SS : Handa- The Loner, Part 13 Pg 35[19/03/19] - Page 21

'Don't you've to go to office?' Geet asked, in a stilted voice. Her eyes urged for water.

'There's still two hours to go,' he said pouring water from a pink capped bottle and handing it to her. Her hands turned sweaty as she received the glass from him. Strange, the hand wasn't even attached to the drip. The reason for the dampness, then?

'Mr.Khurana, you should go home.'

'For what? There's no one waiting. Here, at least I have you.'

Her heart did an odd little jump.

'Did the doctor say anything about my heart? I fell on the floor and hurt it?'

Maan shook his head.

'Nothing. Just dehydration and low pressure.'

'You sure? Palpitations? Impending heart attack? Nothing of that sort?'

'No. Why do you ask?'

Her heart had been behaving strange since she'd opened her eyes. But she didn't specify it to him. Instead she told him, 'Not the best company, I am so I don't see a point of you staying here.'

'Better than Mrs.Puri you are, I assure you. Trust me she'll kill me with her Puri Puraan.'

Her lips twitched. All the encouragement he needed.

'I didn't know you also dislike people, Mr.Khurana'

'Not dislike but sometimes it's too much. She doesn't get a hint. She's so serious about her dog... I mean her son, Batata, that she comes across as intolerant. Yesterday I said something. She got unreasonably furious.

'What did you tell her, Mr.Khurana?'

'Nothing offensive. It so happened she was telling me that she has been bride-hunting for Batata. The piece of news interested me little but she kept staring at me expectantly. As her neighbour, I ought to share her joy.'

'And?'

'So I exclaimed, That's amazing! I've an idea. Let's find someone called Jhal Muri. The wedding board will read Jhal weds Batata. Once she marries Batata, she'll become Jhal Muri Puri. I was so overwhelmed with my thoughts that failed to notice the chill in the room. I proceeded, when they have puppies I mean babies, we'll name them, Pani if it's a girl. Bhel, if it's a boy. A perfect hum do humare do! Batata Puri, Jhal Muri Puri, Bhel Puri and Pani Puri all under the same stall I mean roof. Never before scene it would be.'

Ms.Handa despite herself, throwing her head back burst into fits of laughter by the end of his monologue.

The voice of her laughter warmed Maan's insides, easing away the tension in his cords. He continued, Soon I discerned that the hum do humare do dream won't be able to be realized because the puppies usually come in litters. Immediately, I offered to look for more interesting names. But instead of looking obliged, she blasted at me.'

'Are you seriously clueless, Mr.Khurana or you just pretend to be?' She asked her body shaking with remnants of laughter.

A broad grin was his only answer and their eyes met and a sliver of awareness passed along their spine. The moment passed too soon leaving in its wake a silence pregnant with awkwardness.

The nurse came to distribute morning medicines. Maan was at once on his feet. Once the nurse had performed her duties, Maan asked about discharge.

She's fine now. So by today evening. The doctor has asked the family member to meet him. Are you one?'

'I don't have one.'

'I am.'

Geet and Maan spoke in unison. The nurse looked between the two and said,' He'll be in the cabin after 1 pm.'

'Okay,' he said and the nurse left.

The silence afterwards in the sick room was deafening.

'You're not my family,' she said and turned in her bed, her face away from him. He had been dismissed.

'I'll come later, then.' But came no answer.

Before leaving, he filled the bottle for her. Covered her with the blanket. She refused to meet his eyes. Instead pulled the blanket to her face.

'I'll be leaving then. Bye.'

'Be back in my lunch hour. Bye. Bye. Byeee'

'Don't come back,' she muttered back peering from the blanket.

He smiled and repeated, 'Bye'. Then, he was gone and she was alone again. She began the countdown, hobby she had discovered recently. Afternoon, he'd said. It was eight now. Five hours to go.

Always she'd woken up alone. Companions like guilt, bone racking headache, deep void at the center of her heart that was deepening like the ozone hole, were ever-present. But human presence was rare.

Incidences of medical professionals beside her when she got into an accident in her drunkenness didn't count.

It was first that when someone who knew her, someone whom she'd been rude to continuously had waited on her.

The whole day, then the night afterwards.

He'll come she knew. He always came. Sometimes late, but come, he did.

She was right for when the clock struck one, he was at door of her cabin, in a blue suit and tie. Geet sat up in her bed.

'I told you not to come.'

'Did I tell you I was a disobedient student?'

He had a bouquet in his hand. The classic Dutch tulips. He'd bought them for her because she'd said last night that it was her fantasy that she'd be sick and someone, a loved one would visit her with a bouquet of flowers. Preferably tulips.

'Thank you,' she'd said. She felt the words truly.

Kindness and Friendship that was a norm for others was a privilege to her.

'The pleasure is all mine,' he'd replied, 'I've got something else too to celebrate your discharge.'

'What else?' She asked trying not be too curious.

Her heart had started its odd little business.