Nursing Home
1794 Words
The passengers were told to switch their cell phones on before landing in Calcutta airport. Taking out his sim-card, Rohan connected it to Fai’s number and called her. She was happy to hear his voice. Then he called his father.
“Hey soldier.” His voice threw out vigour as he smiled. “How are you, and your better half?”
“I’m fine, handsome.” His father’s voice sounded as usual – serious with a spark of humour – but lodged under the humour was a tone that he couldn’t identify. “Your mom’s resting. But how are you?”
“Oh, I’m cool.” He felt a bit uneasy. “Reaching in an hour’s time. And then we’ll chat.”
He reached home in just after an hour. His father was sitting at the balcony looking out far ahead towards the lakes. One look at his face as the taxi stopped, and Rohan knew something was not right.
He went up. He didn’t need to open the door; his father was already holding it open. He squeezed his father’s shoulders and gave a soft smile.
“Where’s mom?”
Getting no immediate response he went inside. He looked from one room to the other.
He turned towards the door and almost bumped with the soldier.
“Where’s she?”
“In the nursing home. ICU.” He sat on the chair of the dining table and dragged one out. “Sit. Your mom took real bad night before last. The doctor was called. He said she had already suffered a mild stroke the previous night. I called up Max and Raj. We all took her.”
“When can I visit her?” he enquired.
“I was waiting for you. We’ll go right away. The visiting hour begins at five-thirty.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked.
His father said it was no point to call him as he was already returning soon.
They reached the nursing home in no time. Raj and Max were already at the reception waiting for them. The three friends hugged each other. On the second floor Rohan stood at the door of the room 201. His mother’s eyes were at the ceiling and on the movement of the curtain, she turned her head in slow measures. He stood by her, taking her hand in his. Sitting down, he caressed her head.
“I’m fine, Rohan.” She smiled. “You had a nice trip?”
He nodded. He gulped and water filled his eyes. He noticed she was speaking softly. Laboured breathing. Her cheeks had hollowed suddenly. The eyes had a calm look but when she closed and shut them, even in a natural manner they looked strained. “You could have told me, Ma.” He continued looking into her face. “You had my number.” A piece of guilt poked him.
She continued smiling.
He gave her a packet.
His mother took it, put her hand inside and drew out the article.
“Wonderful.” And she pulled Rohan and kissed him on the cheek. “Another to add to my collection of scarves.” She ran her eyes over the purple Thai silk with little prints in black and off-white saplings, turning it this way and that.
“What has the doctor said?”
“The doctor has taken an ECG. Given some meds. Told your dad that I’ll be under his observation for a couple of days.” She smiled and held Rohan’s hand. “Tell me how was your extended stay? Actually you needed it what with all that content writing you do. That’s quite taxing. See if you can get into teaching at a college or university.”
“Don’t talk much, ma. Anyway, my stay, umm, how do I say… I got to know a girl. Thai girl. And we are in a relationship.”
And Rohan described Fai to her mother. On her insistence, he showed her pics of the two of them in BACC and in Bayoke Tower.
“Good. I’m so happy. But I need a permission from my romancer of a son!” She paused. “Can I talk with her in a video call once I’m back home?”
Rohan squeezed her hand.
“Of course, mom. A hundred times for sure. But no more talking now. Rest is what you need. I’ll go down and tell dad to come up.”
She nodded. Mother and son kissed. She made the sign of the cross on Rohan’s forehead, and his eyes filled with tears. He pushed down the sob coming up to his throat.
“I love you, mom,” he whispered, realizing it had been a long time since he had told his mother these words. I had got so carried away with my life that I didn’t care a thought for you.
He came down and his father went up. The three friends chatted here and there for a while. Soon his father returned.
*
“No, no. You three have met after a while. Spend some time together.” Rohan’s father said. “I’ll be home. Not to worry.”
Rohan nodded. “I’ll be back soon, dad.”
The three walked to the café at Minto Park.
“How’s Fai?” Raj asked.
They took their usual seat next to the window. It overlooked the street across and the lake of the pond. The street lights fell on the surface, the water glistening here and there on the surface, but it did not draw the notice of the three.
“She’s fine. She doesn’t yet know about mom.”
“Uncle called us from the nursing home and said that auntie was feeling uncomfortable and he had already brought her to the nursing home.” Max said sipping the black coffee.
“Auntie was normal that morning before being admitted.” Raj added. “She did the usual household chores. In fact uncle and aunt even solved some crossword puzzles together after breakfast. Uncle got stuck with a word and auntie provided the clues.”
“But uncle said that auntie sat for a longer time at the balcony,” Max recalled. “And that she insisted that they have vindaloo that day.”
“That’s quite unusual with mom. She prepares this dish only on Sundays.”
“We even felt that.” Max said. “Uncle also said that auntie didn’t want to do much that day and kept sitting down every now and then.”
“I believe she spoke about you and that she was looking forward to your return.” Raj said.
“Oh God. I feel so guilty.” And Rohan put his hand to his chin, his face gradually filling with a blank expression.
The music from the hidden speakers played a roll of drums but it failed to attract the three’s attention.
Raj patted Rohan’s hand.
“No. Ro. You acted as the situation demanded, isn’t it?”
“And when you stayed back in Bangkok, little did you know about this.”
The threesome fell silent.
“Does it… does it show that my love for mom has lessened?...”
“No, it doesn’t, pal,” Raj said.
“…Her face might have lighted up picturing me when she said that she was looking forward to my return. And she really felt nice when she saw me now.” Rohan eyes were at the confectionary section of the café but his mind was far away. “You should have seen her face lighting up with joy when I gave her the silk scarf.”
*
At home father and son had a quiet dinner sitting at the balcony, looking out at the darkening green lighted up with the street lights. The crickets called from far. Perhaps they sang a melody only they knew. It was not prepared for the father-son duo.
He looked at the time. Nine o’clock. Which means it was ten-thirty in Bangkok. He called Fai.
“Hi,” she said, her voice sounding as if she was standing right in front of him.
“Hi.”
But she could detect a pinch of worry in the voice.
“Raw-han?” she asked. “Is everything okhay?”
He told her about his mother.
“Oh gosh. I’m sorry to hear that, Raw-han.” Her voice was slow, gentle. She immediately spoke words of encouragement.
Rohan’s eyes turned misty. I want you to be right here next to me so I can rest my head on your shoulder. But he didn’t say that. Instead he gulped a lump of emotion.
“Tell me what I have to do and I’ll do that right away.” Her voice was slow and medicinal.
“Just keep me in your thoughts, Fai. That way I’ll know you are next to me always.”
“Of course. I’m always there with you.”
They exchanged a few words before promising to call soon.
*
That night he was sitting at the balcony. The crickets could be heard from the darkness of the bushes. His father was lying in bed. Rohan was thinking of his mother and of Fai. Suddenly the cell phone rang. He could hear his father speaking but the words failed to reach his ears. He was still gazing out into the darkness when he heard the shuffle of flip-flops. Next, his father was standing at the balcony door.
“The RMO from the nursing home called.” His father’s voice sounded grave. “They want to put your mom into the ventilator. They want our permission.” He paused. “And they want one of us to stay there.”
They agreed. His father called the RMO, confirming about the ventilator. And Rohan called Raj and Max and the three left for the nursing home. It was nine minutes past eleven o’clock.
Late at night Rohan called his father saying his mother had passed away.
Fai called the same morning when he was about to call her. He gave the news, saying the burial would take place the same day.
- Writer
