One More Time

20

"Remember what the gynaec said....no outside food anymore, and do discuss about your leave with your boss, or better leave your job for now. Even Ma does not like you doing the night shifts in this condition",said Koustav.

"Cutoo! Please manage Ma for me for just one more month. I'm not the only pregnant woman working there in this universe. Thousands of ladies do it too. My leave starts from next month.... I'll go mad if I leave my job & sit in this house 24×7...you know it too",replied Nikita.

" Now don't make these faces Cutoo! I'll try to change my shift..and I'll not eat anything from outside... Now tell me, where is my snack box? I'm craving something sweet in my 3rd trimester!!",she replied and hugged him.

She sat inside the cab."Reach safely and call me before entering your office....I'll be waiting...I love you", he said kissing her forehead from outside.She gave him a nod with a breathtaking smile.

His phone flashed with an unknown number after some time. He answered it casually.
"Koustav, I am Rahul....Nikita's colleague......Come here as soon as possible!!......She was in an accident....She is not in good state....we are taking her to hospital.......please come fast....hello! Can you hear me??????? Are you there Koustav?"

The slumber was gone.His heart felt the same ache he experienced 3 years ago....he couldn't mutter a single word....his throat was dry as a desert. Breathing was hard for him. Koustav sat up on his bed. It was impossible for him to be in this room at that moment.

Unknowingly he left his room. He was knocking Ria's room, when his senses came back fully.

Suppressing a yawn, Ria opened the  door slightly and found Koustav standing outside. The look on his face was depicting his state. Koustav entered her room as she opened the doors fully.

She switched on the room lights now. Without uttering anything, he sat on her bed.She pushed the bottle towards him slowly. Like a obedient child, he took it from the table and finished the water fully taking his time.

"Will you be uncomfortable if I stay in your room, for tonight?",came his first words.

Ria answered a no by nodding her head. She took a spare pillow from the bed, as Koustav already occupied her pillows and bed cover.

"What's this smell? Have you put anything on it?",sleepily asked Koustav.

"It is lavendar oil..if you don't like it...exchange yours with mine", Ria replied groggily.

"No, It feels good" he said and started snoaring softly.

That night passed that way.

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The next morning Ria woke up before her alarm started blaring. Koustav was gone from this room. She rushed towards the washroom for showering without thinking anything else.

She was making her bag ready with the books and making a note mentally how many photocopies she would have to make for being absent. Ria put her phone on speaker dialing Romy, informed her to bring the notes and said she was sorry for not to be there while she was sick. She promised to describe her everything and ended the call. It was 9:00 am already.

Taking her bag, she came downstairs. Koustav was sitting on the chair eating his food. He looked like he slept well .She grabbed and chewed an apple, and started chopping some fruits, packed two lunch boxes with cakes and fruits. Koustav looked at the lunch box ,Ria kept in front of him.

Ria talked with her MIL before leaving the house, Koustav was waiting outside already. The cab arrived, Ria like the day before climbed on the passenger seat.

Koustav: Thanks for last night.

Ria: There is no reason for you to thank me. That's your house, you can sleep anywhere you want.

Koustav:That house is yours too now.Why did you skip lunch today?

Ria: I was on phone.....if I had started having lunch, I would have missed my classes today too.

Koustav: Titli is already sick...Don't increase the number by skipping your meals.

Meanwhile, her bus stop arrived. She went out of the car." Don't forget to tell me the time you finish. I'll pick you up", said Koustav from inside the car. Then the cab went away.

Koustav wanted to say,"I'll be waiting"...but he did not wanted to make the situation more awkward after last night.

Ria met Romy inside the campus. Ria told her about Titli's illness, the other things were too personal to discuss with her. Mostly the classes got cancelled today. The lectures she had to attend were hard for her to digest.

Before going to do the local xerox store, she left a sms for Koustav saying she would be off early around 4 pm. Going to the store, she kept checking her phone many times....no new notifications were there including Koustav's reply. A  known voice earned her attention, Ujaan was smiling standing in front of her. He had really good choice of words, Ria got so involved in chatting,that she forgot to ask why he had called so many times earlier that day.

Her phone started ringing,it was Koustav. He came before the time she mentioned.Answering the phone, she heard his voice over the phone for the first time."I've reached. Where are you?"

Before collecting the photocopies, she instructed him the way to the xerox store. Romy and Ujaan still were present there. A cab stopped in front of Ria. Koustav climbed down from the back seat. He put on a mild smile, seeing Romy. But the slight frown he had noticing Ujaan, made Ria amazed. Ria introduced Koustav as her husband to Ujaan. Then after some more chit-chats, they started for the hospital.

Ria was sitting beside Koustav this time. She was feeling hungry. Koustav turned his face towards her while she opened the lunch box to eat. Ria stole a glance of him to find him glaring at her.

" You were so busy in chatting with your new friend that you forgot to eat. The smell is awful, the fruits are definitely got rotten till now. Close the box right now!", said Koustav in a strict way.

They reached the hospital after merely 15 minutes. Instead of going towards Titli's cabin, Ria saw him taking a turn towards cafeteria. Seeing her confused, he said," Follow me".

After a few more moments, two cups of hot coffee were in front of her, Koustav was approaching her with a tray of foods. " Hurry ! We have to meet her. Who told you to buy all these right now?" ,said Ria sipping her coffee.

"My parents are already with her, we'll meet her after you finish all of these. They won't like you being sick." ,came his calm reply.
 
"I can't eat all of these....not now atleast. Please!!", she said looking at his face.

Ria took one sandwich and one cake and pushed the tray containing the rest towards him. His phone started buzzing.He ate those while talking to somebody over phone.

She checked her phone too. A whatsapp message arrived. It was from Ujaan, " So you are not Miss,you were Mrs from the starting."

She could not understand the meaning of the message and kept her phone inside the bag.

They entered to see Titli. Today she looked like her older self. The nurse came to inform she would be discharged the next day. Ria went with her to know about her medications and diet. It was fixed Mita and Sumit would be coming the next day for taking Titli home.
 

The older couple left afterwards. Koustav watched how Titli loved to be in Ria's company. Ria looked her as her own sister...anyone could say that now. Koustav joined their conversation then. Titli made Ria to promise coming home early the next day. The visiting time ended. They left saying her bye.

Koustav took a taxi for both of them to return. Ria wanted to ask about his state last night, but seeing his happy mood, she decided not to do that. She was happy ,seeing him happy.

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