Skip to main content

Love Survives

Pratap sat clutching onto the side of his seat as the hospital staff ran about. Nurses and a group of doctors were attending to the girls. Udai Singh and Rathore made sure that their names and power would help the girls get the best treatments. 

 Phool had regained consciousness and her mother and Vishal were by her side. It was Roshni they were worried about. She was being checked and tested by the doctors as she had not regained consciousness. Ram and Udai ran about talking to the doctors while Jaivanta sat holding Hansa's hand. 

 Pratap seemed to be in a haze as if this was another nightmare he was having. He always thought his life was cursed, everyone he loved was hurt and unhappy. Today he was sure. His Roshni was in there, fighting for her life, that's all he could gather. He didn't remember how he got her into this mess. I should have driven her home myself, I should have. I shouldn't have let her go to that woman alone. It's all my fault! In his anger he punched his fist at the wall, hurting himself.

  Jaivanta rushed to her son. 
" What are you doing?"
" This is all my fault." His voice shook cause of the tears he was fighting to control.
" No, it is not."
" Yes, I shouldn't have let her go, I should have... It's all my fault, everyone I love leaves me alone." He hugged his mother, in the hope to release a bit of his pain. The last words hit her like a bullet, she had always thought Pratap was like his father, very composed and strong. She now knew the deep scar her son carried. 
" Pratap... She will be fine. Listen to me."
" I know who did this." His voice was angry." I won't spare her."
" Her? Who is it?" Jaivanta was shocked. He was accusing someone of actually trying to harm Roshni. Her question made him look at his mother. He did not have enough strength to take her name. He ran off. 
" Pratap Wait!"
 Udai turned at her cry, to see his wife look at their son run off.

Pratap found a bench outside the hospital, he sat there by himself, and now he could cry, no one would know. He held his face with his palms and burst into tears. I can't lose you, I just can't. He heard footsteps and wiped away his tears quickly. It was his father. In the last 12 years, he had never even faced this man one on one. He stood up to leave.
" I understand how you feel." His father's voice seemed calm. 
" No, you don't! You never can." He said sternly. He loves you... Roshni's voice played in his head. 
" When your mother was very ill before you were born, I used to stay awake all night for over a month to be with her, to see her sleep. I was so afraid she was going to die in her sleep someday." 
His voice seemed distant and sad. His mother's topic made Pratap stop and look back, at the man he hated for hurting his mother. 
" The day the doctors said she was out of danger and so were you, I was the happiest man on earth. I couldn't wait to hold you in my arms. I... I know how you feel... I saw a reflection of your mother in Roshni, she is such a nice girl, nothing will happen to her... I just hope she understands you more than your mother understood me." 
His last words made him choke. Pratap realized his father was as lonely as his mother, he preferred to work himself to sleep to hide his loneliness.
" Dad, I... I am sorry." He faced his father for the first time in a decade.
" Sorry? Why?" Udai was surprised.
" I... I thought you were hurting Maasa. I... I searched your room..." 
"You... What?" Udai Singh couldn't believe his son!
" I found some court papers and that is why we are here today Dad, it's all my fault!" He sobbed.
" What papers?" Udai feared the worse.
" Some woman named Dheer...." A slap resounded across his face.
" How dare you? Just how dare you dig up my life?" He was angry. Not because Pratap knew, but because he knew that Dheer was cunning enough to hurt Pratap.
" Dad... " Udai was walking away. 
" Dad... She did it, am sure, this is no accident." 
His words stopped his father. " What have you two done?" He demanded to know.
He was telling everything when his mother came up behind them. She put her hand on his shoulder and looked at his father. Pratap didn't remember the last time they had a family moment, this was something he always wanted, just not like this!

" Let your father take care of the mess, you come with me, Roshni has regained her consciousness."  A smile curved her face as he rushed off leaving his parents behind.
" I won't let her hurt my son and ruin his life." Udai dialled a number. Jaivanta waited for the call to end. " Don't worry your son will be fine." His tone was formal. He was about to leave. 
" And what about us?" 
" Us?" he turned back surprised.
" Pratap and Roshni did so much to see us happy, but are we?" Her voice was teary.
" I can never make you happy again." Udai shook his head.
" I should have listened to your explanation and not pushed you away." Jaivanta sobbed.
" No, I should have judged your position and not expected you to support me blindly." Udai shook his head.
" I shouldn't have believed her."
" Don't worry, I heard her stepson is after her, I called the commissioner. He will use her stepson to catch her, he too alleged that she blackmailed his father to marry her and give her his property."
" I am sure you will take care of this." A smile curved on both faces, they regretted the fact that in all these years they had not once tried to put aside their egos and talk it out. They regretted the scar Pratap had suffered.

