20. REVELATION!

The car stopped in front of a lavish building.

Driver:- sir, we reached. 

Hearing this Arjun comes out of his thoughts and looks out of the window before walking towards the door. He pressed the doorbell and waited for someone to open it. After 2-3 minutes a lady opens the door and seeing Arjun she frowns. 

The lady:- yes, how can I help you? 

Arjun:- good morning, mam. I am Arjun…… Arjun Dixit. I want to meet DR. RANJAN. Is he here? 

The lady:- sorry sir, but the doctor won’t meet anyone at home.

Arjun:- ( pleadingly ) see mam, it’s urgent. I came here from Mumbai only to meet him. It’s about my sister. I won’t take much time.  

Seeing his pleading face, the lady melts and gestures to him to come inside. After almost 5 minutes an aged man walks towards Arjun and greets him. 

Dr. Ranjan:- yes, how can I help you gentleman? 

Arjun:- sir, I want to ask something from you. And I will be so grateful if you help me. 

Dr. Ranjan:- I will try my best to help you, gentleman. 

Arjun:- Dr. you treated a child at least 20 years back. It was an accident.

Dr. Ranjan:- ( while frowning ) can you elaborate it?  

Arjun:- Actually the child whom I am talking about is my sister. She got hospitalized by some random strangers as she drowned in water. I clearly remember that you told us that water filled in her lungs which made her condition very critical. But at the same time, you said that there is a chance for her survival. 

Dr. Ranjan:- I am still not getting what you want to know. I am a doctor and I handle such cases daily. Can you tell me in which year all this happened and in which hospital? So, that will help me to remember it. 

Arjun:- Ummm it’s around December in 2000 at LIFECARE HOSPITAL, MUMBAI. 

Dr. Ranjan:- oh… but at that time I got transferred here. Maybe you got the wrong information regarding the doctor who operated on your sister.

Arjun:- no…. I clearly remember you are the one who treated my sister that night. ( emotionally ) I can’t forget that night. ( after some time ) yaa….. I remember after that day you got transferred because another doctor created the DEATH CERTIFICATE OF MY SISTER, NEXT DAY. 

Dr. Ranjan:- oh, that means your sister’s case was the last case that I handled in a life care hospital. 

Arjun:- ya…. So can you tell me about her? How was her operation? Because the nurse told us that ….. ( his voice chokes while saying this ) ….. WE LOST HER!!………. SHE DIED. 

Dr. Ranjan:- ( in confusion ) how can that be possible?

Arjun:- what is not possible, doctor? 

Dr. Ranjan:- no one died till now to whom I operated in life care hospital. I clearly remember……. That I operated on at least 20 to 25 surgeries in lifecare and all the operations were successful. So, how can your sister die? 

Arjun:- ( Shockingly ) WHAT!!!!!!

Dr. Ranjan:- yes, maybe there is some misunderstanding. You can confirm it. 

Arjun:- How can I confirm it, doctor? 

Dr. Ranjan:- Whenever a doctor treats a patient he/she always keeps one report of the patient with herself/himself for records. You can check it….. I have data of all my patients on my laptop. 

Arjun:- so, can I see it? 

Dr. Ranjan:- sure, but you need a patient ID to open that file. The hospital staff always gives a special ID to all its patients. You can find that ID in reports. 

Arjun:- I don’t have any report with me. My father burnt all the last symbols of my sister.

Dr. Ranjan:- oh…… so, I don’t think that I can help you in this matter anymore. 

Arjun nods disappointedly but something strikes in his mind suddenly. 

Arjun:- I don’t have any reports but I have the picture of the hospital bill. Will that help us?

Dr. Ranjan:- at least we can try. 

Arjun immediately opens his phone’s gallery and searches for that bill picture till then the doctor brings his laptop. 

Arjun:- ( showing him the billing picture ) look….. This is the picture. 

The doctor took the phone from his hand and looked for that special ID that can help them to search patient details. He does something on his laptop and tada….. The detail is on the laptop screen. Whereas Arjun waits for good news anxiously.  

Dr. Ranjan:- ( while looking at the laptop screen ) is the patient’s name, NANDINI……. NANDINI DIXIT? 

Arjun nods with tear-filled eyes. 

Dr. Ranjan:- two months old baby girl? 

Arjun again nods and this time the tears are unstoppable. His eyes are fixed on the doctor’s face who is reading the reports. 

Dr. Ranjan:- I WAS SO CORRECT. THE SURGERY WAS A SUCCESSFUL OPERATION. WE SAVED THE CHILD ALTHOUGH THAT WAS A TOUGH JOB. 

Arjun:- ( crying hysterically ) Are you telling the truth?…….. Please don’t play with my emotions. 

