A Valentine With A Difference

Shankar could not stop wringing his hands, sweating and praying to God. After what seemed like an eternity, the doctor finally entered the room and laid the biopsy report on the table.

“Shankar, be brave. Rhea has a tumor in her brain and if it is not operated upon it will become malignant”.

“Doctor, will I lose the love of my life?”

“If the operation is not done in the next two days yes”.

Shankar thanked the doctor and left his chamber.

The operation was scheduled at 6 a.m. the next day. After seven long hours, Dr. Gandhi came out of the operation theater looking exhausted.

“Shankar the tumor has been removed however we will have to keep Rhea in the ICU for a day and then she will be shifted to her room”.

Shankar did not speak a word and just grabbed the doctor’s hands with tears rolling down his eyes. The doors opened and he saw Rhea being wheeled out. She looked so fragile. His six-year-year-old daughter.

The doctor asked Shankar to follow him to the office. He removed his coat, took a sip of water and looked at the helpless father. He gently squeezed Shankar’s shoulders and made him sit. He smiled and said, “You have a very sweet daughter”.

“Yes, doctor. She is all I have ever since my wife Aarti died in an accident when she was only four years old. Thank you. You have saved my life”. The doctor nodded and said, “I can understand. Now go get some rest”.

The next day Rhea was shifted to her room. Shankar was with her all the time. Both of them were in a deep conversation. Dr, Gandhi knocked and said, “I hope I am not intruding”.

Both Shankar and Rhea smiled. The doctor asked, “How is the little princess now?” Rhea seemed excited and she was holding a photograph. She said, “I told daddy that mummy came last night and spoke with me. This is my mummy”. She turned the photograph and the doctor froze. Rhea’s mother was Dr. Suresh Gandhi’s ex-girlfriend. Dr. Gandhi had never imagined crossing paths with Aarti this manner. The vivacious and stubborn girl he had once loved was no more.

Flashback to ten years back and New Delhi. It was Valentine’s Day. Suresh Gandhi was leaving the next day for New York to pursue his medical studies. Everything happened suddenly. He received a scholarship from one of the best colleges in the US and he had to leave in a day. However, he could not go without telling his girlfriend Aarti. When he told her over the phone she was hysterical. Therefore, he decided to meet her and explain things. Moreover, it was Valentine ’s Day. He decided to take the short cut to reach early and spend more time with her.

He had almost reached his destination when he saw a motorcycle badly damaged and a young man lying in a pool of blood. It was a deserted patch and there was nobody around to help the man. Suresh Gandhi without thinking stopped his car and took the bleeding man to a nearby hospital. He was held up in the hospital because there were police medico-legal formalities to be completed. By the time everything was completed it was very late to go and meet his girlfriend. Suresh Gandhi decided to tell the truth. He called her on her mobile.

“Aarti, I am sorry I am held up in a hospital. I was on my way to meet you and saw a man badly injured. I got caught up and will explain things to you once I meet you”.

The voice on the other end sounded furious and unforgiving. “Everything seems to happen suddenly in your life nowadays. You need not come and need not explain anything. This is the end of our relationship”. And the line was dead.

Suresh Gandhi called up several times but Aarti had switched off her phone. She had an uncontrollable temper that often blinded all reasoning and practicality. Her temper was a vice that nearly broke their relationship twice. Had it not been for Suresh’s level-headedness and extreme love for Aarti they would have parted ways long ago. He wanted to meet her badly but the next morning he had an early flight and he had not finished packing. He just had a few hours left. He returned home and decided to call her from the US. After reaching the US Suresh tried contacting Aarti but she had changed her number. The years passed but Suresh did not forget Aarti.

A few days after Suresh left Aarti had brooded and sulked thinking him to be a callous wimp. If he had true feelings, he would have postponed his trip. As usual, Aarti’s anger had triumphed over her reasoning power. In the meantime, her parents had fixed her marriage with someone. She got married but could barely sustain her marriage. Again, it was her temper and unreasonable attitude that destroyed her marriage. She had met Shankar when she was going through a difficult phase in her life and life had given her a second chance to be happy. Shankar was aware of Aaarti’s weakness but he was mature and had been through life’s ups and downs several times. Shankar was totally smitten by Aarti and decided to cope with her weaknesses. Soon they got married and Rhea was born. When Rhea was four Aarti met with a car accident on the NOIDA expressway. She was in a coma for a week and passed away in her half-conscious state.

Rhea’s precocious laughter suddenly broke Dr. Gandhi’s reverie. Shankar noticed that Dr. Gandhi looked lost and asked, “Is everything ok?”

Dr. Gandhi intoned, “Yes”.

 

Shankar carried on, “I have been saved twice by God’s angels - one is you and the other is the doctor who drove me to a hospital 12 years ago when I was lying by the road after being hit by a truck in NOIDA.”

Suresh Gandhi could not believe his ears. Shankar was the same young man whom he had saved and in the bargain lost Aarti.

Dr. Gandhi went back to his chamber and sat down on his chair. As he pondered over the incidents of his life his eyes suddenly caught the date on the calendar. It was 14th February, Valentine’s Day. Suresh Gandhi’s eyes filled with tears and he whispered, “Aarti, I am happy that you settled down with a good man. I was sad and a bit guilty because I never got a chance to explain the events that took place and I wondered how you were coping. But you were blessed with a loving family. Today I am happy and relieved that I saved your little girl’s life. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day”