Pocket Full of Lies

5- Paying back

Come to think of it, Rehaan was my saviour at that time.

It took talking about him with Ananya for me to realize how selfish I was being in this ordeal. Only thinking what would happen to me if I became a suspect of the crime. Not once did I think to enquire about his health.

Rehaan might have been a jerk, but he was also the only person who hired a clumsy person like me. Neither had I the skills nor proper documents back then. Who would have taken the risk of hiring a fifteen year old with no identity? If not for him, I wouldn't have survived these seven years.

"I am going to the hospital," I announced, standing up with determination.

"Wh...What?! Right now?" Ananya yelled, startled by my sudden decision.

"He might need my help," I said, already moving to get my wallet from home.

"Did you hit your head somewhere? If you have forgotten that man has fired you from the job," she said, as she ran after me, stumbling on the way.

I stopped walking and gave her a hand as she tried to stabilize herself, before answering her, "That guy is alone with no friends or family. The neighbours might have helped admitting him, but how much more would they do for a person who never spoke with them."

"Do you think he will rehire you if you do this?" Ananya asked, looking at me with raised eyebrows.

I scratched my head as the thought hadn't even crossed my mind. Shrugging, I answered sheepishly, "I wasn't thinking about what will happen later. Just wanted to pay him back for the kindness he showed me seven years ago."

Ananya smiled, blinking her eyes at me as she patted my shoulder. "Let's go together. It's not too safe to travel alone at night."

★★★★★

I think I made the right decision to come to the hospital. The neighbour-aunt's husband sighed in relief upon seeing me as if he was just waiting for someone to relieve him from this duty.

A few others had come with him, but they all had left a while ago giving some excuses.

"I would love to stay and help, but—"

"No worries Uncle, I will handle it from here. Thank you for your help and so sorry for being so late."

"No, no, don't be sorry, I understand. My wife told me how shocked and scared you were. I am just glad you are here now."

Smiling at him gratefully, I thanked him once again, before inquiring about the bills he paid for Rehaan.

"Oh, don't worry about it right now. We can easily settle it after the young man returns home." Uncle strongly denied taking money from me, making me sigh in relief.

It's not like I had money to give to begin with. I was just asking to be polite.

"Take my and aunty's number. Call us if you need anything. Time doesn't matter, just call us if you need help," saying that he left the hospital.

Annoying doesn't equal to bad. This couple was a perfect example for that.

"What the heck were you thinking while asking for how much money he paid?" Ananya started hitting my back as soon as uncle left. "What if uncle had agreed? Do you even have money to give him?"

"I would have to break Rehaan's locker then," I answered with a chuckle.

"That's a crime," Ananya deadpanned.

"Using his money for his own medical treatment is a crime. Please make it make sense."

Ananya opened her mouth to retort but closed it back again, knowing there was no use to talking with me.

"Let's just go and see him," she said, shaking her head at me.

Rehaan was still unconscious. He looked so different from the boss I knew. The heavy bandage on his head seemed too large for his face. The poker faced man who looked down on everybody seemed so tiny and fragile today.

"What did the doctor say? Is he going to be okay?" Ananya asked me, as soon as I got out of his room. She had been waiting outside his room on the nearby bench while the assistant doctor came to check up on Rehaan.

I sighed, taking a seat beside her. "The blow on his head was hard. It doesn't seem like he needs an immediate surgery right now. But they will need to reassess him after he wakes up. The doctor told me to strengthen my resolve as there might be chances of complications."

"Complications, as in...?" Ananya trailed off.

"Depends if any of his nerves got damaged. I am majorly concerned about temporary blindness though," I told her, resting my head on the wall and closing my eyes.

"Shit! That would be a major hassle. Considering the fact that he has no one to help him around, that would be a nightmare," Ananya muttered.

"Let's just pray that nothing of that sort happens and he wakes up like the jerk he was," I said, moving my head away from the wall to look at her.

"Excuse me; are you with the patient in room 201?" A staff boy asked, coming over to us.

Wondering what might have happened, my panicked eyes turned towards Ananya who blinked at me reassuringly, before standing up and facing the staff boy.

"Ah yes! We are with him. What's the matter?"

"You have been called to the reception. They need some forms and receipts signed by the primary guardian."

"I was told the bills were already paid," Ananya said, not losing her cool for even once.

How can someone remain so calm in this situation? I am sweating buckets here and she is handling everything so coolly.

"I am not entirely sure about that. You will have to ask the receptionist about it," the guy said, before leaving.

"Of course, how would he know all the details? His work was just to call us," Ananya sighed, before ushering me to stand up and come with her.

"What would I do without you?" I muttered, as I followed her like a lost puppy.

"You will do just fine," she reassured me, just before we stood before the receptionist.

Turned out that they just needed me to sign and take the receipt of the payments, uncle made. Uncle hadn't signed it, thinking it might cause a problem while getting back the insurance money.

No one knew if it would really cause a problem. But better safe than sorry, I guess.

"There surely are a lot of things to consider and fear while dealing with documents," I muttered, while putting all the receipts in my purse.

"Documents!" Ananya yelled suddenly, startling the hell out of me.

I shushed her, before apologizing to everyone near us, who were startled as well.

Pulling her by the elbow towards a scheduled place, I whisper-yelled, "What?!"

"While you were speaking about him, I suddenly remembered you saying that all your identification documents burned away in that fire," she said, looking concernedly at me. "Do you still not have them?"

I breathed out; still facing the aftereffects of the shock she gave me. "I do have them."

"Thank Goodness!" She placed her hand on her heart, looking genuinely relieved.

"But how did you manage it? I mean it must be hard, considering you were a minor back then."

"That was exactly the reason why I started the process of gathering my documents as soon as I turned eighteen. But it took me a long time to understand what to do and how to do it. But I finally got them this year," I answered her, as we started walking back towards Rehaan's room.

"And that reminds me that all my savings have been used up for these documents, rendering me penniless."

"You do...don't have any money left now?" Ananya questioned with shock.

"Well...I can last a week," I answered with a sheepish smile, blatantly ignoring the look she was giving me.

How was I supposed to know that I would lose my job as soon as I got my identity back?