Treat You Better

Chapter 27

Dr.Rekha sat on one of the steel benches placed outside the ICU. She was still dressed in her previous day's attire. Her eyes were red rimmed and her face was streaked by her tears.
Last night, she was helping her children with their homework when the phone rang. It was from the hospital's emergency ward. They had wanted to know if Raghu was her brother. When she responded in affirmation, they had asked her come down to the hospital as soon as possible without divulging any further information.
She had rushed to the hospital with her husband and children in tow. During the course of their ride to the hospital, all Rekha prayed for was that her brother to be fine. Upon reaching the hospital emergency room, the place was swarming with uniformed and non uniformed policemen. She pushed through the crowd to find some one familiar to know what was going on.
ACP Sateesh had seen Raghu's sister and her family walking around like lost chickens. He walked towards her just as she was seeking assistance from a nurse.
'Don't bother. I will take her to Raghu.', Sateesh said dismissing the nurse and turned to Rekha,' This way please.', he said warily while guiding Rekha towards the ICU.
No one was being allowed to enter the Intensive Care Unit. Rekha begged and pleaded with the doctors-in-charge, to let her in. But they had to follow the rules.
'Dr.Rekha, don't make it difficult for us. You know what the protocol is, don't you?, The Doctor attending to Raghu told Rekha.
'I know. But it is my brother lying there inside fighting for his life', she said falling into a nearby chair defeated.
'We know and we are helping him as much as we can. Pray for a miracle and Hang in tight, Rekha.', the elderly doctor said rubbing her back, trying to calm her down.
It has been more than 15 hours since she had been waiting to see her little brother. She couldn't afford to lose her brother too. He had stood by her like a rock after their parents had passed. He had taken on twice the responsibility any boy his age would take upon and that had made him mature fast and seem hard on the exterior. Inside, he was still a lost young boy and Rekha knew that.
She had recently come to know about Radhika's and Raghu's separation. She was disappointed but she was also alarmed to see Raghu in such a state of disorientation. She understood he didn't really want to let go of Radhika.
When Radhika had called her earlier in the evening and promised her that she would come to the hospital, she was relieved to know that Radhika still cared about Raghu.
Her husband, Arun, walked in with flask of tea from the canteen. He couldn't stand to see his bold and confident wife lose hope so easily.
He went and sat next to her. 'Go home and rest for a bit. I will be here.'
'No. What if he wakes up?', Rekha said apprehensively.
'Then I will call you.'
'No. It is fine. I want to be here when he wakes up.', Rekha said with finality in her tone that Arun didn't argue anymore.

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Radhika had arrived at the hospital in a cab. She was soon walking towards the ICU where Raghu was being treated after a kind nurse showed her the way. Radhika was nervous . She couldn't stomach the fact that Raghu was fighting for his life. They didn't have the most romantic of relationships, but Radhika couldn't deny that there were small moments in their life,  when Raghu had truly cared for her. But then he had also hurt her, she reminded herself when she started feeling teary eyed about his situation.
She saw Arun, Rekha's husband, sitting outside the ICU, reading a newspaper. She walked towards him hesitantly. He and Radhika have not spoken more than ten words during the entire they have known each other and Radhika was not sure he would recognise her. She cleared her throat and Arun looked up. He gave her a smile of recognition.
'Rekha had said, you would come. Did you come alone?', he asked, concern etched all over his face.
Radhika nodded.
'That was highly irresponsible of you. Travelling alone for two hours, that too in your condition. You should have told us, I would have come to pick you up.', Arun admonished her. Radhika was embarrassed. He was worried about her like she was his sister and here she was worried he wouldn't recognise her.
'Sorry. I didn't want to bother any of you. I know how tensed you people must be.', She said apologetically.
Arun sighed. 'Yes, we were tensed and you must be too. Thankfully, Raghu opened his eyes a few minutes ago. Rekha is with him now and I am sure he would want to see you next.' 
The door to the ICU opened and Rekha walked out with tears in her eyes. 'He looks terrible. But they say he is going to be alright.', she tells Arun, clutching his arm. She saw a very lost Radhika standing in a corner with her rounded belly very prominent and quickly pulled her into a hug.
'You must go see him. He would love to see you.', she said encouraging Radhika with a few days in her head. Radhika nodded and walked into the ICU summoning all of her courage but what she saw made her gasp.
A very scrawny looking Raghu was lying on the white bed with his head and limbs bandaged. His frail body was hooked to different life support machines.
Tears started falling out of her eyes and soon she was sobbing clutching his right palm.
'Radhika?', she heard a raspy voice utter her name. He had opened his eyes and was blinking furiously.
She looked at Raghu's mauled face in stupefication as he slowly caught her hand and said,
'Please don't leave me again.'