The hickey acquaintance-part 4

It's not always the sunshine day

The disastrous calamity befalls too...

It's the birthday of Piku...

Where she only wished to bid adieu...

Adieu to the world, forever.

Dabbu landed in Kolkata on the 16th of the last month. The city was decked up with the pre-Christmas vibes everywhere...so many people, so many colours, so much joy...breaming from every nook and corner.

Dabbu again tried calling Piku's number. After a few rings, Piku picked the call. A very enthusiastic Dabbu from the other end said, ' Where are you Piku? I tried calling your number so many times! Why didn't you ever receive my calls? '

On the other side, a very feeble voice answered, ' So you finally are in my city!'

The weak voice somehow sounded too broken, very feeble, as if talking on the call was taking a huge toll on her head.

She then slowly kept off the phone.

Dabbu felt very uncomfortable. This is just not Piku, it just cannot be!!! She was like a cyclone, so vibrant, a complete chatterbox!!!

Dabbu through his Google navigation, found Piku is located somewhere in some hospital. Without a single thought, Dabbu rushed there in an Uber where the hospital location showed in the Google map. He rushed to the reception and asked if any patient named Piku is admitted in the hospital. The nurse cum receptionist took Dabbu's details and told him Piku has been in the hospital for almost a month now, she is battling with cancer and is in the last stage. She refused going for chemotherapy at all,and never allowed any visitors including her father Major Dutta to pay her a visit... never really talks at all to the nurses or doctors who attended her either. 

Dabbu got a bolt from the blue this time.He felt cheated, "Piku used to tell me just anything under the sun for hours together, and never for once did she reveal to Dabbu she is in the last stage of cancer, and hardly has just few more days at hand to live.

Dabbu entered Piku's cabin, saw a nurse attending her, changing the saline pipes. Piku seemed like a lifeless dead carcass ....very very thin, too pale...breathing heavily at intervals. 

Dabbu couldn't really see that sight any more.It was he who gave her cold shoulder treatment, on off vibes, ghosted her for months suddenly.Something was now burning within Dabbu, no not any guilt or shame , but the unconditional pure love the girl had for him which he not for a single day acknowledged. 

It was the 17th of December. Piku's conditions started deteriorating even more with the respiratory tract infection she had.Dabbu said just not a word, but kept sitting at a corner of the private cabin where Piku is admitted.Very feebly Piku whispered, 'Take care Subu, possibly this will be my last birthday on Earth.' Piku was turning forty next day itself. The Ruby Jubilee as they say. It has to be very special, and special indeed it was for Piku. Finally the Universe conspired to fulfill her wishes.Piku never at all received the unconditional love from anyone she might have imagined to be close to her.Those who had said they want Piku, actually wanted to take her to their beds, rest who claimed to have loved Piku, never at all touched her!

Dabbu never for once could understand it was only his love and care that Piku longed for as her soulmate! 

Piku was too naive to understand that the world is not a bed full of roses.

2.40am, 18th of December....Major Dutta, Piku's father, was informed from the hospital to immediately come. Major Dutta was stern, though inside he was breaking to bones.Dabbu had bought a bouquet of red roses and a velvet cake to do a lil birthday celebration of Piku late night.

Dabbu was dumbstruck. The red roses instead of being a gift of love on Piku's birthday, is now being offered on her lifeless carcass.

Dabbu had no words that day, neither did he know how to console Mr. Dutta either.

Some love stories never have any ending..

It was one of a kind ...the eternal peace was what Piku always craved, because her life was an extremely turbulent, loveless existence. 

Today we don't know where Piku is, all we know is Universe finally granted her the eternal peace of a lifetime on her fortieth birthday.

Now Piku might be happy wherever she is....far far away from anyone, peace must be surrounding her everywhere...the journey of two soulmates finally ended.... gifting one with eternal peace, the other one with eternal freedom so he can live his life happily with his wife, other dates and so on......