Second Chance (Vol.1) Squandered

13: Chintu Talks

Mr. Hooda noticed Adi on the verge of losing his restrain and prayed for some distraction.

Suddenly Chintu hurtled out of nowhere and hugged Adi tight around his midriff.

Chintu had been ma-in-law's special child at the orphanage. She had named the child Achintya, meaning "One Beyond Comprehension". And the boy lived upto his name. The teacher in Ma-in-law had found an ideal student, a student with insatiable curiosity and thirst for learning. She kept making special requests to Pooja, Adi and Arjun for the boy. Over years eventually Adi and Arjun had got fond of the irritant. Now they were best friends.

Chintu was panting badly and so was the nurse chasing him. And the nurse looked exasperated.

Adi raised his hand, palm facing the nurse in a stop sign and tried to placate her exuding all his charm. Though anyone who knew Adi could have seen that beneath the charm he was seething with anger at the nurse for her inability to handle the sick child. With his fingers, he signaled 5 minutes to the nurse.

Adi: Didi 5 minutes

Adi marched Chintu to a nearby chair.

Adi: Chintu do not say anything just breathe.

When Chintu's panting became a little less he started talking again

Adi: Ssssh. Don't talk. First catch your breath.

Anjana: Adi! We are already late. It is almost...

Adi: (made the most sorry bachcha face) Ma 5 minutes...

Adi saw that Chintu was now breathing better. He got off the chair and squatted in front of Chintu so that he could see Chintu's face.

Adi: (sternly) You know why you were panting so badly?

Chintu: Yes

Adi: Oh! You know! Pray tell me why?

Chintu loved the words, "Pray tell me why?" Chintu liked dramatic expressions.

Chintu: Because I have got dengue and I am going to die.

Adi: NO!

Adi said it with such ferocity that the nurse behind was startled. People stopped to see what the matter was. Adi knelt on his knees and held Chintu protectively in a hug. Though the kid was trying to be funny with the rhyme, he could sense the veiled fear in the child. He glared at the nurse. This time Adi was unable to hold back his fury. He was shaking trying to contain his anger.

Nurse: (unfazed but getting defensive) None of us told him any such thing. He could have heard that anywhere.

Pa: Adi calm down. You are scaring the boy.

Pa sat down in the next chair and pulled Chintu back on to the chair.

Pa: Many many people have recovered from Dengue. From this hospital itself so many dengue patients are healthy now. Do you know that?

Chintu: (shaking his head) No. That day at night I heard someone say that people die of dengue...

Pa: Where?

Chintu: I don't know. I thought here.

Adi: No. Not in this hospital. No one has died. Why! Just last week in the news... Wait... I will show you last week's newspaper. See how the newspaper has praised this hospital. This place is best in dengue care. And especially child care. Wait...

And Adi fished out his mobile and tried to google for the article.

Arjun: Bhai! Let me...

Arjun took the mobile and searched for the newspaper article.