha kariye. Aache lagte hai aap.

Sidharth held her hand: Aap bhi aise hi hasati raha kariye. Waise aap to hamesha aachi lagti hai

Naaz blushed hearing his comment. 'Hum to hamesha se aache the, bas aapne aaj dekha'.

Sid saw her blushing, he was some where happy to see his effect on her but he didn't want to be delusional like last time. Sana was happy to seeing Sidharth coming close to her again but she too did not- want to misunderstand him again. Only if they could see how blind they were.