(G)ayatri On The Scene

(G)ayatri on the scene

Varun had never got on well with Anandi’s sister Gayatri. Gayatri was the CEO of a software firm in Delhi. She considered Varun a gold digger and had done everything within her power to stop Anandi from marrying him. Even before Varun had entered Anandi’s life, Gayatri was very angry with Anandi for having joined the film world. She considered it a nasty place full of sharks who mainly wanted sexual favours in exchange for roles.

Varun on the other hand knew for a fact that Anandi had steered clear of all such people. Though it was difficult for outsiders to believe, she had secured her breaks in the movies entirely because of her beauty and excellent acting skills. Varun for his part disliked Gayatri intensely but he realized he would have to phone her and let her know how things stood.

He had Gayatri’s number in his phone book and that evening he phoned her. After three or four rings she picked up the phone and a stentorian voice came from the other end, ‘Hello, Gayatri speaking. Who is this?’

Varun gritted his teeth and said, ‘This is Varun. I am in Goa. Anandi has been taken ill. I have admitted her to the Damodar hospital near Calangute beach. Do come here immediately.’

There was silence from the other end. Gayatri finally said, ‘What is the problem with her?’

‘I can’t tell you over the phone.’ Varun replied. ‘It is too complicated. She is in a bad way. Please do come here as quickly as you can.’

Gayatri suddenly shouted at him from the other end. ‘You son of a bitch. I… I should have somehow stopped her from marrying you. I always thought something terrible would happen to her if she married you.’

Varun gritted his teeth and controlled his rising anger and said as calmly as he could. ‘Listen to me Gayatri. This is not the time for a blame game. For Anandi’s sake we should stand together, at least now and put up a joint front. She has not yet been diagnosed. If you have even an iota of affection for your younger sister, I suggest you catch the next flight from Delhi and come here. I am not going to say anything more than that.’

Varun cut the line, put the phone back on its cradle, and walked to Anandi’s room. Her face had been bandaged again after proper washing and application of a soothing ointment. The doctors had examined her face after she had fainted. The nurse had got a sample of the yellow fluid that filled the pustules on her face. Varun sat on the chair that had been placed next to her bed.

After some time Anandi woke up. But she was in very poor spirits. She looked at Varun and said pathetically, ‘What is happening to me Varun? What I saw in that mirror terrified me. What am I suffering from?’

Varun took both her hands in his and gently kissed them. He said earnestly, ‘Don’t worry Anandi. You will get cured and you will act again. But above all other things, I want you to remember that whatever happens, you have me. I will never leave you. Till death do us part, darling.’ Anandi closed her eyes drowsily. She slipped into a troubled slumber again.

Gayatri arrived at 11.30 PM that night. She came straight to the hospital from the airport. She met Varun in the small attender’s room he had been allotted. Gayatri wanted to see Anandi immediately. Varun conveyed the request to the nurses. He was told that it would be possible to see Anandi only in the morning. Gayatri was disappointed but there was nothing they could do about it.

Varun had booked a room for Gayatri in a hotel close by and he escorted her there. He spent fifteen minutes explaining what exactly had transpired during the past two days and Gayatri listened stupefied. Finally, Varun said, ‘We have managed to keep it out of the newspapers till now, but sooner or later they are bound to get wind of this.’

Gayatri nodded. She seemed quite incapable of saying anything. Finally, Varun finally took leave of Gayatri. He went back to the hospital and entered his room. He flopped down on the bed and tried to sleep. But he simply could not sleep. Finally, after nearly two hours of tossing and turning, he slipped into a mild slumber in which he saw Anandi’s face packed with yellow-coloured pustules… The pustules were slowly bursting one by one…

                                                                                             To Be Continued...

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