Tag: Kolkata

Destined (Part 8)

Posted Mish3 CommentsPosted in English, Inspired, Rupali-Paritosh

Rohan had finally left after fussing over her. She had managed to convince Damyanti also that she just needed some rest and would be fine by evening when time for her night duty came. Now she was alone at home. She had just finished her breakfast in bed, when the cook came in and gave her a card. Someone had come to meet her.

“Dr. Khanna?” she was surprised. She deliberated for a moment whether to meet him in the hall or have him brought to her room. She was still in her night-dress. Sitting on the bed covered up in a blanket would be a more presentable state than going downstairs in that dress, she decided. “Please bring him here,” she told the cook.

“What has happened to you?” Paritosh was agitated when he came in.

“Please sit down, Dr. Khanna,” Rupali felt cheerful on seeing him. She indicated towards a chair lying near her bed.

Paritosh sat down, “I was in the admin office when you called.”

“Nothing has happened. I was just tired. Need some rest.”

“Let me check,” he touched her forehead to feel the temperature, then took the pulse. That’s when she noticed his wrists and got surprised.

“Do you always wear cuff-links?”

He was awkward, “Uh… Sort of… Why?”

“No. Just like that,” she realized how abrupt and awkward her question was. But she couldn’t help asking it. Those were the helping hands she had seen in the background in her nightmare. The hands that did not reach her in the dream. But which had reached her now. Had she subconsciously noticed his hands earlier? Could it be…

“I think I will leave you to take rest,” Paritosh’ voice brought her out of her thoughts.

“No. Please have some tea before leaving…”

“Some other time Rupali. I need to be back at the hospital.”

“You came just to see me?” she also noticed him using her name instead of the formal “Dr. Banerjee”.

“I got worried.”

“Now you are not worried, I hope. My vitals are all fine,” she smiled.

“I am. I am worried. And I feel guilty. So, please take care.”

“Guilty? What for?”

“For saying things that I shouldn’t have said. Things that disturbed you. Anyway. Talking about them again would be of no help. You take rest. I will see you later,” he walked out before she could say anything.

It took her some time to go to sleep, but exhaustion finally took over and she slept off. Dreamlessly!

—

She had taken her rounds and was in the common room at night. Nobody else was around, when Paritosh walked in.

“What are you doing here at this hour, Sir?” Rupali was surprised to see him.

He sat across from her on a chair, “Didn’t have anything to do at home. Have a day off tomorrow as well. So, I stayed on.”

“You don’t have the reputation of being a workaholic for no reason,” she smiled, “But since you are here, I must tell you something. You have been unnecessarily feeling guilty. You didn’t say anything I was not already aware of.”

“I hope so. But you must not fall ill.”

“No. I won’t. That’s why I have become a doctor,” she suddenly chuckled.

“Really? The doctors don’t fall ill according to you?”

“I was very weak as a child. Would often fall ill. Mummy used to say that when I grow up I would become a doctor and then diseases would be scared of me and I will not fall ill. That used to reassure me. Things we believe as kids,” she laughed slightly.

Paritosh also joined in her laughter, “So, that’s why you chose your career in medicine?”

“Rohan thinks it was because of him. But yes – it was because of Mummy.”

“Tell me more about your parents.”

“Well… What can I say? My father, you already know, worked at a school. Before I was born my mother had worked as a governess to Rohan. My father had also tutored him. That’s how Kakima and Kaku knew them so well. Apart from that, they were like any other set of parents. They loved each other. They loved me even more. And I think I was pretty well-behaved as a child. Didn’t need much scolding. So, they didn’t have to…” They both laughed at that. “I always carry a photograph of them. It was taken soon after they were married. Let me show you,” she seemed excited to be talking about her parents.

Paritosh was stunned when he saw the photograph though.

“What was your mother’s name?”

She chuckled, “A very awkward Jeet Banerjee. She was not a Bengali actually. She clearly doesn’t look like one, does she? But she took my father’s name after marriage anyway. She would often jokingly complain about it. That her marriage made a mess of her name. And that’s why she had chosen to go with a Bengali name for me.”

“That’s… nice… I just remembered some work Dr. Banerjee. Can you see me before leaving for home in the morning?”

“Sure. But why?”

“Later,” he said and left abruptly. He drove home, but came back after a while.

—

“Dr. Khanna?” Rupali came to his office in the morning before leaving for home. He had fallen asleep on his chair. He woke up startled.

“Dr. Banerjee! Please sit down. I’m sorry. I drowsed off.”

“It’s okay. You must be tired. You had asked me to meet you…”

“Yes. Please give me a minute,” he excused himself to wash his face and then came back to the office.

Rupali was standing looking some of the book on his shelves, when he came back.

“Please sit down Dr. Banerjee.”

His behaviour was making her very curious. “What is it Dr. Khanna? Anything serious?” She sat down.

“Do you have a few minutes?”

“Sure.”

“I have told you about Daar ji, right?”

“A little, yes.”

“Before dying, he had made me promise that I will find his daughter.”

“Find her? You mean she is alive? Didn’t you say…”

“He had lost her… No, she wasn’t dead. Not then, anyway. She had run away, because she had fallen in love with a Bengali boy and Daar ji, in his anger, was trying to get her married off. He really regretted that later in his life, especially in his last hours. Unfortunately he didn’t know anything about her whereabouts. And as it happened, he told me everything else he knew, but not her name before dying.”

“Then?” Rupali was engrossed in the story and didn’t wait to think why he was telling her all that.

“So, I was quite helpless… Until last night… Do you recognize this?” he handed her the photograph from Daar ji’s box.

“Why of course… This is… Oh my God! Mummy?” her eyes widened in surprise and she stood up abruptly.

“I thought so too… Unfortunately I am too late for your mother… But not for you.” She stared in silence as he picked up some keys from the table, along with a letter. “This is the house he had wanted me give to her. The papers will take some time for transfer. But here is the address and these are the keys. You might want to…”

“You are joking, right?”

