Time And Love-PreRish ff

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Time and again it has been proven that one should never test the power of love because you will always lose and love would always win. No matter what scenario, circumstance or hurdle you put in its way, love will find a way to triumph and protect. Lying in his hospital bed Rishabh replayed the incidents of yesterday. He had left the palace seething at his mother's and Samar kaka's wedding plans for him. There was no one else for him but her. He was driving like a maniac on the highway when he suddenly felt suffocated at the thought of spending his life with someone else and then came the body numbing realization that she might not have waited for him, moved on and married someone else. Suddenly, he could not breathe anymore, so he slammed the brakes of his car and got out, and walked to the other side of the road to curb his fear that there was a possibility that there might be someone else in her life. He felt his senses go numb and time stop. And then there was a blast, he saw his car flying into the air, flames engulfing it from all sides. Even though he was on the other side of the road, the flames gave him minor burns. The car was fitted with a time bomb. The bomb went off on its designated time but because of his love for her, he was not in the car when it went off. Her love had saved him like it had saved him eight years ago.

He closed his eyes resting his head on the pillow and promised himself that he will find her and bring her back in his life. There was no possibility of her moving on to someone else because if that was the case he would have felt it and he would be dead. Apparently, she was the only one who had the power to end the indestructible force called Rishabh Samay Bajaj. He did not want to spend another second without her. He needed her. He will get her by his side again come hell or high water. The simplicity of this truth was amazing and for the first time in eight years, he felt relaxed, sitting in a hospital bed all banged up and burned. Rishabh smiled to himself and made a mental note to send a thank you note to his uncle for planning this attack on him and making him let go of his fear of losing her again when he found her. And reminding him that when Rishabh Samay Bajaj puts his mind to something he does not lose.

DING! The elevator door opened and suddenly there was a commotion outside his room. He heard his mother's gasp. Then came Arya, Ahil and Ruhi's happy shrieks. He was lying all banged up in the hospital and his family happy shrieking. His family was least concerned about him. It was not that they did not love him. Rishabh knew that he was their world as they were his, that is why it was so strange that they were elated. What was going on out there? He was about to ring the bell attached to his bed when he heard the elevator ding again. The air sizzled, his heart raced and he felt calm. She was here. Plan One Successful.

Kalyani just could not believe her eyes. They were here, all of them. She stood glued to her spot, afraid that she would move and this will all be a dream. Then Veena came and hugged her. The two ladies held each other and cried away the pain of eight years, "Here you are again, you are right here beside me in my time of need," Kalyani said breaking away. She was beyond ecstatic to have her best friend back.

"Always, after all, that is what families do" Veena replied, "How is my son doing? The media was blocked and Samar Singh Ji wouldn't pick up his phone. I was so worried." Veena asked, anxious and worried about Rishabh.

"He is fine. He was not in the car when the bomb went off. Just some minor scratches and burns. You can go see him right away." Kalyani assured Veena. Suddenly all the pieces fell into place for Veena. Rishabh had not changed, in fact, he seemed to have gotten more conniving with time. Ahil, Arya and Ruhi took turns hugging Veena before moving on to Rakesh. Shivani came and touched Kalyani's feet but Prerna was nowhere to be seen.

"Relax, Prerna is here as well. She is just making a call to find coverage for her at work." Veena replied noticing Kalyani's searching eyes and right on cue the elevator opened and Prerna walked out of it. Ruhi, Ahil, and Arya ran towards her hugged her instantly making her lose her balance a little.

"Looks like I am attending a wedding," Prerna said as they broke the group hug.

"You better!" Ruhi exclaimed. "You have no idea how much I had to beg and plead Samar Kaka to send you a wedding card," Ruhi replied with tears in her eyes.

"Ugh! Don't start the waterworks Ruhi, they are finally here," Arya said. His family was all here today.

"Yeah! She finally seemed to find her way back to us," Ahil teased, "She just might leave us again thinking that we are not happy to see her."

