Meetha sa Ruhani ISHQ (Sequel)

215. Traumatic incident part 15

Neil with his blocked throat, tightened his grip even more, embracing her as if protecting her from everything and she closed her eyes in content.

Mini: Bahot pain hota hai Neil.... Abhi bhi mujhe bahot pain hota hai.... yeh sab jhelte hue.... bardaasht nahi hota mujhse yeh sab.... itna pain hota hai ki lagta hai main nahi cope up kar paungi shayad.... har baar jab aisa lagta hai ki bas ab main aur nahi sehen kar sakti... tab tak tum aa jaate ho.... aisehi mujhe apni baahon me samet lete ho... mujhe sambhaal lete ho.... mujhe mera pain sehne ki taaqat de dete ho sirf mera saath dekar..... tumhara mere paas hona bahot relief deta hai.... mujhe bahot safe feel hota hai tumhare saath... mere paas hi rehna pls... aisehi...

Neil: Main hu tumhare paas Mini... Hamesha hu... Aisehi tumhare saath hu....

Neil patted on her head lightly to comfort her.

She was still breathing heavily while sobbing. Neil stroked her hair while caressing her arm to help her calm down and she eventually calmed down.

After some time,

Neil bent a little, still holding Mini in his arms, and stirred the glucose water once again. He made her drink it slowly and calmly. She sobbed lightly now looking at him and drank the half, not denying after another quarter. Neil kept the empty glass aside and turned back to her.

Neil cupped Mini's face, kissed on her forehead to assure that he is with her always. Mini closed her eyes and kept her hands on his, moving her face lightly, feeling his touch on her face, relaxing to her.

Mini then remembered about Vaishnavi and opened her eyes.

Mini: Vaishnavi kaisi hai?

Neil's face became pale: Bilkul chup hai... jo uske saath hua... uske baad...

Mini: Kya hua tha?

Neil: She was... ra... raped.... that day....

Mini with tears in her eyes: Kya?

Neil nodded.

Neil: Tab se ab tak ek shabd bhi nahi bola.... Bobby ke haath se khana kha leti thi... par ab to vo bhi nahi khaati.... Kisi ko dekh kar react bhi nahi karti.... Kabhi bhi behosh ho jaati hai.... Bahot baar to.... (stopped in between and changed his words)... Bahot mushkil se sambhaala hua hai usko.

Mini : Doctor ne kya bola?

Neil: Doctor ne bola tha... jab tak tum log khud se jo kuch us din hua.... vo nahi bataoge...... tab tak trauma se nahi nikal paoge...

Mini noticed the restlessness in his voice, and worry in his eyes, and couldn't help but think how he had handled everything these days from her panic attacks to her insecurities, being worried for her and Vaishnavi. Neil was still worried for her, fear didn't seem to leave his heart, what if he wakes up in the morning and all this turns out to be an illusion. what if Mini goes blank again. Neil tightened the hug and Mini could understand his mental condition.

Neil: Ek baat hamesha... hamesha yaad rakhna Mini.... Kuch bhi ho jaaye.... Kabhi bhi.... Kisi bhi condition me aise mat sochna ki tumhare paas jeene ki wajah nahi hai... Life me koi bhi ek incident aapki puri life define nahi karta... You are alive... iska matlab hi yahi hai ki there is still something much bigger... which you ought to achieve in life.... Kabhi bhi apni life khatam karne ke baare me nahi sochna.... kabhi nahi....

Mini: Hmm.... I know... Maine kabhi life khatam karne ke baare me nahi socha... Socha bas yeh tha ki life khud khatam ho jaaye... Mere shabdon ka matlab suicide kabhi nahi tha... 

Neil sighed and his grip loosened.

The power restored and the lights glowed again.

Neil could feel the illumination in his heart too as Mini was speaking now... She had at least stepped to the overcoming phase of the trauma which was enough to give relief to him.