“No Rupali. In fact, everything he owned is yours…”

“Stop Dr. Khanna. Please.”

“What happened?”

“I have enough burdens of charity already. I can’t add another person to the list. Fine – you know about my problems. But that doesn’t mean you have to act like my knight in shining armour.”

“Where did that come from?” Paritosh was baffled, “You think I am lying? Why would I… And where will I get a photograph of your mother from, you tell me?”

“That might all very well be true. But… Anything else does not make sense.”

“What doesn’t?”

Rupali paused for few moment before replying, “Nothing he had could be mine…. How can it be… When he was not there for Mummy, what could I possibly mean to him? Thank you, that you thought of me. But one way or the other, anything any one does for me is going to be a favour. I would rather take it from the people who were there for me when I was alone, than from a person who was not there for his own daughter. I am sorry.” She left immediately.

Paritosh sank down in his chair. This wasn’t how he had imagined this conversation to go. He had thought about it the entire night. He had peered at Jeet’s photograph again yesterday. Except for her wheatish complexion and leanness of face, Rupali had borrowed every single feature from her mother. He also realized why he had been noticing her repeatedly during his address to the interns for their orientation. It was not because Rohan had pointed her out to him. It was because she was subconsciously reminding him of the nameless face he had practically memorized every feature of at one point of time. In the hopeless hope of finding her somewhere – out of blue and fulfilling Daar ji’s last wish by giving her the house – and more if she wanted. But over time the hope had faded. And then yesterday, Rupali showed him the photograph. A better coincidence could not have been divined for him. He would finally be able to fulfill Daar ji’s wish – the man who had been everything to him. And he had hoped that it would make Rupali happy and hopeful. That she had something to call her own. That she need not be dependent on anybody any longer. But it had all gone wrong…

Now that Paritosh thought about it, he realized that he had been too blinded by his excitement to think it through. This is not the kind of news one gets everyday. Him assuming that he could predict her reaction was presumptuous on his part. But what should he do now?

—

To be continued

Destined (Part 7)

Posted Mish6 CommentsPosted in English, Inspired, Rupali-Paritosh

She hadn’t slept last night. Not even a wink of sleep. She had a headache now. When she got a break, she decided not to go to the common room, which will be crowded with her colleagues. She wasn’t in a mood for small talk, or stories of patients’ antics, or cribs about canteen food and senior doctors. She went to the open terrace and sat on a bench there. She rubbed her eyes to soothe them.

“You didn’t sleep well?” Paritosh’ voice startled her.

“Sir!” she jumped out of the bench.

“Sorry. I scared you.”

“I was just startled.”

“Are you unwell?”

“No. Just a little tired. Like you noticed. Didn’t sleep well.”

“Why?”

She bit her lips and stayed silent.

“Do you ever talk to anyone?” he asked again.

She shook her head.

“I know that it’s easier said than done. But… you should talk. I did it for the first time yesterday… What I told you… It helps.”

She smiled, “Well… You didn’t tell much.”

He thought for a moment before replying, “I can tell more… When we have time.”

“I would look forward to it.”

“If you want a quieter place to take a break, you can go to my office. I am going to in OPD all afternoon.”

“Th… Thanks for that, Sir. But I will be fine. Just a couple of more hours of duty.”

“Okay, then. See you tomorrow.”

—

Rupali woke up with a start. She was sweating. It was a nightmare. She was caged and two huge hands were coming through the bars to crush her. Just before waking up, she had noticed another hand in the background. A normal, human hand… Reaching out to her… To help her… But she had woken up before it could reach her…

Will a helping hand ever reach her? Will she even allow a helping hand to reach her?

Rohan, the pampered son of the rich Moitras, had done most of his schooling outside India. He wasn’t at home when she had first come to this house. In fact, he hadn’t come for two years after that. Apparently he spent his holidays from school in traveling through Europe, US and South America. Damyanti and Sabyasachi joined him sometimes.

She was thirteen when he came home for the first time. He was eighteen and was going to start his medicine studies at the university in London after his vacation. She had heard so much about him from his mother that she was awed. He was someone who had gone around the world. Just seeing him had felt like an out of world experience to young Rupali. And he had noticed her too.

“So, you are Mr. Banerjee’s daughter?” he had startled her by coming to her room once.

“Uh… umm… yes…” she had been flustered, “Please sit down Rohan Da.”

“Oh God! That’s just… so awkward. Don’t call me Dada. I hate it.”

“What should I call you then?”

“Rohan is just fine. It is only in India that we go around making everyone a brother and sister.”

“Okay.” It had taken her some time to get used to calling him Rohan. But he wouldn’t have it any other way.

He had insisted that she took him around Kolkata. And Damyanti had encouraged it. “He is right. He would get bored sitting at home. And you also need to step out of the house Rupa.”

She had obeyed. Her summer vacations were going on and every evening, they would go out had roam around the various parts of the city. In the process she had gotten to know him better. While he had a gift of behaving charmingly with people, his temper frightened her sometimes. Once in a while he would yell at a shopkeeper, a rickshaw wallah or  a servant in the house with murderous rage.

The afternoon before he had left to join the university, he had come to her room and had closed the doors startling her.

“Rohan? What happened?” her instincts were alert. But that didn’t save her.

He had walked to her and held her. “You are beautiful,” he had whispered in her ear.

“Rohan. Let me go…”

“Hush…” he covered her mouth with his hands, bent a little and bit on her neck drawing a gasp from her. “You are so innocent. Do you know what this is? This is called love bite. It will remind you of me, when I am gone. But I won’t be gone for long. Before you know it, my semester will be over and I will be back. Wait for me.”

And he had left. She was shocked and stunned to silence. She had slumped on her bed. She was so shocked that even tears had taken time to come to her eyes. She hadn’t come out of her room for next two days. When Damyanti had asked her to come with them to the airport in the evening to see Rohan off, she had refused saying that she had severe headache.

