a twist in the tale; swabhiman (chapter 11)

the next morning when naina woke up, she got a call from vishal who after the previous nights events was worried for both, karan and naina.

vishal: naina, i hope i didn’t wake you up but i wanted to talk to you regarding karan’s condition.

naina: no, bhai. you didn’t wake me up, i’ve been awake for awhile thinking about the same.

vishal: cheeku, i want you to take a picture of all of karan’s medicines or reports, whatever you can find and send them to me. i’ll check them out and let you know exactly what karan’s condition is, if it is contagious, and how we can treat it, if treatable.

naina: karan’s going for to shower in awhile, i’ll do it then.

naina kept the phone and waited for karan to go for his shower. once he did, naina opened the previously locked drawer and found all of karan’s reports and medicines and sent them over to vishal. but, while sending the pictures of the medicines, naina realised that they were all expired.

naina: it doesn’t make sense. how can all of karan’s medicines be expired? masi ma takes care of karan so well and she’s the only one who takes care of his medicines. masi ma never makes any mistakes then how? i better call rohit to find out because something doesn’t make sense here.

rohit was busy in the office when he got naina’s call.

rohit: naina, i’m busy. can i call you back or is it important?

naina: roh, all of karan’s medicines are expired. i need you to drop everything and check what’s going on and who’s doing this.

rohit: i’ll call you if i find out anything. till then, don’t say anything to anyone.

naina: i won’t.

after talking to rohit, vishal called back.

naina: bhai, did you find out anything?

vishal: naina, something is wrong here. i don’t understand. karan’s condition is a strong allergic reaction, like we heard yesterday but, it should’ve been cured in a week max.

naina: what if he’s been having expired medicines?

vishal: expired medicines? yes, that would be one of the biggest reasons why his reaction got worse and became a condition that is contagious. naina, is karan having expired medicines?

just then, karan came out of the shower.

naina: bhai, i’ll talk to you later.

rohit texted naina telling her that masi ma has been ordering expired medicines for karan on purpose. he sent naina all the evidence; cctv footage, medicine bills, etc. naina was shocked. how could masi ma do such a thing to karan? but, now that naina had evidence, she couldn’t just keep quiet. karan’s condition was getting worse by the day because of masi ma and she had to stop it.

naina: karan, i need to talk to you.

karan: naina, can we talk later?

naina: no, it’s really important.

karan: what is it now?

naina: i checked your medicines, they’re all expired.

karan: naina, who gave you permission to go through my things? my life is none of your business.

naina: karan, will you please just check them once, at least?

karan hesitantly checked the medicines and saw all of them were expired.

karan: it must be a mistake. i think it’s time for them to be changed.

naina: it’s not a mistake.

naina handed over her phone to karan to make him watch all the evidence. karan lost balance. he couldn’t believe it, he was in shock. the person he trusted the most, she did all this to him. she purposely made his condition worse throughout the years. he could have been a normal person, he could have been cured within a week but no, instead he’s been suffering all these years.

naina: i’m really sorry. i had to tell you immediately because i spoke to vishal bhai and he said that something was wrong with your reports, you should’ve been okay years ago. he said that the expired medicines has made your condition worse and contagious. would you be willing to meet bhai to check? maybe with the right medicines you could be cured. you’ll be able to hug ma, take blessings from dadaji. you’ll be okay again, karan. you’ll be happy.

karan looked at naina. the person who’d just come into his life merely a month ago had done so much for him, had cared so much for him. naina was doing all of this just so that karan would be happy again.

karan: can he come now?

naina: yes, of course. i’ll call him right now.

naina called vishal and got rohit to send him a car to come to chauhan house to check karan. karan and naina went to the hall where everyone was sitting when naina told them that vishal was coming for karan’s check up.

naina: ma, i called vishal bhai to come here so that he could check karan’s condition. i hope it’s okay with you?

