The Grease Story (Completed) - A SanDhir FF *A/N - Page 103* - Page 7

Part 9

"Mr. Shekhawat's room number on the ICU floor, please," Sanyukta requested the receptionist at AIIMS. "Give me a minute, Ma'am," replied the receptionist. Sanyukta smiled back indicating that she would wait.

Sanyukta looked around herself. She was in India's premier medical school and healthcare facility. She saw people from all strata of society. She realized that the hospital was a place of hushed, yet fervent activity. She could discern that the entire institution was sleek in appearance and state-of-the-art technology was used everywhere except on the receptionist's computer. Why was it taking her so long to find a simple room number? She hadn't seen Randhir since the day of the earthquake. That had happened three days ago. Just three days away from him and she was so restless to see him again.

Randhir's father and mother both had been contacted as soon as he was brought to the hospital from the expo venue. Only Randhir's father had turned up that night. There was no sign of his mother. His father insisted that he was ready to bear all the medical expenses as long as Randhir was given the best possible care, so Randhir was kept at AIIMS. The doctors explained the entire situation to Mr. Shekhawat. They insisted that Randhir needed a blood transfusion immediately as he had lost too much blood in the accident. Mr. Shekhawat consented and Randhir was taken into the operation room for the transfusion.

Sanyukta reached AIIMS that night an hour after Randhir had reached there. She insisted that Kaustuki and Jiggy go back to FITE with the rest of their batch, as their leg injuries were taken care of. She promised them that she would come back as soon as Randhir was out of danger. She had stayed with Mr. Shekhawat all through the transfusion. That wait seemed like the longest of her life. After 4 hours, the doctors informed them that the transfusion took that long because they had to fix some unexpected internal injuries. They said that the time frame was critical and Randhir would need to be observed for at least another week. They were keeping him in the ICU for close observation. After Randhir was shifted into his room on the ICU floor, Mr. Shekhawat felt some relief. He asked Sanyukta how she knew Randhir. She was dumbfounded. She didn't know how to describe their relationship. After a minute of silent confusion, she said that they were friends and that they were stuck together during the earthquake. It felt different to call Randhir a friend. But she thought getting into details wouldn't help Mr. Shekhawat cope with the situation. She said she wanted to see Randhir through this dire situation and wanted to be by his side through and through. Mr. Shekhawat was happy that Randhir had found such a true friend. Besides, he thought a few familiar faces would help Randhir recover sooner than expected.

Just then, Sanyukta received a call from Vardhaan Sir, ordering her to come back to FITE. He said he had an update from the doctors and Randhir wouldn't be conscious for at least another 2 days. So she was to come back to FITE at that very moment. There was no sense in denying a direct order from Vardhaan Sir, so Sanyukta explained the same to Mr. Shekhawat. He didn't mind it and further added that she shouldn't miss her studies because of the accident and that he would be there to look after Randhir. Sanyukta left Delhi with a heavy heart. How she wished she could create a clone of herself to be at FITE. And also become invisible to stay close to Randhir.

The 3 days in college in the aftermath of the accident were a disaster for Sanyukta. She couldn't concentrate on a single thing. Be it studies, assignments or even drinking a glass of water. She spilled some on herself each time she tried to drink water. Why are things so complicated, she asked herself. What added to her misery was that Randhir wasn't around to engage her in their stupid, daily fights. She missed him terribly. He was so deeply injured because of her. Only her. That made her feel guilty and indebted. And she sure as hell didn't want to feel those two emotions. She was going to help Randhir recover as fast as he could. She would stay by his side and listen to all his taunts and mockery. No matter what happened, she would see him through till the end.

As if to comply with Sanyukta's silent endeavor, Mr. Shekhawat called the college, saying that Randhir might wake up that day. He said that he would like Sanyukta to be there when that would happen as she had been determined to help Randhir recover. And so, Sanyukta was in Delhi that morning.

"Ma'am," said the receptionist, breaking Sanyukta's train of thoughts from the past. "His room number is 1150 on the 11^th floor," she continued. Sanyukta thanked the receptionist and made her way towards the elevator.

Her heart was fluttering in her chest. She was hoping against hope that Randhir wasn't conscious yet and that she would be the first person he saw after waking up. She entered the lift and pressed number 11 from the various numbers on the inside of the lift. The lift made its way upward. Soon enough, the lift dinged and stopped on the 11^th floor. Its show time, Sanyukta thought to herself.

She stepped out of the lift and began to look for Room 1150. This hospital was so large that it seemed like a maze. She asked one of the hospital staff members to guide her to the room. He did so by pointing to the right. Sanyukta followed the instructions and reached the room. She saw a nurse outside and asked if she knew Mr. Shekhawat's medical history. She said she did. Sanyukta asked her how he was doing and if he had woken up yet. She said that first 2 days were uncertain but he was doing well since the previous day. She said he hadn't woken up yet and hope rekindled within Sanyukta. She thanked the nurse and made her way into the room.

There he was. Propped against a bunch of pillows, in hospital scrubs. Sanyukta realized that she had never seen him so peaceful. He almost looked angelic. She saw he was still sleeping and there was no one in the room. She took a chair and sat on his right, so he could see her when he woke up. Since there might be a long wait, she had brought her books to practice a few sums. She set them on the table in front of her and began solving them. She was halfway through one side when a voice said, "That answer is wrong by 0.001 cubic meters." There were no prizes for guessing who it was. Only Randhir Singh Shekhawat could solve a sum so accurately without pen and paper. In a hospital bed. With an injured back. With a deficit of blood.

He was back and she wasn't planning on getting away from him anytime soon.