What's her Mistake?- 46

We rushed to meet the oncologist’s assistant. Strangely his chamber was empty. The receptionist told that he went out on an urgent job.

This became more and more intriguing.

We checked the discharge papers. There was in inscrutable signature.

We were very worried.

Dammu said, “Young man! This is crazy. You get a call and you leave Nammu alone. As if waiting for that moment, someone has got Nammu discharged from the hospital. We will check with the nurse who was in the nurse’s station at that time”

We went to the nurse’s station. The nurse who had been on duty when we had gone out had left for the day. I called her on her mobile.

“Oh yes, I remember. Nammu Aunty. Sweet lady! She should have been in hospital for some more days. But he insisted that he wants to take her with him” she said.

Dammu was next to me straining to hear the words. She pulled the mobile from my hand and spoke to the nurse. “Sister, can you tell me who signed for her discharge summary?”

She heard the reply, thanked her and disconnected the phone. She looked at me and said, “Strange!”

“What Dammu?” I asked eagerly.

“She has been taken out of the hospital by her son!” Dammu had a faraway look in her eyes.

“What is strange Dammu? Nammu Aunty was always craving to be with her sons. So, she has been taken by him” I said.

“Young man! Think for a moment! She was not wanted by the sons when she was healthy. But why they want her when she is so sick?”

It was only after some time that I realized the meaning of her sentence. In fact, I was the only one who was talking to them. Come to think of it! All my communication was only with the third son. I immediately called his office. It went to the board which gave a standard message to call in the morning.

“It is nearing nine pm. So, let us wait till morning” Dammu said and decided to stay in the room in case they have a change of mind and bring back Nammu Aunty.

When we called Nammu Aunty’s third son’s office’s landline number we were in for a surprise. He was on leave from past week. He was to join after 2 days.

“Young man! Let us talk to the other two brothers also” said Dammu.

When we contacted the second son’s number, the reply was the same. He was not there from past 4 days. We were convinced that all the three brothers have joined hands and hatched a plot when the first son was also out of his office.

We could not get their respective wives on line because they were not listed in the telephone book. I thought what type of people are they? They do not even to have contact with the outside world. Or is it a ruse to be away from people and live behind closed doors?

“The Assistant oncologist! We will check with him!” I said remembering then. That guy had a funny smile. What’s it? Ah, a sly smile!

“Dammu! Some authorized personnel only could allow a discharge of a patient. Let us talk to him” I said and went to his room.

He was sitting entering some data into the computer. He started when he saw us. But still, he tried to put a brave face.

“Yes, I signed her discharge papers! What is the harm? She has not been kidnapped. It is her sons who have taken her out of here” he defended his action.

Then he called us to come near to him and whispered, “You know something? She is really at the end of her life. It is not known whether she will talk again. It is waste to keep her here. She better be with her sons during her last few days”