Preparing to Leave

He tucked in the pleats of her saree again, like every day of the last few weeks. He had learnt to fold them properly now, and to make sure her pallu was taken properly in place. Even today, as they were leaving to get her admitted to the hospital again because her condition was getting out of control; he insisted on making her ready. On any other day, the whole episode would have been romantic for them, but today it was just filled with emptiness.

She looked up at him as he silently draped the rest on her properly, then walked her to a stool in front of the mirror. Grabbing the comb, he carefully ran it through her long, black hair; parting it into three tresses. Then, braiding her hair in concentration, he put a rubber at the loose end while she kept looking at him in the mirror.

He pushed the braid in front onto her right shoulder and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

"Ohh..." He remembered and reached out for a box of Kumkum(vermillion powder).

Dipping his finger in it, he carefully made a Red dot on her forehead and put on a line of it through the parting of her hair.

"There... Done now."

She looked down. "Am I... really leaving?" she asked him as her words slurred while speaking now.

He went down on his knees in front of her, taking both her hands in his. "Sindhu, we will be back home from the hospital. Both you and me."

She frowned."Mitter babu..."

"Yes?"

"If anything happens... Promise me you'll take care of yourself..."

"Sindhu!" He sounded more sad than angry.

"No... Promise me... I know how you are. You'll look after the world but ignore yourself!"

"Sindhu but you're here to take care of me; and, you'll always be there."

"I won't." She said calmly. "That's why I'm asking you."

Locking gaze with hers, he suddenly asked in a little voice, "Will you stay to take care of me if I remain careless?"

"I can't." She whispered sadly.

It was his turn to look downwards now.

She held his face with her unsteady hands and turned his face up again."You have to be strong, Mitter babu."

"I can't. I'm not strong enough for this, Rosogolla..." His eyes glistened.

"You are. You're the strongest man I know."

He let out a deep sigh. "No... I really can't do this anymore..." His voice cracked now and he put his head on her lap while she caressed his hair.

"It's okay...." She whispered to him as he lay still in her lap, a tear running down the corner of each of his eye.

That was when Srinath called from outside the closed door, telling that the taxi to hospital had come.

He immediately pulled himself together again standing up, wiping his face. She stood up unsteadily too and smiled looking at him."See? My strong husband. He can wipe his own tears and get up again."

He only broke into another tear at this, hugging her tight."I love you Sindhu... I love you so much..." He mumbled into her hair.

"I love you too, Mitter babu... I will always love you..."

"Why are you leaving me then?"

"I'm not... I'm never leaving you..."She broke away from the hug and pressed her lips to his forehead tenderly. "I'll be right here in your Mogojastro. And I'll be right here, in your hands when you work to make a better world. And I'll be right here, in your bright eyes. And I'll be right here, in your smallest smile. And I'll be right here..." She put a hand on his chest, right upon the heart. "I'll be right here... Being the polygon inside this huge star called Felu Mitter. I'm always here. Hm?"

He sighed and composed again as she wiped his face.

"That's my husband now." She said proudly, cupping his face.

He placed his hand on hers, looking into her eyes. "Wherever this ends us, I'm not leaving your side Sindhuja."

"I know."

Srinath called out to them again.