“Dr. Verma,” Nidhi received a call from the hospital, when she was having lunch with Siddhi and Rahul after their school, “Emergency hai hospital mein. We need more people. Please come over as quickly as you can.”
“Kya hua hai?”
“Ek school bus mein bomb blast hua…”
“Oh my God! Main abhi aati hoon… Siddhi. Rahul ke saath rahna aur tum dono kahin bahar mat jaana please.”
“Kya hua Di?”
“Kuchh school ke bachchon ka accident hua hai Siddhi. Tum please yahin rahna, jab tak main ya Dr. Ashutosh wapas na aayen. Please.”
“Theek hai Di. Tum ghabrao mat. Aur main Rahul ka bhi khayaal rakhoongi. Okay?”
Nidhi got emotional at this responsible side of Siddhi. She kissed her on the forehead, the kissed Rahul and left hurriedly.
—
The scene in the pediatrics department was nausea-inducing. But Nidhi walked through it with practiced calmness and went to meet Ashutosh who was already on-duty.
“I want you in the emergency Nidhi,” he said as soon as he saw her, “Senior doctors kam hain. Sab abhi pahunche nahin hain. You need to put things in order there.”
“No problems, Sir. Main abhi jaati hoon,” she immediately got on the job.
The situation was worse in emergency. Children with mutiliated bodies were in excruciating pain and were traumatized. One senior doctor was taking care of the patients in one room. Nidhi took charge of the other room. She directed the nurses and other staff to handle the immediate needs of the patients, while assessing the next treatment needed for them. She came across a little boy lying on the bed, who was not reacting at all. She immediately checked his pulse. He was alive. Given his injuries, his lack of reaction suggested that he had gone in a vegetative state. Nidhi sighed sadly as she instructed the nurse for treating his injuries.
The bomb was placed in the front of the bus killing the driver and another helper on the spot. Two kids were also dead; and twenty others were severely injured and being treated in the emergency. Nidhi disucssed some cases with the other doctor who was present. Of twenty, at least three cases looked quite hopeless. And then the kid in the vegetative state! For some reason that kid was disturbing Nidhi more than all the gore and blood around her did.
Parents of the kids had started coming in by then.
“We can’t have them here, Dr. Verma,” Dr. Sinha, the senior doctor on the duty, told her, “That will create a mess. We are already overloaded.”
“I’ll handle them Dr. Sinha,” Nidhi assured him and moved to the waiting area, where parents had been directed.
“Doctor,” they were quick to get hold of Nidhi as soon as they saw someone in a doctor’s coat and started asking about their children all together.
“Please meri baat suniye aap log,” Nidhi spoke in a raised, but controlled voice, “Hamein aapki cooperation chahiye aapke bachchon ki safty ke liye.” Everyone fell silent. She continued, “Mujhe maaloon hai aap sab logon ki halat kya ho rahi hai. Lekin aap ye bhi appreciate kijiye ki abhi un bachchon ka sahi treatment hum sabki top priority hai. Agar aap log abhi andar jaana chahenge, apne bachchon ko dekhna chahenge to usse treatment disrupt hoga. Aur ek-ek second abhi important hai.” Nobody said anything to oppose her, but some of them broke into tears and sobs as they realized that the kids were in danger. “Aap log please baith jaiye. Main ek-ek kar ke aapse paas aaungi aur aapko updates doongi. Aur please yaad rakhiye ki is samay aap sab logon ko ek-doosre ka support banna hai. Please baith jaiye.” She indicated to some hospital staff and they directed the parents to sit down on the waiting chairs. Those who could not find chairs, stood at the back.
Nidhi took her notes and started attending to the parents one by one. Fortunately for Nidhi, the parents of the dead kids had already been informed and the staff had attended to them. For all the parents present there, their kids were at least alive at that moment and hence there was hope.
“Ritesh Srivastava,” the woman told Nidhi the name of her son. This was the kid in the vegetative state. Something about the mother’s face distrubed Nidhi as much as the kid’s had done. She struggled to find the right words to describe Ritesh’ situation to her. Just then, to her relief, she heard Ashutosh’ voice.
“Nidhi. Are you all right?”
“Ashu,” the woman almost jumped at Ashutosh surprising Nidhi, “Mere bete ko kya hua hai? Please use bacha lo…”
“Ranju? Tum yahan… Aur kya hua Rahul ko?” he looked at Nidhi worried.
“Rahul?” Nidhi was surprised, “Rahul ghar par hai. Ye to… Oh! Oh my God! Ye Rahul ki Mummy hain?” And it suddenly dawned on Nidhi as to why Ritesh’ condition was disturbing her so much.
“Mera doosra beta Ashu… Ritesh…”
Ashutosh was relieved about Rahul, though he immediately felt guilty because the other kid Ranjeeta was worried about might be in grave danger. Ashutosh had no clue about Ranjeeta having another kid. Suppressing his curiosities, he turned to Nidhi, “Kya hua hai bachche ko?”
