Heart is a Fool

Chapter 8: Light at the End of the Tunnel

Delhi: Ritwik in Hospital

Ritwik reached the hospital and just stuffed the car in the first available parking slot. He raced to the maternity unit and identified himself as the blood donor. They ushered him into a sanitized room and he was immediately put on to the blood donation drip. A small tube of his blood was taken away for testing since this had to be transfused into a pregnant lady in labour and the doctors had to be sure that there was no residual infection. He closed his eyes and wondered if life would have taken a different course if he listened to that "Chomu" doctor who had suggested him to meditate and de-stress after he had a meltdown on his birthday. He was reminded of that oily headed bespectacled gentleman who had tried to convince him with all his persuasive skills on Ritwik Noon and smiled away. He realized that every smile of his was connected to Palak and every tear too; life and its strange ways; the person who gives you the most love and joy sometimes becomes the cause of pain. No one knew it better than him and before he could wallow in self pity; he was done with blood donation and was asked to meet Dr Raman. 

As he walked past the maternity unit; he saw women in different stages of pregnancy and the screams from the labor room far away down the corridor pierced through the air. This was a different experience for Ritwik; the process of creation was much beyond those moments of passionate sex, a mother endured much more than he could ever fathom. While he wanted to hold his bundle of joy in his arms some day; he was not sure if he could put his Palak through this pain. No woman who endured this pain would ever let go of her child; how could his mother Geeta do it he wondered. There was no anger when he thought about his mother , just curiosity and sadness. 

Delhi : Robin is up to something

Robin was flustered messaging and calling Ritwik every 5 minutes. Finally, he decided to go to Palak's house in Delhi and wait there for Ritwik. Palak's parents were about to leave the house when Robin feigned to faint in front of their house. They took him in and sprinkled water ; he fell at their feet thanking them for the furniture and requested if he could just rest for some time. Manjeet and her husband obliged;  this weird boy had won their hearts that day with his funny style. Robin prayed; Boss please come soon occasionally watching the two old people through his half closed eyes while Palak's parents had their eyes fixed on him. 

Ritwik meets Dr Raman

Dr Raman thanked him for his timely help but pointed out that there were traces of tetracyclic drugs used for patients suffering from severe depression in his blood which had long term ramifications. They had a brief conversation about it and Ritwik was told to avoid it. How would he avoid something he was never having he wondered; he was just having sleeping pills that Mamta mom was giving him or was it anti depressants he thought. 

That train of thought was interrupted just as he was leaving since  a junior doctor entered and informed Dr Raman that a patient  Mrs P Noon with Rh+ blood factor carrying twins one of whom has Rh- blood factor AB- to be precise like the father is not responding to their calls for tests.  Ritwik exited the hospital wondering this Mrs P Noon though sounding like his princess Dr Palak Noon seemed like a careless woman. There was only one perfect P Noon on this planet and that was his gorgeous wife.

Phew !! he checked his phone to find a 100 missed calls and messages from Robin asking him to come to Palak's home, 2 from Rohit and 1 from home. Everyone could wait for his time but Robin could not; had he found the key to finding missing Palak ? or was there some other issue. 

Delhi: Show Down Melt Down

Ritwik stormed into Palak's house through the half open door and found Palak's mother fussing over Robin with a glass of milk. He signalled Robin to go out and closed the door. The old couple were tongue tied on seeing a visibly upset Ritwik as his eyes pierced through them and next moment softened up only to spill out anger. "Ritwik beta" Manjeet spoke first and asked him to sit down while Mr Sharma ; Palak's dad was still hesitant. Ritwik screamed his lungs out telling them what Palak had done with Vikrant and vanished one day; He broke down completely holding Palak's dad asking him to tell about her if they ever considered him as their son. He then noticed an envelope from a hospital on the table with Palak's name written on it. He snatched it in a jiffy and took out the report. His eyes popped out in astonishment that she was pregnant with twins and it was dated the same day they had last met. In shocked disbelief he realized she called to give him this news after being admitted in hospital and his battery had drained out. He had only himself to blame. The fact that the Vikrant story was not known to her parents meant it was a charade done under pressure !! but the reason was not clear to him. 

After coaxing, cajoling and sentimental blackmailing it was agreed that Palak's dad would send him daily updates from a smart phone that Ritwik would give him. Ritwik went looking for Robin who was pacing up and down out side the house; planted a kiss on his forehead and pulled out the phone from his pocket. He have it to Palak's dad and the next one hour was about teaching him to take pictures, videos and using Whatsapp. Manjeet was ready to be the teacher but Mr Sharma would have nothing of it and preferred to learn from Ritwik instead. While the father-in-law and son-in-law bonded over their James Bond plan on Palak, Manjeet kept pondering over what Ritwik said and her doubts were on the Noon family. 

On the way to Chandigarh:

Ritwik promised to get Robin another phone and drove the simpleton couple towards Chandigarh. On the way they decided that this would remain a secret between them only as any excessive stress could impact Palak's health. Her blood pressure was on the higher side these days and she panted quite a lot as the babies were growing. They could reveal it to her after the children were born. They reached their house in Chandigarh and Palak came out in the verandah hearing the honk. 

It was late at night and she excitedly told her parents about Setu and Rohit going the family way. Ritwik ducked behind the bushes and saw her through the gaps; she was all plumped up, rosy cheeks; the laugh though music to his ears had lost its melody. He had to bring back the song on her lips; the glint in her eye and the happiness in her laugh no matter what. Her father waved at him sadly as he drove away with his face covered lest Palak recognize him. It was no less than a climax of a block buster movie; just that the heroine was yet to be brought into the fold.

On the way back to Delhi; he decided to stop at a highway motel to rest his back, it was a crazy long day. He saw a message from Rohit calling him Ritwik Uncle and he controlled his urge to reply back saying Rohit Uncle.  He felt cheated by Rohit for not telling him about Palak and his unborn children; since Setu knew everything !! He messaged Mamta saying he would return the following day not revealing where he was. His eyes were heavy with exhaustion and he slept like a baby that night dreaming of his babies.