Abhi Naa Jao

“Main Rahoon Ya Na Rahe koi Nishaan Mera... Mehfoos Haato Mein Rahega Yeh Jahan Mera.”

Ajabdeh’s head hurt. The last thing she remembered was that she had lost contact with the base as well as Jalal. Her device had some technical glitch, and she had no idea when either Major Singh or King was going to arrive with backup. She saw the gang load their boxes into small trucks and decided to go ahead with the mission all by herself, minus the backup. She had no time to wait for them. They needed to be stopped from escaping. Since the day she wore the uniform, Ajabdeh had never cared about her life. Yet that day, when she was putting the silencer on her gun, her eyes stopped briefly at the name on her faded Mehendi, and her heart skipped a beat. In a moment, she believed he would understand. She sighed and took a deep breath before charging.

Major Pratap Singh had never done this before. He had defied the order of his senior to retreat after their cover had been blown by Captain Punwar. He had entered the warehouse from where the gunshots were heard. He had managed to kill three of them, and Jalal took care of the rest. For once, he was happy that Jalal did not care about the orders and was in as urgent to save her as he was. Seeing her lying unconscious in the pool of blood with an iron rod beside her, Pratap felt like his heart stopped for a moment. Throughout the journey to the hospital, he had repeatedly rubbed her cold hands and called out in vain. She was unresponsive. They said she needed immediate emergency attention. He hadn’t called home. They were on duty. Such things happened. He had seen and saved many colleagues, saw some die before his eyes, and got hurt himself as well. But watching Ajabdeh in pain was a different feeling altogether. Jalal had been a constant support. Because of his version of the incident, LG Bairam Khan had decided against taking any action for their recklessness. After all, they had killed the terrorists. It was a victory no matter how.

She needed blood. The doctors were running about while Pratap was handed the papers. While filling up the details for her treatment, his fingers stopped at the blood group. There were a few details that needed to be filled up. Like drug allergies, past records and blood groups. Things he did not know. Things he never got a chance to ask her. Things he never knew would be needed like this. Jalal took him by surprise by snatching the papers.

“Let me do these, Sir. As co-agents, we are meant to know each other’s...” Pratap nodded thankfully.

They had changed her attire and attended to her injury, and her head was bandaged as well. He had wounds that needed attention. A nurse had politely offered help. He had declined. Jalal insisted by saying he could never help Ajabdeh if he was wounded. He obliged as his eyes were still fixed on the door to the emergency unit. He saw them wheel an unconscious Ajabdeh away to the OT. As his hand left hers, slowly, his fingers touched her cold ones before they wheeled her away. Pratap stood there staring at the closed door for a brief moment and then back at his hand. He had heard the junior doctors talk. She was in danger. He stood with his eyes fixed on the door for some time; it looked as if time had stopped for him. He knew not how many hours had passed by. Jalal gently placed his hand on his shoulder, reassuringly. He had no words. Pratap sat down on the nearest bench in silence. Joining his hands together, he did what he had barely done before. Pray. For someone else. Or maybe it was for himself. The doctors came out after almost three hours. His smile and nod were a relief. Jalal decided to talk to the doctor. The nurse led him into the separator, from where he could look at Ajabdeh lying there in deep slumber. Once left alone, he felt something wet on his cheeks. When was the last time a teardrop slipped past his eyelid without his permission? He didn’t remember. But he realised that this was perhaps how things were meant to be. Now he realised that his respect for her had made way for a feeling perhaps deeper and more meaningful. He didn’t deny it now. He was perhaps in love with his wife. And he was going to look out for her, forever. A sense of right towards her, as a husband and a life partner, transformed Pratap’s heart while he stared at her and smiled at himself with moist eyes.

Ajabdeh’s head hurt when she tried to stir. She could hear him gasp, worried as she winced a little in pain. Barely able to open her eyes, she saw the white ceiling above her head and felt a gentle touch on her hand. She could barely move her head. Her eyes travelled to his. He was sleepless, worried and alert. His eyes shone as she tried to murmur something.

Watching Ajabdeh stir in her sleep for the first time in three days made Pratap run up to her bed and hold her hand. Her stare was blank at first, like she was trying to recollect where she was. Slowly, her eyes travelled to him as his grip around her hand tightened and she managed a faint smile. Pratap had never felt so good before. 

“How are you?” There was a sense of urgency in his voice. “Ajab?”

 “ F...Fine... Y...You...” Her voice was faint; he could read her lips, barely able to hear her.

