“You must have heard, when there is a will, there is a way.”
“Yes, I have,” I said listening to her. I had been trying
too much to lag this shitty cancer behind but it always managed to trail me
somehow. All my attempts seemed useless when doctor said that I needed to be
admitted. I felt shattered once again, like every day.
On the other side of
cellphone, Ayushi
was trying to console me and I let her do that. I enjoyed her company; I
enjoyed the way she speaks with that big smile on her face.
“You only told me once that your doctor said that you can’t
even give your board exams. There was will in you and you got 80% in boards.
Then doctor even said that you can’t attend college. But again you proved them
wrong with your feel. It is just a bad phrase chikoo and it will end soon.”
“End with me, right?” I deliberately said that. I wanted to be
pampered and she was doing it quite well. I was broken and shattered for a
moment but then somewhere in me I knew that I was strong enough to go through
all of this and a little drop in my health would not let me lose all my hopes.
“You are not going anywhere, except college. Now, get done
with all the scans, tests and chemotherapy thing and go back to college. You
will feel good.”
There was something
about our relationship that was unknown, unknown even to us. Just two meetings
and few phone calls but a million feelings shared. Our bond had grown to that
level where even silence was understood.
"Why your
doing all this? I mean all this care, attention?", i asked keeping my
phone little too close to my ear.
There was no answer
from the other side. Only some light background music from all end was doing
all the talking for the moment.
Meanwhile I heard my dad coming towards
the room. His shoes tapping on the marble floor alerted me and I was forced to
disconnect the call. I could not act as a son and Romeo for my Juliet at the
same time. “Dad is coming. I will call you in some time, if possible. Come on WhatsApp,”
I said and disconnected the call.
With a great timing my dad entered the room. He has been
talking to the doctor since last one hour and when he got satisfied that
doctors are
taking proper care of his son, then only he came back. “I will be staying with
you tonight,” he
said.
I could feel the
care he had for me in his eyes. Usually it is Mothers who are considered the
epitome of unconditional love but fathers.. Well they care no less. They love
no less.
I was too busy in texting Ayushi that I completely
ignored what he said and I replied, “Okay, Chachu will be coming soon. You can
leave. I am good now and nurse is also there to take care of me.”
My hands were busy in tapping and playing around with the keyboard
and emotions. My dad walked coming
near to my bed, trying to look what am I actually doing? I looked at him
and again he said, “I will be staying with you tonight.”
My face turned pale. I couldn’t talk to her when my dad were
around. Being
with Mancha
is a different thing. I was open with him and he also knew about Ayushi
that was the obvious reason I wanted him to stay with me.
Mancha
and I in a way were more a best friends then i being a nephew for him. The
memories of his marriage are still so fresh in my mind. How crazily i was
shouting 'Oye Mancha Teri Shaadi hai'.
It was planned but
god knows why my dad came up with this
being-a-hitler-for-my-love-life-unintentionally idea.
“No, I mean why you? Mancha will be here in some time.”, I replied refraining an eye contact.
I did not face him
when I was lying, he would catch me in a second. He knew me that well, or maybe
he could even read my eyes.
"Chikoo.. Look this is serious, your Chemotherapy report is not that good. I know you like being with Manu but i can't let you be here without me", he said holding my hand with great tenderness.
Somehow the poor
report did not hurt as much as thinking of not talking to Ayushi for one long
night did.
'Mancha.. I need
you here! Papa is staying with me in hospital tonight. Please do something,
convince him. Asap'
I texted him..
Written by:
Himanshu Appie Chhabra
Parul Parihar
Venu Pandey
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