Choti Sardarni: A Different Perspective (Chapter 4)

Meeting Again II

“Click”. Sarab clicked a button on his watch and set the timer, 30 minutes. Today Sarab wanted to see how strong his love was, today he was going to test himself and see if the women he longed for so long, the women he loves more than himself, the women without whom his world is incomplete, without whom he’s incomplete, if he can find her in the next 30 minutes. Sarab knew that while all the hospitals doctors, nurses and receptionists were out there looking he couldn’t rely on anyone else, he would have to find his Meherji himself. Sarab ran outside the meeting room and pressed at the elevators button, seeing the elevator was still 2 floors above him, Sarab turned and made a run towards the staircase refusing to waste a single second. Skipping every other staircase step Sarab ran on his way down to the floor above the parking garage. Sarab didnt know if it was his high heartbeat, his stress or simply the running but suddenly his suit jacket felt very suffocating. Sarab had neglected himself for so long that his health started catching up to him, he felt winded after running for just a few minutes. His lack of healthy eating and sleep over the past month or so now showed their effects. “Not now Sarab” Sarab told himself as he removed his jacket and threw it aside, “now is not the time to feel tired or sick”. Continuing his run, Sarab opened the stair case door turned the corner and slammed open the dispatch room. This was the room where the hospitals and the ambulance service Sarab and Meher had started ran from. This is where the ambulance routes were given along with a precise monitoring system. Every patient or any emergency that needed an ambulance was called in here and the operators would dispatch an ambulance closest to their location. Sarab knew that typical hospital discharge tests did not take that long, if Fateh and Tejo were waiting outside his meeting room for around an hour and Meherji had been transferred to a clinic before they arrived then her tests must have been done and she should already be on her way back from the clinic, hence Sarab decided to focus on the ambulances. Rolling up his sleeves he walked over to the shocked operators, “I need your computer and your help NOW! he said loudly. The operators had never seen anyone storm in like that but they knew who Sarab was and the last thing they were going to do is argue with him. They moved aside and Sarab sat down, “I need a list of everyone who has been transferred from this hospital to one of our clinics this morning” he began slowly but seriously. The computer gathered a long list, 112 selected, Sarab glanced through and saw that it included transfers from early as 6 AM “Select transfers from the past three hours” he continued, the list got shorter, 26 selected. “Now select only the transfers who went for discharge tests”, the list grew shorter, 8 selected. “Now select only the females” the operator looked at Sarab confused, “I said select only the females” Sarab said again this time anger clearly building up in his eyes. The operator followed after a quick apology. The list got shorter, 3 selected. Sarab eyed the three remaining transfers on the computer and he quickly took over and clicked at the first, it was some female in her 60s, “no” Sarab thought, he quickly clicked on the second one and saw it was a young girl in her teens, “not this one either”, Sarab closed his eyes and quickly said a quick prayer to his god to help him and prayed for the last one on the computer to please be his Meherji. With shaking hands and a heartbeat that could beat Usain Bolt, Sarab clicked on the last transfer, it was a female in her late twenties. “Meherji” Sarab said quietly, it was barely a whisper but he said it so lovingly that it caused even the operators to look at Sarab, they didn’t know what was so special about the screen. They looked at the computer to see if it was anything different than what they normally see everyday but it was the same, the same plain white screen with small ant sized writing, there was a description of the patient and the procedure they were having and information about the pick up and drop off. They looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders equally confused at what was going on, unaware of what the owner had found on this screen. They continued to look at Sarab as he stared at the screen like it was made of gold or as if it had just told him the location of some precious treasure, they wondered if the man who stormed in with his death stare was the same man who now touched the computer screen and smiled from ear to ear. Sarab looked at the computer screen as if it had just leased him a new life, he touched Meher’s description and quickly got back to work. He saw that the ambulance had left the health clinic, and under the live route update saw that it was on the highway near the hospital, he also saw the red line highlighting the route, indicating that there was a traffic jam on the highway. Quickly jumping to his feet Sarab picked up the telephone near the computer and called his cellphone, picking up his cellphone he looked at the operator, this time he spoke a bit more softly “This is my wife that I have been looking for for several weeks, I am going to stay on the line while I go to her, you will keep me updated with every second of this ambulance’s movement, if it moves an inch, I want to know, if it stops, I want to know, if it turns, I want to know, hell if it moves a centimeter..” Sarab paused looking at the operators “you want to know” they finished together, the serious death stare was back in Sarab’s eyes and the last thing the operators wanted to do is argue with him, “good” Sarab finished as he turned on his heels and ran back up the staircase. The operators quickly got to work monitoring the ambulances movement, they tried calling the ambulance but due to maybe a high traffic network issue, the call did not go through.

