She Won't Reveal 43

            She Won’t Reveal (43)

                      Nidhu Bhusan Das

              It’s a day of hope, doubts and fulfillment. The house rose early in the morning.Anu’s first to leave bed. In fact, she didn’t have a wink of sleep that night. Was it for joy of the ensuing return home of the father or the turmoil in the mind? The turmoil’s because of the sense of guilt she developed in course of her conversation with thammi whose angst she could understand. She went by the plan she’d drawn up to welcome the papa back home. Her mom Anupama and buddy Sujata followed her while thammi remained confined to her bed. They got things ready by 8 a.m. and the mom and buddy rode to the nursing home to bring home Dr. Arindam.Anu sent a note with them which read: ‘Welcome Back Home, Papa.’ Sujata telephoned her son at Guwahati to inform that Anu’s papa’s going back home where the daughter’s ready to receive him ceremoniously.Prof Sanyal’s so happy that his mission’s going to succeed.

          Dr.Arindam came downstairs with his right arm on the neck of Anupama and boarded the car on the left of his wife with Sujata beside her. Around 10 a.m. they reached home. During the drive, the papa’s curious about his daughter and mom.” How’s Anu? Is she happy, really?”he asked.” You’d find how fond she’s of us. We must thank Sujata and her son,” Anupama’s prompt. The cardiologist looked out to see the asphalt road ahead. His view’s obstructed by the vehicles which didn’t leave room enough for one to look straight unhindered. Now he looked inward:” Should I Iook forward with hope, should I dream, does dream have meaning at all. If I dream and it comes to nought will it not be an irony of fate – a cardiologist dies of stroke? I remember a quote from Hitopadesha translated by Sir Edwin Arnold – Sickness, anguish, bonds, and woe/Spring from wrongs wrought long ago. Maybe, I’m responsible for some wrong deeds.Or, I could have been happy. It’s for me that Anupama’s unhappy. So innocent a soul, so caring a partner-in-life so anguished! It’s only for me. It’s for me my virtuous mom’s joyless. I’ve failed to raise a family.” Could his companions understand that the cardiologist’s mind’s in turbulence? They might have thought Dr Anirban’s dreaming because there’re no creases of agony on his forehead and his face creased into a smile.

           They came out of the car-Sujata first, Anupama followed and the doctor’s helped by the lady of the house.Anupama clad in vernal sari’s ready below to welcome her papa sticking sandal wood paste to his forehead with her fingertip which augurs good luck and then touching his feet with hands and forehead as a mark of respect and devotion. Overwhelmed, the doctor took his daughter onto his bosom in a tight hug, a never-before-happened scene in the house.Sujata clicked the rare event of the family. The two smiles merged into one signifying unity which turned into a happy trinity when Anupama joined at the behest of her joy. She stood in the middle flanked by Dr. Anirban and Anu. The photo session at the insistence of Sujata over, they climbed the stairs to the first floor of the two-storeyed house and went straight to the room of the reigning goddess of the family to make obeisance.Arunima Devi smiled on them.Sujata grabbed the scene in her camera. Now they’re in the drawing room. Admirers soon gathered in the lawn to have a glance at the people’s doctor back home hale and hearty. Anu, overwhelmed, asked her papa to appear in the spacious porch and wave to the crowd. He obliged and the admirers wished him joy and good health. Now he’s led to his room which was felt to be warmer and more beautiful, more because of the presence of Anu than its rearrangement. His face beamed with a lingering smile as he sat on the easy chair with his little mom on his lap.

           While the family’s enjoying the get-together, Sujata went out to get a new SIM for Anu as planned last night to insulate her from those who might disturb the new-found peace of the family. She took pains to reload the numbers omitting the unwanted ones from the old SIM which had been discarded and destroyed.

         Anu told her papa to rest and sought to go to the kitchen where she would cook special dish for him.” Don’t be naughty, son.Going to cook for you. Take rest undisturbed.Maa, let him rest,” she commanded. The tone and gesture of authority of the girl pleased the papa. He smiled, hopefully.Sujata followed her into the kitchen.”Now, dear, take your handset. The old SIM’s replaced. Those people wouldn’t be able to disturb you any more. Do you feel for them?”Sujata’s categorical.

“No, I shouldn’t. No more experiment. It isn’t my cup of tea,” she said.

“My son would be so happy to know this.”

“He’s a great man, a saviour.”

“Dear, would you go and visit my parents with me?”

“I’m a bad girl. Should you take me to them?”

“Who told you, you’re bad?”

“My conscience.”

“It isn’t conscionable to take you as a bad girl. You’re misconstrued”

“I’ll go to my parents today after lunch. I would be happy if you could accompany me.”

“I’ll take my son and mom also with me. Agreed?”

“But your son needs rest.”

“That’s true. Okay, let me tell him. He may feel lonely in my absence.”

“Why, auntie’s there with him.”

“But I understand he cannot let me be out of sight.”

“Well, I’ll tell uncle.”

“Let’s go together and tell him. I’ve a mischief. Please tell him I’ll accompany you to Guwahati wherefrom I’ll proceed to Amlarem.”

“Why, dear?” Anu asked, smiling.

“To see how much he needs me, how he reacts.”

“Do you’ve any doubt?”

“No, not in the least. It’s for fun, dear.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

“By the by, what about your Anuradha?”

“She must be happy with her man.”

“Are you jealous and feel deprived?” Sujata poked.

“You’re so naughty, dear. Do you suspect, really?”

“Should I, indeed? Let’s go,” said Sujata and they walked into the room of Dr. Arindam.He lay on his back, eyes closed.

Anu kissed on and rubbed his forehead. The eyes opened to see two smiling faces.” Uncle, Anu’d go with me,”Sujata sought leave.

“Where?”Dr Arindam asked, surprised.

“To my parents, at Shakespeare sarani,”she informed.

“Are you going?” the doctor asked, put out.

“No, papa. You’re really…We’ll be back within hours. I’ll never leave you and Sujata won’t leave me,”Anu assured.

“Can’t it be tomorrow? Maybe, Anupama and I’ll accompany you,” Arindam said, hopeful.

“Tomorrow, then,”Anu suggested to her friend.

“But I’ve told them we’re going,”Sujata said.

“May I talk to them for you, mom?”Arindam asked, apologetically.

Sujata made a call to her mother and said,” Maa, Anu’s father would talk” and handed over the cell phone to the doctor.”Namaskar, Sujata would stay with us today, and if you please, we would visit you tomorrow evening.”

“We’d be so glad to have you with us. Sujata told us about you. We’re sorry we couldn’t visit you. We should have..”

“It’s alright.We’re meeting tomorrow.”

“Maa, then we’re coming tomorrow. Would you mind?” said Sujata.

“Why should I? You’re doing a good job. We’re proud of you, dear.”

“I mayn’t live long. I’ve some plans to discuss and share. I’ll die in peace if you and Anu can accept and implement the plan,” said the doctor, sad in tone and appearance.(to be continued on 12 March 2015)