Chapter 1
"Hello, Jupi! She is being admitted to M.B.N. hospital today," that was the excited voice of my cousin over the phone. I quickly prayed to God - "Hope both come home soon." I replied, happily, "Are we going to the hospital tomorrow morning?"
"Okay, we will, after my office hours."
"Please come soon! I can't wait anymore."
"Hehe... me too!"
"By the way, what do you think? Will it be a girl or a boy?"
"Surprise awaits!"
"Arghhh... yeah! Hey, I have my morning classes. I'm gonna sleep. Good night, Arpi di."
"Good night, dear."
The morning sun rays knocked on my window. The alarm struck my ears at sharp 6:00 am. And as usual, my inner voice said, "You can have more 15 minutes of sleep." But that morning was quite different. The excitement was getting evoked to my heart's ceiling. I wanted my day to get over in a rush. So, I quickly woke up at the first ring of the alarm, which I rarely do. By the way, it doesn't matter when I wake up as my after waking up morning schedule never ends on time. I always have to step out of my home hastily to attend my 9:30 am classes.
Though I was a degree student I never felt so because our professors always treated us as school students - scolding, punishing, giving homeworks, organizing class tests, etc. Beyond each and every frustration of theory and practical classes, I was living each and every moment of my college life. Starting from friendship in the first semester, it had turned into a family within these two years. The Department of Chemistry of H.G. College turned out to be our second home, where we used to spend our entire day and till late evening sometimes. Our 'professors' and 'bearers' turned out to be our guardians with whom we used to celebrate each and every festival. Plus, sometimes we cooked lunch together in our secret small kitchen - It's a secret one because none of the department in the college premises had such a kitchen where students and professors used to cook together, except in the Home Science department.
The most mesmerizing part for me after a tiresome day was the late evening scenario of my college, when the entire chaotic college campus transforms into a silent one, the doors of each department holds the lock hanging on them. Only our department's door remained open with students working in the laboratory along with the cooperative professors.
The instrument room inside the laboratory was our gossip room. Earlier, we used to play hide and seek with the professors to step out of college premises as we were ordered to stay till 5:00 pm. But then their order changed - "It's too late. You all need to leave. Continue your practical works tomorrow." Maybe the change was due to the unity among our whole class and strong bond being created among the cooperative professors; Maybe we got used to enjoy being together beyond every stress of books.
*****
My phone started vibrating in the middle of my last theory class. It was Arpi di, who was calling continuously even after I had rejected thrice. At last, I texted her, " I'm attending my class."
Her message flashed within a while, "Call me back as soon as possible."
"Any news from the hospital? Is everything okay?" I replied back.
There was no reply from her side. I checked my phone for her reply, repeatedly. My heartbeat got faster. I couldn't concentrate on my class anymore. Her text created a confusing feeling within me. Somewhere, I could feel a tinge of happiness deep inside my heart but somewhere my mind was getting heavier out of fear and tension. Maybe, because the word 'hospital' is always related to fear and tension whether the case is serious or not - We never know what's waiting for us next. It seems like the clock slows down during such situations. I was trapped in an endless lecture.
My inner voice said, "It's not the time that slows down. It's your patience level that falls off and you are unable to take the situation any more. Just take a long breath and wait for your class to get over."
Finally, the lecture ended after twenty minutes. I dialed her number, without wasting a second. She said, "Condition had turned quite serious. Aunt is referred to GMC hospital. The doctors can save either the baby or the mother." I got numb. Both of us decided to rush to the hospital.
*****
From childhood itself, I used to find temples and hospitals to be a mysterious place. But here lies a difference between their mysteries. 'I want to sit there as long as possible even after exploring a temple's mystery, but I don't want to wait for a second after exploring the hospital's mystery.'
GMC Hospital has a small temple near the entrance gate. I saw many people burning incense sticks. But all of them were not that lucky to successfully send its aroma to activate the statue of God to hear their wishes. I rarely pray to God but that day I prayed for my aunt and the unborn baby while passing through the temple. Arpi di was busy gathering the location information of the ward from Shyam uncle on a call but didn't miss to pray while crossing the temple.
We entered the lift and pressed the second-floor key. A masculine, approx six feet boy came running towards the lift. I stopped the lift because some people can express well without words. I guess he did the same so, that was a reflex action from my side. He thanked me with a tense face. I passed a consoling smile.
The lift door opened on the second floor. The boy hurried towards left from the lift. One of the ward boys was sanitizing the floor with the pungent bleaching powder. This is the first reason, why I don't want to spend a second inside a hospital after revealing the mysteries.
We asked him where is the Antenatal Ward. We followed his words - a left turn from the lift's door, then a right and then straight.
There was a line of chairs whose ending marked the entrance of the Antenatal Ward. The first two chairs from the entrance were occupied by in-laws of Shyam uncle - Supriya aunty and Gopal uncle.
We both greeted them and stepped towards Shyam uncle, who was talking to the nurse at the entrance. We heard her say, "Minimum ten bottles will be required." She said and left.
Me and Arpi di exchanged a glance, confusions lingering over our head.
Uncle's eyes got wet looking at us. Sometimes we can be strong only being alone. Once the closed ones arrive we are meant to get an emotional attack by the hormones.
He murmured, "I want both of them. Safe and secure."
Arpi di consoled her maternal uncle. I, his niece was standing blank there, lacking words. Arpi di is always good at handling such situations and consoling anyone, young or old.
We entered the ward. Passing the nurses' room we reached the beds. The room adjusted a total of eight beds. Four beds stood opposite to the other four. There were oxygen cylinders and saline stands between each of the two beds. Rinisha aunt was a bed - number 4 patient near the sliding window with dark green curtains. It was giving the roadside view. There was another window opposite to the bed - Number 4 which was giving the view of the hospital campus. That window was between the beds - Numbered 5 and 6, which remained close.
We went near our aunt, who was supported by saline. Tears rolled down as Arpi di held her hands. I rubbed her tears.
Arpi di said, "Have faith in god... Everything will be okay." Aunt nodded. Meanwhile, I noticed the same masculine boy who was caressing the patient of the bed - Number 5. That bed was exactly opposite to the bed - Number 4.
******
Me and Arpi di were curious to know what the actual matter was. Why choices are to be made between the mother and the baby? At that stage, it was quite difficult to talk to Shyam uncle. So, we decided to get the information from Supriya aunty.
According to her - she was suffering from anemia as well as dehydration. We normal people use to have little acquaintance with the exact medical terms. So, there's always a chance to miss what the doctors actually speak. It's harder for the illiterate or the little literate ones to understand as well as convey. But I and Arpi di use to hunt the depth of every disease and try to understand it, depending on our brain capacities.
Gopal uncle forced Shyam uncle to follow everyone to the canteen for evening tea. Tea is meant to have a mind relaxing power.
I refused to go and chose to sit near Rinisha aunt. Sometimes just the warmth of someone's hands can give one strength to fight against anything - Especially if one can feel connected with the other. I don't know whether she was that much connected with me or not as I used to stay in rent and not with them. Usually, relations matter less. What matters more, is the distance in a relation. Because staying with strangers can also cause a stronger connection. That is human nature. But people are their own robots. It's our own choice whether we want to move with the flow of human nature or control the connections, loving unconditionally.
I spoke on every other possible topic to distract her. Consoling someone was not my cup of tea so I chose the way of distraction. I felt like she was feeling a ray in her dark struggling zone.
Suddenly there was an interruption, "Hi! What has happened to her?" - That was the voice of that masculine boy who came and stood beside my stool, near my aunt's bed.