It wasn’t easy for both
of them to live life that way. Arjun’s family loved him, but his own family
forced him to leave them alone. The only justification they gave him was- Think
of your sister, who will marry her? He was emotionally forced to leave the
house, just because society didn’t want him to live with normal people.
He left his hometown
and boarded the train that led him to Ruhi. He lied to Ruhi that he was just
coming for a single day. And on the other end, Ruhi’s family too wanted to get
rid of her somehow. They loved her, but the society created a veil between
them. The best they could do was, leave her in some hospital of some country to
die. However, Ruhi refused and wanted to spend the rest of the time in her
hometown.
Arjun saw the
hesitation in her parent’s eyes and proposed to marry her right away and take
her away from them. They gave it a thought and apparently agreed. Both Ruhi’s
and Arjun’s families were HIV free now. It was unbelievable how quickly they
cut them off from themselves.
He had already called
his grandmother that he would be coming to Shimla. His grandmother was happy.
She accepted him happily and when Ruhi’s family accepted Arjun’s proposal, the
luggage on the way to Shimla doubled.
They settled down with
low morals, on high peaks, colorless, and somewhere between snows. He opened a
coffee shop of his own and they both helped each other in the venture. They had
employed just one person, and they both contributed in preparing and serving
coffee. They were happy.
Ruhi’s condition got
worse and she stopped going there. Her immune system was badly disturbed by the
HIV virus and AIDS resided in her. Most of her time was spent in bed and
hospital.
That night, Arjun
reached home and found her on terrace. She was lying lifeless. He took her to
the hospital. Her body was tired of diseases and wanted to give up. She was
admitted to the nearest hospital and was treated by two doctors at a time. But
destiny had its preferences.
The life of Ruhi was
getting unstitched by her body inside the ICU and her family was waiting for
the news outside. A nurse finally came out and handled him a paper slip. Few
medicines were listed on it. “Can you bring them?” She asked him.
He nodded and tried to
read the names. He folded the slip and kept it inside his pocket. As he started
to walk away, a tiny hand held his denim. “Can I come along papa?” A little
pearl-beautiful baby was standing right next to him. Her eyes were big and black,
just like Ruhi’s eyes. She was wearing a red frock with white hearts all over
it.
He sat down on his
knees, “Stay with your Big mumma,
Daddy will be back soon.”
“But I want the panda
ride,” She said innocently.
He smiled and scooped
the little lady into his arms and made her sit on his shoulders. “Here comes
the panda,” He laughed.
“Papa, Why we have to
come hospital every week?” She asked and put her hand in his hair.
“Because Doctor Uncle
loves Sukoon so much that’s why they
call Sukoon’s papa every week and ask him to bring her to the hospital.”
Sukoon
was
Ruhi’s and Arjun’s daughter. No, they did not make out again; it is just that
the pill she took that day decided not to work. In those months’, she was so
disturbed by the HIV disease that no one realized that she missed her periods.
They were pregnant with a baby and as soon as they realized it, Ruhi was taken
to the hospital and all the precautions were taken to keep the baby safe from
HIV.
Sukoon
was born after five more months and it was the most beautiful day for Ruhi and
Arjun. Ruhi was dying but Arjun had to live with the last living memory of
Ruhi; Sukoon. It was the hardest
thing for him and he was trying to accept that as soon as possible. They named
her Sukoon because she was the ultimate
peace to them. Before her, it was almost impossible to sleep at nights, but
after her birth, every night they slept together in peace.
They reached the
chemists shop and bought the medicines. Sukoon was feeling hungry, so he bought her a fruit
cake and Frooti. Frooti was her favorite drink. His cellphone rang when he was
paying the shopkeeper. He picked the call; it was from his grandmother.
“What happened Grand
maa?”
“Doctor needs you
here,” She sobbed.
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