Helen Goes for Mr. Sunday

The Evening That Changed Everything: Part 11

Helen wrapped her fingers around the pen in his shirt pocket and gripped a small shiny object--an earring--lodged near the pocket and plucked both out in one go.

"I'm borrowing your pen just a second," said Helen. Ram was taken aback but said "Sure."

"There's been a discrepancy, and this new medical intern does not have a room for the night," said the warden rather matter-of-factly, after having finished reading the piece of paper.

Helen hid the earring in her palm and surreptitiously moved it to the pocket of her dhoti salwar, scribbled something unintelligible on her left palm using Ram's pen, and placed it back in his pocket. Ram seemed to enjoy that.

"How can you be so irresponsible?! You are bringing a bad name to the hospital." Ram scolded the warden. "You better fix something up for her tomorrow itself."

Footsteps from inside the building continued, and now appeared to come from upper floors and were softer. The woman appeared to continue talking on her mobile phone.

The warden looked on matter-of-factly. "Yes, sir."

"Why don't you pair me up with someone tonight? I'll go quietly and not disturb their sleep."

"Every room has three interns already"

"So where do I sleep tonight?" asked Helen.

"Don't worry, there's another hostel a little distance from here. I'll drop you there," said Ram. "Get in the car."

"Oh, great," said the warden. "Thanks a lot, Ram sir, you really saved the day," continued the warden rather exaggeratedly.

"Which hostel? The boys' hostel, huh?" said Helen to Ram.

"Why would I make you stay in the boy's hostel?!" said Ram. "There's another hostel at a little distance from the hospital, and it's way better than this one. It's actually a guesthouse. Get in the car; I'll take you there."

"The guesthouse is occupied by external examiners," countered Helen.

"I'm not talking about the Zephyr guesthouse. There's another one outside the premises."

"I don't know of any such guesthouse."

"Hey, I own this place--you are new here. There's a discrepancy on account of my warden, and I'm trying to help you out. So stop arguing, and get into the damned car already," scolded Ram.

There was a slight sound of a lock opening on one of the floors of the building.

"I'm not going anywhere," said Helen.

The bulb in a window on the third floor of the hostel came on.

"I'll make my own arrangements," said Helen and strode in the direction of the building. "Please bring my bags up," she said to the guard, who looked at Ram and then at the warden.

"Hello!!" the warden called out after her, but Helen had already taken the stairs and run up them quickly. Reaching the third floor, Helen turned to the left wing and walked briskly along the corridor, looking at the peepholes in the doors. She stopped near the door of which the peephole was lit. An unclear female voice came through the door. Helen held her right ear to the door.

"Look, for the last time: I'm not interested in you any more," said the female voice. "Stop chasing after me, or I'll make your life hell. You don't know who my dad is."

Helen strained her ears. The woman inside made a sarcastic sound.

"Yes, my father is no minister--he owns the oldest butcher shop in Chimnimohalla. If I tell him a Hindu man is troubling me, you are dead meat."

There was a pause.

"Don't call me again," said the woman's voice and then there was silence for a while.

Helen knocked at the door.

Someone appeared to look through the peephole.

"Who is it?" said a woman from inside the room.

"There's an earring lying on the floor outside your door. Is it yours?"

There was a pause.

A woman Helen's age opened the door.

"Yes, I think it's mine. Thanks." said the woman.

"Helen Karmarkar," said Helen and extended her palm toward the woman.

"Pankhuri Qureshi," said the woman, shaking Helen's hand.

Helen handed her the earring and barged in.

"Excuse me?!" said Pankhuri.

Helen shut the door. There was a slightly crumpled burka lying on the bed. Helen picked it up and started folding it. "I'm sleeping here tonight."

"What?! No, you can't!"

"I didn't find the earring on the floor."

The stance of Pankhuri changed a little.

"Where did you find it then?"

"If you don't want me telling Qureshi Saab from Chimnimohalla what you have been up to..."

Pankhuri froze. "What do you know?" she whispered. "And how do you..."

Helen nodded at Pankhuri, her eyebrows raised. "I know enough"

"You were eavesdropping!"

"Sure I was."

"I advise you not to interfere in my affairs."

Helen chuckled.

"I mean, in my matters"

"Look, I merely want to sleep here for the night. I have had a tough day."

Helen went up to the window of the room and peeped out.

"If any of the items in those bags goes missing by tomorrow morning, it's on you," she said to the watchman.

The watchman tentatively walked to the bags and dragged them up to the third floor.