“Oh! That’s a pity dear. You guys have become such good friends. But anyway. Health first. Take rest.”

Over next five months, she had tried to forget the incident. Hoping against hope that it had never happened. That it was all a bad dream. But Rohan had been back. He no longer seemed interested in his Europe tours with friends. He came back home after every semester. Sometimes, he flew in even in the middle of the semester, if there was a break of even a week.

On his next visit, she had tried to threaten him that she would tell his parents.

“Don’t be silly,” he had told her, “Do you want to be thrown out of the house? I am their son. They will never do that to me. This is our secret.”

She had gulped hard. What would she do? Barely fourteen, she was too young to be on her own. And of course. Who would choose her over their own son? Especially a son they seemed so proud and fond of.

“And don’t worry. You are mine. I am going to marry you.”

And so she went on enduring. His fondling, kisses, love bites… He never went all the way with her. As if he was ensuring that he didn’t leave any proofs behind. She cried on her bed when he would use her and then go to her bathroom to relieve himself. She endured. From one visit to another. Over time she became immune. She would let him do whatever he wanted. He had taken it as a sign of her acceptance, even her love.

Between his visits, she focused on her studies like a mad-woman. That’s where she had sought refuse. She had been a decent student even earlier, but with this redoubled concentration, her performance sky-rocketed. Damyanti had once remarked that she seemed to be inspired by Rohan. “Haven’t you noticed how her grades are improving since she has met Rohan. I am so glad,” she had told her husband, who had just nodded. Rupali had given a small smile. She felt resigned, rather than angry.

It was no surprise when she got a very good rank in medical entrance examination. She didn’t want her education to be another burden on her benefactors. She had to get a high rank, get admission in AIIMS, which would ensure minimal expenses as opposed to the private colleges or studies abroad.

Rohan had come home just before her results had come out. And he had dropped the bomb soon after the results. By declaring before his parents that he was in love with Rupali and would marry her when time came.

“I thought this was the right time to let you know about it, Ma, Baba. I had heard you talking about my marriage. So, I want to let you know that you do not need to search far and wide.”

They had assumed that Rupali was in it. Still only seventeen years old, Rupali had felt helpless. And resigned.

A subtle change had occurred in Rohan after that declaration before the family. He had become less demanding, less crude physically. Probably he had more control over his hormones now. But at the same time, he had become very obsessive and possessive. He tried to control what she did, where she went, whom she met… On his parents’ front, she felt even more helpless. Now their happiness seemed tied to her marriage with Rohan. There seemed no hope of getting away from this mess.

Yet, as she grew up, she felt more and more restless about her situation. Not feeling confident enough to rebel, she reacted by learning to do some little rebellion. Against Rohan. Hiding things from him, telling him things he liked to hear and doing her own stuff… To the extent she could.

And she was already tired. What was her life going to be like? They could decide to get them married any time. The only reason it had not been done yet was that Rohan had an older cousin who was yet to get married. How long will that protect her?

And even if she were to get away, what would she do? She felt too violated, too damaged by Rohan to think of a happy life with someone else. The helping hand would never reach her.

She came out of her thoughts and wiped the sweat from her forehead. Then she switched on the headlamp and checked the time. It was past five in the morning. With two sleepless nights in a row, she would hardly be in a position to do her duty. After couple of hours she called up the hospital and exchanged her day’s duty with the night duty. Probably nightmares won’t trouble her during the day and she would be able to catch on some sleep.

—

To be continued

Destined (Part 6)

Posted Mish4 CommentsPosted in English, Inspired, Rupali-Paritosh

“Should I drop you home? Or at the mall again?” Paritosh asked when they left the orphanage.

“The signal before the mall,” she replied.

“The signal?”

“Rohan doesn’t know I come here. He might be at the mall.”

“Why are you engaged to him? Because you feel indebted to his parents?” he suddenly asked.

Rupali wasn’t surprised at his question. Given everything he knew and had witnessed, he would obviously guess that. But she was hoping that he wouldn’t actually voice it out.

She sighed audibly, but did not reply. Paritosh looked at her once, but otherwise kept his eyes on the road. He stopped at the signal as she had asked him to.

“Good night, Dr. Khanna. And thanks for the ride.”

“Good night, Dr. Banerjee.”

—

Paritosh took out the keys from his drawer and fiddled with them as he thought to the day Daar ji had died. He hadn’t wanted to be admitted to the hospital even in extreme illness. So, Paritosh had arranged everything possible at home. But he was sinking day by day. As a doctor Paritosh could not have fought the nature. He was helpless. The real shock for him, however, had come when Daar ji had started crying.

“Daar ji!” he had held his hands unable to think of what to say. The man had been fierce in his life. Was the death scaring him so much?

“Find her Paritosh! Please find her.”

“Whom?”

“My daughter. I didn’t do anything for her. All my life.”

“Daar ji. Please calm down. Don’t work yourself up like this.”

“Open that cupboard, Paritosh. There is a small box on the bottom shelf.”

Paritosh had complied and opened the box on Daar ji’s instructions. There was an old photograph of a young girl, a bunch of keys and some papers.

“These are the papers and keys for the house I had bought for her. Please find her and give it to her.”

“Where is she, Daar ji?”

“I don’t know. Find her. You will find her, won’t you? Promise me. Please promise me.”

Paritosh didn’t have time to think it through. Daar ji was so agitated, he had to promise him. That had calmed him down. He had talked a bit more.

His wife had died at childbirth. He had brought his daughter up himself, and loved her to death. He had wanted her to be a doctor and did not want to spare anything in her education. He had sent her to a boarding school in Darjeeling so that she got the best education. In her last year at school, the seventeen year-old girl had fallen in love with a young teacher there. Daar ji had gotten to know about it and had been extremely angry. As much as he believed in educating his daughter and in having a career for her, his daughter falling in love and especially with a possibility of an inter-caste marriage was a strict no for him. He had been furious and had announced that he will get her married as soon as she turned eighteen. And she had run away!

