CHAPTER 16
1117 Words
“H
ey! Give me that knife!" Surya ordered the nurse who was in her white uniform.
The nurse timidly gave it to him.
"What are you looking at? Don't worry! I won't cut myself with this"
He took the knife and cut the apple "See! I just cut an apple."
"Sir! Give it to me. I will cut for you" she blurted out.
"No! My apple! I will deal with it. Don't even lay your eyes on it".
He was dressed in green hospital clothes. The hospital logo was embroidered on it.
"Everything is business these days. The hospital is publicising itself even on the clothes" said Surya pointing at the logo.
"What's your name?" He mumbled still chewing the apple.
"I am Sharon!"
“Sharon?” He looked her keenly.
“Wait a minute! You were the one who assisted me in the Surgery last week. Right?”
“Yes, sir”
“Why are you working here? You are already working in Osmania Hospital as an OT sister, right?”
“To meet the needs of my family” she said plainly.
He fished out a bottle of rum from the bedside cabinet and poured it into a glass.
"Sir! This is hospital!"
"I know that! Who are you to question me? I have done surgeries even after drinking rum. " he told proudly. "Everyone is to say good to me as if I have not known" and continued, being infuriated, looking into her eyes "I am a bloody Surgeon you know! "
"Sorry Sir!" She said rather apologetically
"Do you want one?"
"It's okay Sir. I don't drink while I am on work"
"If everyone thinks like you, this world would have been a better place" mumbled Surya, thinking about his alcohol addiction and the case which led to all these problems.
The door creaked open and Faizaan entered. Surya was glad to seem him. His father followed him and his face contorted into an expression of utter dismay. Damn! He hid the whisky bottle beneath the bed. That was a narrow escape. But he didn't have time to hide the glass. He welcomed them with a fake smile on his face which barely hid his nervousness.
Surya eyed upon Faizaan whispering "Why did you bring him?"
Faizaan drew a fictitious line over his forehead with a twisted mouth. Fate bro, fate!
The sight of his mother made his BP fluctuate. If a BP apparatus had been cuffed to his hand, the mercury would have probably burst out of the bulb. Surya dreaded about what they would say. Especially his mom, who constantly nagged him.
"Hello Son! How are you doing?"
His father came near and sat before him.
"Surya beta! I have bought some fruits! You like passion fruit, don’t you? " said rather happily.
Surya was surprised to see the behaviour of his parents. He couldn't understand why they were behaving so well! Maybe it was a hallucination.
Surya whispered to Faizaan who was standing beside him.
"Why are they acting so cool? Did the HOD really leak the information?" He stooped a little and whispered "Even I am getting the same doubt! I had a different picture in my mind. I thought you would be bashed severely"
"Surya! I know what you were wondering! It's not your mistake entirely. We are also partly responsible for this" Surya's mom consoled him. Surya lay silent as he couldn't think of what to say.
"Yes Surya! We thought for a while why all this happened to you, and why you became like this!"
Why are my parents are acting so saint-like all of a sudden?
"Surya! What is in your hand?" His mother asked pointing at the glass. Surya thought of what to say.
"It is tonic Mom! The doctor asked me to drink it thrice a day. It’s a pain killer." He said nervously.
"Oh really? I am having severe pain in my shoulders. Will it work for me too?"
"Yes!!" Surya said absentmindedly "What? No! It's not meant for you! It acts only on...males"
"Oh. Your father has also been complaining about having knee pains. "
Surya was annoyed. "Mom! It's nothing! I will prescribe cheaper and much better medicines for you! Don’t worry”
Faizaan interrupted with an idiotic smile on his face. "Cheap?! I thought it was Blenders Pride"
Surya gave him a grim look and clenched his teeth. Faizaan realised his folly and shut his mouth.
"What?”
"Nothing Mom! He wanted to drink Sprite, he was asking me to BRING THE SPRITE"
"I see! Next time I will bring that too" she said innocently. "Aunty bring some ice too! I want it to be chilled" Faizaan interrupted. Surya thwacked his head with his hand!
"What happened Surya? Do you have a headache? I brought some Zandu Balm".
"Wouldn’t it be nice if your better half applied the balm?" his father told with a grin on his face.
What do those demonic eyes mean?
"We have found a match for you! The to-be bride's father wants to meet you in person." Prabhakar said with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Mom I am not interested in getting married right now."
His father interrupted, "Don't worry son! Just talk to them once. Here’s a picture of the girl. There’s no hurry."
Faizaan whispered "Surya! Come on! Take it in a positive way. If you get married, you will have a personal life to focus on and all these problems will disappear soon."
"Surya! I talked to the HOD. He told that the meeting of the disciplinary committee will be cancelled if you change your behaviour" Prabhakar said clearly. This gave Surya a new hope. He smiled a bit.
"Sure dad! I will do my best".
"It's not enough Surya!" his father gave a visiting card, Surya glimpsed at it. "A deaddiction clinic?" Surya said rather annoyingly.
"You might have to attend session at Alcoholics Anonymous."
Faizaan received a call “Oh Wow! Is it?" And turned toward him. "Surya! Manoj and Varsha are coming to meet you”.
"Why are they coming? Does everyone know now? "
"No! No! Don't worry. They finished their Civils exam. Your dad told them you that you are admitted in the hospital because of fever."
Surya sighed with relief. "What about Vishnu? I didn't see him since the surgery," asked being suspicious about him.
"We can think about him once you have dealt with these issues. "
Basically, Surya had a suspicion that Vishnu was behind the fake blood report. “What about Sandhya?”
“Don’t think too much Surya. I hired a nurse for her. She will take care of her” Faizaan reassured him.
That night Surya got discharged. He went to his hostel room. He opened the cupboards and emptied all the whisky bottles into the sink. He slept well and soon slipped into a dreams. He dreamt of a beautiful memory with Fathima. Dreams reflect the state of mind.
- Writer
