chapter 20

One night when I was in a deep slumber, my phone woke me up with its screeching ring tone. I opened my eyes grudgingly and hurled as many curses as I knew on it. But nothing could stop the phone from wailing and I was forced to roll out of the cozy comfort of my blanket. I switched on the table lamp and looked at the clock. It was 3.30 a.m. I wondered who it was as I rubbed my eyes and reached out to the phone.“Hello?” I muttered and fell back on the bed, almost asleep.“Sam…I need your help.” I opened my eyes with a start as I recognized the agonized the voice, “Please come over here as soon as possible.”Heart wrenching sobs echoed over the phone as the message was conveyed to me.“Okay, I am coming,” I said as I jumped out of the bed, “I am coming right now.”I pulled open the cupboard and dressed myself in a fresh set of clothes. I ran out of my apartment and dashed into the lift down to the parking lot. I drove my car in a furious frenzy for half an hour and parked it in the basement of A. H. Memorial Hospital. I ran like a madman through the corridors of the hospital till I reached the ICU. I was completely out of breath by the time I reached there.“Ho…how…” I struggled to breathe but still managed to ask, “Is he?”“He is in the operation theatre.” Sonia burst out crying.“Don’t worry, Sonia.” I leant against the wall for support. “He will be fine.”A few hours after the operation, a doctor came out of the ICU. We sprang to our feet and looked eagerly at him as our hearts raced in anticipation.“He is out of danger now.” The doctor placed a hand on my shoulder. “There is nothing to worry.” “Can we meet him, doctor?” I asked.“He is still very frail,” the doctor said as he adjusted his broad-rimmed spectacles on his nose, “I can allow only one of you inside.”“Let me go first?” I asked her.She nodded and sat down on the bench outside the ICU.“How are you Kabir?” I asked as I held his hand in mine.“What has happened to me, Sam?” he asked in a feeble voice, “I was driving back home but then a bright, almost blinding light flooded the road and…then I don’t remember anything.”“I feel sorry to say this to you, Kabir,” I held his hand tightly as I was about to say something that might shatter him, “but your car was hit by a truck and…”I fell silent as my courage deceived me half way.“And?”“Your left leg was badly crushed,” I struggled with a racing heart and fastened breaths before I went on, “and to save your life the doctors had to amputate your leg up to the knee.”I could see tears gleaming in his stony eyes as he lay motionless on the bed in a state of shock.“There is more to it, Kabir,” I said as I wiped his silent tears, “I called and informed Sarah, Kavya and Tina about your accident. Sarah has a conference to attend in Chandigardh. Kavya is out of town and Tina simply hung up when she came to know about the amputation. Only Sonia is waiting outside since 8 long hours. She has been praying for your life all the time, without having even a drop of water.”“I am sorry, Sam, for whatever I have done to her.” Kabir burst out crying.“Not me, Kabir, you should apologize to her.” I got up to leave as tears rolled down his cheeks. “I’ll send her in.”I knew that those were the real tears of repentance. Finally, the impossible had happened. A wife’s relentless faith had worked its magic and made a philanderer husband find his way back to his home.  GOA, PRESENT DAY As Sam finished the story, Chetana burst out sobbing making a few eyes turn accusingly at Sam.“What are you doing, Chetana?” Sam whispered to her as he smiled nervously at the people staring at him, “people are looking at me as if I am a bloody criminal. I worry some of them are even planning to thrash me to save a damsel-in-distress. Please stop crying, I beg of you!”Chetana quickly wiped her tears and had some water. Sam heaved a sigh of relief as he was relieved from the limelight of glaring eyes.“Now, Kabir is a one legged but one-woman man.” Sam grinned.“That was so rude, Sam.” Chetana chuckled with moist eyes.“Well,” he shrugged, “saying the truth is considered being rude these days.”“You are just impossible!” Chetana smilingly shook her head.“It’s already 8 o’clock.” Sam checked his watch and jumped to his feet. “Hurry up Chetana, it’s time for a full course dinner.”As she walked with Sam towards the resort’s extravagant restaurant, she thought of Anant. A voice within her assured her that someday, he will also find his way back to her.     Day - 3 Chetana got ready early in the morning and waited on the beach chair for Sam to arrive. She had found a new hope in life since she had arrived at the resort. The people of the colony were now a vital part of her new life. She found a divine pleasure in sharing their sorrows, guiding and encouraging them to fight back. She found a new meaning to her existence, a new dimension in her life that helped her to cope with her own miseries.“You are so early!” Sam looked surprisingly at her.“No!” Chetana promptly hid the smile that had spread on her face on seeing Sam and faked anger. “You are late, Mr. Sam!”“Oh!” Sam came to sit near her. “So it’s that way.”“Yes!” Chetana nodded her head triumphantly as Sam gave in. “Shall we go?”“You are an absolutely new person now, Chetana!” Sam raised his eyebrows. “So much change in just one day.”Chetana smiled as she couldn’t express in words the incredible energy she had discovered within her since her first visit to the colony.*  *  *Dear Readers,Thanks for reading and appreciating this story. But please be kind enough to express your appreciation towards the story by either giving a sticker or by leaving a review. It would encourage me to write and publish the parts of this story ASAP! And also, kindly follow my account.TIA!!