Arranged Marriage ✓

Chapter - Forty-five.

Nishita.

I woke up by the sound of a phone call. And sleepily searched for my phone, with my eyes still shut close, tightly. I stretched my hands almost everywhere on the bed, but didn’t find it. I huffed while sitting on the bed and began to find my phone again. But then I finally found my phone on Darshan’s side of the bed.

I felt a pang of guilt rising in my chest as I didn’t find him. I got up from the bed and stood in front of the bathroom. “Darshan?”, I knocked on the door. “Darshan, are you in there?”. I waited for five whole minutes for him to come out or show any sign of him being inside of the bathroom, but he didn’t.

To my utter surprise, Darshan was nowhere to be found in our apartment. I checked every possible room, but he was not here. I felt scared but then I laid my eyes on the kitchen counter. An empty and unwashed black coloured coffee mug was placed on the marble counter of the kitchen.

I knew it that it was his, but the real question was — where was he? I narrowed my eyes here and there and they fell on the note stuck up on the fridge with a magnet. I broadened my hands and pulled the note to read it out.

The first thing I noticed was the signature at the end of the letter. ‘D. R.’. I started to read Darshan’s scribbled writing. I sighed in relief when I read the first paragraph and then smiled like an idiot when I read it further. I frowned when I finished reading the letter or note.

“He could have just woken me up, rather than going without informing me,” I said, folding the paper and caressing it smoothly. I went to my room and gently pulled out a file of mine. I put the folded paper inside the file and shut it.

I glanced at the clock which was nailed to the wall. The clock showed that it was 8: 09 am. Which meant that there is plenty of time, in my hands. “Duty at nine,” I reminded myself.

I made my way to the bathroom and took a shower. I wore a baby pink salwar-kameez and made a cup of coffee. I was in no hurry so I took my time and then reached the hospital on time. Is this that part of my life when I should say, ‘#parfekshunist’?

*

My fingers flickered themselves on the piece of paper. I read the patient’s file twice before prescribing medicines. And suddenly my phone beeped. I received an incoming call from Nishtha Dii.

I quickly answered the call. “Hi, Dii!”. “Have you heard it?”, she asked. Her voice sounded so soft. “From who?”, I asked. “I have not heard anything, from anyone.”

“You haven’t heard about anyone? Not even Anita?”, Dii let out a cry. “N—no,” I said. “What happened, Dii?”. She just cried and gave no answer to me. “Dii! Tell me, what’s wrong and — where are you? It’s so noisy!”, I worriedly questioned.

“On may way to Mumbai, and Nishita where are you?”, she asked back. “I’m at the hospital, but why are you coming to Mumbai? Mom and dad are fine, they talked to Darshan, last night,” I said. “Nishita, do as I say. Don’t leave the hospital until I come there and worry little less, if possible”, Dii said and hung up.

What the hell is happening in my life? What was wrong? What did Dii know and I didn’t? I wanted to call mom but then thought that she would either not know or start worrying or scold me.

I slapped my forehead and I could tell my blood pressure was rising.

*

Hours passed by and Dii showed no sign. I was done with my duty yet I insisted to stay. I helped few of my colleagues and then dealt with the receptionist regarding tomorrow’s meetings with the patients.

I felt a pat of a hand on my left shoulder. I turned around and found Nishtha Dii stood behind (now in front) of me. “Dii,” I addressed her. She took my hand in hers and pulled my towards some ward in the hospital.

“Where are you taking me? What is wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything? And— and where is Jiju? Did you come all the way from Chandigarh all alone? Dii are you even going to answer me or not?!”, I kept questioning Dii on our way to Ward number 95, on the fifth floor. She kept dodging all of my questions.

When we reached at the ward, Dii pulled the door and pushed me in. “Ow!”, I said. My eyes widened when I saw Anita and an unfamiliar figure. There clothes were soaked in blood. “Why have you brought me here, Dii?”, I asked, turning to Dii.

And then Dii did the revelation. She made me confront the biggest truth of my life. Possibly the worst truth, too. And most importantly, she told me something that changed everything. She told me something that made my world turn upside down.