Titaliya

Chapter 26

Asha paced outside the operating room biting her nails. It had only been an hour since the nurses had wheeled Asha's niece into the operating room, but Asha acted like it had been days.

"I'm sure it's all going okay," Veda said, rubbing her friend's back and gently nudging her into a seat. They had called Asha's brother, but he was still stuck in traffic.

"Shouldn't they give us updates or something?"

"I'm sure they're busy. They would tell us if they're having any trouble," Veda reasoned. She hoped it was true. "A lot of little kids get appendicitis. It's a very routine surgery."

"Little kids not getting surgery is more routine," Asha mumbled. She knew Veda was right, but their family didn't have a history of being lucky. Having a baby was a routine thing, but that had killed her sister-in-law without warning. Going on a car drive was a normal thing, but their parents' one joy ride on a winter morning had left Asha and her brother alone in the world.

The doctor came out of the room, whipping off his surgical mask and revealing a smile as he came near them.

"The surgery went well, Miss Murthy," he said. "Your niece will make a complete recovery in a few days."

"You're sure?" Asha asked.

"Yes, just keep her incision clean. She'll have a tiny scar, but that's hardly rare."

Asha didn't care about the scar, only that her niece Renu was safe. She texted her brother Harish to let him know the surgery was over.

Veda headed downstairs for some food as Asha waited in the post-op ward. Asha hadn't eaten anything since the afternoon, but Veda knew she needed sustenance and food was a comfort at times. The hospital cafe didn't have much on offer, but Veda grabbed a few sandwiches and coffee and headed back upstairs.

Renu was lying down on the post-op ward, still asleep.

"You feeling better?" Veda asked. Asha nodded as she watched the little girl. It was a strange thing, but she realized she was the closest thing Renu had to a mother. Her niece loved her hard, and it was hard not to reciprocate. Asha wasn't just her aunt, and she couldn't be calm when it came to Renu.

"She's going to wake up in a couple of hours," the nurse told them. "No food or drinks until the doctor allows it. You can let her sip a bit of water if she has a dry throat, but nothing else."

Veda fell into one of the plastic chairs by the side of the bed. Curtains separated each bed from the next, makeshift compartments that offered some semblance of privacy. She tossed one of the sandwiches into Asha's lap. The coffee was on the side table, hot and welcoming in the sterile air conditioning of the hospital room.

"Thanks for coming, Veda," Asha said. Veda smiled. Asha had called her half out of her mind, telling her she was scared and that her niece was crying in pain.

"It's no trouble," Veda answered.

Asha's phone rang, and she told her brother where they were. A minute later, a tall man walked into the room and zoomed in on them, letting out a sigh as he saw Renu's sleeping form.

"What did the doctors say?"

"The surgeon said she would be fine in a few days."

"I should've been at home," Harish said quietly.

"No, bhaiyya," Asha said. "You were working."

"I'm regretting taking this job in the first place. The pay is good, but the hours are hectic nowadays."

"It'll get better," Asha said.

"It better," Harish said. "I'm going to quit otherwise."

He finally noticed Veda, trying to eat her sandwich and not intrude on their personal conversation.