My Partner in Crime-2

Interrogation

Nikhil reached at hospital at 10:00 PM and the staff was astonished seeing him back at hospital again when he left the hospital only six hourse ago after a double shift of almost twenty hours.

Nikhil went to Shivangi's room straight away and found her talking on phone with someone. She quickly hung up as soon as she saw Nikhil entering the room.

"Hey there" She said nervously making Nikhil frown.

"Hello. How are you doing?" Nikhil asked looking at the reports hanging at the end of her bed.

"I am okay. Just keep getting headaches from time to time." Shivangi said and Nikhil nodded.

"You will have headaches for a few days and you can ask nurse to give you painkillers to subside them. It was a major surgery Shivi and it will take at least 3-4 months for you to completely recover. Do you feel any other discomfort apart from the headaches?" Nikhil asked and she shook her head as a no.

"Good, Did pranav come?" he asked and just when she was about to answer someone entered the room.

"Yes he did." Came Pranav's voice as he entered the room with his wife Anji who was heavily pregnant with an eight month pregnant belly.

"Shivi" Anji said and rushed to Shivangi's bedside.

"Bhabhi" Shivangi said extending her hand towards Anji which she gladly took.

"Oh my god, I cant believe I am finally seeing you after four years. Where have you been?" Anji asked with tears flowing from her eyes like a waterfall.

"Bhabhi please don't cry. I am sorry for leaving like that. I will tell you everything but please don't cry its not good for the baby. Wow, I am going to be an aunt." Shivangi said with her eyes full of tears.

"Anji, please stop crying. See Shivi is also crying looking at you and its not good for both of you to cry in your conditions. Please think about this poor guy." Pranav said pointing at himself trying to cheer the two women he loved the most.

Anji slapped lightly on his chest while she wiped her tears with the other hand making Shivangi giggle.

"Where were you Shivi?" Anji asked as she wanted to know everything that happened in past fours in her sister in law's life who was like her sister and was very close to her.

"All three of you sit first and then I will tell you all everything." Shivi said looking at her brother, sister in law and her best friend Nikhil.

Soon Pranav and Anji were sitting on the couch near her bed and Nikhil was sitting on an arm chair close to her bed.

"First of all, I am sorry for running away like that. I was just frustrated with my life that time with the break up and all and didn't think about my actions. I just thought it will be better to go away where none of those stupid things can follow me. When I ran away I wasn naïve and didn't know what I will face later." Shivi said and tears started flowing from her eyes as voice cracked.

"Shh.. Shivi, forget about it just tell us where were you all these years and what did you do?" Pranav said while Nikhil kept looking at Shivangi intently.

"Bhaiya after graduation I was offered an internship at the Royal hospital, Ajmer with the help of my friend. I was about to tell you and Bhabhi about it but then you and Bhabhi's Dad passed away and I could not. I went to Ajmer and finished my internship there. After that I was offered a permanent job as a Gynecologist at the same hospital but at the same time I met with Mr. Amrit Rajput, the former chief minister of Rajasthan. He offered me a job with an NGO to treat the patients in a nearby village. I worked there for about a year and then Mr. Rajput died of heart attack so I was kicked out of the NGO saying they don't have enough funds to pay me.

I then joined Shishu Hospital in Jaipur and was transferred to their remote branch because of lack of doctors there. The branch was in a small town named Kishangarh near Ajmer. I worked their until last month. I came to Delhi day before yesterday and was about to contact you but met with the accident." Shivangi narrated.

"Why didn't you inform me the day you reached here? In past four years you never once contacted us, did you never remember us?" Anji asked and Shivangi lowered her head for she only knew how much she missed her home, her brother and bhabhi who took care of her like parents after their parents died seven years ago.

"Sorry Bhabhi, Sorry Bhaiya. I remembered you both each and every day numerous times but I didn't call you because I wanted to sort my life on my own this time. Since childhood either Mom-Dad or you people had been there for me to handle all my problems but this time I wanted to handle them on my own. I thought once I figure things out and once I am ready to face everything, I would come back but something came up and hence I am here in front of you all." Shivangi said.

"Hmmmm so you wanted to sort things out on your own by running away. Wow what a great and grown up thing to do." Nikhil snorted making Shivi glare at him.

"Who was the man with you when you both met with the accident?" Anji asked worry evident from her expression.

"Bhabhi he.." before she could reply, they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Excuse- me Sir, its time for Mam's medicines." The nurse came disturbing their conversation. Shivangi acted being tired and all three of them were asked to leave the room so she could rest.

"Pranav, Bhabhi, you guys go home, I will leave after changing her dressing and don't worry about staying here at night since I am already on night shift and we have efficient staff." Nikhil said to Pranava and his wife Anji as they came out of her room.

Pranav and Anji left the hospital and Nikhil went back inside to change the dressing on her head. He didn't say anything to Shivangi and asked the nurse to bring everything required for the dressing change.

He stood close to the door staring at her small figure on the bed but didn't say anything. He knew her like the back of his hand and knew when she was telling the truth or lying or hiding something.

As soon as the nurse came with the dressing tray, he moved towards the bed where Shivangi was sitting. Shivangi felt his stare but didn't dare to look at him for she knew how good he was at catching her lies.

She kept looking down at her hands while Nikhil stood close to her and changed the dressing on her head. Shivangi felt uneasy with the close proximity and Nikhil could see him fidgeting with the blanket she was covered with.

After changing the dressing on her head Nikhil went out of the room after taking a glance at her while she laid down and drifted to sleep.