Running up the stairs, Sarab glanced at his watch, he still had 23 minutes. He knew he had found his Meherji, but he would not stop till he saw her, his heart told him the computer was correct and that this had to be her, but Sarab would take no risks, he didnt want to slow down, he didnt want to stop his momentum. Even as Sahil came running beside him, Sarab didnt slow down, he cut everyone in front of him and ran outside the hospital. With Sahil following suite “Sir Meher ma’am was taken to..” “I know” Sarab cut him off, “her ambulance is on the highway in the traffic jam right now.” “Sir do you want me to get your car” asked Sahil slowly running out of breath? “No I don’t have time for that, to get to the highway in our car we’ll have to drive around and use the ramp, and how will we drive in the traffic” continued Sarab as he ran, almost tripping over a bottle on the road. “Careful sir” said Sahil, “I don’t have time to be careful Sahil, I need to get to the highway now” continued Sarab running out of breath himself. With sweat running down his forehead, his turban was also slightly wet, Sarab removed his suit vest and threw it in the air as he continued to run. His heart beat so fast he didnt think it could beat any faster, his lungs heaved so loudly Sarab didnt think they could hold any more air. Every breath Sarab took burned, he had saliva building up in his mouth which tasted like blood and every breath caused him to break into a cough. His feet ached and his calfs killed, the last and only other time Sarab ran like this was also for Meherji, when she was in the hospital and they needed a medicine from another hospital. History repeated itself and Sarab prayed that like last time he would see his Meherji again, safe and sound.

With the scorching sun beating down on Sarab, Sarab continued to run, he didnt see Sahil beside him anymore but up ahead he could see the highway and the line of cars moving slowly on it. Sarab’s head spinned and eyes got blurry, his body felt like it would pass out if he didn’t stop, but he felt that he would lose his Meherji if he did and so Sarab continued to run, running across traffic now Sarab took a quick turn so he could run up the hill and catch the highway in the middle, lost in his own world Sarab didnt see the oncoming bike as he turned and the bike hit him on the side, causing Sarab to land square on his left shoulder. Getting up he looked around to see if someone from the bike was hurt but he saw two guys stunned from what just happened, putting out his hand he motioned to the guys that he was fine and continued to run. Every step Sarab took killed, every breath hurt, he didnt focus on anyone of that he looked at his watch and saw 8 minutes. Sarab eyed the hill and began climbing it like it was made of lava, as soon as his one foot touched the ground the other took off, as if going any slower would burn him. What burned Sarab was being away from his Meherji for so long and so now he would let no-one or nothing come in his way or hold him from seeing his Meherji any longer. Climbing up the hill, Sarab grabbed the concrete ledge with his left hand and flung his legs as he crossed over it onto the highway. Sarab checked with the operators on his phone who told him that the ambulance had barely moved a couple meters. The running made Sarab’s ears ring and his eyes blurry, all he saw was an ocean of cars, bikes and trucks in front of him. Sarab quickly climbed on top of a car and searched for the ambulance. Admist the ocean of cars who now honked and beeped at him Sarab continued to search for the ambulance, Sarab ignored the people waving at him and out of the corner of his eyes he saw red light bulbs. He only managed to get a glimpse of the bulbs but he knew that they must be from the ambulance, he jumped from the car he was standing on, onto the car behind him and worked his way towards the back of the traffic, climbing the hill he was able to catch the traffic from the middle, now he had to work his way back to where the ambulance stood. Sarab continued to work his way towards the back of the traffic and finally jumping off the last car Sarab saw the ambulance. Breathing heavily and coughing Sarab quickly walked over and slammed his hand against the ambulance’s driver side door trying to get his breath he yelled at the driver inside to open the car locks. Even in his sweaty, disheveled form, Sarab’s towering, muscular form could be recognized from far away, Sarab’s slightly wet turban and his light eyes was a trademark no-one in Punjab could miss. The driver knew exactly who Sarab was and he asked no questions. With his feet and shoulder aching Sarab slowly walked around the ambulance, he waited trying to stand still but Sarab kept moving from one leg to another to balance the pain he felt in his legs. Sarab’s eyes hurt from the running but he kept them glued to the door, his throat hurt and his lungs threatened to give way as Sarab tried to catch his breath.

