What's her mistake ? - 4

It was not known suddenly.

I was watching her for quite some time. She was becoming thinner and thinner. As such she was not a heavy lady. I was always thinking that due to the less food she was consuming, she was looking thin. But the cheek bones became very prominent.

I forced her to come with me to the general physician. She was not at all ready. “Sonny, I am not eating properly. That is why I am like this. Do you know? My stomach has become so full that I don’t get hungry” she laughingly said.

I could see the worry in the eyes of the doctor. He made her sit in the waiting room and called me inside.

“Does she have any children? Is she with them?” asked the doctor removing his glasses and polishing it with his handkerchief.

“She has 3 sons and a daughter” I told.

“But she looks as if she has not been fed well. Is she not with any one of them?” he asked with a serious tone.

“Doctor saab! She is alone here....” I started and gave a brief sketch her life story.

The doctor was aghast. “What the children are thinking? Do we get the mother back once we lose? Leave out the daughter. May be she is having some problem. You say the sons are all well-educated and are in good jobs?” he asked.

I found that his voice was rising and I shushed him. I did not want Nammu Aunty to hear the words.

“But why should we hide the disease details from the patient herself? It is a gross injustice. She has to know. There is an old saying that the family things should be secretive, but the disease should be known. But nowadays people are doing exactly the opposite. They fight so loudly that the whole world would come to know about the family’s secrets. On the other hand they hide the disease and suffer more!” I was surprised by the long speech of doctor.

I decided to tell Nammu Aunty.

Doctor had something more to say. “Look! I did not have a mother ever since I was born. To see a mother suffering alone is making me feel sick. ”He stopped to take a short breath and continued. “I know an oncologist in the Oncological Institute. He was my classmate from my high school days to MBBS. He will take special care of your Aunty” He sat down and scribbled a few lines in his prescription pad and handed over to me. “Here, take this. Take her to the Institute. The doctor will tell you what to do next”

I thanked him and left with Nammu Aunty.

“What has happened to me? You spent so much time with the doctor?” asked Nammu Aunty when we got settled in an auto.

“Aunty, you have cancer. Tongue cancer”

She was looking at me with a question on her face.

Did she not hear what I told? I wondered.

Then I realized that I had never uttered those words. The doctor’s words were ringing in my ears. I knew I had to tell her. But I found that my tongue had gone dry.

“I think he wants a second opinion Aunty. He asked me to take you to another doctor. I will take you tomorrow. What time is suitable for you?”

She smiled. What a beautiful smile! The whole bag of affection was being poured on me, I felt. I too, am a loner. I do not have a father or mother. Both of them are dead and gone long ago.

“My dear sonny, you are the one who has to go for work. You have applied leave today and come to take me to the doctor. So, you tell me when you want to take me?” she asked. I told a suitable time for which she agreed.

Her place was nearing.

I looked up the mobile number of the oncologist and told in very little words about what the general physician has told. I was hoping against hope that Nammu Aunty was not able to understand since I was speaking in English.

The auto stopped near her house. She got down the auto.

She just looked at me and went towards her house without a word.

At that moment, it struck me.

Nammu Aunty had learnt English from me a few months ago!!