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Keep it up, Shruti but don't make us wait too long. The tension has not been relieved yet.
The banging of a room woke aham from his thoughts. He was puzzled by the noise. Soon he realized that someone was in the storeroom and went towards it. When he reached the storeroom, he heard gopi's voice crying desperately: who is there. Please help me. I m locked inside. I m afraid. Please.
Aham shouted: gopi. What are you doing inside?
Gopi; ahamji, ahamji please open the door.
This is all he could hear. His mind went blank. He could not for his life imagine gopi to be at home that to locked in the store room. He began to search desperately for the keys in the bunch he had. After struggling for some time, he managed to open the room. gopi rushed towards him crying. All aham could do was hold her. The terror in her eyes did something to him. He could not get even a legible word from her. Slowly he felt her faint in his arms.
Aham lifted her and carried her to their room. He laid her in his bed. By this time he realized that she was having a high temperature. For the first time in his life he felt helpless. But the businessman in him woke up. He turned towards his phone and found it switched off. Then he remembered his mother. He knew that kokila would have found that gopi was missing and would be worried. But first things first. He called their family doctor and requested her to come home, since his wife was having high temperature and there was no one at home. Next he called kokila. Even before he could talk, kokila went on in high speed
Aham dikra, I was trying to reach you, but found your phone switched off. I have to tell you that gopi is locked in the storeroom, get her out.
Aham was shocked: mom I found her. But how did you know that she was locked?
Kokila: I will tell you the whole story later. But it is rashi's work. How is gopi vahu? Is she alright? I will take the next train and come back home.
The last thing aham wanted was his mother's interference. He said: mom don't worry. Gopi has fainted. I will take care of her. I have already called the doctor. Why did rashi lock her?
Kokila: aham all the explanations have to wait till we come back. Take care of gopi.
By the time the doctor reached Modi mansion. She examined gopi, gave her an injection and turned towards aham and said: Mr. Modi. Your wife seems to be in shocked. I have given her an injection. The temperature will go down by morning. I will come by 9. Take care of her. There is nothing to worry.
After the doctor left, aham sat besides gopi wondering, why did rashi lock her? Did she do it unknowingly or wontedly?
The whole night turned out to be a roller coaster for aham. He had zero experience in taking care of others. And gopi seemed to be in terror. She was calm for some time. But slowly she started to murmur and cry in her sleep. Once she cried in terror saying: mamiji, please don't lock me in this darkroom. Please let me out. I will do whatever you wish. I will not go to school. I will be at home. I will not trouble. Please let me out. I afraid of this darkness. Please………..
Then she was murmuring: maa, babuji, why did you leave me alone. I cannot bear all this beatings and torture. Please take me with you.
Her next babbling was: kanaji, I don't want to be a burden to anyone. Please make ahamji happy. If it makes him happy then I m ready to leave this house, but maaji will be sad. Please help me.
Suddenly she shrieked. Open the door, maaji, ahamji, rashibe, someone open the door……….
Aham rushed to her side and took her in his arms. Holding her tightly he said: gopi don't be frightened, I m here with you. Please listen to me. Don't cry. As if she understood him, gopi began to calm down. Aham's eyes were filled with tears. He had never realized how much gopi had suffered. He had been too selfish that he saw only his happiness. To think that while he had everything gopi had nothing to be happy in her life. But she never complained.
Seeing her like that broke his heart into thousand pieces.
(Please bear with me I will update next part by Monday.)
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