Posted:
Old Habits Die Hard
"He's not eating," the nurse came outside with the plate untouched.
Madhubala was observing the scenario quietly whilst she saw Bitoo ji's wife, Kavita, try to reason with the nurse as to how they must use enteral tube feeding for him even though he's not unconsious.
"But mam..." the nurse argued setting the plate down as Kavita walked off in search of the doctor.
Bitoo Ji, he truely did prove to be a friend till the end. And his wife kept the bond alive even after his sad demise.
People gave her despising looks as she slowly walked towards the plate of food trying to make sense of the situation.
There was a man. He won't eat. It was all that she needed to know and unfortunately or fortunately, however you choose to look at it, all she knew.
There on the bed lay a man in his late 60's reaching out for a glass of water but desperately failing to do so.
Water. Man.
She let her feet drag onto the floor with every step she took and reached over to the glass.
"Pa-Pa... Paani?" She asked, cautiously.
It was the first word she had uttered in ages.
"Yes..." the man weakly managed to answer and before he knew it the glass was raised up to his mouth.
"Thank..." he coughed as he tried to finish, "Thank you..."
Without uttering another word, she climbed onto the hospital bed and made herself comfortable next to him and pulled the plate of food with her.
"Kh.. Khaa.." she tried to speak, "Khaana." she held up a spoonful of dal chawal to his face.
And without a single act of retortion, he immediately opened his mouth.
"Who are you?" he finally asked after finishing his meal.
"Mr. India," she stated in a matter of fact tone.
"Ss-Ss-Seema, Seema ji," she replied pointing a wavering finger at him.
"No, not Seema ji,"
"Mr. India, Seema ji. Mr. India, Seema ji. Mr. Ind..." he chanted like a mantra until he finally stopped her.
"Fine!" he quited her with a bit of a scream to which she fliched back a little and reverted back to her quiet form.
"Sorry," he muttered an apology looking throughout the room until he spotted... "Kheer?" he asked.
She didn't respond, but rather just picked up the bowl and returned to her comfortable seat. She brought the spoon to his mouth, "S-ss-Seema ji," she said as she fed him the spoonful.
Outside Kavita and the rest of the medical staff were in awe with the sight of the old couple.
After Dipali played her last dirty game with the couple, they had never been the same. She may have died but she didn't leave them very much alive either.
"Doesn't he have Alzheimer's? And isn't she insane?" The doctor who had been treating them for the past 24 years questioned. "How do they even remember each other?"
"They don't," Kavita stated, "It's just that some old habits die hard."
***
A/N: I hope you liked it!
This was a result of me watching Barfi and today's precap. It's not similar but I was just really touched by the movie that the theme love needs nothing but love in return really got to me and so I chose to reflect it in an OS.
To clear confusion, the setting was in the future. RishAbla are old and are going through severe medical conditions in which they aren't with each other and don't even remember each other. But sometimes love doesn't need memories or sanity or even health, the presence of each other is more than enough.
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It's been a pleasure writing for you.
Feel the love,
Shweta <3
