The Heartbeat.

 

        I want to start this story by saying 'Inspired by true events.' But every story is somehow inspired by some incidents we face in our life right?

    "Why did you have to take that case? Varu, you barely slept for the past few days. Dr. Varma was fully capable of handling the surgery. How could you throw out a scrubbed surgeon from the theatre? Was this case so important to you that you decided to ditch my routine checkup?".

    Varun looked at his wife's face, who was expecting in a few weeks. It was clear that she was angry and frustrated. He understood her concern. He thought of saying something but decided to swallow the words." Look, I have no strength left to talk to you right now. I haven't eaten since breakfast. Can you serve me something hot? I will tell you everything in the morning." 

    There was a reason he brought up the fact that he was hungry. His wife never argued or complained about anything when he was hungry. She always said that one should never argue when it's time to eat because everything we do in this life is for a morsel of food.

    "There is some batter left. I will make you some dosa. Eat it and go to sleep." 

    

     She stood up and went to the kitchen. Varun raised his head to the ceiling, closed his eyes, and drowned himself in a sea of thoughts. She shook his shoulder to bring him back. He opened his eyes to see golden brown dosa with some coconut chutney. He thanked his wife and started to eat it. She hugged him from behind and kissed his hair. He again lifted his face to see his wife's, which was as exhausted as his.

    "You don't need to explain anything to me, Varu. I believe in your actions. It's just that I  want you to know that you can't save all the souls on this planet. Good night". He could feel the concern in her voice. She was a sensitive lady. Caring. When he went to the room, he could hear her faint snoring. He tucked her in properly and slept next to her.

    Varun met Priya while doing his MD in general surgery at a reputed institute. By the time he specialized in cardiac surgery, she had already secured a well-paying job in a nearby hospital. Varun proposed to Priya in the hospital cafeteria. Well, they both knew that it was the most unromantic place one could fancy. Priya accepted it happily and was married in the next few months. She had told him once that her heart would always feel his presence, whatever the distance between them be. 

     But this is not the story of that heart but of another more precious to him.

    The next day Varun woke up a little late only to find the bed next to him empty. He saw his mother's photo on the opposite wall. Suddenly tears rolled down his cheeks. "I will do whatever I can to save her. To save you." He held himself together and went to brew coffee. She always loved his coffee. That had cleared so many differences between them. He kept two glasses on the table on the balcony, waiting for her. She had gone for a walk. She took her morning walk seriously. He started observing a few kids playing on the road. In the corner of his eyes, he could see her come and sit on the chair.

"I can't wait till our kid pesters us to play with him."

"Why were you following her?"

Varun startled. "Why was I following who?"

"Rohan told me everything. He was with you in the car when the accident happened.  He told me that she panicked and ran her car to a tree while taking a turn. Why was she terrified of you?"

"I will tell you everything. You know what happened to my mother right?"

"What has this accident to do with your mother? And yes, I know. She lost control of the scooter and fell. You were also there. You had a few scratches. But she was hit by a moving truck. She was declared brain dead in the hospital."

"After that?"

"After that, what? She would have died in the next few days."

"You are right. But there was this girl in the same hospital who was in need of a heart transplant. Fortunately, my mother's markers matched. They were a perfect pair of doner-receiver."

She looked confused. "Again, Why are you deviating?"

"She is the girl. I got her address recently. I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to hear my mother's heartbeat. So I had been following her for the past few days waiting for a perfect opportunity. There was no other intention."

His eyes were moist. She looked at him and felt sorry. She held his hand. Before she could say anything, his phone rang. It was the police. He had a brief conversation. He stood up.

"They want me in the station. I will join you for lunch." 

All he wanted to do was save her heart.

Photo by Robina Weermeijer on Unsplash