“I kept my promise of looking out for each other.” He managed a smile as his eyes shone, firming his grip on her hand. She stared at him with a faint nod. His voice was shaky, even when he tried hard not to sound scared. Ajabdeh was too much in pain to understand how his voice shook. Her eyebrows narrowed and her eyes closed, making him look worried as he called for the nurse. He had orders to take a leave and go home with his wife, but only when she was fit enough.

The doctor examined her while he waited outside. Jalal had come to visit, hearing she was conscious again, and Pratap was pacing the corridor when the doctor came out.

“She seems absolutely fine. We have decided to put her on a liquid diet for now. Maybe if she keeps improving, you can take her home in about five days.” The doctor smiled.

“Thank You, Doctor.” Pratap smiled genuinely.

“Now you also go and rest a little, Major, even your wounds need rest.” The doctor walked away as Jalal smiled cordially at him and, upon his nod, walked into Ajabdeh’s cabin.

“Hey, there, my champ! How are you?” Jalal’s words made her smile as the nurse helped her into a half-sitting position supported by pillows.

“Better.” She sounded weak “I guess.”

“You are one lucky girl, I must tell you” Jalal’s smirk made her raise her eyebrows questioningly.

“I have never seen someone that shaken in an army uniform before.” Jalal smiled, “Or perhaps I never saw a husband so much in love. Lucky you.”

“He... he...” Ajabdeh’s throat was a little dry, and her cheeks felt warm.

“He not only saved you, but for the past four days, he had been here 24x7 and ...” Jalal went on to narrate every detail till her operation and stopped as they heard Pratap enter the cabin. Ajabdeh’s eyes travelled to him for a moment as he smiled. Was there gratitude in her eyes? He couldn’t tell. Her heart beat faster as Jalal took his leave with a final smirk at her. He was about to sit down on the chair beside her bed when she patted the bed.

“No... I... haven’t changed since...” His words made her stare at his clothes. He had changed from his blood-strained uniform into a pair of black trousers and a blue shirt, but even that looked two days old.

“You...  should go and change. Rest a little.” She spoke reassuringly, “I am fine.”

“Don’t worry about me.” He shrugged.

“You must. I insist, your wound...” Ajabdeh’s eyes travelled to the bandage on his arm as she placed her hand gently over his, and he shook his head.

“Fine. But I will be back with your lunch. I will make the soup. You don’t need to have hospital food”

“All right.” She knew protesting won’t help. It was more of an order in the tone in which he said it.

She watched him leave the cabin briskly and smiled faintly to herself. She remembered all the time her mother was unwell, or her head burned with fever, and Ratan fell ill.  They looked after each other, often sleepless through the night. At times, Ratan cursed her father’s priorities in silence. At times, her mother’s eyes too looked for him in illness. And there she was, on every mission, ready to lose her life until this man saved her. Her eyes travelled to the door once again. This man really saved her, didn’t he? He didn’t care for the orders; he could have lost his job or his life. Jalal’s words resonated in her ears as she stared at the dawn breaking into daylight from her window. Wasn’t this what every girl wanted? A husband who would hold her hand in sickness and in health. Yet, she had expected this the least from the stranger she married a couple of weeks back. Something in him had really changed since the last day she had saluted him at the base and moved to the warehouse with his orders. Was it his body language? His tone? Or his eyes? She couldn’t place it. The matters of the heart, love and relationships were new to Ajabdeh. She had no idea how it worked.

Pratap tasted the broth he had just made. It tasted very unusual. He shook his head and added some salt to it. This needed to be perfect. She was going to taste his cooking for the first time. His own thoughts made Pratap smile. Who thought he was going to do this? Try and impress his wife with a broth. But here he was trying his culinary skills for her. He stared at the clock. And put the broth in a box.

The nurse had helped Ajabdeh change and tied up her hair nicely in a braid. Her eyes stopped at the faded Mehendi on her hand.

“Newly married?” Ajabdeh nodded, making her smile.

“That’s your husband, is it?” She asked.

“Yes.” Ajabdeh stared at the nurse, smiling.

“He seems head over heels in love with you already, Ma’am.” The nurse left her blushing. Was it remotely possible that what Jalal and the nurse noticed was right? There was only one person who could tell her the truth. The one she couldn’t ask.

Pratap had tried on his third shirt for the day and stared at his reflection in the mirror. The first one looked like he was trying to look good, and the second was way too subtle. This looked perfect. He inhaled and smiled a nervous smile, and reached for the keys.

