Hasta-prāpya-stabaka-namito bāla-Mandāra-vṛkṣaḥ

Chapter Two

Farhad had pleaded with Raghav Anna to stay in the hospital that morning. "Anna, it's a two-hour drive each way to and from Vikarabad. It will wear you out, and the doctor said that you need rest. Pallavi Bhābhī told you, as soon as Mandar gets to Dr. Ramya's clinic, she'll talk to him and convince him to come home. You will see her tonight, so until then, please relax."

"Will I see her tonight, Farhad? She didn't say that. She didn't even say, 'I miss you.' Just, 'I'll call you when we leave Vikarabad.' And 'remember to listen to the doctor, Raghav.' That's all she said."

"Anna, that's how a wife tells you, 'I miss you.' She orders you to behave while she's gone and warns you that she's checking on you."

"Farhad, do you have a secret wife that you're hiding from me?" Raghav had looked at him suspiciously, and Farhad had suppressed a chuckle. Anna had no gaydar at all.

"Jī nahīṃ, Anna. Mere Ammī-Abbū kī bāta yāda āyī."

"Listen, Farhad. Your Bhābhī is not like that with me. You know how our marriage began, and how much I hurt her by covering up the hit-and-run. Just the day before yesterday, the sight of our wedding photograph made her shudder. Now there's a man on his way to convince Pallavi to leave me. You know how trusting and generous she is. What if he's an imposter? I have to protect her!"

"Imposter? Anna, this Dr. Ramya recognized Mandar's photo, right? And if Bhābhī only saw someone who resembles Mandar from the window, she will know it's not Mandar right away when she sees him up close."

"Don't you know about plastic surgery, Farhad? I am going to tell Pallavi, until there's a DNA match, this is not Mandar!"

"You have been watching TV because you can't work out, haven't you, Anna? Don't worry. Plastic surgery won't give anyone the exact same face as Mandar, let alone the body."

"That's too much, Farhad! You are driving me to Vikarabad right now, before Pallavi checks out that man's body for a mole or a birthmark!"

"Wait, Anna, listen, what if Mandar arrives while we're on the road, and Pallavi Bhābhī leaves with him? Shouldn't you at least call her to say you're on your way?" Even while starting the car, Farhad had hoped that Raghav would listen to reason, but Raghav had refused to give Pallavi any chance to talk him out of his need to see her.

So, now Farhad found himself in Dr. Ramya's office, where Raghav had just collapsed with a panic attack. He removed his hands from those of the sturdy man who was supporting Anna's head on his lap and soothing him in his softly rumbling voice.

"Raghav, you will be fine, just fine. Look at the blue saree that Pallavi is wearing, and breathe in ... and out ... in ... and out. Imagine that you are under a clear sky, and this perspiration is dripping into the grass. Breathe in ... and out ... in ... and out. Imagine that the zigzag pattern on Pallavi's saree is a breeze moving over you. Keep breathing in ... and out ... in ... and out."

Raghav lifted himself off Mandar's lap and held out his hand to Farhad, who helped him to stand. Pallavi gave Raghav a reassuring smile, and said, "Dr. Ramya, Raghav is claustrophobic. We should take him outside. Farhad?"

"Jī, Bhābhī."

Mandar looked at the young man who was addressing Pallavi as Bhābhī. Who was this Farhad? Dressed in a spotless white shirt, buttoned up to the collar, and a dark suit, he looked very serious, and yet his clean-shaven face had an expression of innocence that Mandar found endearing.

Farhad held Raghav's hand, and walked him out of the office and the clinic. Pallavi and Krishna faced Dr. Ramya and Vishnu, and Mandar looked at one pair, then the other.