Arthit was taken to the operation theatre for his surgery or rather amputation of his right arm. The traumatic amputation of the forearm was done to avoid the spread of infection in his body. The surgery took over three hours thereby putting Oak, Tew and Aim into jittery mode. They were nervous, tensed and even forgot to breathe. The doctor did not guaranteed the survival rate of the patient because of severe blood loss and delay in getting medical aid.
After almost three and half hours of tedious and risky surgery, the doctor appeared thoroughly exhausted and coming out of the theatre, he saw three eagerly waiting faces for the good news about the patient's survival. The doctor smiled broadly at them indicating with a thumbs up sign that the surgery was a success and that the patient would survive. Although, he said that Arthit was stable but he cautioned about experiencing psychological trauma, emotional discomfort and reduced mechanical stability. The three beggars thanked the doctor and glanced at Arthit when he was shifted Intensive Care Unit. He was surrounded amidst strange machines and a nasal cannula completed blocked his face's view. Everything was under control except the repercussions of surgery by Arthit.
After almost a day, Arthit slowly regained his conscious. He felt pain all over his body. He was quite astonished to find himself on the hospital bed with many hi-tech machines surrounding him. He was finding breathing and talking difficult with his cannula connected to his nose. He slowly scanned the room for his beggar but he was no where to be seen. A nurse entered the room and walked towards him. She smiled at him and checked his vital signs monitoring machines, intravenous fluids and after feeling everything stable, his cannula was removed. The first thing Arthit asked after breathing normally for few seconds was for water. The nurse served him water little by little through his mouth and Arthit was lapping it as if he was thirsty for many, many years. The nurse looked little bit nervous since she did not check the surgical site yet, fear of evoking a strong emotion in the patient who still oblivious of his loss.
She quickly exited the room and let the three friends in who was obvious in dilemma as to how to break the loss of his forearm to him. They prayed for Kong to be there to break the news to him. But he was not there, he was not near his Grumpy, he abandoned him, he went away for good leaving Arthit in his friends' care. As soon as they entered the room, Arthit welcomed them and thanked them for being there for him. He saw the sunken faces of them and said,
"Hey, what with these crestfallen faces? Hah, No, don't be depressed, I know I have lost my forearm, part of my body has been chopped off like a meat. But don't worry, I am okay. I have taken it positively, otherwise the infection would have killed me. It is better I get rid of infected part of my body. I have my beggar, he is there for me, I know he has gone to run some errands for me, he will be coming now. So what I have lost a part of my body, I have a gained a full heart, that is beggar's heart. He will be my armour forever",so said Arthit brimming with confidence and a new energy of hope to be together with him forever.
The three friends felt sad but did not show on their faces anymore. They were awed by such pure display of love and affection from the eyes of lover. They were crying for the two lovers and the game played by their fate.
"I love you my beggar", whispered Arthit to himself and smiled.
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