He had felt betrayed by her. To avoid the social embarrassment, he had shifted to Kolkata from the small town where he had lived all his life. The loneliness had started troubling him in couple of years though and that’s when he had started spending time in Paritosh’ orphanage. He helped kids with their studies. Paritosh was intelligent and they grew close. Finally he had adopted him.

“I felt betrayed by her, and I was angry. Childishly angry. So, I adopted a boy, not a girl. And I insisted so much on you becoming a doctor. As if to tell her, that I didn’t need her to fulfill my dreams. Paritosh. Don’t get me wrong. I have loved you, I have loved you like any father loves his child. But I can’t forget her. I have been unfair to her. I acted as childishly as she did. I failed her as a father. Find her for me Paritosh and give her that house. May be my failings would be slightly atoned. Everything else is for you.”

Daar ji had been tired by then. He had drifted off to sleep. Never to wake up. Paritosh could not even note the accurate time of death. Daar ji had forgotten to tell him the name of his daughter. How in the world was Paritosh supposed to find her?

Daar ji had done everything for him. He would be ungrateful if he didn’t acknowledge that. Despite being a fierce, strong man of business otherwise, he had been a loving and caring father to him. And yet since that day, Paritosh could not let go of the nagging feeling. That he was a substitute.

But he would have liked to fulfill Daar ji’s last wish. But where would he even start looking for her? He had tried asking some of Daar ji’s business associates and the few friends he had in Kolkata. But none of them seemed to have much idea of about Daar ji’s life before he shifted to Kolkata. From his property papers, Paritosh figured that he had sold off everything in his hometown and it was unlikely that anyone there would have any information. He had hired a private detective nonetheless and he hadn’t come back with much even after several trips to the town.

Paritosh had confused feelings about his life as an orphan and then as an adopted son. He had been luckier than most. And yet he felt dissatisfied. But he had never shared these feelings with anyone. Until that evening in the orphanage. It wasn’t intentional on either of their parts, but he had come to know about some of Rupali’s most personal issues and feelings. He felt that he owed it to her to share some of his own too. And it had been easy after knowing that she was also an orphan. But that act of sharing had also been cathartic to him. He felt good. He smiled, looked at the keys again before keeping them back in the drawer. Then he went to sleep.

—

He felt something tugging at his heart, when he saw Rupali getting out of Rohan’s car at the hospital next morning. He felt guilty. He had slept smiling last night, feeling good about having shared his feelings with someone, who would have understood. But he hadn’t spared a thought about the fate of this girl. The fate that he himself had spelled out so clearly for her last evening. That she was engaged to, and was probably going to be married to, a hopelessly possessive and obsessive man, was aware of her situation and yet could not pull out of it because she was indebted. She was indebted because she was an orphan. Like him. How did she sleep last night?

—

To be continued

Destined (Part 5)

Posted Mish6 CommentsPosted in English, Inspired, Rupali-Paritosh

“Doctor Uncle, you tell us. What should we call her? Didi or Auntie?” two kids came to Paritosh and Rupali when they went to the orphanage for the weekly checkup and asked Paritosh to resolved their dispute about Rupali.

“What?”

“Mihir says we should call her Auntie, I think we should call her Didi.”

Paritosh laughed out loud, while Rupali blushed, “I think you might have taken the more advantageous position in betting on Didi, but why don’t you ask her what she would like to be called.”

“How about you just call me by my name? Rupali? It is a nice enough name, don’t you think so?” Rupali intervened.

“But elders are not supposed to be called by their name,” the kids were not satisfied.

“Hmm…” Rupali became thoughtful, while Paritosh laughed again. “They are not going to let you off the hook so easily, Dr. Banerjee.”

Her eyes shone on hearing him, “How about you call me Dr. Rupali? That is respectful enough.”

“Will Suma Auntie agree?” the kids consulted amongst themselves talking about their caretaker.

“She will. Don’t worry.”

“Okay then. Dr. Rupali. We will call you that only.”

“Good,” Rupali smiled and patted their heads.

“Well… Didi wouldn’t have been too bad,” Paritosh was still amused, “Auntie would be totally out-of-place, of course.”

“I don’t care how old I am perceived to be,” Rupali smiled, “But I… Just don’t feel comfortable with relations… It is better to keep it impersonal.”

“Why do you come here, then? This can not be impersonal?” he asked suddenly.

“Why do you come here?” she asked in return.

“That’s not fair. Turning the question on me like that.”

“No. No. I didn’t intend to do that. I am sorry,” Rupali was flustered.

“It’s okay. No need to get worked up. But yes – coming here is extremely personal for me. My first memories of life are of this place. I was here.”

Rupali looked surprised, “You are an orphan?”

“Daar ji had adopted me, when I was twelve. But before that…”

“Oh!”

“What?”

“I come here, because I could have been here,” she said slowly.

“How come?”

“My parents died when I was eleven. In an accident.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Insurance payout never came. They declared that it was a suicide. There was nobody to argue or fight with them on my behalf. Without the insurance money, no relative was willing to take on the responsibility of a young child, especially a girl. They had almost packed me to this place, when my father’s employers stepped in and took me in.”

“That was great. You were lucky. They obviously brought you up well.”

“Yes. I guess.”

“You don’t agree?”

“I don’t disagree… But sometimes I do wonder… If deprivation is better while growing up or a burden of favor? Did you never feel that conflict?”

Paritosh smiled in understanding. “Not exactly that. But yeah – I understand. We all have our shares of conflicts in that situation.”

“What was your conflict?”

“Luckily for me, I didn’t grow up with that feeling. It was only during Daar ji’s last days that I realized that I was a substitute for someone.”

“Substitute?”

“His daughter… Whom apparently he had lost due to his own fault…”

“Hmm…”

“What did your father do, by the way?” Paritosh asked shifting the focus away from his story.

