“I feel like a VIP,” Chand smiled on seeing Paritosh.

“That’s a good feeling, but can I ask why?” Partitosh also quipped back on seeing Chand in a good mood.

“The entire Pediatrics department seems to be at my beck and call. Attending to me one after another.”

“I am not the entire Pediatrics department.”

“Of course. So, you send that young protegee of yours to me, when you are not around.”

“Excuse me?”

“Dr. Banerjee. Rupali, I guess.”

“Rupali was here?”

“Poor girl. She is so besotted with you, she would do anything you asked her to.”

“Anything I ask her to? Besotted with me? What are you talking about Chand? Are you out of your mind? I never asked her to come here. Why would I?”

That made Chand’s smile grow wider, “You didn’t tell her to? And still she spends so much time here…”

“Rupali has been spending time with you? Why would she?”

“I must be her favourite patient, Mr. thick-head.”

A smile formed on Paritosh’ lips, on hearing the long-forgotten “Mr. thick-head” from Chand.

“Some things haven’t changed Chand. And yet how much has changed!” he said somberly.

“Yes,” her smiled became sad, “So much has changed. But why are you stuck Paritosh? Why did you never move on?”

“This is not the time to talk about me,” he avoided her and changed the topic, “You tell me, how are you feeling? I am eager to see you discharged, healthy!”

She sighed, “I am not too eager to leave. It feels safer than home.”

“Chand,” Paritosh spoke with some alarm, “Don’t think like that. Your father really repents not listening to your earlier. He is taking care of your daughters. And he won’t let you go back to that hell again.”

“Of course. He is not going to do that… Now…” her hands went to her tummy for a moment. Paritosh realized that she was thinking about the baby she had lost.

“You have two daughters to take care of, Chand. You can’t afford to be sad and depressed like this. You understand that, don’t you?”

She nodded and smiled. She spoke after a few moments of silence, “If possible, forgive me Paritosh. And if you have, move on. Please…”

“I never wished you any ill Chand,” Paritosh felt compelled to say that.

“Of course. I know,” she replied, “If you had, I wouldn’t be alive. Your ill-will would have been too powerful. It is your good-will that I and my daughters are alive today.”

“Just take care of yourself, and don’t fret over the bygones.”

She nodded and smiled.

—

After finishing his work, Paritosh went out to look for Rupali. He found her on the terrace.

“Not done for the day yet?”

“Another hour to go. We came in the same shift,” she smiled and stopped rubbing her eyes. She was clearly sleepy and had a headache.

“There is a simple secret to good health, you know.”

“What?”

“That you do things at the right time. For example, you sleep when you should sleep.”

“Right,” she sighed and mumbled.

“And that is true not only of one day, but of life in general.”

“And what does that mean?”

“For everything in life, there is a right time… The moment – you know. There is a moment, for example, when two people are on the same wavelength. They understand each other and they can come together. And after coming together, from then on, they can grow together. But if that moment is gone, and they don’t come together, then they grow separately, they grow differently, and they grow apart. Do you understand what I am saying?”

Rupali gulped hard. She felt her goosebumps. He must be referring to him and Chand. But why was he telling that to her? Why bother clarifying to her that they can not come together any longer?

“Rupali?”

“I think I do,” she managed to speak, “But I didn’t intend to hurt you… What I said earlier…”

“Don’t be an idiot,” Paritosh rebuffed her affectionately, “You can not hurt a fly Rupali Banerjee. I am tougher than that.” He was smiling by now and Rupali could not help but smile with him.

“If you are free,” Paritosh spoke again, “Let me make up for the tea we missed yesterday and treat you to one in the canteen. It will help with your sleepiness as well.”

“Sure,” she nodded. She could definitely do with some tea. But something about this exchange was making her think hard.

—

“Kakima!” Rupali was surprised to see Damyanti at her home when she reached back that evening.

“How are you, Rupa?”

“I am fine…” And against her better judgment tears came to her eyes.

“Oh my God! What happened, my child? Why are you…”

“I thought… you would never come…” Whatever be her failings, this woman has been the mother to her all these years. On seeing her, suddenly she felt the need to have a mother’s shoulder to cry on.

“Oh God! I am so sorry, Rupa… I should have come earlier. I was just so unsure…”

They hugged and Rupali cried softly.

“That’s enough. That’s enough, Rupa… Stop crying now. Come on… Radha. Bring some water for Rupa,” she hollared to the maid and took Rupali to her bedroom.

“Is something wrong, Rupa?” she asked after Rupali had calmed down.

“No Kakima. I just… got emotional to see you…”

“I should have come earlier. I am so sorry, Rupa…”

“Please don’t embarrass me, Kakima…”

“You could also have told me, Rupa, if you wanted to see me…”

“I know…”

“Anyway. Radha tells me that Dr. Khanna comes here often. He has been taking good care of you, right?”

“He is a good man, Kakima,” Rupali replied in a controlled voice, unsure about where this was going. There was already too much going on in her head about Paritosh, which she was yet to sort out.

“Of course!”

“Kakima…”

“Yes?”

“You don’t hold him responsible for what happened, do you? Because he is not. This house was just incidental. Sooner or later…”

“I know. I know Rupali,” Damyanti’s sadness and disappointment were not hidden, but she did put up a brave and rational face. “And trust me,” she added slowly, “Despite what I had hoped about your and… Rohan in past, you would always have my blessings for the right person in your life…”

“I… am not… sure… what you mean, Kakima…” Rupali stuttered.

“Your Kaku felt so… And even Radha tells me that you and Dr. Khanna…. are together?”

“What?” Rupali nearly jumped out of the bed, “What are you… No Kakima. That… That is not happening… That can not happen…”

“I thought so… I told both of them… It doesn’t make sense… He is too… I mean you are much younger than him and…”

“Kakima. That is not the point. It is not about him at all.”

“Then?”

“It’s… It’s me Kakima. I’m… How do I explain it… I am a damaged person Kakima, a damaged woman… I cannot… be with anyone. And least of all someone as nice as Dr. Khanna…” she almost choked on her words towards the end, “And Kakima. Please, don’t ever mention this to him. Being the kind of person he is, he might just agree to you for my sake. That won’t be right….”

Damyanti spoke after few moments of silence, “You should see a psychiatrist, Rupa.”

Rupali was startled, “Why are you… Did Dr. Khanna tell you to…”

Damyanti sighed, “I had called him up before coming.”

“Why?”

“Wanted to ask how you were doing and what I should be doing…”

Rupali sighed! So, Dr. Khanna was her official guardian now!

“You don’t need to ask anyone about me, Kakima…”

“I shouldn’t have to… But I have failed Rupa. And I want to be extra cautious now…”

Rupali buried her head in her hands feeling helpless, “Everybody is in such mess because of me…”

“No. No Rupa. Please don’t talk like this. You have been very brave. You shouldn’t give up in your life and future like this. Take time. You are not running out of it.”

Rupali wondered if those were her words, or Dr. Khanna’s. He was capable of saying things like those. But outwardly she just smiled and changed the topic, “Shall I get you some tea, Kakima?”

“Sure. Tea would be good.”

—

To be continued