She tried calling him at night but he did not pick it up. And how could he? With a fever of 102 , violent seizures shivering his body and reliving the memories of her death.
" Gunjan. No Gunjan. Please don't go.. Can't live without you..Shiva give my wife back. I beg you. Come back my love..no..no.."
Ramcharan was exhausted. Vicky came home completely drunk, his eyes red, his hands badly injured, his breathing heavy like he ran a sprint. He staggered on the door and fell in the house. Seizures hit immediately. And whole night he suffered in high fever.
Doctor Shetty administered the medicines and hang over drug. By the morning when Vicky's fever broke he and Vitthal were drained out.
Riya saw the flowers, chocalates and the Shiva potrait he bought for her.
" Oh Vicky", she cried.
She smelled the roses and ate a chocalate. It melted in her mouth. She hugged the potrait. Guide me Shiva.
" Be brave", a voice rang in her head.
He was still not picking the calls. He was angry. She panicked and aunty threw him out. She called his father.
" Hello", said Ramcharan.
" Uncle I tried calling Vicky. But he is angry with me. He came to meet me. And auntie threw him out. I am sorry", she said in one breath.
SO THIS WAS THE CASE RAMCHARAN THOUGHT.
" He is not angry but very sick beta. Can you come over? The moron drank heavily and I am tired tending to him."
" Sick", tears came out of her eyes. " I am coming over".
Her fear disappeared as concern for his health ruled foremost in her mind. She was a chicken. He came to meet her. She is responsible for his fever. She wore a yellow cotton suit with dupatta, put bangles and sandals.
" Riya where are you going", asked aunry.
" At Zoya's", she lied and left taking her bag. She took Shiva's prasad for him too.
She bought an orange juice on her way. She got yellow sunflowers for him.
" Oh Vicky".
At Oberoi's
Vikram was fine.
" Get me breakfast kaka. I am leaving in ten minutes", Vikram said.
" Where to", asked Ramcharan.
" Office", came the monosyllabic answer.
" Ohh but you can't . You are ill", said his father.
" Dad are we really going to argue over this", he said.
" Nope", smiled Ramcharan. " For once you are going to listen to me".
" Dad".
" Riya is coming over", said Ramcharan.
Vikram's eyes widened.
" Ohh I told her you are sick", said Ramcharan innocently..
" Hop, hop", he said. " Back to the bed".
"YOU"
" You are welcome", said Ramcharan.
Vicky hugged his father. " Thank you", he said.
" Get your ass back on bed", said his father playfully. " And think quickly of an imaginary illness".
Soon Riya arrived her face full of concern for Vicky.
" Uncle Vicky ", she asked him.
" Thanks for coming beta", said Ramcharan. " Vitthal take Riya to Vicky's room. You don't mind if I rest beta".
" No uncle".
She went to his room. He was lying on his bed. Gunjan's pictures dominated his room.
Chand really was beautiful.
He was awake she saw sadly looking at one of her pictures.
Riya put the flowers in a vase.
Vicky noticed Riya entering but he still did not acknowledge her.
" Vicky", she said softly.
He looked at her.
" Riya", he tried to get up and yelped in pain, "Aahh".
" Vicky", she hurried to his bed and sat next to him holding his hands.
That was exactly what he wished for.
" I am sorry ", he said. " I the attack I triggered it".
" No Vicky, please don't blame yourself", she said.
He closed his eyes and pressed his head with his hands flinching.
" Relax Vicky", she said. " Let me give you a massage".
She took his head in her lap and massaged gently.
HE WAS IN HEAVEN
Memories of Gunjan massaging his head returned.
" Sahib do you feel better", she asked.
" It hurts like its going to explode", he would say.
And she would rub hard.
He would be making excuses always.
" Aah back hurts"
" Shiva I am sick"
And she would be at his beck and call, making tea, massaging his heads or leg or back.
And then he would grab her closing the door and have his way with her.
" Sahib its the middle of the day. We both will go to hell", she would chide him.
But he would just brush her off and make love to her.
" Vicky, are you okay now", she asked.
" Yes Riya, thanks"
She moved away. He felt a loss but still kept a distance. She should not panic.
" I got prasad for you. Open your mouth", she said.
He obediently did and ate the prasad with difficulty.
" Stop drinking yourself to death", she scolded.
" I hurt you", was all he could say.
She held his hands. That was a relief.
" Riya I really like you", he said.
Her grip tightened. Was he confessing?
" I would never play games with you", Vicky continued. " I told this to your aunt. I value our friendship a lot. I don't want to lose you".
" Did she hurt you Vicky"?
Riya felt bad for him. Aunty probably accused him of trying to s*duce her.
" I have been called worse", he shrugged.
He was a sweetheart. He was downplaying it. She knew auntie hurt him.
" What happened Riya? Why were you scared of me"? She saw he was in pain.
" Its its"
" Please speak the truth Riya", he urged.
She closed her eyes for a minute. Then she opened them.
" Vicky I sometimes try to remember him Ranjeet Singh", she said in a low voice.
His grip on her hands tightened.
" But I can't. I get so many visions about us but nothing about him. Not even a dream", she said.
" Why do you want to remember that monster", he asked.
She shrugged.
" I want to remember that part of my life. But like my brain shuts off when its him. But..", she halted.
" But", he urged.
" Twice I saw him", she said closing her eyes her grip strong on his hand. " His self overlapped on you".
She slowly opened her eyes to look at him. She thought he would be offended. But he looked deeply sad.
" Do you seek revenge from him", he asked.
" No", she answered promptly.
" Why"?
" Because she doesn't want me to seek revenge Vicky", she said with deep breath.
" She just want justice , acceptance and LOVE".
He remembered what she said to king's potrait:-
" I forgive you handsome".
AS IF YOU B*ST*RD...
He held her hands for a long time and they sat together in comfortable silence.
" You know Riya life of a soldier is unpredictable. He could live for years or die in his youth", he said.
" Yes Vicky". Where was he going with this?
" As a soldier Srikant was not sure of his life. He always stole moments of love with his wife. He thought he would die young leaving her with his memories. But..but..". He could not go on.
" Vicky", Riya hugged him. SHE CAN'T MARRY MANAV NOW THOUGHT RIYA. SHE HAD SURRENDERED HER HEART TO VICKY.
He was still stealing these moments of love with her thought Vicky.
Their love was doomed. A monster loomed over them. Shiva's curse seperated them. She was with him today breathing, alive, her heart beating with a steady beat. He would not be able to tolerate her death again. He would destroy the world if it tries to seperate them again.
Evening
She cooked halwa for father and son.
" This is delicious ", said Ramcharan.
" Manav is a lucky man"
" He does not like sweets. Nobody in his family do", she chuckled.
" I love sweets", said Vicky.
" Yes me too", said Ramcharan. " Do this. This moron will never marry", he said pointing to his son. " Come here and cook me a lot of sweets".
Riya giggled. He was making fun of his son.
" What will happen to your diabates", asked Vicky calmly. He would not back down.
" Ohh my sugar won't increase with my daughter's sweets", said Ramcharan.
They all laughed.
A cozy family. Father, son and daughter-in-law. Stolen moments. Can Shiva extend them?