Chapter 28 - The Takkar

 ShivRu entered Om's hospital room with a tear stained face and almost broke down again at the sight of Om.

Om looked paler than usual. Sad vibes hung in the air around him.

ShivRu quickly went on either sides of Om and held his hand in theirs.

"Om bhaiya..." Rudy cried. "O, utho na jaldi please. Mujhe apko aise dekhna bilkul accha nahi lag raha. Utho na, mujhe daanto, mujhse baat karo, mere sath mazak karo....utho na, O." ("O, please get up. I hate seeing you like this. Get up, scold me, talk to me, prank me...please O, get up.)

Shivaay admired Rudy through teary eyes before running his hand from Rudy's hairs comfortingly.

Rudy hugged Om's sleeping figure and kept crying in Om's chest.

While Shivaay held Om's hand tightly and said in his mind. 'Tujhe jis kisine bhi poison kiya na mein usey shanti se nahi jeene dunga ! Usne mere bhai ko, mere Om ko chot pohochane ki koshish ki hai, mein usey zinda nahi chodunga. I promise O, mein tujhe chot pohochanewale har insaan ko mita dunga. I promise.' ('Whoever has poisoned you, I'll not let him live peacefully ! He has tried to harm my brother, my Om, I'll kill him. I promise O, I'll erase the existence of the person who tried to harm you. I promise.')

Shivaay said in his mind and kissed Om's knuckles before kissing Om's forehead and whispered to Om, "Get well soon Om."

♠

The night had passed and Om was still sleeping. ShivRu hadn't left Om's side even for a minute.

Shivaay had somehow managed to convince Prince, Chubby, Shashi, Krish and Yash to go home and had also managed to send Gauri home to take some rest, last night.

Shivaay hadn't slept all night cause he was too concerned and too raged to sleep.

Instead, Shivaay had stayed up all night and had called ACP Singhania. He requested ACP Singhania to personally look into the case and find out who had poisoned Om.

Simultaneously, Shivaay had studied all the reports of Om and had discussed the details about Om's health with the best doctors overseas.

When it came to his brothers, Shivaay never left any space for mistakes or doubts, he did every possible thing he could do for them without hesitation.

In the morning...
(8 hours of 12 critical hours have passed.)

Shivaay was sitting on the couch against a cushion with his head leant back on the headrest of the couch. He had closed his eyes but he wasn't fully asleep.

The dark circles around Shivaay's eyes, the stiffness in his back and neck, the killer headache and the overall heaviness in his body, screamed that he was in need of sleep but he refused to take rest until Om wakes up.

"Bhaiya."

Shivaay quickly opened his eyes and looked at the source of the sound. Amusement crossed his face when he saw Gauri looking down at him with a slight frown.

"Gauri ?" Shivaay didn't care to mask away his amusement, he looked at the watch and then again at her, "Itni subha subha tum yaha kya kar rahi ho ?" ("What are you doing here so early ?")

"Bhaiya, mein apke liye aur Rudy ke liye nashta layi hu." ("Bhaiya, I've brought some breakfast for you and Rudy.") Gauri replied and glanced at Rudy, who was still awkwardly sleeping in the chair and was still hugging Om.

Shivaay nodded. "Thank you Gauri."

"Ab tabiyat kaisi hai Om ki ?" ("How's Om doing now ?") Gauri asked finally. She was dying to ask that ever since she had arrived.

"Doctor kuch der pehle hi aakar Om ko check karke gaye. Unhone kaha ki sab cheeze normal hai ab, hopefully usey jald hi hosh aa jayega." ("Doctor had just came a few minutes earlier to check him. He said that everything is normal and Om shall wake up soon.") Shivaay replied and stifled a yawn.

Gauri smiled with relief.

"Aap raat bhar soye nahi." ("You didn't sleep last night.") Gauri remarked. "Nashta karke thoda aaram kar lijiye." ("Eat breakfast and take some rest.")

Gauri settled the tiffins on the coffee table present before the couch and started opening it.

"Jab tak mein un logo ko pakad nahi leta, jinki wajah se mera Om hospital mein hai, tab tak mein chain ki neend nahi so sakta." ("Until and unless I catch those people cause of whom my Om is in the hospital, I cannot sleep peacefully.") Shivaay growled.

Gauri gave a small nod mindlessly. She was just as angry on the culprit as Shivaay.

Gauri had been up entire night as well. No matter how much she tried to sleep last night, she couldn't. All that played in her mind was Om and the sweet memories she had with him.