Nidhi silently handed him her notes. His facial expression changed as he read the notes.
“Baith jao Ranju,” he told his ex-wife gravely.
“Kya hua hai? Kahin woh…”
“No. He is alive,” he looked at Nidhi and taking his hint she made Ranjeeta sit down. “But he is in… what is called vegetative state.”
“Matlab?”
“Its like coma. But with some awareness…”
“Woh theek to ho jayega?”
Ashutosh looked at Nidhi. He hadn’t examined the boy himself. Although he could guess the answer. Nidhi spoke officially, “Predict karna impossible hai Ma’am. Theek ho bhi sakta hai aur nahin bhi… Use constant care ki zaroorat padega.”
“Kya main use dekh sakti hoon?”
“Abhi nahin… Hum uski injuries treat kar rahe hain emergency mein. Ek baar ward mein shift ho jaye phir main aapko bata doongi… Main andar jaati hoon Dr. Ashutosh. Dr. Sinha akele hai emergency mein.”
“Main bhi aa raha hoon thodi der mein.”
—
“Nidhi!” Ashutosh found Nidhi sitting by Ritesh’ bed and went to her, “Tum theek ho?”
“Of course,” Nidhi replied despite her feeling otherwise.
“Tum pareshaan ho… I know aise achanak Ranjeeta ka saamne aa jaana… I had no clue… Lekin tumhein pareshaan hone ki zaroorat nahin hai…”
“Dr. Ashutosh, please! I was surprised – yes. Lekin aapko mujhe reassure karne ki zaroorat nahin hai. Main unki wajah se pareshaan nahin hoon.”
“Phir?”
“Bas aise hi…”
“Batao mujhe. I know ki situation bahut buri hai, lekin tum use handle kar leti ho…”
“Jis din apne Mummy-Papa ki khoon se sani bodies ko apne haathon se car mein daala tha, uske baad mujhe kuchh bhi pareshaan nahin karta… Lekin mujhe Ritesh ko dekh kar bahut bechaini ho rahi thi. Ab realize hua ki aisa isliye ho raha hai kyonki uski shakal… apni Ma se milti hai. Aur Rahul ki bhi… Mujhe Ritesh ko dekh kar Rahul ki yaad aa rahi thi…”
“Shakal uski jisse bhi milti ho Nidhi,” Ashutosh replied emotionally, “Rahul ki Ma tum ho. Jitni chinta tumhari aankhon mein dekh raha hoon uske liye, uski apni Ma ki aankhon mein kabhi nahin dekhi.” Nidhi felt overwhelmed at the compliment. They would have hugged, but they were in the emergency room filled with child victims of a bomb blasts. They silently acknowledged each other’s emotions and went back to their work.
—
To be continued
9 thoughts on “Regaining Trust (Part 17)”
Mish di..You truly surprise us..Its like a bolt out from the Blue..Ashu’s ex-wife Ranju entered from nowhere..and Nidhi-Ritesh connection seemed quite interesting..I won’t panic at all.Ashutosh has full faith in Nidhi and he’s gonna marry her only..even if Nidhi has second thoughts.Ashu will assure her that he is always there for her..Ranjeeta won’t create much problems..but what about Ritesh..Ritesh isn’t Ashu’s son.so why bother much..what if Ranjeeta wishes to meet Rahul..how will Ashutosh and Nidhi react..what if Rahul comes to know about his biological mother..CTL came to my mind instantly….Its very interesting..bring on the next part soon π
Thanks Diskha. And you are being soooo mature π
I second with Diksha about this update…Ranjeeta’s entry was completely unexpected. Hope it does not bring any distance between AshNi and hope Ritesh gets well too. Looking forward for the next couple of updates as to have a clear idea about Ranjeeta’s role in this phase.
Surprises are good in a story, ain’t they? π
Mish as usual with her cliff hanger endings…. But wow this was a brilliant roller coaster throughout bringing in a touch of droop Kinarey wid the touch a la mish…. Nids care for Rahul shone through out the part… And I bet if u showed Rahul in a situation of having to choose he would opt for nids over ranju any day. Hmmm ashu quiet determination is a treat to read about despite the chaos we see a nice blend of the senior and the man.. The one who loves nids and more importantly the one who can see through nids and understand if not at least try to understand her fears and quell them down…. What else to say other than bring on part 18 and 19
Thanks Sharifa! But come on! There was hardly a cliff hanger here π
Of course yaar the emotion part
Awesume…Ranju…he he
lovely name π π
So Ranjeeta has an anothr buay….bad ladie π π
koi nhi bechaari avlaa naari…vase ye galat baat h…Ashu ko hud krna tha… ward mein h toh kya hua…hahahaha
thnxx for dis nyciee update Mish di!!
ciaooo..
π π
Are – maana ki Ashu hardstone nahin hai. Lekin bechara gentleman to hai na? π Or not? π To find out. Keep watching this space. :))