wrong number

chapter 3

CHAPTER 3.

Time 7am:  

Mona and her father excuse themselves and are off to their house. Mrs Rao (Chinnu’s mother) asks her to take some rest. Chinnu says she is fine and will be sitting beside her father. She asks her mother to go back home and get some clothes for all of them since they don’t know how many more days they will have to stay in the hospital.

After the doctor's usual rounds they are told not to worry about Mr Rao as he was gaining back the consciousness, but they asked them to arrange for another unit of the same blood group as he had lost a lot of blood. She said she will try soon. The doctor also enquires the blood bank and asks them to arrange for the O negative group. After this doctor and nurse leave the ward, Chinnu’s mother also gets ready to go back home to get some food and clothes for all the three.

Now Chinnu is sitting on the chair beside her father. 

She is sitting  with her right leg flexed at knee and thigh pressing against her chest, her right hand is resting on the right knee on which she calmly lays her head. Turning out to the window she keps gazing mindlessly for some time. After few minutes she remembers the ‘WRONG NUMBER’ guy.

Immediately she grabbs her mobile and dials him back. After some time the call is answered. This time the man sounds more alert and in his senses.

Chinnu: (with a calm and quiet attitude):  Well!! It’s me again! The girl who called you in the early morning today.... Well I called to say thank you for coming all the way to donate blood for my father. You see I am indebted to you. 

Mr Akela was sleeping in his car. When he received the call. He realises that  he has been sleeping all the time in one posture that caused some neck and joint stiffness. Loosening his muscles of neck and hand combing his hairs he starts conversing to Chinnu. After Chinnu finished talking he responds as...

Mr Akela: (trying to recollect what happened few hours back): “Look Miss I don’t know much about what you are talking. I am actually clueless. But I believe you. Yes I do remember that someone called, and I told them that I am Mr Akela etc... But frankly I wasn’t in my best senses when all this was happening and hence I don’t deserve your gratitude Ma’am. Moreover could you please tell me what I did that you are thanking me?

Chinnu:Well, I asked you if you were O negative blood group and if you could donate blood?

Mr Akela: Ah ha! That explains this whole thing. (Giggles)

Chinnu: (puzzled) What explains what?

Mr Akela: Nothing! I was just wondering why I was in the hospital's parking place. Moreover the bar from where I came is pretty close to this hospital so may be I just came to this  hospital and   walked in and you know the rest.( giggles again)

                                                  All I remember was I got this puppy from road who is with me right now and started driving later what happened I don’t remember much. Well thanks anyways!! for solving my problem and helping me find what I was doing, otherwise these days I start from some place and end up being at other place. And I will be clueless as to how I got in there. (Giggles again)

Chinnu: (Feels a little awkward) Hmm. Anyways thanks for offering help.

Mr Akela: Oh good! I Thought I was hopeless and helpless lad. But nice you broke my hangover saying that I at least dared to offer some help. Nice to hear good things about me.  Ok bye.

He hanged the phone.

Chinnu shrugging her shoulder utters to herself, “Quite complicated guy!. Well whateve,r I just had to thank him, and am done with this Mr Akela.” (She sighs)

Meanwhile Chinnu's father  starts regaining back his consciousness and she goes to billing section to fulfill the hospital formalities. She calls up her mom and informs about Mr Rao's discharge and asks to get some cab if possible. Here on the other side this guy heads back to his home with the puppy he brought with him from the streets.

Here both are in the car now heading to their respective homes. Neither Chinnu nor the guy is able to stop thinking about each other.

 Chinnu thinks, “This guy sounds so hurt and sad, yet he must be a good person by his heart otherwise why would he extend help to a stranger’s call that to when he was deeply intoxicated. Moreover when he speaks he sounds so polished and sophisticated by the way he addressed me.  This guy has something secretive and that is fascinating me. “

On the other end this guy is thinking about Chinnu while driving. Who was she? Why would I go to help her? What made me go to that very hospital? Her voice is so soothing. It has  some kind of that healing touch. Why am I feeling inclined to know about this girl?

Meanwhile he receives a text message. He opens it.

Message reads as:

“Mr Akela, sorry I forgot to introduce myself. This is Shraddha Rao; I am doing my Pre final year in St Mary’s Medical College. I would like to know your real name, if that is okay with you.”

Soon he texts her back.

Reply reads as:

“Sorry ma’am for not introducing me. This is Mayank here and that is my only identity.”

Message from Shraddha/Chinnu: Nice to know you Mr Mayank.

Message from Mr Akela/ Mayank:  Same here ma’am

Both reach home but can’t get off the thoughts of each other that still lingered on their minds.

Chinnu’s dad is fully awake by now, but a little week. He has a fractured leg with plaster around it, and  is badly wounded with some bruises on his body.

After reaching home Chinnu asks her father,” How do you feel dad? Where were you going so early in the morning?

Mr Rao/ Chinnu’s father: (with pain on his face): Had some urgent work to do.”

Chinnu: (Irritated): How irresponsible of them! Let it go. Luckily nothing grave happened. But why weren’t you wearing your helmet dad?

Mr Rao: (apologetically): Sorry I just was in rush so forgot. It’s my fault, I know, please excuse me.

Mrs Rao/ Chinnu’s mother: (angrily): All my life I spent worrying for you and you don’t seem to care a bit for me. Forget me, you don’t even care for your daughter, she has her university exams coming up.

Mr Rao: (perplexed): Please Chinnu leave all these things and please go and study for your exams.

Chinnu (making faces): Am a little tired, let me take a nap. But after lunch we need to get you admitted to St Mary’s hospital, the doctors there are known to me and you will get some good treatment.

Mrs Rao goes to kitchen to prepare lunch as it was 12pm already and they had plans to get him admitted by 2pm. Chinnu also goes into her room. As she relaxes on her bed, Mona calls her up to enquire about Mr Rao’s health. After talking about Mr Rao, Chinnu excitedly tells Mona about this mystery man.

Chinnu: “ Guess what Mona!! I called this Mr Akela to thank for his generous offer, and he introduced himself as Mr Mayank. He seemed like an interesting quest to be solved. And yes he was drunk yesterday or technically till today morning.” I  am just curious to know more about this guy”, she gazes blankly somewhere.

Mona: “ Keeps calling hello Chinnu are u there? Don’t get yourself into any trouble now, you have enough already. Moreover we don’t know this guy. What if apart from being drunkard he is a pervert also? So better end this story here once for all. So no more  WRONG NUMBERS now.

PRE-CAP:  IN COMING CHAPTER .........MAYANK IS ABOUT TO FALL FROM 12TH FLOOR OF HIS APARTMENT WHEN HIS CELL RINGS AND CHINNU'S CALL