The ID, in the meanwhile was resting comfortably in the half open drawer. The security man had promptly forgotten its presence a long time back. He was fully occupied with the entry/exit register for the hospital special block. This was the part wherein selective patients were catered to, also housed the ICU and the NICU units.
“Mujhe pen dijiye, please…” Virat’s mind was miles away asthe security man handed over the pen to him. The baby was doing fine, except for a little jaundice. Dr Bhargava said that was quite normal for babies of this age. Just prescribed some medicines, the chit was in his uniform pocket. He would stop by the chemist on his way home and discard the chit in the bin. Medicines he would hide in the car and hope that nobody would discover the chit.
“Oh Sir…sign hogaya to pen waapis denge?” The security manis addressing Virat in his guttural voice. Aajkal yahan policewale zara zyaada hi waqt bita rahe hain. Hospital nahua, jail hogaya. Smilingly sheepishly, Virat is about to hand over the pen when something in the half open drawer catches his eye. Sai’s ID card, with its signature red satin ribbon. What’s it doing here? And where is Sai? He thinks it better than asking the security man. He’ll find out for himself.
He drives home, buys the medicines from the first available chemist. Remembers to hide the medicine packet under the spare duvet in the backseat of the car. Walks casually home and is greeted by Sai searching for something in the bedroom.
“Sai…” She looks up. “Kuchh dhoondh rahi ho?”
“Nahi wo aaj ID ghar par bhool gayi thi na..kahan rakh diya…usiko dhoondh rahi houn!”
“ID ghar par bhool gayi thi? Magar aise kaise?”
“haan who meri ek school ki friend mili na..usike bare main sochte sochte…I don’t know where I kept it..mill nahi raha…Nahi milla to kal phir se chhutti marni padegi!”
Her mobile rings at the moment. It’s the hospital security. Her eyes light up as she listens to guttural voice, claiming to be in possession of her ID. She can collect it the next day.
“Thank you so much!” Relieved. Her eyes practically dancing, she launches in a monologue about the day she had at the hospital. About her school friend, who was her idol in academic excellence, then disappeared one day because of her father’s transfer elsewhere. Then stops abruptly after realizing that Virat has already left the room. Dimaag sachmuch kharab hain inka. Uniform aise bed pe chhod gaye. Chalo laundry main de deti houn. One folded paper falls out of the pocket. Are yeh kya? Yeh kaisa prescription? Dr Bhargava ka sign hain, kissi baby ke liye hain jo kafi sick hain. Baby ki mother ka naam Shruti? Is it some sort of coincidence? Magar yeh inki pocket main kyoun? Then she remembered the police uniform in the changing room and Dr Bhargava’s remark. Baby ke pass ek police officer hain…
Virat sir taking care of Shruti’s baby? But why? Is it something confidential? Something to do with the high profile case? She shrugs her shoulder and goes down to help in the kitchen. Ashwini Aai is muttering to herself. Yeh Godu na, aajkal kuchh ajeeb sa hota jar aha hain. Bachho ke liye khilona aur diapers khareed raha hain..Sai halts whatever she is doing. Something is odd. Ghar main koi bachcha nahi hain. Jo bhi hain, diapers aur baby formula ke age ke nahi hain. So then..what is he upto? And why?
Next day she goes on as usual to her place in the special ward. Shruti has slept well, had a decent breakfast and is waiting her to chat. And to find out about her baby. Sai bounces in.
“Good morning Shruti…you slept well?” The ward attendant comes in with a trolley for changing the linen. Sai helps Shruti to stand up while the attendant changes her bedsheet and towels, replacing with fresh ones. He leaves soon and Sai seats Shruti back on the bed.
“Kya batao tujhe, aisi acchi neend aayi na mujhe…tujhse milkar dil boz utar gaya. Accha, tune mere bachche ko dekha? Kaisa hai wo?”
“Accha hain. So raha tha..Uska dhyan ek officer rakh raha hain. Tu fikr mat kar. Accha ek baat bata, tere husband kahan hain?”
“Wo door hain mujhse….” Shruti tears up at this and Sai grasps her shoulder in understanding. She has no intention in delving into her friend’s personal space. She mentally goes back to the NICU. What all Dr Bhargava told her…the chit in Virat’s pocket. She will sort it out with Virat later, but right now, the baby is sick. Some antibiotics have been prescribed, which Shruti doesn’t know.
“Achcha tujhe pata hain, baby ko jaundice hua hain, medicines prescribed ki hain?”
“Nahi re…koi yahan mujhe kuchh nahi batata..” Tears flowed freely now. “Mera iss duniya main koi nahi hain, sivay tere…aur mere baby ko mujhse door rakha hain. Dekhne bhi nahi dete…”
“Haan, yeh security..Ek Maa ko uske bachhe se door rakhte hain..yeh medically justified bhi nahi haina..”
“Ha Sai, tu to Dr hain, kuchh kar sakti haina. Mujhe sirf ek zhalak mere Bacche ki dila de, tera yeh ehsaan main zindagi bhar nahi bhoolungi…”
“Magar yeh security..there are armed guards everywhere!”
“Yeh sab tuzhe theek lagta hain kya?”
Sai shook her head. Medically not a sound or even valid option for a woman who has just delivered.
“Ok, let me see what I can do for you…Your BP measurement please. And also a blood sample today…form bharna hain…”
An hour later Dr Naresh peeped in the room, with the new lady officer, SI Lata, in tow.
“Dekho, so rahi hain. Tired hogi, abhi abhi delivery hua haina…” Face turned to the wall, maybe exhausted after the talk with the chatterbox intern, Sai? The monitoring beeps continued as normal.
“OK, fine..let’s break for coffee..” The lady officer was tired. So many visitors, so many checks to be done. Ooper se pressure…DIG ke office se phone par phone. “Where is Sai? Usko bhe bula lete hain!” Dr Naresh didn’t want to have coffee alone with SI Lata. For some reason, she unnerved him.
“She has gone elsewhere. I saw her go. Just a few minutes ago…”
The subject matter of the discussion was at that moment entering the NICU. The duty pediatrician squinted at her ID, hanging round her neck and left it at that. He was busy with a few new cases. These medical interns were a pain in the neck. And there was that police officer, who had made the NICU his perch ever since. Some sensitive case. He was about to ask her the reason for being there when a ping from his mobile effectively distracted him. Call done, he looked up. She had vanished into one of the cubicles. Must be on a project or something. He sighed and went back to his reports.
Virat, was tending to the baby when he the curtain whisked apart. There was nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. She was almost there. He froze as she removed the mask.
“What the hell…who allowed you to come here? The ward security…?” He removed his own mask and it was her turn to be taken aback.
“Virat!” She folded her hands, pleading and imploring. “Only ten minutes. Let me see my child. Sai said he was not keeping well…”
“Ok…” Virat looked around. Was she alone? And how the hell did she come here unnoticed? Then he saw the ID card dangling from her neck. Sai’s. That could only mean one thing. He smacked his head.
“I got it. But Shruti, you have got only ten minutes before your absence is noticed. The shift changes then and the new staff will obviously do a round of the ward. Go ahead, be with the baby. I will be outside so that you are not disturbed. Wrap up fast!…”
“Understood..!”
True to his prediction, she came out of the cubicle within the stipulated time. Virat gestured to the fire escape. “This way!” And they both crept to the special ward fairly unnoticed. Nobody was about. Reaching her room, they froze further.
The bed was empty.
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