“He was the principle at one of Nihar Education Trust’s schools.”

“You were adopted by Dr. Moitra’s parents?” Paritosh asked immediately surprising Rupali.

“How do you know?”

“Well… his father is a member in the hospital’s board. I have known him for last four years As head of the department, I have to work closely with the board. NET belongs to them…”

“Oh! I should have known…” Rupali mumbled.

“I… I am sorry if it became awkward for you. I am not going to talk about any of this to them, of course,” Paritosh assured her, “We don’t meet much socially, anyway.”

“Of course. I trust you. I have to. For some reason you have been a witness to my awkwardness a bit too often,” Rupali tried to laugh it off.

—

To be continued

Destined (Part 4)

Posted Mish7 CommentsPosted in English, Inspired, Rupali-Paritosh

She came to the hospital in the evening the next day. She was on night duty.

“Good you joined me yesterday, Dr. Banerjee,” Paritosh told her when she went to his office to inquire about the child from the orphanage, “Otherwise his jaundice would have gone undiagnosed for another week. It wasn’t his group’s turn yesterday.”

“I am glad it helped, Sir. I will check up on him once.”

“Sure. And…” His mobile rang interrupting the conversation. He became tense as he heard the person on the other side of the phone. “Yes… Just now?? Oh… I will be there… I have Dr. Banerjee with me… right Rupali Banerjee… Please call Dr. Rao to see who else is on duty and who can be called from home… Sure…”

“Dr. Banerjee… To the emergency… Right away…”

“What happened, Sir?” she asked as she scurried to keep pace with him.

“There has been a an accident involving kids… A school bus was hit by a tractor…”

“School bus? At this hour?”

“They were coming back from some school trip.”

“Oh my God!” Rupali could not help exclaim as they reached emergency and saw the hospital staff carry one injured kid after another to the ward. They bodies were bloody. Most had passed out from pain and shock. Others were wailing in pain.

“Quick Dr. Banerjee. We don’t have time. Start from that bed. Ask nurses to attend to minor injuries. Focus on stopping blood loss for major ones.”

“Yes Sir,” she collected herself together and went on to do as he had advised.

The doctors on the emergency duty were already working. Doctors from other departments also came in soon to help, some who lived nearby came from their homes. Still there were too many patients and it took them about four hours to attend to everyone. Five of the kids were in critical condition and had been shifted to ICU.

Finally Rupali got a short break and walked to the common room. Paritosh was standing there watching TV tuned to a news channel. They were covering the school bus accident. The truck-driver had been drunk while driving. The situation had become even more scandalous, because the truck was found to be carrying large quantities of illegal firearms hidden beneath packets of clothes.

“Are you fine?” Paritosh asked when he noticed her.

“Define fine,” she replied with a sad smile, “As a doctor I can’t afford to get nauseated by blood, pain and injury. But as a person this news does nauseate me. As if those firearms wouldn’t have killed enough people, the truck driver also had to kill these kids.” She sat down on one of the chairs there.

Paritosh also sat down and said, “I have to apologize to you.”

“Excuse me?”

“Do you remember your first assignment? For an operation…”

“I do, of course. What about it?”

“I had probably offended you by asking if you were ready for that. Under some irrational influence, I had thought that you might not be… strong enough. I have seen you working since then. And especially today. Obviously I was completely wrong.”

She didn’t react for a while and Paritosh started worrying if he should have let bygones be bygones. Why did he feel this sudden need to apologize anyway? It wasn’t like he had been thinking about it? But when he saw her working that evening. With so many injured and bloody kids, what Rohan had said about her and what he had let affect himself for a while too, came back to him. He felt like he needed to make up for that. He needed to apologize. But after doing that he felt like an idiot. She had probably never noticed. Why did he have to tell her?

Then she gave what looked like a helpless smile, “Not your fault.”

“Excuse me?”

“You were under irrational influence.”

“I shouldn’t have been. But thanks for the generosity.”

“Aren’t you planning to leave? You have been here all day, right?” Rupali changed the topic. Although with his image of a workaholic in the hospital, she didn’t expect he would leave amidst that tragedy.

His reply was not unexpected, “Not under these circumstances. Non-ICU patients will need to be shifted to pediatric ward in the morning. I will be in my office though. If there are any updates, or any relapses, you can tell me. And inform others on duty as well.”

“Sure Sir.”

—

“Your duty is over. You have no business being here,” Rohan was insistent on sending Rupali home after her night duty.

“So many kids are in still in such bad shape Rohan. I can’t just leave and go. Many doctors are staying beyond duty hours.”

“I can’t see you falling sick.”

“Rohan please. I am fine.”

“I know better.”

“For God’s sake Rohan. Let me decide for myself. I am not a child. Dr. Khanna is here since yesterday morning. Dr….”

“Has he asked you to stay?” Rohan asked sharply.

“No. Nobody has asked me to…”

“Let me talk to him.”

“Are you even listening to me?”

But Rohan had turned away from her and she realized that he was going to Paritosh’ office.

“Wait Rohan,” she panicked and ran after him, “I am going home. Okay?”

Unfortunately for her Paritosh was coming their way and Rohan ran into him.

“Dr. Khanna. I had told you on the very first day that Rupali is not a very tough person.”

“Excuse me?” Paritosh could find no rhyme or reason to Rohan’s sudden verbal attack.

“Why is she being held back at the hospital after her duty is over?”

“That’s enough Rohan,” Rupali hissed and grabbed his hands. “I’m sorry Dr. Khanna. He has lost his mind,” she quickly apologized and then dragged Rohan away from there with a strength that surprised him.

“What are you doing Rupa?” Rohan was annoyed.

Rupali thought for a moment whether to give him a fitting reply. But she resorted to one of her tricks.

“You have already had a brush with Dr. Khanna once earlier. Because of me. I don’t want that to happen again. He is a senior doctor.”