Pratap rushed into the room where Roshni lay in bed, her head bandaged, her arm slung, she had broken it from the fall out of the car. She looked at him at the door and murmured "Pratap?"
Hansa saw him come in and left them alone.
" Roshni...." He smiled at her as his eyes twinkled in joy.
" I am fine... What happened to your hand?" No one had noticed his hand was badly bruised from the wall fisting.
" It's nothing."
" Nurse! Nurse!"
" Husshhh! Am fine." He put his finger on her lips. " I was so worried."
" I know, You cried, didn't you?"
" No... I was very strong." Pratap looked away embarrassed. She smiled weakly.
" Come here..." She stretched out her other hand to him. He held it tight as if to say I Am never letting you go... He got up from the chair and sat facing her on the bed, helping her to sit up, holding her shoulders.
" Does it hurt?"
" A little, I will be fine."
" I know you will be, but will that be in a month? Am not giving a ring with these bandages on!" He teased her.
" It was her wasn't it?" Roshni asked, his smile disappearing.
" You think so?" He asked. 
" Yes our car was driving fine and a white car came from behind and hit Phool's side, the car tilted and I think I fell out of my side, this seems no accident." She recollected. He shut his eyes even imagining the horror she went through. 

 Jaivanta and Udai interrupted their conversation. The Commissioner was with them.
" How are you doing Beta?" Jaivanta kissed her forehead.
" Am feeling better." Pratap stood up to greet the Commissioner. 
" Beta this is the police, tell them everything."
After asking about the accident the police asked, " Do you have any enemies?" 
Roshni looked at Pratap confused as Jaivanta and Udai shared a stare.
" Yes and No... Actually, I have an enemy." Pratap replied.
" Come with me, I will tell you everything." Udai escorted the man out. Jaivanta followed.

Roshni looked at Pratap, confused and amazed. He smiled.
" I wanted to surprise you. You did it! They talked to me together for like five mins! And Dad even told about..."
" OMG! You said, Dad!" Roshni hugged him in joy the moment he sat down beside her.
" Ouch!" She retreated in pain.
" Careful!" He looked anxious. 
She put her head on his shoulder and held his hand. " Now am happy."
" Anything else I can do Ma'am?" He smiled at her.
" Yes, ask the doctors when I can go home, and come every day to see me!"
" Your wish is my command!" He bowed to make her smile. " And?"
" Always be this way!" Roshni smiled.
" Always and forever!" He replied.

In a week, Daadi saw the news and called Pratap as he went to Phool's place to see her. 
" Dheer has been caught, and her stepson has filed a case against her."
" That's good."
" He called your dad for support."
" I can't wait to tell Roshni this."
" When will she go home?" Phool's mother asked, handing him a glass of juice.
" Tomorrow they will release her. But she will have to be on bed rest for a month almost."
Phool's mother left the room as Pratap noticed Phool and Vishal smile at him.
" What?" He asked surprised.
" Sagaai mubarak ho!" Both taunted as he got red and blushed. 
" Stop it guys, let her be okay first!"
" Ohho she will be more than ok, and then we will go shopping and then...." Phool went on and on as Pratap and Vishal looked at each other hoping one of them will make her stop!

READ STORY HERE


Labels:

Comments

  1. Adora ThangjamWednesday, May 27, 2015

    CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And the part where u said Sagaai mubarak ho was fantastic and hilarious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. SuranyaWednesday, May 27, 2015

      Thanks for the appreciation! That's how leg pullin is between friends right?

