BENEATH THE MOUNTAIN: CHAPTER 6, ENCOUNTER..!

in continuation to BENEATH THE MOUNTAIN :CHAPTER 5, MORNING SICKNESS....

“SElvon-1, SElvon-2, SElvon-3 and so on upto 402. These are names of these robots.” Kavya pointed to a softcopy on her laptop. Dr Arora  played a 3-D model of human circulatory system on his laptop.

“we will inject them in this artery. It goes straight to lungs, to cancerous cells.” He pointed to an artery on left side of body. “it could be monitored from here.”

“I have already matched the frequency of robot signals and the receiver of screens . it could be varied if needed. I had Ashish arranging it for us. SElvon-394 had a problem with powering itself.But it won’t be causing a problem. Delvin will arrange for fixing it.I informed him as soon as I discovered it while testing them.” Explained Kavya. She was watching the Interior model of human circulatory system again. Though she had seen it many other times before, she wanted to be thorough. She was an engineer not doctor but her work required her to have a perfect knowledge of human body and its systems. This was the major reason why she worked with Dr Arora. She always believed that such a collaboration of medicine and technology could work wonders.

“Doctor, Patient has arrived.” Nurse informed doctor.

“I’ll be back in an hour. ” said doctor and left.

Kavya continued to see the moving model on screen, planning the path of robots in artery. Her cell on table vibrated.

Divya: ‘all the best!’

Kavya smiled to herself. She texted:

‘it starts tomrw’

She kept the cell back on table and as she did so, it again vibrated.

Divya: ‘for encounter wid d man.

              Stay calm!’

Kavya thought for a while.Encounter! like she was a robber. She texted back.

‘most probably,

I’ll be safe today. ;)’

His last words started replaying in her head: ‘do you mind being like old friends?’

His mother is here. He must be here too.Should she go and see his mother as well as him? No, she should not.Last time it was getting so hard for her to concentrate and she almost cried in front of him. She hoped he had not seen tears in her eyes last week.this thought had worried her for one whole night. Whatever happens, she will maintain her smooth front. She won’t face him until she is forced to.

Concentrate!

She opened her audio file sent by doctor Robertson from Germany. She put on her headphones and listened to his description of working of these robots fifth time. these robots could move with speed 80 metres per minute maximum. Thus there speed have to be kept in control.during charging, there speed have to be kept minimum or still if possible. They won’t adhere to blood vessel walls.

Arti entered the room. “ma’am, Doctor is calling you.”

Kavya took off her headphones. “me? Why?”

“Patient is very restless. Her pulse is very high. She is scared. Her husband , brother and son are trying to console her to no avail.she thinks this treatment is like chemo therapy . you know, hair loss, skin problem. Doctor wants you to assure her.” Explained Arti. Kavya stood up and moved towards the door.She already knew the ward where Patient will be kept. The ward had special arrangements, instruments and vedio screens.

Kavya entered the room. This ward was comparatively bigger, with a patient bed, instruments, tables, vedio screens all in right side of the room and a doctor’s table, monitors and almirah in left side of the room. It still seemed crowded. Patient was sitting on bed,a nurse arranging syringes in bedside drawer, a man sitting beside her bed on chair, doctor at doctor’s table, Ridhaan and his father were talking to him.

“here comes Kavya.”  Doctor said , relieved to see her.

Kavya wished everyone except doctor and nurse in the room. The lady in bed, Ridhaan’s mother was fragile, thin, had wheatish complexion and seemed very  worried. She moved towards the doctor. Doctor and other two men stood up.Ridhaan looked at her and her heart raced as well. She wondered whose heart beat was faster now, hers or patients.

“Kavya please get acquaintance with patient. It will be easier for you as well as her. She is quite anxious. Mr Vashisht please come with me.” Doctor said in a hurry and he hurried towards the door followed by Mr Vashisht. Ridhaan stayed.

Kavya approached the patient. Ridhaan moved with her. He moved beside her mother and made the introductions.

“this is my mother and this is my mamaji and mummy this is Doctor Kavya Bhardhwaj. She will be undertaking your treatment.”

Kavya smiled and nodded at both his mother and mamaji.

“Ridhaan you are with her? I’am coming in a minute. ” mamaji said and excused himself.

Kavya pulled a spare chair beside bed and sat while Ridhaan took the chair that his mamaji had occupied.

“how are you feeling aunty?” Kavya smiled at older woman.Ridhaan and his mother both were watching her. She recalled how she had dreamt of being this lady’s daughter-in-law in past.

“scared.will this get cured properly?” old lady expressed her fears. Kavya kept her hand on hers and said, “sure, no fears. You will get as fit as anybody. I have treated many patients. All of them are very fine. It will take some months and you will have to be strong throughout.”

“pain…” Kavya silenced her before old lady could even frame a sentence.

“nothing. Its not like old treatments. You will only feel a slight irritation at the diseased area and nothing else.” She tried to assure her. “and irritation from time to time only. Nothing to get scared about! And rest whole time , you will be like any other person , you will be able to eat almost everything, exceptions are there.” She smiled again. She tried to avoid eye contact with Ridhaan.

“I’ll be here, staying with you most of the time, except mornings.from now on if you face any trouble or any worry related to anything, just tell me. Ok?”

Old lady smiled.

“here, when I won’t be here, my maid Arti will be here in mornings.” Kavya then turned to Ridhaan, “who will be staying with her at nights?”

“I will be staying with her for a week. After that either me or my sister.” He said.

“that’s good.” Kavya stated and then turned to his mother. “from tomorrow, proper treatment will start. You will have to stay healthy and get all nutrition. ok?”

Old lady nodded. Kavya smiled and then stood up.

“don’t worry and just try to stay calm. Your increased pulse rate might cause troubles in treatment. Just think that nothing is happening.i’ll visit you after an hour now.take care.” She smiled and began to leave. Ridhaan also stood up and escorted her to the door.

“Kavya”

Surprised she turned to face him.

“may I have your number? Since you are treating my mother, we should have it, in case of an emergency.” He said simply. He took out his cell from his pocket.

“ya, and please make sure who so ever stays with patient at night has it.” She said and then gave him her number. He saved it in his cell.

“thank you” he smiled, displaying his happydent white teeth that Kavya had thought of as ‘pearl like’ many years back.

“mention not.” She smiled back and then turned to leave.

TO BE CONTINUED................