“We don’t have to be afraid of Dr. Khanna. If he is a senior doctor reporting to the board, then Baba is a member of the board.”

“I know, I know Rohan. But think of professionalism. And if I need your help, I will tell you. You know that, right?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“Then go. I will leave when I want to.”

“Sure?”

“Yes Rohan. Now go to your department. You are getting late.”

“Fine. But be at home in the evening.”

“I will be.”

She turned back to go to the ward to find Paritosh within hearing distance. Her face flushed. Did he see the little drama that had played out here? She stood rooted at her place awkwardly as he came towards her.

“Dr. Banerjee. You can go back home, if you want to. Others are on duty…”

“But I don’t want to… I am really, really sorry about Rohan. I hadn’t told him anything…”

“It’s okay. You don’t need to apologize for other people. If you want to stay, then you will stay.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“Keep up the good work.”

—

To be continued

Destined (Part 3)

Posted Mish9 CommentsPosted in English, Inspired, Rupali-Paritosh

“Wait… wait Seema… Don’t run outside. There are cars on the road…” Rupali ran after a little girl, but the girl ran into someone else who was coming in through the gate.

“Steady Seema,” the man held her and then picked her up lovingly.

Rupali was surprised to see that it was Paritosh. “Dr. Banerjee!” he was surprised too.

“Doctor Uncle is here,” Seema shouted in excitement.

Paritosh smiled at her and put her down, “Run to your friends and tell them this is the checkup day for Pokemon group. They should all gather in the hall.”

“Okay!” the girl replied and ran away towards her friends, all of whom stayed in the orphanage.

“He… Hello Sir,” Rupali was flustered.

“Nice to see you here,” if he was awkward to meet her outside the hospital, he managed to hide it pretty well.

“Same here,” Rupali said, but wondered if she felt that way. Although she had appreciated Paritosh saving her from Rohan’s untoward demands in the hospital, she didn’t think she could share her personal life with her boss. But she had come there that day on some purpose. So, she decided to go ahead with it. “The administrator told me that a senior doctor volunteers here and he would be here today. I had no clue that would be you. It was probably silly of me to not to ask the name…”

“That’s okay. Did you want to meet me?”

“I just… wanted to volunteer as well… To help you… I thought it was better if I coordinated instead of doing it separately.”

“Sure. That’s a great idea.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

“Do you want to start right away?”

“Yes. Of course. That’s why I came today.”

“Great. Let’s go then. We can do two groups today. Too many kids – so I have divided them into four groups. One group gets the check up every week.” Paritosh was used to managing the department. He effortlessly took her under his wings there too.

“Pokemon group?” she smiled in amusement.

Paritosh smiled too and they felt the tension and awkwardness dissolving, “Well – with kids, you have to be like kids. You will take up Ben-10 group.”

“Okay,” her smile had grown to become a chuckle. Just then her mobile rang. “Excuse me Dr. Khanna. I have to take this. I will join you in a minute?”

“Sure,” Paritosh looked at her curiously for a second before leaving. The softness of the smile had disappeared from her face.

He couldn’t avoid hearing parts of her conversation even as he tried to move away quickly. “I told you Rohan… I am at the hospital. It will take some time…”

—

“Have you been feeling tired lately?” Rupali asked a kid during the checkup.

The boy nodded in reply.

“Kamla Auntie says he has not been eating well.” added the girl waiting behind him in the line referring to one of the employers of the orphanage.

“Dr. Khanna,” she addressed Paritosh who was attending to another group, “I think we need to do urine test for him.”

“What happened?”

“I suspect jaundice.”

“Oh! Come here, Sumit,” Paritosh asked the boy to come to him and checked his eyes.

“We need to isolate him from other kids,” Rupali said after Paritosh nodded at her in confirmation.

“I don’t think they have any empty rooms left. Too many kids… Too little funding… Same old story…” Paritosh appeared to be drifting off to some other world.

“Sir?”

Her voice brought him out of his thoughts. “If it is jaundice,” he started talking in a matter-of-fact tone again, “this is at a very contagious stage. Something needs to be done. Let’s take him to the hospital.”

“But…”

“I will pay for the treatment.”

“Okay…” Rupali was much more impressed than she let on.

“How have you come?” Paritosh asked Rupali when they made to leave with Sumit after finishing checkups.

“I took a taxi.”

“I have my car. Let me drop you back.”

“It’s not needed, Sir.”

“Where do you stay?”

“You also have to take Sumit to the hospital.”

“Fine. If it isn’t on my way to the hospital, I won’t insist. But at least tell me where do you live.”

Rupali sighed helplessly, “It is on your way to the hospital.”

“Then what’s the problem? Come with me.”

“You remember the name of all the kids there?” she asked as they were driving back. She had noticed it during the check up. He addressed each and every kid there by name.

“I have been going there for years now. Now I have seen most of them coming there, growing up…”

“Hmm.”

“How about you? For how long have you been coming here?”

“Just for last month or so. I was in Delhi for last five years.”

“AIIMS, right? For your MBBS.”

“Yes Sir.”

“Good.”

“Can you please drop me here?” she said suddenly in front of the mall.

“Here?”

“Yes. My house is at walking distance from here. And I just remembered I had some things to buy. So, I will get them from the mall.”

“Should I wait?”

“No. No Sir. Seriously. I stay right behind the mall. And Sumit…”

“Okay then. Take care.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

She waited until he had driven off and then walked listlessly towards her house without so much as glancing towards the mall she was supposed to go to. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. She had volunteered to work with Paritosh in the orphanage. He was her boss. There was no way she could have gone back on that commitment. And she didn’t want to… But this was going to get tricky with Rohan.

“Why were you with Dr. Khanna?” It was as if her worries were immediately personified. She ran into Rohan. And he had apparently seen her getting out of the car.

