Part 18

“She still has high fever... Not responding to the treatment...!” Doctor said gravely and Salil’s heart sank.  

“Her reports....!” Dr. Salil gaped at the stretched out file.  He didn’t have the courage to take it.  He looked at her daughter on that death bed.  Her involuntary movements stabbed him.  Her hands were twitching... the IV had oozed out under the skinn swelling her hand like a balloon.  A nurse hurriedly came in to remove the IV needle.  She ointment for her superficial thrombosis, lifting her hand and keeping it in upright position with the help of the strap hung on the bar of her bed.  

He gaped....! “Umm... doctor... Can we shift her to another hospital?” he asked hopefully.  “Will it help?” he asked praying hard for a positive answer.  There was no response from the doctor for a while... 

“She is critical... It will be a big risk to move her in this condition...!” The doctor said gravely.  Salil stared at her twitching hands.....! “She is sensing malady, illness...everywhere...!” he thought looking around seeing patients everywhere.  “She should be moved away from this environment....!” he made up his mind.

“Doctor.. Can we shift her to a private room? Away ...!” He asked holding doctor’s hand.

“I will check.  But it will cost...!” 

“I will manage... Please Doctor?” Salil urged.   The doctor moved, he followed.  “Please Doctor, do something...if we can shift her to private room... I will pay... I can manage...!” he pleaded.  That was the only solution he could think of.  The doctor looked at him intently rubbing his palms.  Salil looked at him.

“Yes, doctor...! Tell me how much..!” the doctor was expecting his cut in the deal.  “Five!” he said and Salil agreed.  Things moved faster than expected when Salil paid the Doctor five thousand rupees, under the table  and soon she was shifted to a private airy room on the top floor.  Salil took a sigh of relief. 

“We do not know the cause of her fever... “ said the dean seriously.  Dr. Salil looked on.  He knew the reason but couldn’t talk about it.  No one would believe him and he wouldn’t tell anyone to put his Dhaa in more trouble.  

“Does she get fever frequently?” Doctor asked looking at the test reports.  Salil nodded.  “How frequently?” Doctor interrogated.  “Frequently..!” answered Salil.  “How does she get well?” asked the doctor.  Salil fumbled.

“Cold water bath and Crocin...!” he gave a lame answer. 

“Strange...! She sustains that kind of high fever...!” exclaimed the doctor.  Salil looked away. 

“This looks like some kind of autoimmune disease...!I am not sure...!” the doctor blurted and went away.  Dhatri still on the bed with oxygen mask opened her eyes.  

“Doctor...!” Salil went out hurriedly to call the doctor seeing his daughter opening her eyes after a week in the hospital.  ... The person under the blanket sitting on the wooden bench on the top floor of the hospital got up to go!!

**********   *********

“Rini... Stop! Don’t speak on her behalf.  Let her speak..!” Salil said sternly.   Dhatri was looking at her family nervously locking her fingers.  

“Yeah.. ok...Dhaa.. tell them...!” Rini ordered Dhaa and she opened her mouth fidgeting nervously.

“Yeah.. I mean... as Rini Didi says... Science..!” she said weakly casting glances at Dharini and her father.  Salil shook his head hopelessly.  

“Rini.. you are letting her grow like a parasite... !” he said gravely and went away.  Rini gave a broad smile and hugged her Dhaa, snatching her tenth standard marks list.  Dhatri hugged her back, relieved.  

“Rini didi...!” Dharini started off weakly but Rini was not ready to listen to anything.  She was dancing with Dhaa’s marks list.  

“Good...Very Good!” she patted on Dhaa’s back.  “shabaash...!” Rini was happy with Dhaa’s results.  Dhaa got ninety percent in her CBSE board exams, less than her elder sisters. Both Disha and Dharini had secured their places in the merit lists. But everyone in the family was very happy.  Disha had called up from USA.  Rini was in her second year Mechanical Engineering and was waiting for her results, sure that she would top again.  

“Rini didi...!” Dhatri tried again.  

 “Shuuu.... Dhaa... Stop.  I know you will do it... Don’t worry!” Rini said in a hushed voice and Dhatri’s resistance died out.

Dr. Salil went into his room to find Nilima sitting at the study table scribbling something.  “Writing to Maasi Maa...!” she said smiling at him.  He sighed and put his arm around her shoulder from behind, resting his head on her shoulder.  She patted sympathetically. 

“Don’t worry!” she said looking at his grave face.  

“We should keep her away from Rini...!” he said sitting on another chair beside his wife.  Nilima smiled...

“Humm... I know..!” she said and got up.  “Soon Rini will also move out..!” she had tears.  “Yeah... probably, she will be the first woman to join Army from this part of the country..!” Dr. Salil said proudly.  Rini had a dream to join Indian Army....!