Prerna broke away from the gang made her way to Kalyani. She touched Kalyani's feet, " How are you Badi Ma?" Prerna asked getting up.

"I am fine," Kalyani said, "I missed you a lot."

"I missed you a lot too, Badi Ma," Prerna said and turned to Veena, "You go and see him Ma. I won't go inside. Our deal was to come here and I fulfilled that."Prerna told her mother.
Veena was about to argue with Prerna when Kalyani cut in, "Then I will stay here with you." Kalyani told Prerna. Both Veena and Kalyani looked at each other knowingly. They were going to have to use the same tactics on their children which they used to when they were kids to get these two together.

Veena opened the door to Rishabh's room and stepped in to see him reaching for the help bell, "What do you need? She asked. "Tell me, I will get it for you," She said rushing to him.
"Veena Ma," Rishabh's face lit up as he saw her rushing to him. "I am fine ma. Relax! I just wanted to know about the commotion outside. Now I know it was you." Rishabh sighed and then got excited when he saw the rest of the Sharma family walked in, "You came! All of you came."
"Yes, we came. Apparently, your plan worked." Veena said seating her on the stool next to his bed scolding him softly.
"Do you have any idea how scared we were?" Rakesh admonished, "We had no idea how you were, and how bad your injuries were? The whole media block and not letting Samar pick up our calls just to get us here. It was very underhanded of you."
"You figured it out?" Rishabh asked surprised that Rakesh has figured out his plan.
"Please! I had you the first time Samar did not pick up Prerna's call. He always picks up her call no matter what. I just decided to keep my mouth shut." Rakesh explained. "Don't forget that your teacher is my wife." Rakesh continued as he looked at Rishabh carefully for any hidden injuries, the boy always had a knack for hiding his pain, "Veena, on the other hand, put two and two together just outside your room."
"She is not going to come inside Rishabh," Shivangi explained when she saw Rishabh staring at the door.
Rishabh looked at Veena, his heart in his eyes. "She is with your mother Rishabh and I am not going to ask her to come inside," Veena stated leaving no room for arguments.
"You are going to take her side Ma," Rishabh said unbelievingly. Veena Ma always took his side, no matter what.
"One of us has to Rishabh," Veena said simply.
Rishabh sighed at Veena's reply. Veena knew. Prerna had told her everything. He really had his work cut out for him. "It's okay, I have you," He told Veena, "I promise I will make it right Ma. I had my reasons back then for doing what I did. It was not my intention that was wrong just the way I handled things." Rishabh said, "I am just sorry that I hurt all of you in the process."

That Bloody Scoundrel. Prerna paced in her room at the palace cursing the only man she had ever loved. He was still the same arrogant, controlling, conceited jerk. He should be called His Royal Highness Drama Queen Bajaj. All he had was some minor scratches and burns. He was so okay that the hospital had discharged him. He had controlled the media of an entire nation just to get her where he wanted, in his palace, back to him. And damn him, she was here because no matter how much he hurt her, she cannot stop loving him. His love lived in every cell of her body along with his betrayal. He evoked so much emotion from her that sometimes she thinks that she won't ever be able to breathe again. The news of the blast had paralyzed her momentarily. Then Samar Kaka would not answer his phone. Her mother was frantic and she was just numb inside when Baba decided that they will go see him at the hospital. He put her through hell all over again because that big man-child did not get what he wanted. Me.

It had taken every ounce of her strength in her to not walk into his room at the hospital. It grated her that even after getting her heart broken into a million pieces by him, just the very thought of him hurt and harmed in any way made her heart stop. No matter how much she loved him, she respected herself a little more. So, she sat outside his room with Badi Ma, Ruhi, Ahil, and Arya and took comfort in catching up with them after all these years. Yes, he had her here but she will not give him the satisfaction of seeing her hurt and worried over him. She had made a promise to herself eight years ago to put herself first and she intended to keep it. The stubborn boy she had loved had grown into an arrogant man but what he has to learn is that she also had built defenses that he won't be able to penetrate. She will protect her heart this time around. She was not the foolish girl she was eight years ago.