One thing was clear to her after last night... Gauri Trivedi was in love with Omkara Singh Oberoi.

Gauri wanted to tell Omkara that she loves him but she more importantly wanted him to wake up. She wouldn't tell a sleeping Omkara her feelings and make fun of herself when he tells her that he didn't hear her cause he wasn't concious.

Shivaay stood up and stretched his aching muscles before walking up to Rudy and waking him up.

Rudy looked really messed with his untidy hairs, tear stained face, dark circles around his eyes and his blood shot red eyes.

"Ru baby, jao jaake fresh ho jao aur breakfast kar lo." ("Ru baby, go and get freshen up and have your breakfast.") Shivaay mumbled softly.

Rudy nodded wordlessly, he didn't wish to leave Om's side but at the same time he couldn't refuse to obey his eldest brother.

Rudy stood up heavy heartedly, ignoring his stiffened muscles he walked to the attached washroom to get freshen up.

Gauri made ShivRu eat the breakfast forcefully as both of them had no wish to eat anything until their brother wakes up.

After a few minutes of eating breakfast, ShivRuRi watched with bright smiley faces as Om stirred in his sleep.

ShivRuRi's happiness lost boundaries when Om slowly and steadily fluttered his eyes open and blinked a few times.

"O !" Rudy exclaimed with teary eyes and hugged Om tightly, earning a groan in return from Om.

"Kya kar raha hai Rudy, hatt mere upar se." ("What are you doing ? Get off of me.") Om grunted under Rudy.

"Oops, sorry O." Rudy mumbled in embarrassment and got off him.

"Om, kaisa feel ho raha hai ab ?" ("Om, howbare you feeling now ?") Shivaay asked softly and caressed Om's hairs.

"I'm fine Bhai." Om gave a weak smile. "Bas agli bar clay art banate waqt gloves pehnunga." ("And from the next time I'll wear gloves before making clay arts.") He joked.

ShivRuRi chuckled.

"Agar nahi pehene na toh mein apka clay hi chupa dunga." ("If you don't wear the gloves then I'll hide your clay.") Rudy warned making ShivOm smile at him fondly.

"Lekin kya tha uss clay mein ?" ("But what was in that clay ?") Om asked curiously cause he had never encountered any such thing before.

"Tu uss sab ki chinta chhod aur jaldi se thik ho ja." ("Stop worrying about all that and get well soon.") Shivaay swiftly diverted the topic.

In the meanwhile, Gauri summoned the doctor who then checked Omkara and assigned him a 3 days full of bed rest and some meds to make him recover fast.

"Bhaiya." Gauri came to Shivaay and said, "Aap aur Rudy kal raat se yahi pr hai, ghar jayiye aur thoda aaram kar lijiye. Mein rukti hu yaha Om ke sath." ("You and Rudy have stayed her here the entire night, now go home and take some rest. I'll be here with Om.")

"Magar Gauri uski koi-" ("But Gauri there's no-") Shivaay started only to get cut off by Gauri.

"Ghar jayiye aur aaram kariye." ("Go home and take rest.") Gauri ordered in a stern tone.

Shivaay nodded with a defeated smile making Gauri break a smile as well.

ShivRu decided to leave for home when doctor confirmed that Om was doing fine and there's no need to worry.

ShivRu were just walking towards the car parking when Rudy realised something...

"Bhaiya, mein apna phone O ke room mein bhul gaya." ("Bhaiya I forgot my mobile in O's room.") Rudy informed Shivaay. "Mein abhi jaake leke ata hu." ("I'll go and get it.")

Shivaay nodded and just then he received a call from ACP Singhania.

"I'll take this call. You come fast." Shivaay said to Rudy, before receiving the call.

Rudy nodded and went to Om's room.

In Om's room...

Gauri had her back facing Om as she was pouring the warm soup into a bowl for Om, while Om was still exhausted so he was sitting against the pillows with his eyes closed.

Rudy didn't knock when he came inside the room. He just barged in with minimal noise and looked around for his phone.

Suddenly something shiney under Om's bed attracted Ru's attention and he ducked under the bed to see what the shiney thing was.

Just when Rudy disappeared under the bed, Gauri turned around and came to Om with a bowl of soup.

"Om." Gauri called softly making Om open his eyes ever so slowly. "Soup pi lo." ("Have soup.")

Om nodded weakly.

Gauri smiled and sat on a chair beside the bed and stirred the soup a bit as it was still hot.

