NIGHT SHIFT

While walking on the stairs leading to her room, Anannya giggled remembering how desperate Mr. Ray was this morning. She unlocked the door and entered her room and stood in front of the mirror. She blushed looking at her own reflection. She adjusted her hair tucking them behind her ears and swung left to right watching herself. She even cupped her breasts with her both palms and raised them thinking whether she was looking good enough or not when she was with Mr. Ray a few minutes back.

 

Earlier that morning after handing over her shift she announced caressing his forehead lovingly, "I should be going now, my sweet Mr. Ray and you should take rest."

 

"But I will miss you, and I wanted to tell you something and kiss you at least once in my life." Mr. Ray replied holding her hand tight.

 

"Now be a good boy, Mr. Ray. My duty is over and I will be back again tonight. I have a night shift. And guess what, there will be less work at night. I can be by your side and we can chit chat all night." Anannya tried to calm the patient down.

 

"Promise?" He asked as she smiled gently looking at his desperate face and nodded before walking away from his ward to change her uniform and go back to her PG.

 

Six months back, Mr. Ray was admitted to the hospital who was suffering from a chronic disease. But the saddest part was his family members had abandoned him and none of them comes to the hospital to see how he is keeping. The hospital authority has sympathy with him and allowed him to occupy a bed in a small room in the hospital. Mr. Ray always goes through severe pain for his disease but he was always very pleasant while talking with the nurses and doctors, whoever visits him. He never complains for anything. But one thing he has always sought and it was Anannya's presence around him. He keeps asking everyone about her when she was not on duty.

 

All the nurses and doctors tease Anannya about this and she blushes, feeling embarrassed in front of everyone. But in her heart, she knew that she has a soft corner for Mr. Ray as well. And she loves looking after him, feeding him his food, his medicines and giving him a sponge bath at times. Their bond was truly a very different one though it was not taken very seriously considering the condition of Mr. Ray.

 

Anannya undressed quickly. And walked naked in the room arranging all her stuffs thrown here and there. Yesterday evening, there were a couple of friends here and they had made a mess of her room. As she had duty last night, she could not arrange the room before leaving for hospital. Once she was done arranging, she went for a shower and kept wondering and wishing about Mr. Ray while letting the water trickle down her naked body, kissing her curves and contours. How she wishes him to get well soon; not because she has any plans regarding him but because she cares for him a lot. The very thought of how he wanted to kiss her this morning excited her. He kept wondering what he wanted to tell her... Will he propose her? She giggled again and blushed as she walked out of the shower letting the water droplets keep shining on her young bare body, enhancing her sensuality. 

 

She quickly wore a long T-Shirt without wearing anything else and entered the kitchen. She cooked something quickly and ate it right away as she was hungry and tired after the night shift. Afterward, she fell asleep as soon as her body touched the soft mattress of her bed dreaming about Mr. Ray. 

 

When Anannya woke up in the evening she got startled to see the time. It was 5 minutes to 6 PM. “Oh, fuck! How can I sleep so much like a sloth?”, she panicked she might get late for her night shift. She ran to the washroom to wash her face and get ready for duty. She got dressed in a red saree with matching cosmetics to add to the colour of love and sensuality. She stood in front of her mirror checking her well whether she looks presentable for the night, for Mr. Ray. All she wanted to surprise him and make him happy while remembering that he also has something to tell her. Anannya knows that she will anyway has to change into her nurse uniform in the hospital but at least for some time in the beginning she can dance around him in this saree as a normal girl other than a nurse. 

 

She hurried out of her apartment when the Cuckoo cooed announcing the time as 7:00 PM. It takes fifteen to twenty minutes for her to reach the hospital and she did reach as soon as possible. She quietly slipped through the emergency entrance where no one knows there. She took the stairs instead of the lift to avoid meeting any staffs known to her. She was panting climbing the stairs till she reached the 6th floor and walked quickly to Mr. Ray’s room which was in the far end of the corridor. She heaved a shy of relief for not stumbling upon any one surprisingly. 

 

She pushed the door open and entered Mr. Ray’s room and was startled to see him sitting on his bed. The night lamp created a different mood with its hue. “Good evening, Mr. Ray! How are you doing this evening? How’s your day today?” Anannya asked looking at him as she walked towards him flaunting what she was wearing. As a young modern woman, she knows about every pose and ways to flirt with a man. 

  

“My day was a bit painful today, Anannya as I was desperately waiting for you today. Thank goodness you are here and my waiting came to an end.” Mr. Ray replied with his right arm extended towards her. 

