"Confiding in you reflects the trust I have in you. I trust you to love me with my strengths and vulnerabilities alike; so that the next time I feel any pain, I have you to lessen the impact it has on my heart and spirit."

-Elegiac_Damsel

_______

29th May

Satyaki's p.o.v.:

It's been almost a week since Anindita visited Agamani. I had to go for emergency surgery that day for a case of a cerebral aneurysm. The surgery had continued for 7 hours and by the time I had reached home, my mother and daughter both were sound asleep. I had planned to spend the weekend with Dugga... but of course, I had no such luck. Fortunately, Anindita had come home for a visit and Ma told me that she had kept my daughter occupied.

I am at the hospital currently. It is 4 p.m. and I still haven't had my lunch. My O.P.D. hours recommence at 5.15 p.m., so that gives me just enough time to go down to the Starbucks which comes to my rescue every once in a while. Shrugging off my lab coat, I switched off the lights in my cabin and walked out with my phone in hand. Several nurses and ward boys greeted me as I walked down the corridor. Nodding to them all politely, I reached the elevator which would take me to the ground floor. 

While fidgeting with my phone, I saw a pregnant woman approaching. I stepped aside chivalrously, giving her enough space to stand and wait. She acknowledged my gesture with a smile and then turned back like she was anticipating someone. It was Anindita who walked down the corridor with a medical file in hand. She didn't really notice me as she walked up to the pregnant woman and began speaking to her in Bengali, "We need to buy the medicines from the pharmacy downstairs. You are okay?"

"Yes Didi (older sister), I am fine," she replied.

The elevator finally arrived on the floor and I allowed the two women to step in first. It was then that Anindita noticed me. 

"Hi. How are you doing? How are Agamani and Auntie doing?" she asked me with a smile

"I am well. Thank you for asking and the two of them are good too."

Her sister looked a bit lost like she was trying to put together two pieces of a jigsaw. 

As if on cue, Anindita chose the moment to introduce the two of us, "She is my younger cousin, Aparajita. And bonu(little sis), he is Dr. Satyaki Ganguly. He is a neurosurgeon here."

I smiled at the other woman politely and she reciprocated. Judging from the two sisters' 'eye-to-eye talk', I could make out that Anindita would definitely be in for an interrogation. Siblings and their curiosity to know everything about one another! Although I don't have any siblings, I have surely seen the world of siblings with the help of my friends in school and college. 

Reaching the ground floor, Anindita waved a goodbye which I replied to with a smile. The two of us parted ways.

...

Anindita's p.o.v.:

"How do you know that Doctor?" I was asked immediately after the two of us stepped outside the hospital. I rolled my eyes. A few days ago she was asking me to interact with people outside and now that I tried it, she obviously has to interrogate. 

"I met him on a flight," I answered her briefly.

"He was sitting in the cockpit with you? Do you think I am an idiot? Tell me the truth!" she screeched.

"Bonu! I am older than you. You cannot speak to me that way!" I told her sternly.

Her lips turned downward and I immediately knew I had messed up.

 "Sorry, Bonu. I didn't mean that. And anyway, how does it matter how I met him? I know him and his daughter. What's the big deal in that?" I sighed out.

 "I am just simply curious to know, Didi. If there is nothing to interrogate you about, then why overreact?" she asked me

I sighed and told her the story about how I met him and also about Agamani. By the time I was done, the two of us reached her home which was just a kilometer away from the hospital. 

"So, let me get this straight! You have basically started interacting with more people after so many years! You have befriended a child who is also a victim of acid burn. The man is a widower and..."

I had basically had enough of her ranting so I interrupted, "Where's your husband? Is he taking care of you? Does he return home on time every day? And does he ensure that you take all your medicines on time?"

She smiled and a blush spread on her cheeks, "He obviously does. He would have gone to the doctor with me today, but he had to go out of town for work."

I smiled at her and the two of us spent some time talking to one another and the previous conversation was forgotten.

...

30th May

I had been confined to the house all day as I had no work to do. I relieved Ma from her kitchen duties that she takes upon herself diligently. Baba's condition has not improved in the slightest and with more and more responsibilities coming up, it has been taking a toll on Ma's health. She wouldn't permit me to engage a nurse though. With me barely being at home or even in the country for that matter, I have been seriously concerned about the two of them lately. Who'll help them out during an emergency?

A message on my phone grabbed my attention then, snapping me out of my thoughts.

It was Satyaki who was asking if I was free to meet Agamani today. I sent him a quick optimistic reply and informed him that it would be better if we met outside his home today; even the Worli promenade would do. I particularly feel visiting their home every time can be an invasion of their privacy.

Upon receiving approval from his side, I informed him that I would be there at 6 p.m. 

Ma and I had our lunch together and afterward when I was leaving, she reminded me to get Baba's medicines without fail. Assuring her that I would be back at night, with the medicines, I left for Worli at 4 p.m. Satyaki, his mother and Agamani were there at the promenade when I reached. Parking my car in one of the legalized parking lanes, I crossed the road and made my way there.

"Good evening Auntie. How are you doing?" I greeted his mother with a smile

"Good evening Anindita. I can't express in words how happy I am feeling now that I am outside the house. My joints needed some movement and oiling." she replied gleefully

"Hi, Anindita Auntie." I heard the little princess say and a pair of small hands went around my waist. I was shocked, in a good way, at the unexpected welcome. My hands caressed her hair lovingly before she broke the hug.

"Hello, sweetheart. What did you do this week?" 

"This week, we learned..." I looked at her, wide-eyed, and listened to her rambling about Math, Social Science, E.V.S., English, and some new words that she had learned in Marathi. She grumbled about her online lessons that her school teachers conduct diligently every day.

