To Love or Not To Love

Chapter 39

"That's it," Anjali exclaimed to Shyam. "I have had enough of Chhote and his self-destructive ways. Just look at this," she stated, flinging a bunch of papers towards her husband. Her husband casually picked them up, leafed through them and put them back where he found them. And all Anjali could do was stare at his nonchalant demeanor towards the information she had just shared with him.

"What?" inquired Shyam, looking at her flabbergasted expression. And when he didn't get a response to his question, he asked again: "What is it that you want me to do?"

"Some consolation and advice would be nice," said Anjali sulking. "I know I don't dote over him and ask silly questions all the time, but that doesn't mean I don't care about my brother.

"These are the latest reports from his doctor. His diabetes levels are shooting through the roof and if he continues his ungodly regimen of eating whenever, no sleeping and drinking that ghastly black coffee of his, he will very soon be spending his last days in the VIP section of the hospital his foundation owns."

Shyam was amused. This was a monthly occurrence. His brother-in-law, Arnav Singh Raizada, was a juvenile diabetic, a condition they found out about when he was 15 years old, right after their parents' death. Since then, his blood sugar levels had been closely monitored. While initially, they were showing healthy levels, his pancreas started playing havoc when Arnav began working at breakneck speed, ignoring his health, to build AR. Initially, before Anjali started paying attention, Arnav would go for months without monitoring his blood sugar levels.

Then one day Anjali found out about it and threatened the doctor with dire consequences if the check-up didn't happen every month and she didn't get a copy of the report in her mail.

Every month the report was pretty much the same. Arnav's health was constantly on the decline. Every month, Anjali would rant about the situation, promising and threatening different things. Every month nothing would get done. The same drama would repeat again the following month.

"So what do you propose to do this time?" he asked, chucking her under the chin. He loved her, even more, when she was frustrated.

"Don't make fun of me Shyam. I am genuinely concerned about that boy."

"You've tried everything Anjali. From informing his secretary to putting reminders on his phone, to checking on him unannounced, to having that Bansal tag him for a while. None of it has worked."

"I know," Anjali mused. "I wish there could be a permanent solution to this."

"There is."

"What?"

"Think."

"Don't talk in riddles," frustrated with her husband for mocking her circumstances.

"Think Anjali," said Shyam, this time genuine concern evident in his eyes. "What is the only way to ensure that someone is with him all the time to take care of his needs, to take care of his health and be there for him when he needs them."

When she looked at him quizzically, Shyam chuckled. For all her "scary" reputation, his wife was still a child.

"Marriage, Anjali" he stated as if it was the most logical answer to the problem.

"Really?", stated Anjali, raising a single eyebrow to emphasize her sarcasm. "Chhote and marriage? You know Shyam what his views are on this topic. How am I going to get him to agree to it?

"That's for you to figure out!"

****

It was a rare occurrence when Khushi Kumari Gupta had headaches. But right now, Arnav Singh Raizada's behavior was causing a terrible one. From the time she had stepped into his office at Sheesh Mahal to discuss changes to her design, he had been nothing but curt and rude. He had ignored her suggestions, belittled her ideas and even sarcastically referred to her background.