 

She held his hand as she stood in front of him and giggled, “Why you have kept this room so gloomy, should I switch on the light as I am already here, Mr. Ray?” 

 

“Ah, no, not at all. I can see, how beautiful you look this evening, don’t you think we are good in dim light?” He responded protesting to switch on the light.

 

“Okay, as you say, Mr. Ray. I assure you; I will do everything you want me to do for you. See, I dressed up exactly the way you wished for one day, you remember?” She kept on dancing with his tune.

 

“Oh, how can I forget my own words, Anannya. I remember it very well.” He said as he grabbed her by her waist and pulled her towards him.

 

“What are you doing, Mr. Ray? Looks, like you have gained a lot of strength this evening. Was there a miracle happened or what?” There was a fake sign of opposition reflected on her face though she kept giggling away while keeping her hands on his chest. 

 

“Yes, there was a miracle happened today and see, I am here ready, to fulfil my wish.” He replied as he tapped her nose with his fingers with a pleasant smile on his face. 

 

“Oh yeah, what was your wish? What did you want to tell me?” She asked excitedly though she could make out what it could be. 

 

“I have never been kissed by a woman and been never felt wanted by anyone. I want to feel it, at least once in my life. That was my wish for which I am waiting for so long and I just wanted to say that how much I love you, with all my heart.” He paused and seemed emotional. 

 

Looking at Anannya’s reddened face, he continued further, “Anannya! My beloved, you have always been so different than others. You never treated me as a sickly patient. You made me feel I have some worth as a man. I just wanted to express my love and gratitude for you.” 

 

She kept smiling observing Mr. Ray’s glowing face. He was looking so handsome and free… Free of everything, from every sickness and every bondage. She felt overwhelmed with emotions and cupped his face in her small palms. “You are the sweetest man ever I have met, Mr. Ray. You were never a patient for me, but a gem of a person who had gone through a lot of hardships.” She paused and looked down, feeling a bit emotional expressing herself. Then with a glowing smile she raised her head and said, “I acknowledge everything that you had to say and my feelings for you are the same. I have always wanted you, despite of our statuses. But don’t you think, you are forgetting something?”

 

“What??? What am I forgetting???” Mr. Ray asked excitedly.

 

She laughed wholeheartedly seeing him like that and whispered in his ears, “To kiss me, Mr. Ray.” She blushed as reminded him of his wish and kissed his lips. 

 

He smiled as he returned her kiss as passionately as possible. Their tongues and lips entwined like forever till Anannya heard the murmurs of other nurses and broke herself from him. 

 

“I will have to go and get into my uniform, Mr. Ray. I will be back later soon.” Anannya said as she hurried towards the door.

 

“Thank you, Anannya. Thank you for taking off the burden… I am… Listen to me…” Mr. Ray was saying something but Anannya disappeared quickly from that room and walked in the corridor towards the room where all the nurses change their dresses. There were other medical staffs and nurses were watching her in astonishment. But she just kept walking with her head down, blushing. 

 

“Where the hell were you, Anannya… What is this you’re wearing?” Suchitra literally screamed at her.

 

“I have something to tell you, my baby. I am so happy…” Anannya pulled Suchi inside the room by her hand as she was so excited and jubilant for things that happened a few minutes ago. She wanted to share everything with her bestie. But before she could explain any further and express her joy, Suchitra held her face and hugged her tight wrapping her arms around Anannya’s. 

 

“I tried your number a thousand times this morning. It was switched off. I desperately wanted to inform you, that Mr. Ray passed away just an hour after you left the hospital this morning, my baby. He was in so much pain… but he took your name before he died. I was on duty.” Suchitra was in tears as Anannya stood cold and stunned, watching her friend’s face as she continued. 

 

“He was waiting for you, my Baby, to tell you, how much he loved you. He went free and fulfilled after he met you and kissed you.” Suchitra added. 

 

Anannya could not cry or utter a word for the next few minutes. She shivered literally and felt the chill in her spine. She felt absolutely naked thinking about the time she spent in that room with the spirit of Mr. Ray, whom she respected, cared, and loved so much. She could not believe what Suchi just explained as she was trying to comfort holding Anannya tight in her embrace. But she just felt lifeless; she could not hear any words or feel any touch. Mr. Ray’s words kept on ringing in her ears. The images of his smiling and satisfied face flashed in front of her eyes as she sat dumbfounded and shocked. 

 

Anannya could not do her night shift that day, but her night shift was a memorable one for her, which relieved a man happy, satisfied and freed from all the agony of his life.