Ajabdeh made the nurse search for the things in her bag for the umpteenth time. Pratap had left the bag with her clothes, towel, toiletries and phone at the nurse’s disposal, but he hadn’t put in what Ajabdeh searched for. She frowned. The nurse let out an amused giggle.

“He perhaps didn’t know you would look for the vermillion, Ma’am”, she smiled, “Happens with the new husbands.”

Ajabdeh’s eyes stopped at the door as Pratap entered, making the nurse nod at her and leave. He placed his box down neatly on the side table while Ajabdeh’s eyes travelled to his neatly pressed shirt and back at him. Could she deny that he looked more handsome in this fresh look?

“I made broth.” He managed a smile, avoiding her glance rather awkwardly “You... umm... need to sit up.”

“Help me then.” She gave him her hand. Pratap was a little taken aback and stared back at the door to see if the nurse was still there. He then turned to his wife and held her hand in his. His other hand travelled to her abdomen, holding her protectively over the blue patient dress she wore, and he pulled her up gently as Ajabdeh leaned into his support, clutching to the sleeves of his shirt slightly. She winced, making him stare at her before putting the pillows up to support her. He could feel her breath on his neck, and she, his above her head. His eyes travelled to the empty hairline and frowned before he removed his hand from the abdomen and sat down on the bed beside her.

“The... umm....” He made her frown.

“What?”

“The ....” He pointed his index finger at her hairline and then at the bandage on her forehead. “Bandage looks fine.”

“Yes?” Ajabdeh frowned, confused. And watching him put the broth in the bowl, she smiled.

“You forgot to pack my vermilion box with my things.” His hand stopped stirring the hot broth in the bowl, and he looked up at her.

“Ohh.” He stared back quickly at the bowl “I will bring it by in the evening.”

“Have you eaten?” She knew the answer, yet she asked.

“Then eat with me.” She said as soon as he shook his head.

“This.... broth?” He raised his eyebrows.

“Why not? If I can have it?” Ajabdeh smiled. “I want to see and believe you have eaten.”

“I will...” Pratap stopped at her stare as he took a spoonful of broth to her lips, and she refused to open her mouth. “Fine. I will have the broth.” Made her open her mouth.

“How’s it?” He asked, a little scared as she smiled, tasting his cooking.

“It feels like home.” Her words made him smile faintly as eyes met briefly before he looked away.

“I heard you were very tense?” Ajabdeh spoke while Pratap packed the boxes in polythene.

“I... yes... umm....” He didn’t look up. “I will be back in the evening.” He looked up at her, and her twinkling eyes made his heart skip a beat. It was as though Ajabdeh was smiling in her eyes. Was that even possible? Pratap felt silly staring like that as she lowered her eyes from his. He walked away, making her look up as she said, “Suniye.”

“Ji?” He is half turned at the threshold.

“Don’t forget the box.” She smiled, “The sindoor...”

“I won’t.” He smiled and walked away.

In two days, Ajabdeh had shown great signs of improvement.

“I suppose your wife is in a hurry to go home, more than you are in a hurry to take her.” The doctor told Pratap.

In these two days, he had read to her, his favourite poet Rumi’s verses, and when he stopped to explain the same, he was pleasantly surprised at her interpretations. He held her shoulder firmly as she tried to walk a little inside the cabin. And he had brought her flowers. She frowned at the white lilies.

“I like brighter ones.” She said. Pratap narrowed his eyes. The formality in her tone was gone, he was glad she was saying what she liked aloud and up straight rather than keeping him guessing.

He brought sunflowers for her the next day, and as the nurse put the flowers neatly in the vase, her smile approved of his choice.

Ajabdeh was happy to know he had reading habits. They spend the evening talking about Dan Brown, Jeffrey Archer and even Ruskin Bond. She was glad he had an eye for poetry. Because when he read out to her, he stopped perfectly at the punctuation. And just when Ajabdeh was beginning to feel like he was totally perfect, he brought those white lilies. The only white lilies Ajabdeh liked were at funerals. And the white walls, curtains and roofs of the hospital were depressing enough. As soon as she stated her dislike for the flowers, almost in a reflex, she bit her tongue. He had brought them with... love? Her eyes travelled briefly to his face as she watched him frown in confusion.

