Rab Rakha

Chapter 21

"Montu!" Sheena had a bright smile on her face as she extended her arms towards Sidharth, climbing out of his car at his place.

"Kya bandar lag rahi hai!" He commented, pulling her into a hug. She was dressed in a casual oversized tshirt over baggy jeans while her hands were cladded with bright red chooda and henna, symbolising her newly married life.

"Toh kya bahar saree-suit pehen ke niklu?" She made a face, replying to him and walking past him towards Rita Ma.

"Aunty!" She hugged her as well.

"Look at you, kitni pyari lag rahi hai." Rita Ma smiled, welcoming her into the house.

"Aja bhai." Sidharth helped Gurjot carry bags inside.

"Kaise ho bhaiya? Oh mai lata hu na, aap chalo." Gurjot greeted him, not letting him take the bags.

"Ravi time se aa gaya tha na?" Sidharth asked him, walking after him.

"Hanji." Gurjot nodded.

Everybody settled in, the newly wedded couple freshened up and joined the family at the dinner table.

"Kaisi rahi trip?" Preeti asked them.

"Arey bohot maza aaya didi! It was just us, the beach and water. Khao, piyo, pani me khelo, that's the Maldives for you!" Sheena replied excitedly and turned to her husband.

"Ha, achi jagah hai." Gurjot spoke in her favour.

"Good for you guys! I saw the pictures as well." Preeti smiled.

"Aapne shaadi ki pictures dekhi? Maine sabko link forward ki thi." Sheena asked next.

"Ha, dekhi baba. You guys had so much fun na?! Especially the Sangeet function!?" Preeti replied, everybody who had received the link to the wedding album went through the pictures and videos that covered the entire wedding ceremonies.

"Ha didi! Pucho mat itna maza aaya tha, haina Montu!?" Sheena said, turning towards Sidharth. He smiled as he nodded along.

"Aur teri wo dost, Sana? Uske Papa thik hai abhi?" Rita Ma asked after a while.

"Nahi na Aunty. Ek toh lung infection upar se heart patient hain wo. Guru bata? Isko zyada pata hai Aunty." Sheena replied, asking her husband to elaborate.

"Aunty ji, Jagjit uncle ki family history me rahe hain kuch heart patient, uspe unko kuch saal pehle hi asthma diagnose hua tha phir Punjab ki thand me unki tabiyat naram garam chalti rehti thi. Iss saal unko kuch zyada hi cough and cold hua aur Chandigarh wale unke doctor ne pneumonia hai bola. Usi ka treatment ek mahina chala humari shaadi ke time." As Gurjot spoke, everybody listened.

"Abhi 3 din pehle Delhi aaye tabhi unko vomiting shuru ho gayi, ek baar ko toh CT scan hi raha tha tabhi wo behosh ho gaye the andar machine ke." He added.

"Arey baapre." Rita Ma was shocked and so was everybody.

"Parso admit karne bola waha ke senior doctor ne, treatment sara shuru kar diya hai filhal. Heart patient hain uncle toh ICU me rakha hua hai." He informed them.

"Ah! Reminds me of the time jab Dad admit the. Humari toh neend udi hui thi." Preeti couldn't help but recall her the time father's deteriorated health had them worried sick. She could relate to Shehnaaz's situation at the moment, almost all of her family members could.

Sidharth didn't say anything, he didn't have words to describe how it felt when he saw his father passing away in front of his eyes. Even though it had been a decade since Ashok Shukla's demise, his family and children have always felt the void a father had left behind. With time they managed to learn how to live without him and cherished his memories and belongings close to their heart when they thought of him.