Part 2
Dr Bhagat stood at the doorway of the children's ward as dr nidhi sat by a young 2 year old admitted with acute meningitis. .she was studying his vitals but more than that she sat by him caressing his feverish self trying to bring comfort to him n to herself..she had volunteered for the night duty..he stood observing her...having a deep sense of respect for her ..nidhi as a lady..n as a doctor..
He walked away in silence...reminiscent of Pooja...Pooja who had loved him..loved him truly n deeply..n he too had felt her to be his universe..till she began to feel the bonds of love to be chains of matrimony..when the joys of impending motherhood became the cross of frustration..of anger..of frustration..strong enough to walk out of his marriage..his home...n probably his heart...Dr Bhagat walked away..slowly. .only to be stopped by a touch on his shoulder..."arre sir aap"??it was a tense Ashutosh who stood in front of him.."dr Bhagat..nidhi phoned ..i was in OT..she whasapped she s on night duty tonight...may i meet her"??Bhagat smiled ..a lil preoccupied "sure sir..infact you could have a look at the patient too..though he is recuperating ..but yes a dr is needed at night n dr nidhi volunteered...should i relieve her"??Ashutosh shook his head"heavens no..Bhagat..i will never interfere..and she needs to be a dutiful dr..i was just worried seeing her emotional state..so i thought i should look her up..thats all..n only with your permission"!
Dr Bhagat brought Dr Ashutosh to the ward n pointed to nidhi...n then withdrew...
Ashutosh stood ..watching nidhi caressing the lil baby..he could feel the child flushed with fever...his head did have a mild swelling...Ashutosh saw nidhi put the ice bandage on the child's forehead..n then wiped the drops with her blue dupatta...Ashutosh walked in...and stood behind her..his hand on her shoulder...she looked a lil startled to see him there..and stood up..Ashutosh spoke "may i..examine him"??Nidhi moved back n allowed him..getting the file..as Ashutosh looked at the vitals n as he tried to examine the eyes ..he yelled...and nidhi lulled him to sleep..as Ashutosh could feel the childless mother in nidhi..he drew her away..his hand lightly around her waist.."he is improving..but yes the night us crucial...maybe critical..keep watching his eyes..n yes if there is any restlessness ..contact the neurologist.."nidhi nodded n added"aap so jaaiyega..kha ke..kapde second shelf pe hain. ."Ashutosh smiled n said"tum kuch kha lo...i have got a tiffin..kaka ne pack kiya hai...subah i d come..lets hope he pulls through..be vigilant ..meningitis can be fatal..you know it.."nidhi nodded...as Ashutosh left. .n she sat by the child..tired n sore ..but neither hungry nor thirsty. ..her only concern ..was the child...she had adjusted the drip...and sat...her mind wandering off to what could have been...but could not be...
It was in the wee hours of the morning that the child mumbled...nidhi touched his forehead...fever had waned...n he opened his eyes..and cried..probably scared in alien surrounding.
Nidhi rushed out to check the parameters of the vitals..and then with a faint smile she ruushed out to call the mother...the young lady..almost of nidhi's age rushed in and then stopped short of hugging her baby..she stood next to his bed as nidhi explained that the infection had waned n the child was out of danger..the lady could not answer...she just clutched dr nidhi's hand ..n only her tears spoke. ..
It was at 7 a.m when dr Bhagat arrived and patted nidhi for her dedication n the child's grand mother blessed"beta..you are a perfect mother...perfect"!and nidhi turned away...unable to feel anything...
"Aa gayi beta...aaja kaisa hai tera patient"??nidhi nodded"jee baba..out of danger hai...fever utar gaya.."!dr Ashutosh came out..n smiled 'good...you handled the case very well...chalo have a bath..chai mangwata hoon.."!
It was an hour later that a bathed nidhi sipped a hot tea n bit into a cheela as Ashutosh dressed for his duty...but in the mirror he kept his eyes on nidhi..seeming lost..
Ashutosh did not say anything but as he sat ..he whasapped Sudhir.."read the paper..am e mailing nidhi's papers to dr pooja"!
Nidhi waved a bye ..as Ashutosh hugged her at the door...n she returned to sleep...atleast close her tired eyes..she lay silently..her hands feeling the side where dr ashutosh lay every night. .she remembered the child..those chubby cheeks..those lovely eyes...n the way he had cried "mamma"on seeing his mother...and tears silently flowed out of her eyes...tears of grief..tears of helplessness...
At the same time dr Ashutosh wrote a detailed mail to dr Pooja in sydney ..attaching nidhi's scans..her test reports and a personal note describing her emotional state...
Almost at the same time dr bhagat sipped coffee thinking of the memory of the months ..3 months when he had been an expectant dad...before Pooja left to abort...n at the same time..as a sleepy dr Pooja's cell beeped..a 11 year old boy with brown eyes cuddled to her n mumbled"mom..your mail..your patients are always around"and dr pooja hugged him..n tousled his hair...as she sat up to read an e mail from dr Ashutosh 123@rediffmail.com...she looked up...n mumbled"ashutosh??it couldn't be dr Hardstone..could it be"???
PLZ COMMENT...THE STORY MOVINGVTO CLIMAX..FOR THIS SEASON.
Arjun