Om and Gauri, both were stealing glances at each other like they wanted to tell something to the other but were hesitant, or perhaps, shy.

"Mujhe Tumse Kuch..." ("I Wanna Tell You Something...") Rikara said at the same time and cut themselves off.

Rikara gave small smiles to each other.

"Tum bolo." ("Tell me.") Gauri urged with a smile while tugging a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Nahi...uh..Tum batao. Ladies first." ("No...uh...Ladies first so you tell me.") Om replied.

"Pehle tum." ("You go first.") Gauri encouraged.

"Nahi tum." ("No, you.") Om stood his ground.

"Offo." Gauri slapped her forehead. "Pehle aap pehle aap ke chakkar mein kahi gadi na chhut jaye." ("We won't be able to share anything if we both go on like this.")

Om chuckled. "Right."

"Ek kaam karte hai, hum dono ek sath apni baat bol dete hai." ("Let's do one thing, we'll tell each other, whatever we wanna say, at the same time.") Gauri suggested to which Om nodded. "On the count of 3."

"1." Gauri started and bit her lip nervously.

"2." Om smiled with anticipation and a hint of anxiety.

"3 !" Rikara exclaimed together and revealed what they were going to say. "I Love You Om / Gauri."

Gauri slapped her palm on her mouth as she gasped in happiness. "Sacchi Om ?" ("Really Om ?")

Before Om could reply a sound came from under the bed.

"Ow !" Rudy yelped loudly from under the bed.

Rikara both looked at each other with wide eyes and blushed a deep shade of red before sharing a knowing look.

Both recognised the voice all too well.

Gauri placed the bowl on the side table beside the bed and bent down to look under the bed.

As soon as Gauri spotted Rudy, she held Rudy by his ear and dragged him out.

"Rudy..." Gauri still kept hold on Rudy's ear. "...dusro ki baatein chupke nahi sunte." ("...you should not eavesdrop on anyone's conversation.")

"Ow...Ow...Ow..." Rudy yelped, even though Gauri's hold on his ear wasn't painful. "Sorry. Sorry."

Gauri nodded satisfactorily and left Rudy's ear.

"Tu bed ke nicche kya kar raha tha ?" ("What were you doing under my bed ?") Om asked with fake angry glare.

"Woh mein apna phone lene aaya tha." ("I had came to get my phone.") Rudy held up his phone with his free hand while rubbing his ear with other. "Aapke bed ke niche gir gaya tha kal raat." ("I had accidentally dropped it under your bed last night.")

"Toh knock karke nahi aa sakta tha ? Chupke aane ki kya jarurat thi ?" ("Then why didn't you knock before coming inside the room ?") Om asked.

"Ab mujhe kya pata tha ki aap dono ka andar romance chal raha hoga." ("How would I know that you were doing romance inside your hospital room ?") Rudy replied sheepishly.

Gauri blushed harder and punched Rudy in his biceps lightly before hiding her face in her palms.

Om just stayed in his place and averted his eyes everywhere in the room but avoided looking at Rudy. He was looking like a tomato.

"Aww...Rikara kitne cute hai !" ("Aww... Rikara's so cute !") Rudy squealed as he got into his fan-girling mode.

"Rikara ?!" Rikara asked together with a puzzled look.

"Gauri bha-" Rudy started but cut himself off when Om gave him an intense glare but then Rudy realised something and he glared back at Om. "-ab toh mein didi ko officially bhabhi bol sakta hu." ("-now I can officially call didi, 'bhabhi'.")

Rudy turned to Gauri and grinned. "I was dying to say this." He told her excitedly before clearing his throat and adding, "Gauri Bhabhi ka Ri aur Omkara ka kara...Rikara ! Aap dono ka ship-name." ("Gauri Bhabhi's Ri and Omkara's kara...Rikara ! Your ship-name.")

"Tune humara ship-name bhi soch rakha hai ?" ("You had our ship-name ready ?") Gauri amused with a smile.

"Arey bachpan se." (Ever since I was a kid.") Rudy revealed.

"Aww...So cute Rudy." Gauri pinched Rudy's cheeks.

Om face-palmed looking at the Bhabhi-devar (sister-in-law - brother-in-law) duo.

"Mein toh apko tabse bhabhi bula raha tha jabse aap O se pehli bar mili thi." ("I call you bhabhi ever since your first meet with O.") Rudy confessed. "I always wished to get you as my bhabhi." Rudy hugged Gauri.

