RECAP

Kavitha is admitted to the hospital and the doctor informs Saraswati that she may lose her baby, which is news to her. Saraswati is sure that Kavitha herself did not know of her pregnancy, she probably must have thought it was a late period. Arjun locates Sameer and Saraswati is very short with him, both don’t tell him Kavitha is admitted to the hospital. Saraswati tries to console Kavitha but Kavitha says both she and Sameer did not deserve a baby.

Sameer

The ring tone sounded extra loud in the silent night air, and Sudhakar looked at Sameer’s slow reaction to the phone. He peered at the phone screen and even in the pale light Sudhakar could see him getting tense.

“Who is it? Sammy, why don’t you attend that call?” Sudhakar sounded exasperated. Sameer clicked the call and spoke into the phone,

“Hallo, Papaji!”
The booming clarity of the voice that spoke from the other end could be heard even by Sudhakar.

“Hallo, Sameer, bete!  I have been trying both of you since morning, whatz up, are you on a tour? I haven’t been able to reach either of you till now…I was just about to switch and tried a last time…Is Kavitha there?”

“Kavitha...I mean she is…”

“Ok, Ok, I know it’s late, just tell Kavitha that I wished her a happy birthday, anyway it’s almost over…I will call her tomorrow, ok? Bye and do tell your Mama that we sent our respects.”

The click of the phone was loud, and Sameer stood transfixed without removing the phone from his ears…It was Kavitha’s birthday? What an idiot he had been! The whole day ran like a film before him and Sameer felt like sinking into the ground…Sudhakar stood with his hands akimbo, the symbol of aggression, his body language spoke volumes of his opinion of Sameer.

“Listen Sammy, I think now you will have to deal with your problems yourself, I have my own family waiting…and I think it’s time you found out from someone where your Mom and wife have disappeared to. Your neighbours seem to be asleep, you need to make a few phone calls fast and tell me where you want me to drop you…”

Sameer opened his mouth to answer, and just then the phone rang again…Sameer looked again, this was an unfamiliar number, and his heart suddenly raced, could it be Kavitha calling from some public booth? Sameer clicked the phone with trembling fingers.

“Hallo, oh Arjun, where are you calling from? Hospital? Who’s there? Mama? Hey what happened to her? Arjun, hey!”

The phone was silent for a couple of seconds and a soft female voice rang out in the hardest tones that ever had been spoken by it…

“Sameer! I need you to be here at once! As soon as you can make it, do you hear me?”
“Mama! Are you alright? Arjun said you both are now at the hospital!”

The female voice had moved away and Arjun’s mannish tones came through once again…

“Sameer Bhaiyya! I suggest you come immediately, I mean immediately to this place where we are standing…here is the address…”

The address was spoken clearly and the phone went dead…Sameer was shaking like a leaf…Sudhakar jumped up from his seat and strode on to the road, he opened the car door and said,

“Sammy, get in”

Sameer obeyed mechanically and in a few minute’s time, they were at the so called ‘dispensary’. Sameer ran up the sloping path that led up to the casualty and looked around. Te reception seemed to be on the other side, and then he spotted Arjun at the end of the corridor walking towards him. Mama was with him. Mama? Then who was in hospital?

Arjun had a few strips of tablets with him and they were heading towards the stairs. Sameer felt his heart thud loudly, almost loud enough for the whole building to hear. Arjun was now near him and telling him about Kavitha in the observation room. Kavitha? Why? Sameer wanted to sit down somewhere and groped with his hand on the wall. He hardly knew what happened, but one think did sink in, Kavitha was here. He didn’t see Sudhakar talk to Mama, or feel him clap on the shoulder and ask leave. He just followed the others onto the first floor and saw the big board that gave him a half-answer to why Kavitha was here…

“Gynecology Ward”



                                                              To be continued......