Pallavi's phone rang again. It was Vikram's call. Aditya answered it.
"Hello my lady love…. Where are you? You and Anjali haven't come home yet. Dad is waiting for you at the table. I know you and Aadi would've enjoyed street food. But dad's home now and before he gets angry, he wants both of you at the table for lunch….." said Vikram in a flow but got no response from the other side.
"Bro, this is Aadi…" replied Aadi.
"Aadi! How're you? Where is Pallavi?"
asked Vikram.
Upon understanding that Adithya was on the line, his father snatched the phone and turned the speaker on. He was raging in anger as he didn't want anyone from the house to have any kind of relationship with Adithya.
"Bhabi and I met at the park. While we were talking, suddenly someone shot her. I've brought her to The City Hospital. She is fine now…. I've sent Anjali with her class teacher. I've increased security around the teacher's place."
These words of Aadi infuriated Jai Kapoor, Vikram and Adithya's father. He immediately cut the call and rushed to the hospital along with Vikram. Adithya thought that Vikram had rushed to the hospital but didn't expect that his father would've got to know about the situation.
After half an hour, at the City hospital. Pallavi was shifted to the VIP ward. Adithya was also in the room with her. He was sitting beside the bed on a stool. He held Pallavi's hand and said, "Sorry bhabi… I really didn't mean to hurt you. I couldn't make a guess that someone could plan some kind of an attack. Today, I really feel I'm an irresponsible and aggressive police officer. I promise, I'll avenge every drop of blood that has come out of your body. I'll kill that bastard who tried to kill you. I'll do it in front of your eyes… I promise…."
"Oh! I must really thank God that you've realized how useless you are as a police officer…" said a voice from the door. It was his father, Mr Jai Kapoor.
"Dad..." said Vikram walking along with him.
Adithya doesn't respond to this. He was holding Pallavi's hand and looking at her.
"Tell him to quit his stupid 60k job. Even if he is not interested in joining my business, Jai Kapoor has so much wealth that he and the further 7 generations can sit and eat without earning a single penny. If he can't, just tell him to permanently leave my family. I cannot see my family members die or face death and return home" said Jai.
"Dad, it wasn't his mistake…." said Vikram.
"As if you were at the crime spot, " shouted Jai.
"Sir, please don't make any kind of noise here. The patient needs rest" said a nurse at the door.
"Dad, come, let's go talk to the doctor. Please come…" said Vikram taking Jai along. Both of them get out of the ward. Vikram made Jai sit on a chair outside the ward.
Vikram had a couple of clean clothes for Aditya. He lifted the bag with his right hand to take it inside. "Sir, I know you are a police officer and bullets might be common to you. But, is pain so common that you're lifting a luggage bag with a hand that is injured?" asked the same nurse.
He just stares at Vikram's clothes for a minute and says, "I must say, pain is also common to you. How did you change so easily? There is a huge bandage on your right arm, right" said another nurse. She was appointed to take special care of Pallavi.
"Sorry ma'am. You've mistaken me. The lady who is in the ward is my wife. The man sitting and crying there is my brother. He is the wounded soldier. Not me. I'm taking clothes for him to change. He is DCP Adithya. I'm Vikram" said Vikram lifting the bag up.
The nurses move towards the ward along with Vikram to see if he was right or not.
"Kiddo… kiddo, change your clothes first. I'll help you out. If your bhabhi comes into consciousness, she will go wild at me for not taking care of you" said Vikram to Adithya.
Adithya just got up from the stool and hugged Vikram and badly started crying.
The nurses get shocked to see two exactly the same faces of Vikram and Aaditya. They were looking as If they were two photocopies of one document. It was as if she was watching a new action movie of their favorite hero with a dual role. They left after a minute of stare as they wanted to give them space.
"I really didn't know… I didn't know who had attacked me… I'm not able to make a guess. But, I promise you, I'll send them to the mortuary. I can tolerate if someone attacks me but not my family" said Adithya. His determination was clearly visible in his red eyes.
Vikram kept rubbing Adithya's back constantly. He slowly calmed down.
Vikram slowly moved away from Adithya. He puts the bag down and removes his shirt buttons and asks him, "What happened? Tell me. I will put both our teams to work to find out who the mastermind is" said Vikram while helping Adithya to change.
Adithya narrated the whole story. "Did you fight with or offend anyone recently?" asked Vikram.
"I arrested the minister's son in a narcotics case and encountered Patel's son in an rape case and…. And…. I can't recall any new tiffs. Others are all older than 8 months" said Adithya.
His father who was sitting outside literally puts his hands on his head. The chief butler and housekeeper had just arrived with a lunch box.
"Jai…" he said.
"Uncle," said Jai.
"Is Pallavi alright?"
"She is still unconscious. This idiot of our home has a bullet in his right arm but didn't bother to tell us. He is now having a tiff with Patel and a minister too. I can control the minister somehow or the other, as he has just arrested his son. But Patel… this guy killed his son. How can I save him? Patel is not a man, but a monster."
"Don't worry. Aadi is a stable cop. He will handle it."
"He is stable. But, Pallavi… What about her? Everytime this guy gets into a tiff, someone or the other from the family gets affected. This heart has no more capacity to tolerate such horrible side effects."
"Don't worry Jai. Things will fall in place. Pallavi will be alright."
The doctor came that way. He saw Vikram coming out with a bag on his right shoulder, the doctor said, "You've driven a car and carried your sister in law in your arms, that's more than enough. Stop lifting more load now. Otherwise, it will be dangerous."
"I will tell him sir" said Vikram.
"Tell whom?"
"Adithya. Sorry, I'm his elder brother and Pallavi's husband, Vikram. We look alike."
"Alright. I wanted to meet you. Please follow me to my cabin" said the doctor taking Vikram along with him.