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Aaditya and Me by Aditya Joshi is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Ward no. 2106 - SERIES 04

Disclaimer - The story is a work of fiction. The names of characters and places are imaginary. So are the incidents described.

The story till now: Dr. Damle tells Parvati Aaji that he is working on her reports and she would have to stay in the hospital for some time. That night, an accident takes place on the flyover and a new patient called Kanika Mukherji is admitted to ward no.2106.

Parvati aaji had fallen asleep late at night. She was rather scared to see the gory sight of the new patient being brought in. Luckily, she managed to get some sleep as late as four o' clock in the morning.

The early rays of sunlight entered the ward from the window. Parvati aaji opened her eyes. She went to the bathroom yawning. There were two toilets and two bathrooms attached to this ward. They would be cleaned by the ward-boy twice a day.

There was a man standing besides the new patient's bed. The man was wearing a t-shirt just his size. He was wearing a cross around his neck and had a stern expression on his face. He was talking to a police inspector. The inspector's badge read - 'Sumer Khan'.

"So, you are her husband?", Sumer Khan eyed the man as he asked him questions in his typical police voice - slightly arrogant, very commanding.

"No. I am her friend.", the man answered.
"Where is her family?"
"They live in Kolkata. Her dad's a lawyer and her mom...."
The inspector snapped him, "Can I have your I-card?"
"Yes sir..", the man searched his pocket and took out an i-card that was issued by an event management company.
The inspector went through the i-card, "Mister James Smith", he read the name aloud and noted down the address in a small diary he was carrying.

"The address we found in her purse is same as your address. How is that?", Sumer Khan inquired.
"Sir... we live together.", James said fumbling.
"Oh...", Sumer Khan gave the unconscious patient a stern glare, "Since when?"
"Uhhmm.. two years."
"Parents have agreed?"
"Sir... how does it matter...", James tried to gather some courage.
"It matters! You can't say. Maybe your wife... oh I'm sorry... your girlfriend was harrowed by her parents and so she wanted to commit suicide... and created a scene there at the flyover. Do you know she dashed into a person who was carrying his two year old baby. The poor baby lost his life..."

James' mouth was wide open. He was sweating as he faced the inspector. Obviously, the poor fellow was not used to it.

"But sir.. I was told that it was some truck that caused the accident. And Kanika's car was hit in the process.", James argued.

"That's what some onlookers have said. Time will say... We have registered a complaint. And I have asked the doctors here to conduct an alcohol test on her. They have taken her blood samples last night itself. Time will say....", Sumer Khan went on noting something in his diary.

"Can we shift her to another hospital?", James asked.
"You cannot. It's a police case. She has to stay in this hospital else she will be charged of going into hiding."

"Ohkay.." James nearly sighed.

"Anyways, I need to go now. I will give you a call to call you to the police station." Sumer Khan shook hands with James and left.

James sat on the stool besides Kanika. He covered his face with his hands. He looked very tired. He was weeping. Rahul, the patient in the hospital, was looking at him with a perplexed expression.

By then, Parvati aaji took a bath, dressed up and came out of the bathroom. She looked to her right. She saw that the lady who was brought in yesterday was still unconscious. She was being given blood through her arm. Parvati aaji noticed a man sitting besides her, crying. She wanted to comfort him but she restrained herself.

Dr. Umesh came in and started talking to James.

Meanwhile, Dr. Damle walked in too. "How are you, mom?"

"You came early today, Shri.", Parvati Aaji smiled.
"Yes, I am going to have a busy day today. So I thought I'd see you early. How are you feeling now?"

While the two were busy talking, James, pointing towards Dr. Damle, asked Dr. Umesh in a low voice, "Who is he?"

Dr. Umesh said, "He's Dr. Shrikant Damle, the owner of our hospital.... She is his mother."

"Oh I see.. ", James said.

After Dr. Umesh left, James was still looking in the direction of Parvati aaji's bed where she was talking to her son. James thought to himself, "Maybe I should try talking to her. Maybe she can help me getting some permissions from Dr. Damle to get Kanika out of here. Or to atleast shift her to a better room. If Kanika gets to know she was in a general ward in some hospital off the highway, she will go mad at me. and herself!"

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