The next day, the sunflowers made her happy. Because it showed her that he was trying to put in his effort and get to know her, just like she wanted to know his likes and dislikes. He respected her wishes as an equal. That was rare, wasn’t it?

On the evening of the third day, Ajabdeh was sitting up, happy with the permission to watch television on the otherwise boring action day. Pratap walked in briskly with a bunch of mixed yellow and pink roses and handed them over to the nurse before taking his seat beside her.

“I have some good news and bad news.” He made her frown.

“Bad news first.” She insisted.

“I have to join back in fifteen days.” He stared at her face for a reaction as she smiled faintly.

“And the good news?”

“You get a month-long holiday, and you will be discharged tomorrow. We can go home.” He saw her face light up like a prisoner being released from Jail. He smiled as she said, “Yay,” in the most childish manner possible.

“So what’s the plan for today?” he asked, examining a couple of books on her bedside table.

“The India Australia Match!!” Her eyes sparkled.

“Really?” He smiled gleefully “I was thinking the same.”

“Who is your favourite player?” She asked.

“Ms Dhoni!” they said in unison with a smile.

Pratap, for the first time, noticed Ajabdeh biting her nails as the match rolled to the last ball. Six required off one, and Pratap’s eyes were fixed on Ajabdeh, hiding her face with her hand and praying. As MSD hit the ball out of the park, in a reflex, he shouted, “We won!” and Ajabdeh opened her eyes to see him jump and smiled. They stared at each other in ecstasy, and almost in a reflex, Pratap hugged her. Ajabdeh felt her heart leap to her chest and settle back in the friction of heat she felt rising from the hug. He had let go in a moment, not even realising the look on her face as she cleared her throat, a little red.

“You cannot shout here, sir” The nurse walked in, rolling her eyes while Pratap apologised. And wasn’t Ajabdeh glad that she didn’t arrive a minute earlier? Of course, she was. 

That night, post-dinner, when Pratap called his father to inform him about their homecoming, a thought struck Ajabdeh.

“I don’t have any sarees here. Can you fetch me one from my wardrobe tomorrow before the discharge?” She asked Pratap as he finished his call.

“What do you need a saree for?” He frowned, a little clueless.

“I... going home...” She rubbed her hands, confused as he smiled.

Jaivanta was putting the Kesar, rice and flowers on the aarti thaal when a maid came running to inform, “They are here.” With a smile on her lips, she made her way out on the porch to see two cars roll in. In one was her husband, who had gone to receive her son and daughter-in-law. In another were the newlyweds. When Udai Singh chose this girl for Pratap, the mother had her doubts. Didn’t he also need the stability she brought to his father’s life? Marrying one warrior to another was a good idea? The first time she saw Ajabdeh at her home, taking care of her sibling and parents, she was happy to be proved wrong. Today, she planned to give the newlyweds the night they missed in uncertainties. She couldn’t wait for the clueless duo to arrive back safely.

“Are you sure?” Ajabdeh asked, unsure because Pratap insisted they should arrive in their uniforms.

“I am.” He had smiled. “Ranima will be happy to receive you like this.”

His father had looked at her pale face, and the soldier in him just smiled proudly, asking, “Are you okay?”

“Yes, Sir.” Her words made him frown.

“Call me Papa here at least.” Pratap’s eyes had travelled to his father and back to his wife. He couldn’t wait to be home.

A few days back, Jaivanta had teary eyes and saw the bride put on a uniform with a proud smile and seek her blessings. Today, the small wound mark on her forehead made Jaivanta frown worried.

“What...” She stopped at her husband’s glance. No one asked a soldier how they got hurt. It was their pride. How many times had she nursed her husband and son without questions back to health? The life of a soldier’s wife and mother was never easy. Pratap had held the door open and given his hand to Ajabdeh, who managed to smile at her mother-in-law. Pratap walked up to touch her feet, followed by Ajabdeh, who then waited for the aarti.

“Ajabdeh first.” Jaivanta surprised the father-son duo, who shared a glance while Jaivanta took Ajabdeh’s hand and pulled her closer, putting the tilak on her forehead. Ajabdeh’s eyes filled with happy tears, and her voice choked.

“Ranima.”

She had always imagined her mother doing this once, proudly. Yet her mother’s disapproval of her father’s world always pushed her away from telling the truth. Today, away from home, someone else was proud of who she actually was. Today, away from home, she had found a new family.

“Welcome back.” Jaivanta smiled as Ajabdeh stepped into the house.

