Second Chance (Vol.1) Squandered

55: Noor Double-Shocked

Noor had woken up a complete 2 hours earlier than usual despite the late night; a great sacrifice; a mark of how fond she was of Chintu.

The previous afternoon before leaving for the lunch party, Noor had called Little Homes and asked the warden to make all Chintu's friends make get-well-soon cards and write long, very long letters to the boy. Before going to work she collected the letters from the morning warden promising to arrange for someone to collect Chintu's replies in the evening and arrange pickups for next day as well. Friends-with-no-Benefits NGO had successfully managed volunteers for Chintu on rotation except night-duty for the weekend.

Noor was looking forward to seeing Chintu's surprised happy face. But Noor was in for a double-shock.

Shock#1. Chintu's bed was empty. All cleaned up in preparation for the next patient. Where had the boy gone! Just as she was about to hit full panic mode, it occurred to her that he may have shifted to the new wing.

Noor hurried to the new wing. Curtains were still drawn and a nurse was just switching-off the night-lamps. Noor stopped by the door so her eyes could adjust to the dark. Only 3-4 beds were in use. All was quiet and everyone was fast asleep. The nurse leaving the ward recognized her and pointed Noor to Chintu's bed.

Shock#2. There were plenty of empty beds in the wing. But Chintu was sleeping with his head on Aditya Hooda's lap.

Aditya was in the same expensive clothes that he had worn at lunch the previous day. He had one foot on the floor and other foot almost off the bed. Noor wondered at Aditya's posture. Head flopped on his own shoulder, one hand on Chintu's shoulder other seemed to have just slipped off Chintu's head, back in an awkward angle not supported anywhere in particular. Just looking at Aditya her lower back protested.

Noor stood completely befuddled rubbing her back with one palm and resting the other palm on her head. Aditya's head lolled off his shoulder and he woke up, saw her, gave her one big goofy smile, adjusted his shoulders on the backrest, attempted to go back to sleep and then half-awake and confused stared at her. It finally dawned on him that Noor was no apparition in blue but real.

Aditya scowled, rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palms and checked the time on his watch. He lifted Chintu's head gently off his lap and eased himself off the bed. Noor rushed forward and slipped a pillow under Chintu's head. Then she slipped the huge envelope full of cards and letters under Chintu's hand.

Aditya picked and organized his stuff that was all over the place; from the floor: blazer; from the bed and side table: ipad, 2 cellphones, 2 earphones, headphone, chargers, Zosh lanyard, Zosh swipe-card... Next the jigsaw puzzle pieces went into a box. Then he put away incompletely assembled parts...

Noor helped collect the jigsaw puzzle pieces and parts; quite a challenge in the dark. She was amazed at the mess that the 2 had managed to create overnight.

Noor: (asked in a soft whisper filled with concern and gratitude) Have you been here all night?

No reply. Aditya ran his fingers through Chintu's soft unruly hair pushing it all off his face. He looked around for something.

Noor: (whisper) What are you looking for?

Aditya found Chintu's blanket on the floor on the other side of the bed. He gently tucked the blanket around Chintu. Noor envied Chintu for a moment. Then she saw the scowl on Aditya's face.

In one single motion each, Aditya violently pulled his socks on his feet and more violently jammed his feet into his shoes. He unplugged a mosquito repellant then on an afterthought plugged it back with more force than necessary and walked out of the ward. He ignored Noor completely.

Noor felt snubbed but maybe Aditya just did not want to disturb the other sleeping people. She gave one look at Chintu and then ran after Aditya.

Noor found him waiting at the nurse's desk; impatient agitated fingers drumming the chest-high glasstop-shelf. The nurse handed Aditya an envelope; maybe Chintu's blood reports that had arrived in the first morning lot. Noor waited. When Aditya finished going through all the sheets she asked if the reports were better. No reply. Noor asked again if there was anything to worry. Aditya said, "No" without looking at Noor and handed the papers back to the nurse, thanked the nurse and simply left the desk.

Close on his heels Noor hastened after Aditya. Aditya filled a cup of coffee at the vending machine and made to go away again.

Noor lost it. She grabbed Aditya's left hand and he violently jerked it away and then gasped in pain. Noor had not pulled hard; why was he acting weird. Aditya had spilt some hot coffee on his right hand and on the floor. He disappeared into the men's washroom. In her rage Noor almost followed him in and then super frustrated prowled outside. Aditya came back with some tissues and wiped the spilled coffee off the floor and again disappeared into the washroom.

When Aditya reappeared, Noor barked, "Car park now. Now. As in NOW!" When Aditya showed no signs of moving and only scowled at her, she made to grab his hand again and he raised both his hands and said, "Okay. Out!" Both marched outside; fuming.

The minute they were out, Noor whirled on Aditya.
Noor: (shouting) What is your problem?

No reply. Total ignore.
Noor made to attack him with a strangling gesture.

Noor: (chewing each word slowly) What... is... your... (screaming) problem...

Adi: (sarcastically) My problem! What is my problem! (muttering) You and your... are my prob... (scornfully) Why are you even talking to me? You have a new JIJU (mouthing it like a bad word) Talk to him.

Noor was taken aback. She had simply called Arshad JIJU in the heat of the moment and forgotten it. But it looked like Aditya had mulled over it all day long and maybe through the night. Noor felt terribly guilty. She remembered Aditya's dark mood all through lunch which she had blamed on Arshad and/or Clu.

But attack was the best form of defense.

Noor: Oh! That is all I am to you. Appitak pahunchneka zariya! Now that Appi has decided, I am of no use to you. I mean nothing to you. We are no more friends. I am...

Adi: Puuurrrrrrrrrrrfect! Spot on! Thank you! It was nice knowing you! Good bye! Ab tum apne raaste! Mein apne raaste! Tumko mera Tata-ByeBye!

Adi joined his hands with a loud clap and made to leave. Again Noor tried to catch him and Adi jumped back with hands raised and palms out.

Noor: I am not an (shouting angrily) untouchable!

Adi: I am! Okay! (again he made to leave)

Noor: (shouting after him) My Appi is not a trophy to be won in some contest!

Adi: (turned to her, all confused) What? Why are you even telling me that?

Noor: Oh! Then why do you play these games with Arshad using Appi?

Adi simply stared at her, held a hand to his forehead, opened his mouth to say something, then just shut up and made a gesture of you are impossible. And this time he turned and stormed away. Noor ran ahead and blocked his way.

Noor: I saw you, Arjun and your father guffawing away to glory at Arshad yesterday after the inauguration. Great-na! So smart you all are? 3 against 1.

Suddenly Noor stopped talking. She sounded like she had just defended Arshad. And she hated it. She wanted to wash her tongue with soap. Her face took a bitter ewwww look.

Adi just scowled at her and was quiet for long as if trying to keep his rising temper in check.

Adi: (voice all ice)
1 - we did no such thing. (emphasized with a slashing hand gesture)
2 - why would we laugh in a hospital.(emphasized by a why hand gesture)
3 - Even if we are guilty of 1 and 2, it is a free country. (flying hands gesture) We can do as we please.
(making a polite move aside gesture)Now if you will plea...

Noor: (angrily) I don't like anyone manipulating and playing with my simple Appi's feelings... using her like a... like a... a pawn... like some...

Adi: What!