"Tu yaha se jaane ka kya lega ?" ("What will you take to leave now ?") Om gave Rudy a sarcastic smile.

Rudy frowned. "Dekha bhabhi ? Ab O ko meri company tak nahi chahiye." ("Did you see it bhabhi ? Now O doesn't even want my presence/company.") He fake cried and made sniffing noises. "Mera bhai ab pyaara dhaniya ho chuka hai." ("My brother has now become a 'pyaara dhaniya' (lovely coriander)."

"Pyaara...Dhaniya ?" ("Lovely... Coriander ?") Rikara distorted their faces in confusion.

Rudy took a small break from his crying drama and said, "Haan, woh hume parso ek picture dekhi thi na jisme woh heroine ka papa nahi bolta uss heroine ko uski shaadi mein ki woh ab pyaara dhaniya ho gayi hai." ("Yeah, remember the movie we watched day before yesterday, the father of the bride was telling her that she has become a lovely coriander since she's now married.")

Om smacked his face way too hard to call it a 'face-palm'. "Abey woh pyaara dhaniya nahi, paraya dhan hota hai !" ("Idiot, it's called (paraya dhan) estranged money not lovely coriander (pyaara dhaniya) !")

Rudy made an 'o' face before resuming his crying acting. "Haan wahi." ("It's the same.") Rudy cried. "Mera bhai ab paraya dhan ho chuka hai, ab woh mera nahi raha." ("My brother has now become an estranged person, now he's not mine.") He fake sobbed.

Gauri couldn't hold it in anymore and started laughing making Om crack up too.

⏸️

In the meanwhile...

Shivaay received ACP's call and slowly resumed his walk down the corridor towards the exit.

"Kuch pata chala kisne attack kiya tha mere bhai pe ?" ("Did you find out who had attacked my brother ?") Shivaay asked with a hint of anger.

"Yes. Jo needle hume clay mein se mili hai uspe 2 initials carve kiye hue hai." ("Yes, the needle that we've got from the clay has 2 initials carved in it.") ACP replied.

"Kaise initials ?" ("What initials ?") Shivaay questioned.

"V and a star." ACP started. "Vecha. Vecha ki khasiyat hai ki woh jab bhi crime karta hai, crime karne wale hathiyar pr apne initials V aur ek star carve karva leta hai." ("Vecha. It's Vecha's signature. It's his special feature, he always carves a V and a star on the weapon he uses for crime.")

"Vecha yani woh underworld don jo pichle 12 saal se Interpol aur CID, CBI ki wanted list mein hai ?" ("Vecha as in that underworld don who's on the wanted list of Interpol and CID, CBI ?") Shivaay asked incredulously.

"Yes. The very same." ACP answered. "Mujhe lagta kisi wajah se apka bhai uski radar pe aagaya hai. Aap please unka khayal rakhiye, agar aap chahe toh mein apke bhai ko police protection dene ka intezaam bhi kar sakta hu." ("I think due to some reason your brother has piqued Vecha's interest and is now on his radar. Please take care of your brother, if you want I can send the police force for protection.")

"No sir, it's okay. I'll appoint special security." Shivaay assured as he crossed the corridor.

"Don't worry Mr Oberoi, we'll try our best to arrest the attackers soon." ACP said, more like a formality.

***

A girl nearly 25 years old climbed out of the rickshaw. She looked angry as hell and turned to the rickshaw driver.

She handed over the rickshaw fare in the driver's hand and said with venom. "Agli baar mat milna." ("Don't come across me from the next time.")

"Mujhe bhi koi shauk nahi hai aap jaise customers ko service dene ka." ("Even I don't wish to provide my service to the customers like you.") The rickshaw driver retorted and left before the girl could say anything more.

The girl grumbled a few profanities under her breath and adjusted the files in her hand.

Just then her phone went off.

She looked at the caller ID and her face lit up almost immediately.

"Hello chhoti." ("Hello lil sis.") The girl chirped, though a hint of grumpiness still lingered in her voice.

"Kya hua Annika didu ? Fir kisi se jhagada kiya ?" ("What's wrong didu ? Did you again fight with someone ?") The girl aka Annika's little sister, chhoti aka Bhavya, asked.

"Tu kehna kya chahti hai ? Mein jhagadalu lagati hu tujhe ?" ("What do you wanna say ? Do I look like a arguing freak to you ?") Annika asked with narrowed eyes, even though Bhavya couldn't see her.