“He was coming to this side. He gave me a lift,” she didn’t really have to lie, because she didn’t make a reference to where she was coming from. As far as Rohan was concerned, she was coming from the hospital. She had become quite adept at manipulating Rohan to keep his anger and wrath away. But it was easier earlier. At first he was in London for his studies. He had come back a couple of years ago, but then she was in Delhi for her studies. She only needed to handle his possessiveness and obsession occasionally. But now… She was getting tired because she had to do it day in, day out. They were staying under the same roof. And she also had to hide it from Rohan’s parents. They were really proud of their son and they loved him so much. She wasn’t sure how they would react if she ever complained about him to them. If they believed her, they would be devastated. Rupali could not do that to them. If they didn’t believe her… well… what would she gain except losing their trust…. She was between a rock and a hard place.

“You should have gone with the driver,” Rohan was still irritated and his agitated complaint brought her out of her thoughts.

“Kakima might have needed him.”

“Why don’t you just learn to drive?”

“I am… scared of driving,” she lied. She knew how to drive; she had learned it with the help of one of her friends. But hiding things from Rohan was one of the things that gave her satisfaction. Of being in control. She knew her reply would work on him. It always did! The idea of her being weak, scared, in need of help, being dependent on him always worked. He liked it.

“I know,” that smile again! “Let’s go, and have a cup of coffee somewhere. I had been getting bored, waiting for you.”

She would have preferred to go home, but she gave in. What all could she run away from? She cringed as he put his arms around her protectively, but did not move away.

—

To be continued

Destined (Part 2)

Posted Mish7 CommentsPosted in English, Inspired, Rupali-Paritosh

“Come in,” Paritosh heard a knock on his door about an hour later. He had to prepare a presentation on the department’s performance in last quarter for the impending board meeting. But he was not able to concentrate at all. He could not let go of the feeling that he might have made a mistake by intervening between Rupali and Rohan. It did look like Rohan was forcing himself, but would his intervention make things better or worse for Rupali? They had a life outside the hospital too!

Rupali walked into his cabin, “Dr. Khanna. I needed your signature on these discharge papers. I’m sorry to disturb you for this, but Dr. Gupta has stepped out for an hour, and the parents are getting edgy. Only you have the authority to sign these.”

“No problem. I will sign it. You have ensured that he is ready to be discharged, right?”

“Yes Sir. Dr. Gupta also gave his confirmation over phone.”

“Dr. Banerjee,” Paritosh stopped her when she made to leave after getting the papers signed.

“Yes Sir?”

“I acted on my best understanding earlier. But I am not sure if I should have… I just…”

“Thanks for bringing it up,” Rupali looked relieved rather than awkward, “I wanted to thank you. For speaking up and not looking the other way.”

“Really?”

“Yes Sir.”

“Okay then. Take care.”

Rupali nodded and made to leave, when she was stopped again.

“Dr. Banerjee.”

“Yes Sir?”

“I have to ask. Did Dr. Moitra lie about your relationship? If so…”

“No,” she sighed, “He didn’t. I guess… But what you had said still stands, right? I have my rights?”

“Of course,” he assured hastily, “If there is ever any problem in this hospital or from any of the employees here, you must come to me.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

It was extremely odd. Why would she be engaged to a person when she needed and was fine with another person intervening between them? And what was hurry to get engaged? How old would she be? Was she under some pressure? What kind?

—

Rupali was relieved that Rohan was not waiting for her in the parking lot after her duty was over. Even when he finished earlier, he always insisted on taking her home with him and waited for her. It should have been romantic, but it wasn’t…

“Rupa. Darling, what’s up with Rohan? Have the two of you fought?” Rupali’s relief was short-lived as she ran into Damyanti Moitra, Rohan’s mother as soon as she entered home.

“Why Kakima? What happened?” Rupali’s behavior with Damyanti was nothing like the the dry, distant one she had with Rohan. And her conflicting emotions were clear in her body language. When Damyanti worried about something, Rupali worried about it too. But when it came to Rohan…

“He refused to eat after coming from the hospital and has locked himself in the room. Only you can handle him, when he is in that mood. Will you please see that he eats something, dear? Why don’t you take your plate also to his room?”

“Sure Kakima.” Damyanti always dismissed Rupali’s discomfort while speaking about Rohan as her shyness. Despite growing up in her liberal household, she found this girl to be incredibly shy. When she had come to live with them as an eleven year old, Damyanti used to worry a lot about whether or not she was comfortable. But over time, she was satisfied that she was.

And Rupali was indeed comfortable with Damyanti and her husband Sabyasachi Moitra. They had provided her not just with a roof over her head, but also with immense love and care. There was no repaying their kindness. She could do anything to keep them happy. And their happiness lied in their only son – Rohan!

—

“Kakima said you haven’t eaten anything,” Rupali brought a plate for Rohan in his room.

“Do you have a crush on Dr. Khanna?”

“Excuse me?”

“Why were you tongue-tied before him? Couldn’t you have spoken up, while he insulted us?”

Rupali took a deep breath. What was she thinking? That he would let it go? Of course not. And he wouldn’t leave her out of it either. Insulted us? Whatever that meant. As far as Rupali was concerned, she had been saved; not insulted. She didn’t want her workplace tainted with the memories of… But she did not want to anger Rohan further. Not at home, at least. Not when Kakima and Kaku would be around.

“It was not right Rohan. We work there…” she attempted a logical discussion.

“Don’t give me excuses,” he glared at her.

“I’m sorry,” she said in a small voice.

“Why didn’t you speak up?”

“I… I got nervous,” that was an explanation he’d like. He liked to think of her as a damsel in distress, who needed rescuing.

He smiled. Rupali could not help noticing that it appeared affectionate. It still freaked her out…

“Of course. I should have known.” He got up from his bed and came to her. “But you really have to stop worrying when I am around, okay?”

She nodded.

“And right now, there is nothing to be nervous about,” he closed in on her.

“Rohan… Kakima is around…” she tried to protest.