This is the same thing for which he is craving to hear and now when he finally got to know that HIS SISTER IS ALIVE, he is not able to believe that.

Dr. Ranjan:- ( smilingly ) I am not lying, gentleman. 

Arjun:- so, why did that nurse tell us that….. We lost her? And that death certificate? 

Dr. Ranjan:- I don’t know all that. You have to find out that yourself. 

Arjun:- ( with determination ) I will…. I will….. But thank you, doctor. Thank you so much. You helped me a lot. 

Doctor smilingly pats his shoulder and bids him a bye. Arjun comes out and settles down in his car.

Arjun:- ( thought ) MY SISTER IS ALIVE THEN, WHAT WAS THAT “DEAD DRAMA”? I HAVE TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG AND FOR THAT I HAVE TO DIG THAT DOCTOR AND NURSE LIFE WHO GAVE US THE THAT DREADFUL NEWS……… I WILL NOT LEAVE THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEHIND ALL THIS. I SWEAR ON MY NANDINI. 

With a determined face, he decided to find out the whole truth. But for now, he has to go back home where his wife is waiting for him.

Otherside, in California, the weather is pretty much cold outside and soon it’s going to rain, making the atmosphere romantic. But inside Manik, and Nandini’s bedroom the temperature is high. All credit goes to Nandini who is scolding her man for being careless. Whereas Manik is trying hard to manofy his lady love. Now, he is all fine only because of Nandini who takes good care of him throughout the day. 

Manik:- ( cutely while holding his ears ) sorry Nandini, please forgive me.

Nandini:- ( angrily ) why sorry?…..haa….. Don’t irritate me. You just go and have a bucket of ice cream because now you are not sick. 

Manik:- but….

Before he could say anything Nandini shut him angrily. 

Nandini:- I told you na…..that don’t eat ice cream because you get cold easily. But why will you listen to me? 

Without saying anything he pouts cutely and holds his ears to say sorry but Nandini walks ahead ignoring him and lies down on the bed while closing her eyes. 

Manik follows her like a puppy and sits down beside her on the bed while his gaze is constant on her face. 

Nandini is very well aware of his gaze on her but she chose to ignore it. She simply turns around and faces her back towards him.

Being the stubborn boy, Manik pierces his gaze on her back which is alluring to him. He sneaks his hand around her waist to pull her closer but Nandini shooed away his hand harshly. 

Manik pouts but doesn’t stop his work to manofy her. He removes her hair from her back, his long fingers on her bareback giving her goosebumps. As much as the touch is tickling her it is also creating butterflies in her pit of stomach. 

He bends down and places his lips on the back of her neck. All this is too much for this innocent child. She closes her eyes to soak his love. 

Manik:- ( huskily ) Nandini, why are you angry? Because I have that ice cream?  

Nandini replies without facing him with a choked voice.

Nandini:- you don’t know Manik, how I felt when I saw you in bed suffering from fever. I felt like I am not capable of keeping you safe and healthy with me. 

Manik:- why are you blaming yourself, Nandini? I am the one who is at fault. I should have considered your concern at that time. Now, I promise that I will take care of myself but you stop blaming yourself for my sufferings. 

Nandini’s half anger melted listening to him but she is adamant to give him a nice lesson for his carelessness. 

Getting no response from her, he again tries to hug her from the back but Nandini again shooed him away. But soon the clouds thunder and listening to the sound she swiftly turns around and snuggles in his arms like a baby. Manik took her in his arms smilingly knowing her fear. 

Yes! Nandini is scared of rain and thunder since childhood. Manik tightens his hold around her and rubs her back to soothe her. He kisses her forehead and holds her palms in his other hand but Nandini pulls her hand back from his hold making him frown. 

Nandini:- I am in your arms that doesn’t mean I forgive you. 

Manik looks at her shockingly. 

Manik:- what?

Nandini:- yes, now promise me that you will not do any work which makes you sick. 

Manik:- But Nandini, I didn’t feel sick intentionally. But still, if this promise will give you assurance regarding my health, then, I promise that from now on I will take extra care of myself.

Finally, Nandini smiles and kisses his cheek. With the kiss, Manik gets to know that he is forgiven by his ladylove. 

Manik:- ( asking cutely ) Now, can I hold your hand? 

Nandini:- why only hand? Now, I am fully yours. You can do anything. 

Listening to her, Manik grins excitedly and in swift turns his position. He captures her lips with his for a mouth-watering kiss. It’s been 48 hours since he tastes her lips and that desperation can be felt by her. 

Nandini smiles in between the kiss seeing his desperation for her and gives him full access to cherish her. 

To be continued…