Attempt III

Cell phone, wallet and keys in hand, she rushed towards the car. Handle cold to touch. The central locking made enough noise to shock a series of barks from street dogs. She got in, threw her stuff on the adjoining seat, and turned on the engine.

Sujata did not bother to switch on the heater. On coming to the main road, her foot wavered on the accelerator before she pressed it hard. A million thoughts were running through her head. The humming silence soothed her ears. Trucks dotted the road. Their headlights danced in the gloom. Twin beams lighting up the large expanse of tar made her oddly grateful to the inanimate object encasing her body.

The hospital area was blazing. Floods of light at the hospital entrance put her twin beams to shame. She found a parking place soon enough, picked up her wallet, pocketed her cell phone, left the keys with the guard and rushed to the emergency. Relief and dread dried up her throat and every step became wobblier than the last.

The whirlwind of thoughts coalesced to the pressing dread of something terribly wrong. Almost as if Vikas had not called at all. As if she was walking in a dream and the terrible reality of something dreadfully wrong was dripping in thick, gooey black from the sky: strangling her throat and pulling her shoulders down.

***

Dull eyes scrutinized the disheveled woman in a blue jeans and black sweater. They watched her legs shaky with emotion. The eyes followed her to the reception before intoning “Yes, madam?”

Madam looked at the nurse and feeling repelled, looked around the place for someone else. Down the length of the corridor, she glimpsed a silhouette of a person leaning his head against the wall. She knew immediately who she wanted. Without looking back to the reception, she waved a dismissive hand at the nurse and went over to the silhouette.

At the muffled sound of madam’s sandals, V turned his head in her direction. He knew that rhythm. Seeing her profile through hurting eyes was it – relief broke free from his knotted gut and he took a deep breath.

“Vikas…” Her eyes looked him over. His left arm was bandaged. His pastel pink shirt was crimson at places. The collar carelessly open, sweat stains clearly visible, trousers dirty and creased. He swam when two big tears formed and rolled down slowly.

She brought forward a trembling pair of fingers and touched his arm.

“Ouch! It hurts Sue!”

Her fingers cringed and the look of apologetic surprise on her face brought a big smile to his.

“It’s ok Sue. Doesn’t hurt that much. See?” He slowly moved his arm around. Immediately she laced her arms around him and hugged him. After that she slapped him on the chest for making fun of her at such a moment.

“Men never change!” she blabbered, as she tried to stem the flow of her tears. “You work late, you drive fast to get home when you’re half asleep and then you go and get yourself injured! Waiting is so painful, you know! What happened?”

“I was not half asleep on the bike. And I did not have an accident. Another man did, I just brought him in. I scratched myself on the broken glass while getting him out of his car. An Esteem. Man! You should have seen the way he just raced into the roundabout. Whooosh!”

And Vikas made his good hand flail in the air towards Sujata.

“I had to stop a truck driver coz this chap’s car was useless! We got him out somehow and put him at the back of the truck. I wrapped my jacket around him as best as I could and the driver’s friend followed on my bike so we don’t have to go back for the bike, thank God! I donno what I would have done all alone!”

They had sat down on the cold plastic chairs, her hand warm and sweaty in his. She did not take her eyes off him, carefully following his every gesture, modulation of voice, every breath he took. The flood-gates had opened.

“We came here, had to inform the police the staff here said, so did that. They took the guy inside somewhere. Wrapped me in this” He lifted his arm slightly. “Haven’t asked anyone yet about how the guy is doing…. Finally when everything was quiet, I took the guy’s phone and called ya.”

“Why didn’t you call me from office?”

“Oh yaar, I rushed out and when I was near the bike saw the battery of the phone was down…. Figured I’d reach home soon enough. After this happened, the moment everything was settled, I stole the guy’s phone and called ya.”

After a pause, “I’m glad you called. I was going crazy at home, waiting. It was excruciating.”

She took a deep breath.

“It’s ok sweetheart, I’m alright.” He squeezed her hand. “I was never in trouble to begin with!” His eyes twinkled and she knew he was putting a brave front for her sake. She could see the tension had not completely left his face. She smiled into his twinkling eyes and brought his hand up to her lips. It smelled of sweat, cold and antiseptic.

The laconic nurse walked up to them with a sheaf of papers. “You’ll need to sign some documents and fill in your details, in case the police want to contact you regarding the accident.”

Sujata took the papers and asked for a pen.

“How is the guy though?”

“We’ll only know tomorrow whether his condition will become stable or not. He has lost a lot of blood.” So saying, the woman turned around and walked back to the reception.

Vikas fiddled in his bag for a pen and they spent the next half an hour filling forms. Then, Sujata went to the reception and handed them to the nurse. “Can we go home?”

“I think so. Your husband may need the dressing to be changed. Come 2 days from today for that, between 2 to 5 in the afternoon.”

“You’ll be able to drive like this?”

“Well, we have to take the bike home, don’t we?” he smiled lightly.

She frowned, he became a little serious. “I’ll drive real slow behind you, don’t worry.”

They went to their respective vehicles and by a cautious four o’ clock were home.

She helped him change out of his clothes, made him drink something hot and settled in bed next to him.

When she finally sensed his stable rhythmic breathing, birds had started chirping.

A new day had begun.

***