Absent-mindedly she walked towards the room where he had shown her the paintings. Some of them were still uncovered. Including Daar ji’s portrait. She stood before that for a while, as if wondering if this blood-related elder of hers would be able to help her. She looked around and realized that Chand’s painting had been covered again. And then she noticed a fresh painting… She walked closer and what she saw did not surprise her, but it made her cry again. He was making a portrait of hers. From memory. The entire face was outlined, but only the eyes, forehead and part of hair had been painted. She tore her eyes away from the painting and looked at Daar ji’s portrait again. Could she sort it out?

—

“Please call me as soon as he wakes up,” Rupali told the elderly housekeeper before leaving for the duty in the morning, “He might look for me and get worried. I need to go to the hospital.”

“Sure Dr. Rupali.”

She herself was tired and sleepy. But it wasn’t the first time she would be on duty in that state. Now, she was almost used to it. She informed the admin that Dr. Khanna might not come on duty and went about her work. She spent her breaks quietly on the terrace practicing how she will talk to Paritosh. And her mobile rang. It wasn’t the housekeeper, but Paritosh himself.

“Tai told me that you are in the hospital?” his voice told her that he had just woken up.

“Yeah. I woke up. So, I thought…”

“Or you didn’t sleep?”

She sighed, “I am fine Dr. Khanna. I will come back there once my duty is over. I have told the admin you won’t be coming today. So, you can just take rest.”

“But…”

“Please. I am fine. Really.”

—

“But why would you take her to Darjeeling, Dr. Khanna?” Sabyasachi and Paritosh were speaking on phone, “Isn’t that the reason why I had sent him away from Kolkata? That I didn’t want any trouble for either of them. Do you think it has been easy on me?”

“I had no clue that he was no longer in the facility? And why should she be restricted by where Rohan is? What is her fault?”

“Please Dr. Khanna. Try to understand. He was doing fine.”

“Fine enough trying to kill people,” Paritosh was rude and angry, “If that was fine, it is better that he is back in the hospital. Please try to understand Mr. Moitra. If you act like everything is normal, when it isn’t, it won’t be good for him either. Sooner or later, he would be in trouble.”

“How is Rupa?” The rational man inside Sabyasachi did not have any argument against Paritosh. So, he didn’t try to continue arguing. But he was torn between his rationality and his love for his family. It wasn’t just Rohan who had fallen apart, Damyanti too.

“Holding up. As ever,” Paritosh was not satisfied, but he realized that this argument would lead nowhere. And Rupali would definitely not be happy if he said anything inappropriate to Moitras. “It is me, who is shaken Mr. Moitra. She doesn’t know I called you. She went to Darjeeling because it had memories of her parents. They had met there. She didn’t even remember that Rohan was there. If you do think we were at fault, it was me. Not her. Please don’t say anything to her.”

“What can I say to her, Dr. Khanna, except to apologize, again and again, pointlessly.”

Paritosh sighed and changed the subject, “I will see you during the board meeting this Friday, then.”

“Sure Dr. Khanna. Bye.”

—

Sabyasachi called Rupali and much to her embarrassment apologized profusely. Then he asked her if he could meet her after her duty and drop her home too. Rupali hesitated for a while. She had to go to Paritosh’ house. What would Kaku think of her going there. But… how did any of it matter any longer. So, she agreed.

“I didn’t remember at all Kaku that he was there. I am sorry,” she apologized to him after getting into his car.

“You shouldn’t have to Rupa. But I know that you would not knowingly do that… And anyway he had no business being in the convention. I don’t know what took him there.”

“You didn’t go there, Kaku?”

“Your Kakima has gone. I have some work. You had come back by car, right? Why didn’t you take the day off?”

Rupali looked alarmed, “Dr. Khanna talked to you?”

Sabyasachi nodded.

“Kaku. He is angry… If he said anything, please…”

“He is angry, yes. But he didn’t say anything wrong. Are you not angry? Being on death’s door. Twice. Because of my son…”

“Kaku. Are you not angry? At me? If you hadn’t brought me home, none of this would have happened?”

“It was good I brought you home, Rupa. I, at least, have one child who is doing well for herself.”

“I am angry at him Kaku. But how can I be angry at you?”

“I won’t accept it before others. But what Dr. Khanna thinks is right. I did try to influence medical opinion with… I can hold myself together, work rationally, but your Kakima…”

“Kaku. I promise I will never ever go to Darjeeling again. Or if you want to send him somewhere else, or even bring him back to Kolkata, I won’t set foot in that city. Just tell me…”

“No. I won’t bring him to Kolkata.”

“I will ask Dr. Khanna not to speak to you about it again…”

“It’s okay child. He is a reasonable man. I am happy you have him.”

Rupali flushed. They stayed silent for a while, until they reached the signal from where hers and Paritosh’ homes were in different direction. She took and deep breath and spoke, “Kaku. Please drop me at Dr. Khanna’s place. I have to talk to him.”

“Not about…”

“No. Not about it.”

He nodded and took the turn towards Paritosh’ house. He dropped her there and left without going in. She could not insist either. If somebody’s life and relationships could be awkward, it was hers.

—

To be continued