After a quick dinner and a hearty conversation, Jaivanta insisted that she wanted to escort Ajabdeh to her room. Ajabdeh turned awkward and red at the floral decorations that created a mixed aroma of fragrances in the room. Jaivanta smiled, making her sit down and opened her jewellery box. Tonight, the bride would be back in her red lehenga and the wedding jewellery. She braided Ajabdeh’s hair and wrapped a garland of jasmine around it. The bride blushed awkwardly as Jaivanta hugged her and walked out of the room lit with scented candles.

Pratap frowned at the servant who walked into the study, saying, “Madam called you to her room.” He walked briskly to his mother’s room and knocked.

“Come in”, her voice made him peep inside.

“Ranima?” She turned to face him as he noticed the boxes of jewellery on her desk.

“I assume you had no time to buy Ajabdeh a wedding gift?” Pratap remembered the flag and shook his head. “No... I...”

“Here.” He stopped as his mother gave him a ring from her box. “This belonged to your great-grandmother. It is a family heirloom.”

“But Ranima, I...”

“Go now. Ajabdeh is waiting for you.” Pratap stopped at her words. He had heard this before. Only then was it followed by a bunch of cousins teasing him endlessly. What was Ranima thinking? He took the jewellery and walked away towards his room.

The mixed fragrance of the flowers and candles tickled his senses first before he knocked politely at the partially open door.

“Come in.” Her voice was low and unsure. And he walked in to stare at her while she fumbled, “This... this... Ranima... insisted...”

“I know.” He made her stop rubbing her fingers as she looked up at his words. This silence was pretty different from the silence that once filled this room a month back. Or was it?

He walked closer to her and took out the velvet box from his pocket, making her look up at him.

“This... belongs to my great-grandmother.” He said while opening the box, making her stare at the ring, “It’s a family heirloom that Ranima wants you to keep.”

“Ji.” She extended her hand to hold the box, but he held her hand instead. Her red Alta-clad fingertips were cold. He turned her palm and held her fingers, sliding the ring in with great ease on her ring finger and adjusting the adjustable ends of the ring to fit her finger.

“There you go.” He stared at the ring on her finger and back at her, her hand still in his.

“There is something I want to tell you,” Ajabdeh spoke, clearing her throat and looking away, making him frown.

“Yes?”

“It’s like this... umm... I think I...”

“Stop!” Pratap’s exclamation startled her as she stared at him wide-eyed. “I need to speak first.”

“No... Ummm.... let me...” Ajabdeh was firm, “You see, when my father and yours talked of this marriage, I only knew you by name. Major Pratap Singh.” She carefully spelt out each word, making him smile. “I didn’t know you as a person, but it didn’t matter, for being an army kid, I always wanted to marry into an army family.” Pratap nodded, signing at her to go on.

“I...” She looked at their hands, now entwined in each other’s and back at his sparkling brown eyes. “I don’t know much about relationships, love or how it works. Perhaps I don’t know you enough either. But...”

“But?” Pratap raised his eyebrows with half a smile at his wife.

“But...” Ajabdeh inhaled and smiled back at him, “As much as I know you, I like every bit of you, and us. How every time you eat something spicy, your ears turn red, how every time I wince in pain, your face shows worry, how you put in efforts to make others happy, how every time you don’t like something, you refrain from commenting and how every time you are happy... There is a universe full of stars that sparkle in your eyes.” She stopped at his frown.

“Did you write this down?” he asked suspiciously.

“Y...yes.” Ajabdeh looked away, embarrassed, “I was bored at the hospital...”

“Go on...” He insisted, firming his grip on her hand.

“I would love to explore that universe full of endless possibilities for us that your eyes promise. I would like to look out for you the way you stood by me. I don’t know whether to call this love as of yet, but...”

“But... I want Love to feel this way, the way I feel about you.” Ajabdeh looked up as Pratap finished her sentence. A tiny droplet of tears sparkled on her eyelid as he smiled at her and hugged her tightly. She rested her head on his beating chest and smiled. He kissed her forehead just below her hairline of vermillion and smiled at her eyes as she blushed.

“I expected a shorter speech.” He smiled teasingly, “And I thought you expected me to say it first. But I forgot something.” He smirked.

“What?” Ajabdeh frowned cluelessly.

“That my wife was not someone who left things for others to finish. She prefers to do things first instead. Isn’t it right, Captain?” He made her smile.

“Yes, Sir.” She smiled as he pulled her back in a tighter embrace.