“She is in her room, I know that,” he replied and kissed her. She endured the kiss fighting her urge to step back. She wondered if she’d ever feel the same way about a kiss as the heroines of novels did. It had always felt repulsive to her, something she had to endure. That was her destiny.

—

To be continued

Destined (Part 1)

Posted Mish5 CommentsPosted in English, Inspired, Rupali-Paritosh

“Dr. Moitra? What are you doing here this early in the morning?” Dr. Paritosh Khanna was surprised to see Rohan Moitra, a resident doctor in Orthopedics, in the Pediatrics department conference room. He was there to address the new batch of interns coming to Pediatrics department of Shohan Nath Majumdar Multi Specialty Hospital, Kolkata.

“Good Morning Dr. Khanna. Actually my fiancee is joining as an intern in your department. So, came by… For moral support…” Rohan grinned.

“I see!” Paritosh said trying to appear neutral. He wondered if Rohan’s act was sweet or patronizing.

“She is sitting there,” he pointed to the corner seat in the row where all the new interns were sitting and waiting for their orientation to begin, “Rupali. Banerjee, for now. She is the nervous kind… I am not even sure it was the right profession for her. But she always insisted. Please go easy on her.” As the head of Pediatrics, Paritosh would be the boss of all the interns.

“Well Dr. Moitra. This profession has its demands. I do not intend to put anything more than that on anybody. It is not in my hands to make it less for anybody,” Paritosh said dryly.

“Ah! Well… Of course.”

Paritosh smiled and then excused himself, “Anyway! I should get going. They are waiting for me. I think your duty shift would also be starting now.”

“Yeah. Sure,” Rohan got the hint that he was not welcome during the orientation just because his fiancée was there. He walked away, but shot a glance at Rupali before leaving. Paritosh noticed that Rupali had also turned to look at Rohan at around the same time. She was slightly far, but Paritosh felt sure that he saw her stiffen.

—

As someone so insistent of maintaining professional relationships with people at work, Paritosh was annoyed at himself. Just because Rohan had pointed Rupali out to him, he found himself noticing her repeatedly during his address to the interns. It made no sense.

Or probably it did. There was something captivating in those large eyes sitting on a lean, small, innocent face of wheatish complexion. Not quite the typical Bengali face. But there were hints – for sure.

What the hell! He shirked off his train of thoughts and looked at the clock. OPD time. Patients – hassled and sad when they came, happy and healthy after treatment, their faith in life and living restored… That’s what kept him alive and occupied. That’s what he was comfortable with. That’s what he needed to go back to. To deal with his distracted mind.

—

Paritosh was getting ready to go to a surgery. He was not a surgeon. But he had admitted the patient, and there were many complications expected in the surgery. So, the pediatric surgeon has requested his presence. Interns of pediatrics department were sitting outside to watch the surgery through the glass. It was a part of their training process. One of them will be inside assisting the surgeon. Paritosh wondered who that would be. It was a complicated surgery, and would be quite challenging for a fresher. Just then he saw her walking in.

Rupali was already wearing her robe and had come to wash her hands before the surgery started. “Good Morning, Sir,” she greeted him courteously.

“Good Morning, Dr. Banerjee,” he replied. If it had been any other intern, he wouldn’t have know his or her name. He hadn’t been individually acquainted with them yet. Rupali appeared surprised at first, but probably recalled immediately that she had seen Rohan with him the day before, during the orientation. She sighed audibly and looked, as far as Paritosh could see, sad.

“So, you are assisting in the surgery?”

“Yes Sir.”

“It is a complicated one. And when patients are so young, their condition often disturbs us a lot… This is your first day. Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Some intern has to be here, right? Why not me?”

“Sure. I was… just being… cautious.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I’m sure you will be. Shall we go inside?”

“Yes Sir.”

—

“Rohan. Please let me go,” Paritosh recognized Rupali’s voice, as he passed by the fire exit. The door to staircase was shut as usual, but the sound passed through.

“Stop it already, Rupa. You can’t keep running away from me.”

Paritosh hesitated. Should he stop? Should he not? Was it the usual dance of lovers? Fire exit was a favourite place for the young couples in the hospital to have their own time during breaks. Or was it sexual harassment right under his nose? Something about Rohan’s tone made it not feel like a lover’s insistence at all. Rupali’s reply came as Paritosh was still deliberating on what to do.

“This isn’t the time or place to discuss…”

“Who is interested in discussing…”

“Rohan!” Rupali shouted.

Rohan must have closed in on her. Because the sound that came next was definitely Rupali pushing him away and he getting hit by the railing of the staircase.

Paritosh pushed the door open. “What’s going on here?”

Rohan and Rupali were both startled and horrified at first. Then Rupali’s expression turned to that of relief, while Rohan’s turned belligerent.

“This is personal Dr. Khanna.”

“I’m afraid it sounded more like an offense.”

“She is my fiancée,” Rohan retorted.

“Even if she were your legally wedded wife Dr. Moitra, she had the right to say no. Especially at a public place like this. And this is her workplace, no less. This is not acceptable…”

“Dr. Khanna. You are reading too much into the situation…”

“What I have seen here is called sexual harassment, Dr. Moitra. So, as Dr. Banerjee’s boss and as the chief administrator of this department, I have to intervene and ask you to leave immediately. And this must not happen again, else I will be forced to report it.”

Rohan gritted his teeth, but could not say anything.

“Please leave,” Paritosh was adamant.

Rohan shot an angry glance at Rupali and then left.

Paritosh felt awkward when left alone with Rupali, but he maintained his formal disposition, “Please go back to your ward Dr. Banerjee. Lunch time is over.” He turned back immediately and came back to the corridor. He sighed in relief on seeing the corridor empty. If someone saw him coming out of the fire exit, with Rupali following right behind him, it would have been awkward. Really awkward.

His cabin and the wards were in opposite direction. They went in their separate ways without saying another word.

—

To be continued