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

You Deserve More

Ajabdeh woke up with the song of birds as she felt something warm on her hand. Her eyes went wide. Her hand was on the pillow in between them, between his hands, clasped as he slept. She thought of removing it slowly, but he was holding on to it so tightly. Ajabdeh's heart beat faster and faster. What do I do now? How do I not wake him? What if... why is my hand in his? She was utterly confused.   " Am I...In love?" Pratap was staring at the sleeping figure on the bed as he stared back at the rain. Then he frowned as he noticed that she shivered. He closed the windows of the room to make it cosy, then sat on his side of the bed. A lamp flickered on her side like always, and he stared at her sleeping figure as he put his blanket over her as well. She shifted a little in her sleep to make herself cosy again. Her payals and bangles made a rhythmic sound, breaking the silence of the room. Her hand was out of her blanket and on the pillow in between. He tried to slowly put it ...
8 comments
Read More

Purnota: Chapter Four

The group of youth provided by the Pradhan proved efficient for Aniruddha’s liking as they helped him survey the villages, create a set of data and provide a rough idea of how much fund was needed to rebuild the roofs and fallen walls. “What if we make them permanent? That way, the next cyclone will cause less damage. Pakka houses may also get other facilities like toilets and…” Aniruddha suggested as his eyes shone in the flickering light of the dimly lit kerosene lamp in the living room of Pradhan’s house. Drops of perspiration had formed on his forehead in the load-shedding, and the mosquitoes buzzed around them. For the first two nights, Aniruddha could barely sleep in the unfamiliar surroundings with buzzing insects, sounds of the unknown, and eerie animals here and there at a distance. Stories of snakes climbing up to the second floor through windows despite the mosquito net protecting his four-poster bed kept him alarmed. By the third day, after a day’s survey through the villag...
Post a Comment
Read More

Towards You

The Afghans, after Sher Shah Suri's untimely demise, were at loggerheads for power. Their troops near Mewar were now led by Mehmood Shah. They secretly captured territories in the forests and waited to attack Mewari camps when the time was right. Rawat Chundawat and his spies had confirmed the news, and Udai Singh sent a warning to Mehmood Shah to withdraw his troops from Mewar in vain. Now that it was out in the open, it was time they declared war. Mehmood Shah had limited resources in Mewar. His internal rebellion against his commander did not help his cause. His spies clearly suggested that in no way could he win, especially with Kunwar Pratap leading his troops. He was having second thoughts about the war. It was then that one of his aides suggested a perfect plan. Maharani Jaivanta Bai had decided to go to the Mahakaleshwar Temple near the outskirts of Chittorgarh, in the forestlands of Bhilwara. They had travelled a long way and across the Gambhiri river that meandered during...
6 comments
Read More

Purnota: Chapter Six

Kalindi waited outside the hut, on the torn mat they usually slept on, using the hand fan to drive away mosquitoes as she stared at the empty path leading out of the house, the path Bondita had taken some time back. It was almost an hour. Did the foolish girl escape or land in trouble? To her relief, she could hear her nephew snoring away indoors, reassuring her that they were at least not caught by the villagers till now. She was sure Bondita would return empty-handed and hurt, and that she would have no other way than to accept the proposal from the Pradhan. That morning, her Kaka would accompany Sarkar Moshai to the adjacent village to talk to a family friend of the Sarkars. They were looking for a bride for their sixteen-year-old eldest son, who worked as a labourer in Sealdah. Kalindi had tears in her eyes. Not much had changed in these years; not much of women’s fate was different, wasn't it? Kalindi was about ten years old when her father took her to the Roy Chowdhury house ...
Post a Comment
Read More

Purnota: Chapter Eleven

Bondita opened her window to find Thamma and Jyatha Moshai missing from the lawn. The chairs were empty. Was she sleeping till late? She checked the clock and shook her head. Taking the towel, she hurried towards the bathroom, countering Kalindi on the way. She was reading the newspaper with her rimless reading glasses on. “Umm… why are you here? Where is Jyatha Moshai?” Kalindi raised her eyes briefly and sighed without putting the paper away. Her lack of response puzzled Bondita as she made her way to take a bath. When she came out in a pair of jeans and a shirt, rolling her sleeves up, Kalindi observed her keenly. “Will you be going somewhere?” She enquired. Bondita nodded.  “Ah, yes, the District Office, some of my paperwork for the Bar Membership needs to be signed by a Gazetted Officer. Jyatha Moshai knows someone…” “Don’t go by their house… he is in a bad mood.” Kalindi placed some Chirer Polao in front of her and spoke as Bondita rubbed her wet hair with a frown. “Why?” “Oh...
Post a Comment
Read More

She Left...