sandhya: naina, none of this is needed. i’ve been taking care of karan all these years and i’ll take care of him as usual. you don’t need to interfere.

before naina could say anything, for the first time ever, karan spoke up.

karan: masi ma, i’ve decided that from now onwards, my wife will be the only person taking care of me. i don’t need you making my condition worse anymore, masi ma.

nk: karan! behave!

karan: i won’t keep quiet today, dad. masi ma has ruined my life. she’s been playing a game with us all these years and i won’t let it go on.

khyati: dad, i’m sure naina bhabhi brainwashed karan bhai to say all this.

karan: khyati, enough! not one more word against naina. naina’s my wife, i won’t let anyone talk to her like that anymore.

naina looked at karan. she felt something, something different. naina’s been alone for so long, fighting with the world, that when she finally had someone supporting her, she didn’t know how to react.

nirmala: karan, why are you so upset? what is going on?

karan showed the video to the family. they all saw how sandhya has been purposely ordering expired medicines for karan so that he wouldn’t get cured. nirmala slapped sandhya.

nirmala: how dare you? i trusted you. we all trusted you. i let my children give you the same respect they give me. in fact, they all respect you more than me and yet, you did this?

before anyone could say anything, vishal came in.

naina: bhai, come.

vishal greeted everyone and then the three of them went into karan’s room.

vishal: okay, karan i’ve read your reports and first of all, we need to find out how it all started with an allergy test. if we find out how it happened, at least in the future, you can avoid eating foods with anything that includes your allergies so it doesn’t happen again. you must’ve had a very high allergic reaction to a certain food and looking at everything. you should be cured within three months but, with the right medicines. the expired medicines really made your condition worse every few years and that’s why the recovery time will take longer. also, no one can touch him and he can’t touch anyone. if karan touches anyone, they have to take this tablet i’m prescribing. i suggest you don’t share the same bed either for the next three months in case you accidentally touch. lastly, the new medicines will affect him a lot, it might hurt because it’s not expired and it means he’s healing. a few hours after having the medicines, he’ll get rashes that will hurt him a lot, cheeku, put this cream on him and he’ll be fine.

karan: thank you so much.

vishal: don’t worry about it and listen, if you need anything call me up. i’ll let you know the results of the allergy test okay?

vishal left and naina called rohit.

naina: roh, karan needs to get an allergy test. can you arrange that?

rohit: why don’t you get one too?

naina: i don’t need an allergy test. i’ve taken one before.

rohit: i know but allergies can change and besides, it’ll be fun to see what you’re allergic to.

naina: i’m not allergic to anything.

rohit: i’m sending two allergy tests.

naina: okay okay, fine i’ll take one too.

naina kept the phone and karan was going to leave the room when she stopped him.

naina: karan, thank you.

karan: for what? oh, because i called you my wife earlier? naina, whatever i said still doesn’t change our relationship. we still can’t stay together, naina.

naina: thank you for supporting me out there. i’ve been alone for so long and it’s been some time since someone’s supported me, it felt good for a change. i know you still don’t want to accept me and it’s okay. i won’t force you or say anything to you about it anymore. but, i’m staying with you for the next three months karan. i’m not going anywhere until you get better and once you’re fine, if you still want me to go, i’ll leave.

naina went out and karan followed her. karan didn’t know what to say to her. naina’s already done so much for karan and now she would be here for three more months that too, just for him. karan didn’t say anything but it felt good too, after being along for so long, to finally have someone supporting him, standing up for him. naina didn’t leave when she found out, she didn’t back off, she didn’t shy away. instead, she faced his condition, she found a way to cure him and in three months, karan was going to be free of this horrible life. karan was going to live again, all thanks to naina. it would be a shame if then too, he told her to leave, after everything she’s done.

thank you for reading! i’m so sorry for the long wait. i’ve been really busy. although, i think the next three chapters at least should be up soon. i’m not too sure if i’ll continue the ff after that, it should be over soon!