Fear & Love

Sixty Five

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The hospital corridor had a thick tensed atmosphere. Everyone was present at the hospital and not a single person was able to control their emotions. Some crying silently, some sobbing loudly, except Anand.

Priti and Prakash who had accompanied him were emotional after  listening to what had happened but controlled themselves and helped with hospital forms and procedures.

Nandini narrated the incident when Anand inquired how did this happen.

"I was going to meet her after her school ended. When I went there, the school was already done and there was a crowd of children, parents, teachers. I finally spotted Gitanjali and waved at her but I think she didn't notice me. So, I waited for her across the street. I saw...I saw the speeding car and the little girl crossing the street. The car was going to run over her but then, Gitanjali pushed the child alongwith her. But she fell on her stomach....there was a lot of blood." Nandini wasn't able to continue, she sobbed remembering the horrific scene, Gita's unconscious state and the blood pooled around her.

The parents of the little girl whom Gita saved were here at the hospital. They thanked Anand and the family for Gita saving their daughter's life. She had minor wounds on her hands and legs. They wished for Gita to recover soon. But Anand had nothing kind to say to them, "Your daughter was saved. You have what you want. You may leave. No need to be here for your consolation." He said. They felt guilty and understood Anand's circumstance to be not welcoming to them.

Anand was like a volcano ready to be erupted. He was not crying, not sad, he was ready to explode and unfortunately, the doctor was the prey.

"Sir, the fall was bad, she suffered injuries and she lost a lot of blood. We will try our best. But the pregnancy is of 7 months only, we don't know if we can save the baby." The doctor informed him.

"Isn't this the best hospital in the city? I want no harm to my child." He ordered.

"Sir, we are trying our best. But there is only so much we can do." He explained.

"The words - try, will, would, may, might...I don't want to hear your shit." Anand yelled at the doctor. Anand's father interfered and controlled him.

"Sir, please understand. We would need your sign on this form." The doctor said.

"I said, you save both of them. Both. My wife and my child. Not just one." He snatched the form from the doctor. But Anand's father and his father in law told the doctor to keep Gita's safety on priority. So much blood loss was a bad sign. Her father was tensed for his daughter's health.

Anand's fisted hand, his gritted teeth and his untamed anger was rolling off him. He didn't answer a single person in a calm manner, he was rude to everyone.

Isha couldn't see her brother dying in the flames of his anger. She knew he was troubled. He was angry at the situation. She hugged her brother tightly, wanting to take away a bit of his pain.

"Bhai, please please calm down. Gita will be okay and even the baby. This anger is not good for you, Bhai." She kept her bitterness and fight with Anand away. Now, only Gita and the baby mattered. Isha hugged him for few moments when Anand pulled himself away from her.

He was unable to comprehend what he felt. Anger was the emotion that came easy and he was indeed angry. Angry on Gitanjali, the situation, his life, everything.

He thought today he would take her on the date and express his love for her. He had not once said 'I love you' to her, not even yesterday night. He was waiting to surprise her today. His wife and his child are his life and this world was trying to take his life away from him.