Saturday, October 22, 2005

Love-5


I talked… Lekha listened..

We were walking along the winding path in the campus.

I remembered the scene I had witnessed as I had gone in search of Lekha and Ullas.

Both had been sitting by their favorite window..Lekha was looking out at the lovely garden..Ullas was trying to tie her hair together with a piece of ragged cloth he had torn from his bed sheet..

I finished speaking.. I waited for her response.. Nothing.. She continued to walk. Fast..
I had to strain myself to keep up with her pace.

We must have walked for hours. I noticed that it was getting dark.. It had started to drizzle. But Lekha didn’t seem to notice anything..

I started to panic.

“What if her condition worsened..?” I shouldn’t have asked her choice. As to what she wanted out of the situation.

I could leave the institute.. Take up residency somewhere else.. This was not the end of my world.. I had other choices.. I was more concerned about those two..

My eyes filled.. I gave thanks to my parents.. They had brought me up with proper values.. I wouldn’t cross certain bottom lines..
It was simple.
I would never choose career over guilt..
My choice was clear to me.. To do the best possible for them..

I wanted to know what Lekha’s choice was..

Finally Lekha sat down into a bench.. She sat there.. Her body was bent.. Her face was buried in both her hands..
She was sweating.. Breathing fast..

“ I don’t think I have a choice.” She whispered....
“Now that I am declared fit I can’t stay here..”

“ True.. it was not possible” I thought..

“A huge inheritance awaits me outside.”

“Yes.” I whispered back.

“The trust for the new block shall be operated by me..
I will have an office here..”

“Hmmm.. possible..Dr Gidwani would permit anything for the new block.” I knew.

“I can do my best for Ullas.. The best treatment.. The best care..
I can adopt him.. As my son… “
Her voice broke..

She was silent for some time..

“But Rajeev..? “I prompted..

“I am not bothered..” She replied shortly.

“I have to get a good lawyer.. Pay Rajeev a monthly allowance. As long as he behaves properly......We shall live as husband and wife.. Rajeev’s father will never support him.. He has more confidence in me..”

She was silent again..

“ I know it won’t be easy..” She whispered.. “But I have to..”

I was silent.. I let her words sink in..
Yes Lekha was right.. This was the best option.

Difficult.. But the best..

Lekha was cured.. Only a stable strong mind could take a decision like that..
In fact she was stronger.. More stable than me..

We sat there silently for some more time.. The drizzle had stopped.. The moon shining.. The mist was rising up the valley. A soft breeze played with our hair and silently went away..
We got up to walk back to the institute..

Lekha had made her decision..
Now it was my turn..
(To be continued)

18 comments:

Geo said...

Yea....
This is going the way i like it...:_)

Why should possessiveness and selfishness be mixed with friendship?

2 homo-sapiens are (should be) friends for and because of the very fact that they are friends.... It should be treated as an as-is relationship.

Anonymous said...

where is the action u promised doc?? :-) i thougt the end wud be like the hero hitting gidwani and gidwani running arnd with a bleeding nose ....

also u broke the suspense with that pic.. the moment i saw it i knew this wudnt be a tragedy.. yet u wound it up quite well.. try a medical thriller next time.. and make ur hero "lash" no one writes a story abt me ;-(

silverine said...

I have been following all the episodes. It's so gripping.

Sujith said...

so intriguing!! awaiting the next part..

hope and love said...

geo,
i suppose u may include having sex too as part of a frienship..?

the Monk said...

nice post...very nice...keep going...

R R said...

and .................? :)
wut do u decide?! n yeh, i thank yer parents too :).

(thx for visiting my page n undoubtedly, thank you for the encouragement. :))

Anonymous said...

Doc..

:) We need more Doctors Like you!!God Bless!!Cheers...


Ohh.. I just tagged u.. do it if You get time from being the wonderful WOMAN-DOC-FRIEND you are.:)

Subhrajyoti Mukhopadhyay said...

love is so nice !

Aashi said...

doc! i said the post is wonderful...but my comment got deleted!!!

Sujit said...

hope in uncertainty..

R R said...

came for love - 6 :(

Devilish Angel said...

waiting for the next post of urs...

-Poison- said...

lekha is more sane than many 'sane'people. why do people like her ever need to be institutionalised.they always bounce back, asylum or no asylum.

June-An said...

lovely as usual... awaiting the next...

anumita said...

Vvvery interesting!!

Anonymous said...

How sad... I do hope it ends well!

Geo said...

Precisely Doc...

Just like a game of badminton..