"No didu." Bhavya covered up. "Woh toh sab logo ko aap hi mil jati ho jhada karne ke liye." ("It's just that everyone only comes to you to argue.")

"Aur nahi toh kya...Ab woh rickshawala dekh na, ek toh usne mujhe pura seher ghumaya aur meri appointment ke liye bhi late karwa diya." ("I know right...Now that auto driver, took me from the longer route to the hospital deliberately and I'm late for my appointment.") Annika complained.

"Koi baat nahi didu, abhi bhi 10 bajne mein 10 minute hai." ("No worries didu, there's still 10 minutes left to strike 10 o'clock.") Bhavya assured. "Waise apne saari files toh le li na ? Kahi guma mat dena woh files ?" ("By the way, you've all the important files right ? You didn't lose them on the way, did you ?")

"Arey tujhe kya lagta hai ? Mein, The great Dr Annika Rathore, Doctor aur journalist avyi hi ban gayi ha ?" ("What do you think ? I, the great Dr Annika Rathore, have become Doctor and journalist without any brains ?") Annika asked with a proud look on her face. "Mein responsible hu aur intelligent bhi, samjhi ? Files jaise cheeze aaram se sambhal sakti hu." ("I'm responsible and intelligent, understand ? Handling files is like a piece of cake for me.")

"Ek toh meri yeh baat samjh mein nahi aati ki Doctor banke fir journalism kaun karta hai ?" ("I don't understand, who becomes a journalist after becoming a doctor ?") Bhavya started. "Aap hi ek woh weird insaan ho jisne pehle MBBS kiya fir ek NGO ke sath milkar drug addicts ki help ki, aur fir drug dealers ka parda fash karke logo mein awareness create karne ke liye journalism ka course karke journalist ban gayi. Matlab yeh kya baat hui ? Banna hi tha toh pehli hi journalist bann jati, MBBS karne ki kya jarurat thi ?" ("You're the only weird person who first completed MBBS course then worked with an NGO and helped drug addicts, and now to expose those drug dealers and to create awareness you became a journalist. I mean what is this ? I you had wanted you could've been a journalist in the first place, why did you do MBBS ?")

Annika huffed. "Meri life, mera education, meri marzi." ("My life, My education, My wish.") She replied. "Tu apna dekh." ("You focus on your stuff.")

"Dekh hi rahi hu." ("I'm doing just that.") Bhavya sassed. "Mein parso ki flight se Mumbai aa rahi hu, waha ki best University mein admission lene. Mujhe receive karne ke liye aa jana. Ok ? Bye !" ("I'm coming to Mumbai day after tomorrow to take admission in the best University of Mumbai. Be on the airport to receive me then. Ok ? Bye !")

Bhavya didn't even stop to listen to what her elder sister had to say, she just hung up.

Annika huffed again and made a grumpy face. She started walking towards the entrance of the hospital when suddenly she realised that some papers were peeking out of the file so she started keeping them neatly.

Annika was neatly keeping the papers while walking. She had her eyes on papers and not on where she was going.

On the other hand, Shivaay was reading some important emails sent by his PA, on his mobile so he wasn't watching where he was going either.

Both careless humans aka Shivaay and Annika bumped into each other, hard, sending the phone in Shivaay's hand and files and papers from Annika's hand flying in the air.

Shivaay's reflexes were sharp enough to catch Annika by her waist before she falls but not sharp enough to catch her files or his phone.

While Shivaay held Annika by her waist, the papers showered on them both like flower petals as they shared an eye-lock.

Ishqbaazi koi serial nahi hai jo time pe shuru ho,
Kabhi der se shuru hogi toh kabhi time se pehle...
Lekin jab bhi hogi, takkar ki hogi.

(Love is not a serial to follow the time,
Love can happen late or early...
But whenever it happens, it happens with a bang.)

The screen freezes and divides in half showing Rikara's smiling faces on left side and Shivika's RK pose on the right side.

---------------+++++---------------

Hey bubblies!

It's one of the longest chapters... And I dare say, much awaited chapter of this book.

So...yeah, I decided to save Shivika's face off for the next chapter..👀🙈😆

But I hope you all liked it and understood some of the background of Annika from Bhavya's talk and yes...Bhavya and Annika are sisters.

Who all liked the chapter ????

Let me know in the comments.

And yeah, I know that RK pose scene is so rubbish but I didn't have any better option so let's pretend like it's awesome...okay ?....No ?....
alright.🙈😂😂😂

Until the next update,
Have a safe and great life 😇