Life as we didn’t know it – Dear readers here is part – 2 of the story for you.The strong arm felt so warm and for a minute she actually felt it was Him. She slowly turned back only to see a white haired man who was smiling back at her.
She gathered that he was a doctor from the coat that he was wearing. He gently helped her stand up and ushered her into a cabin that read ‘Dr Vikas Baisakhi’. The name did ring a bell, but she ignored the thoughts and followed the doctor to his chamber. He offered her a chair and she accepted to rest her aching bones on it. He turned around to move to the other side of the neatly arranged table and seated himself on a Lazy boy. He leaned forward with his smile still intact.
Strangely, she felt a very warm feeling and eagerly waited for him to start the conversation. ‘Mrs Khandelwal, is there anyone else from your family? Aarav’s father?’ he enquired calmly. ‘He is in Australia and is trying to take the earliest flight to get here. But what happened, doctor? Please tell me. Is everything ok?’ The last question had to be asked after a gulp down her throat. Suddenly she noticed his smile had disappeared.
‘We lost him. We’re very sorry…..’ He continued to speak but she had lost him at the second sentence. The whole floor under her feet seemed to be slide away. She blinked her eyes and did not know if she actually heard what she heard. She felt a rumbling sensation inside her stomach and felt dizzy in the head. Dr Baisakhi continued to speak and explain some medical terminologies. Her thoughts waded away to her husband in Australia. He couldn’t make it on time. In his office, he carried a reputation of someone who was always punctual. Today when it really mattered, he had crushed his own reputation. He couldn’t make it to see his son breathing on time.
Their son was dead! She held the chair tighter as she felt her grip loosen. Through Dr Baisakhi’s explanation on what they did to try and save Aarav, she thought of the days when Aarav would not eat food and she would shout at him, beat him and curse him. She thought of the times when he was not interested in studying and again he would bear the brunt of it. She had a very short temper and Aarav seemed to be at the receiving end all the time. Every time she had a bad mood, Aarav would go into a shell not knowing when it would be time.
It was only recently that she had undergone a serious anger management session and was much better now but then what was the point of improving now. Her Aarav was no more! She felt pukish and looked around for a washroom to rush to. A second hand on her shoulder made her turn behind. Strangely, this hand felt the same as the first, strong and warm. It was Dr Baisakhi and he was smiling.
