chapter 19

Aunty, Sanyogita said in an excited tone … after so many years… I think, I have eaten so well…

You have magic in your hands …

My mother smiled contentedly. As she has smiled on the day , Sanyogita visited our house and ate halwa and puri prepared by my mother …and complimented her …

She said in a calm tone, ‘Both of my children have eaten very well today, God you are benevolent.’

And she folded her hands looking towards the sky.

My father was looking at all of us and he was smiling with himself …

After finishing her breakfast, Sanyogita came towards me and sat exactly on the opposite sofa … and said … now Mr. Sameep, narrate most memorable incidents from your career … I am eager to listen to them …

I was thinking which one should I tell her … I scratched my head and requested her … maybe I will need some time to decide which incident should I tell you …

Ok, she replied, take your own time … but at least one incident …

Sure , I reacted …

I asked her , ‘where is the tiffin , which you said on the phone ,you will bring …’

Sanyogita retorted, ‘Oh! I forgot…’

I suddenly said , ‘I know you will forget …’

‘How come you are so sure …’, she snapped …

I said in a hesitating tone, ‘You have always forgotten …’

‘What?’, she interrupted …

‘Nothing, I mean to say … you are very particular about all things , how will you forget what you have promised…’

She asserted , ‘I haven’t forgotten anything … but that’s our secret…’

‘Whose , who are our …’, I questioned …

‘Me and aunty’, she replied laughing …

‘Oh! Then continue with your secret , I don’t mind , I am sure , I will be getting something interesting for lunch also…’, I am pretty sure …

Mayank arrived with bowl of pills , Sir , please have this morning dose…

I understood , everyone was looking at me anxiously , to see , what will be my reaction …

But I took the pills calmly …

And everyone felt relieved …

Mother asked Sanyogita , ‘We were not knowing , you are in Pune…’

‘Yes, aunty… she replied … that’s a long story…’

I interfered and said , ‘Make it short and narrate…’

She laughed as usual … maybe later … after you narrate your experience …

My mother said laughing , ‘Don’t you start your arguments again …’

The door bell rang …

Mayank opened the door quickly … and he said from there … Sir , doctor has arrived …

Doctor approached towards me smiling …

He said in a elated voice , ‘So, Mr. Sameep , magical improvement …’

I replied , ‘What happened to me … I am very well…’

‘That’s good…’ , doctor said … ‘But tomorrow , you have to come to the hospital , we will have to perform few tests… then I will think about change in medication…’

He added , ‘Let me check your blood pressure first …’

We went into bedroom and he did his regular check up and declared happily all parameters are near to normal today… I am happy for you Sameep … In such cases … this is rare …

We came out … and he told my parents … lot of improvement … is there

I read my parents faces, they were overflowing with glee …

While leaving , doctor instructed all, ‘don’t stress Sameep too much… I mean to say … he will remember slowly all the things … but don’t push him at once …’

Everyone nodded …

I knew , Sanyogita was staring at me … and her face was stressed …

Sir, Mayank said , ‘You please have rest for some time…’

After taking pills , I was also feeling that I should rest for some time , so I went towards the bedroom.

While I was dozing , I could hear that my parents were speaking with Sanyogita …

I could not exactly listen what she was telling … but I was sure my parents were asking her about the years passed in between …

Sanyogita, Smita and me were standing near the well in our field … after the lunch … I took her to show our field … she was very impressed to observed the vegetables grown by my parents on our small farm… she asked me … is this the only source of the income of your family …

I hummed … yes …

She exclaimed , ‘Then Sameep, you have lot of responsibilities , you have to take care of your family and your farm also… you should focus on your studies … and as soon as … be self – reliant…’

I was not sure , whether I should be happy or sad … I was in dubious mind … unable to decide … whether she was speaking it out of my concern or she was purposely mentioning it to pass a remark about my family background and profession…

‘Why are you so serious … she added … don’t worry … you will clear the exam soon… I will help you… we will prepare together for our prelims … ‘

With these words , I felt relaxed … it was confirmed … she was worried about my settlement …

So near that well , I promised myself that I will achieve my aim very soon… no matter how much hard work and efforts I have to put …

Oh! My God , Sanyogita shouted, Smita see there … there… beyond that Banyan tree …

What? Smita was asking …

See peacock is there… she murmured … see how beautifully he is trying to impress his partner by his graceful dance …

Both of them , they were engrossed in observing the couple of peacock…

And I was thinking , what I have to do to impress … no… to convince Sanyogita about my feelings for her …

My father was calling us from the corner of our house …

I asked , ‘What happened ?’

He shouted , ‘the bus … girls will miss the last bus to Indore…’

Sanyogita suddenly shifted to reality and urged me that , they should not miss the last bus… other wise her uncle and aunty will be very upset with her behaviour … as they have granted her permission only for a day …

So we hurriedly went towards bus stop from where they could catch the bus … my mother has packed for them dinner of puris and pickles …

When Sanyogita boarded the bus and the bus moved … I felt … I will collapse … how can I live without her … I realized I can’t … She is my life …

Sanyogita … I shouted … Bye … have a safe journey …

But my mind was crying , ‘don’t leave me behind … Sanyogita … don’t leave … I will be alone …’

Dr. Archana Pandit