The war was over and so were the hopes of regaining Chittor. The Battle at Haldighati had robbed the Rana of all his wealth, and brave men, and bruised him for life. Trying to match up to Akbar or rather Raja Man Singh's army with one-third its strength had cost his bravery dearly. He had lost his friend and companion. He had brushed past death. The only good thing that this war ensured was that Akbar accepted that he cannot have Mewar. His army retreated and left the country in peace after almost two decades and seventeen wars. This war gave something else too. Kunwar Shakti came to help his brother in his time of need. He lived up to his brother's expectations of being loyal to his family. A heavy-hearted Rana Pratap Singh was overseeing the construction work on his lost friend's memorial right where he died, trying to save his master. The Bronze statue of the life-like Chetak stood tall but was no match for the void Chetak has left behind. He was lost in his thoughts as ...
5 comments
Read More

Purnota: Chapter Five

Aniruddha finished reading the book he had carried with him in the dim light of the bulb in his room and decided to pack it away. He was leaving in a few days and wanted to make sure he left nothing behind. The construction work on the school had started, and the Panchayat wanted to give him a thankful farewell he humbly refused. The spotlight should be on Trilochon to help with his next election campaign. Aniruddha did not want to associate himself with the party or the job. He contemplated going back home and telling his father that he had decided to pursue a career in India instead of his initial plan of going back to London. He had been giving it a thought for quite some time, and the day he said it out loud to Bondita, he knew in his subconscious mind he had already decided on it. The more he saw the village, the more sure he was that he was needed by his countrymen. Dadu put faith in him that he could be part of something bigger than himself and his career, and he intended to kee...
Post a Comment
Read More

Life and You

" Maharanisa! Maharanisa!" The maid-in-waiting ran through the quiet Rani Mahal as Jaivanta Bai, who was sitting in front of the Lord in her room ever since she was back, rushed out of her room, followed by Sajjabai and Veerbai. " What happened?" She asked, her voice calm, but her heart thumping. " Kunwarsa is here... with Kunwarani... She... She...." The maid sobbed as Jaivanta Bai rushed to the room. She stood at the door as her eyes could not believe what she saw. Kunwar Pratap was soaked in her blood as he laid her down on the bed, shouting, " Quick. Rajvaidya..." His eyes stopped at the door as Jaivanta Bai rushed to be beside the unconscious Ajabdeh. The Daasis and Sevaks were running about soon enough. Sajja Bai gasped at the scene. So much blood. Kunwar Pratap had not noticed anything except her calm, unconscious face. Now that he noticed his blood-soaked hands, red, he stared at them as though in a trance. "Kunwar Pratap! Tell me w...
6 comments
Read More

Purnota: Chapter Ten

The rain clouds gave way to the scorching sun the following day as Bondita woke up as the first rays of the sun hit her face and disturbed her sleep. She cursed herself for keeping the window open and sat inside the mosquito net with a sleepy yawn. She eyed the alarm clock on her desk that said 6.30. Bondita scratched her head and pulled the mosquito net up to search for her slippers. She heard the bell ringing from Thamma’s room and the chanting of mantras. A smile came involuntarily to her lips as she realised that she might have come after ages, but everything in Chandannagar seemed to have been at a standstill. She grabbed the Kurti from the chair to change from the top she was wearing and wondered what she could do for the day. For the first time in a long time, she was free from the routine of boarding houses. Her eyes fell on the mess around her room since she had not unpacked the day before. Bondita decided to spend the morning unpacking her belongings. She opened the door of h...
Post a Comment
Read More

Purnota: Chapter Eight

“ Choto Babu Eshe Gechen ”  Bihari rushed out to the portico, announcing Aniruddha’s arrival as Batuk rushed out behind him to welcome his brother. But he stopped at the threshold, realising that Dadabhai was not alone. Being an introvert, Batuk did not quite like guests, especially those he did not know. He knew the drill. Soon, his father or uncle would summon him to the living room and praise his piano skills until he was asked to play. The only song he knew was “We Shall Overcome”, and the blind pride of his family completely missed the disappointment in the guest's faces and false praises. But these guests looked different. As the driver opened the car's back door, a girl, about his age and height, jumped out wearing a pair of plastic slippers and a shabby dress, her hair oiled and braided, eyes wide in astonishment at the enormity of their house. Behind her came a reluctant woman, her hair in streaks of grey, wearing a dirty white saree, with nothing but a bead garland on...
Post a Comment
Read More