"Dugga, why don't you take a walk with your grandmother? I am sure Auntie is impressed with all that you learned."  Satyaki interrupted her when the conversation began dragging too long. I almost let out a giggle at that. Agamani seemed unperturbed though, and she carefully took her grandmother's hand before walking away with her.

I smiled at her naivete. 

"You forgot to greet me, Captain," Satyaki said in a deep, serious voice.

I turned to him and muttered a polite 'good evening'. 

"You want to say something to me or ask, Doctor?" I asked him in a straightforward manner, returning his sarcastic greeting

"Yes," he replied rubbing his nape, "I was curious to know if Dugga told you anything last Saturday. I mean I wasn't at home then, so..."

I nodded. "Of course, you deserve to know. She was just talking about planes, the sky, the stars, and her mother."

Satyaki's expression changed from attentive to one of concern, "What did she say about her mother?"

I sighed. I wasn't much of a talker and to talk so much, even to convey something important, seemed like a huge task. I explained to him his daughter's point of view in the least number of words possible. 

"She misses her," he said quite flatly, sitting down on one of the many concrete benches on Worli Sea Face

"It is only natural for her to," I stated. 

"You know the Worli Sea Face reminds me of Tridhara so much," he started unexpectedly.

I was clueless as to where the conversation was heading, hence I chose to be silent. Maybe he was venting out or perhaps disclosing something? Maybe he got reminded of his wife when I mentioned his daughter missing her mother?

"... When Agamani's mother and I had been newly married, the two of us would often go to Marine Drive or come here for the sunset. The Arabian Sea fascinated the two of us back then. We did not live here then. Every Sunday, the two of us would drive from Andheri." he continued

My curiosity perked up a bit and I felt myself softening a bit looking at his dazed eyes. He seemed to be reliving his moments with his wife. I can make out that the love the two of them shared was unparalleled and pure. Her departure had surely left him broken but he had had little time to mourn because he had to raise his daughter.

I found myself asking him then, "How did the two of you meet?"

He smiled to himself. "Believe it or not we met at an inter-college debating competition. We both lived in Kolkata then. I was a medical student while she was majoring in Political Science. Needless to say, her political knowledge surpassed mine and I lost the debate real bad. It was the early 2000's, so we both did not have mobile phones of our own then; so there was no direct communication. We met through one of our mutual friends on quite a few occasions and during more debates. We used to go to Prinsep Ghat together for sunsets. We became good friends and remained so. Sunsets have always been an integral part of us."

"So, marriage wasn't on your mind then?" 

He chuckled, "No way! I was just an M.B.B.S. student then! I had no financial independence. Moreover, we were just naive college-going students. Our story evolved much later."

I raised my eyebrows, "Love marriage or coincidental arranged marriage?"

"Love! Coincidences like that happen in Bollywood movies!" he protested, our moods lightening considerably

"Mind telling me the story?" I asked him unable to contain my eagerness

"Of how friendship became love? Why not? The separation I guess did it for us. I went to A.I.I.M.S., New Delhi for my M.S. in Neurology in 2004. After that, I had to do a course in general surgery followed by a year of internship at a government hospital to qualify as a neurosurgeon. I shifted to Mumbai for that and never really returned to Kolkata except to propose and get married. So, basically, it was like being in an unofficial courtship for 11 years before getting married in 2012."

I smiled at the simplicity of their story. Love can be felt but not explained extravagantly. 

"I'd like to confess something though," he began a while later, "Agamani was our unplanned and unexpected gift. But the two of us were so grateful to have got her. She is the living example of 'the best things in life happen when unexpected.' She is the blessing God bestowed upon us."

I could feel a look of melancholy returning on his face, but his expressions neutralized soon as Agamani chose that moment to pounce on her father, appearing out of thin air. "Papa! Can we return home now? I am hungry." she complained. Her grandmother followed and requested the same as her knees had begun aching. Moreover, the sun was already down and it was nearing time for evening prayers. Satyaki got up with his daughter in his arms and gestured to me to accompany them. I took his mother's arm in order to help her and the four of us crossed the road and walked the little distance of a few hundred meters to their home. 

Opening the front door, Agamani motioned for Satyaki to release her from his arms. He lowered her and she abruptly took my hand and asked me to go with her. Her father was instantly reminded of her hunger and he assured his daughter that he would be back with something for her to eat. 

"Satyaki, I can cook her something if you are busy." I offered him

Although he refused, his daughter seemed excited at the prospect, "Auntie, will you please? I always eat what Papa and Thamma cook! I'll show you our kitchen and even help you!" 

And then I was dragged to the kitchen. Satyaki followed us and he seemed really embarrassed. But he had obviously not realized how happy I had felt at that moment. Looking at his daughter's face though, he changed his mind and simply let me be after informing, "She is allergic to eggplant and she cannot eat hot and spicy food."

I asked the girl what she wanted to eat and she got me a pack of macaroni pasta from one of the shelves. I cooked her the pasta while listening to her chatter. Her books, toys, hobbies, T.V. shows that she enjoyed and all that she loves learning at school.

The only oddity that did not miss me was the absence of the word 'friends' in her life and chattering. I chose not to interrupt her and comment. Turning the gas knob, I removed the vessel from the gas stove and poured the pasta into a bowl. I searched the drawers for a fork and handed her the bowl. She thanked me and observed me as I cleaned the kitchen island with a rag. 

"It is very tasty Auntie. Thank you. You know Papa cooked me pasta for my break at school too but it went cold once..."

I chose to interrupt her at that moment. Kneeling down to her level, I asked her gently, "Baby, you spoke of so many things but what about your friends at school?"

I waited for her to reply, to express, and to disclose any secret that she may have been hiding all this while.

...

To be continued...

PUBLISHED ON: 21st April 2020