The door to the ambulance slowly opened, Sarab could swear it took forever, the door finally after what seemed like an eternity opened to reveal what was inside. Sarab felt his breath stop, his lungs no longer complained, his throat no longer burned, his feet and calfs seemed to have got a new energy, Sarab felt like he stood on top of the world, Sarab didnt hear the honking and beeping anymore, Sarab didnt see the waving hands anymore, his eyes didnt seem blurry anymore. Sarab felt like a fish who after being out of water for eternity had finally been let back into the water, Sarab felt like the river who after crossing several states had become one with the ocean again, Sarab felt like the drop of rain who after leaving the clouds dropped god knows how far down to become a part of a lake again. Sarab no longer felt any pain, Sarab was alive again, after walking like a dead for so long, Sarab felt like living again. Sarab’s ears didn’t ring anymore, amidst the chaos of the traffic he didn’t hear anyone anymore, “Beep, Beep, Beep” Sarab’s watch rang, indicating his 30 minutes were over, but Sarab didn’t hear his watch, he didn’t hear the operators on his phone asking him what to do, Sarab didn’t hear Sahil walk quickly behind him asking him if he’s okay, Sarab didn’t hear anyone or anything anymore.

All Sarab’s ears heard now was “Sarabjitji”!

Sarab looked and in front of him sitting in the ambulance was his Meherji. Sarab had just received a new life line but he couldn’t move. Sarab stood still, frozen like a statue. He saw his Meherji say his name through her tears which spilled out of her eyes, her beautiful eyes. Sarab stood still as he saw his Meherji get up and take a step uneasily out of the ambulance. As her foot was about to touch the ambulance’s step, she missed causing her to lose her balance. Right as she was about to fall Sarab was immediately out of his frozen state and in the blink of an eye stepped up and grabbed Meher before she fell. “Nine” said Meher slowly while smiling as Sarab held her. “This is the ninth time you held me and stopped me from falling” she said. Hearing the words leave her mouth and finding his Meherji so close to him, Sarab defensively pulled her close, Sarab pulled Meher to him and held her like his life depended on it. Meher felt his strong arms close in around her waist and back and as she put her head on Sarab’s shoulder she felt at peace after so long. She was still tired and felt weak but Sarab’s strong pull made her feel complete, this is where she felt at most peace, this is where she felt the most safe, while normally such strength might hurt, Meher loved when Sarab held her this close with this strength, they were two pieces to a puzzle and together like this they both felt whole, both felt complete. Sarab held Meher and sunk his head down to the side of her neck, and at that moment like a concrete statue had collapsed, Sarab broke down. Sarab cried like he hadn’t cried in years, all his feelings and emotions he suppressed for the past weeks came rushing over him. All the times people tried to tell him his Meherji was dead or she was no more, all the times his sister and others tried convincing him to marry again, all the times his kids asked about their mother and he had no answer. All his emotions surged and he released them with the only person he could, his love, his life, his Meherji and Sarab cried. She was the only one who understood him, and she was the only person Sarab confided in. After a long pause, Sarab felt her hair moving across his face, sticking to his tears, Sarab breathed her in, he felt the smoothness of her neck and placed his face on her shoulder releasing the remaining tears he had. Neither of them said a word, they did’nt need to. Holding each other, they both knew how the other felt without having to hear a word. Sarab could breathe now, he felt blood rushing back to his heart, he felt air gushing back to his lungs, his feet no longer hurt. As Sarab slowly regained his posture he stood up and saw Meher’s tear streaked face, he smiled as he wiped her tears with his hands and held her face.  Meher smiled as Sarab kissed her forehead and hugged him again. Lost in their own world, both Meher and Sarab had missed the whistles and claps from their audience in the traffic jam, now cars honked and beeped to celebrate their meeting. Sahil smiled with teary eyes as he saw his boss smile for the first time in weeks, he had only seen a photo of Meher ma’am but seeing her in person, Sahil now knew why Sarab sir loved her so much. They completed each other, even now while Sarab held and supported Meher physically, it was Meher who was Sarab’s anchor, she was the one who supported Sarab emotionally. Seeing them together Sahil prayed and thanked god for giving his boss and their kids their wife and mother back, he thanked god for completing a family again. As Meher and Sarab had their moment together, Sahil quickly got to work clearing the traffic and getting both Meher and Sarab back home to rest, they had a lot of catching up to do and they both needed to get rest.