TS: Love Hurts and Love Heals

Part 2: Love Heals

Sameer averted his gaze from Naina. He should go from here, but he can't leave her alone here. She needs to be taken care of. The nurse was still getting the papers. Sameer went over to the reception and called Munna's number. As he heard his friend's voice at the other end, Sameer put a handkerchief onto the mouthpiece. "Naina City Hospital mein admit hai...Ward no. 203...akeli hai...jaldi aao...!" Sameer spoke and ended the call. Before Munna could ask who it was on the line, he got the dial tone. Munna felt confused. Naina had been all okay just a while back. She'd asked them to go ahead and that she wanted to spend some time alone and reminisce about her memories with Sameer there. They had obliged at this request, but they'd all assumed that Naina had reached her home long back.

Munna called up Naina's house and after 2-3 attempts, Preeti picked up the call. "Hello?" Preeti's voice sounded. "Aye Preeti...Munna bol reya hun...Naina ghar pe hai?" Munna asked. "Naina to abhi tak school se aayi nahi! Main bhi wahi soch rahi thi kitna late kar rahi hai!" Preeti told Munna. Munna then told Preeti about the anonymous call that he'd received a while back and asked her to reach the City Hospital. They decided not to involve the elders for now, lest the call was a hoax. Preeti informed Swati, while Munna rode over to Pandit's house and explained the situation. All friends reached the hospital hardly five minutes apart.

Sameer saw them enter and immediately hid in an empty ward room. He saw them confirming about the patient in Ward No. 203 and then go over and look at Naina. He heard them mutter confusedly as to how Naina had got injured and who had actually brought her here or who had called. "Sameer ko batana padega...," Pandit exclaimed as the others agreed. He rushed to the PCO to call Sameer's Delhi residence, but Dadi on hearing Pandit's voice asking for Sameer, told him that he's not at home and not to call again. When Pandit tried to ask her where he was- that he had to give him an important message, she immediately disconnected the call. Pandit tried to call five more times, but little did he know dadi had removed the cord of the telephone from the connection.

Dejected he came back to where the gang was discussing about Naina's condition with the doctor attending to her. "Arey wo papers nahi bhare un sir ne...?" the nurse came in too. "Sir? Kaunse sir...?" Preeti asked. "Wo ek ladka laaya tha na inhe hospital...wo to khushkismet hain yeh ki ye time pe hospital pahunch paayi...nahi to zyada khoon behta to complications ho sakti thi!" the doctor explained. "Un sir ka naam kya tha...pata hai aapko?" enquired Munna. "Ji shayad Sameer bola tha unhone!" the nurse replied and added, "lekin pata nahi abhi kahan gaye...aap log ye form bhar denge kya?" "Sameer?" The group of four friends could only gape at each other's stunned faces. Swati and Preeti took the form from the nurse. After completing the formalities, Preeti was about to go and call home, when Munna stopped her. "Ruk...agar Sameer hi Naina ko yahaan laaya ho toh?"Munna suggested. "Par Chenu...Sameer kaise...wo koi aur Sameer hoga...," Pandit quipped. Munna shook his head. "Wohi hai...tabhi phone pe aawaaz kuch jaani pehchaani lag rahi thi...lekin wo hai kahan...aur usne phone pe apna naam kyun nahi bataya?" Munna thought out aloud.

At that moment, the doctor called them. "Lagta hai inhe hosh aa raha hai...ye Sameer ko bula rahi hain...wo kahan hai?" the doctor asked the gang. "Wo...wo aate hi honge...," Preeti uttered and they all rushed inside. Naina was mumbling Sameer's name under her breath and then she saw her friends enter- Munna, Pandit, Swati and Preeti. She looked expectantly at the door, hoping under the effect of drugs, that Sameer would too come in from behind. But no one else came. "Naina tumhe kya hua...kaise giri...kaun laaya yahaan?" they bombarded her with questions. "Mujhe kuch nai yaad....mujhe Sameer chahiye!" Naina sobbed. "Chahiye to hamein bhi...," Munna muttered under his breath. "Pandat tu chal mere saath!" he said. Swati got up at this, when Munna clarified, "arey Pandat tu nahi...ye ponga Pandat!" Swati blushed and sat down back again. Munna and Pandit went out in search of Sameer, while the girls stayed behind with Naina.