Who Are You?

"Ashi!!

Wake up. See it's me, Puneet. I know I am bit early today, sorry to disturb you while sleeping."

"Just two more minutes na."

Puneet was waiting for her to wake up. He had brought her favourite Masala Dosa. 

When she woke up, she screamed. Everyone got scared including Puneet. They asked her what happened. She asked them who is he? They asked who is she talking about. She pointed a finger. Everyone looks towards that side. It was none other than Puneet. A tear dropped on Puneet's cheek. He again introduced himself to Ashi.

Ashi hesitantly handshakes with him. Puneet assured her that she could trust him. When he shows her, Masala Dosa, she jumped off the bed and hugged him. Puneet was longing for that hug from such a long time. He didn't expect it to be fulfilled this way. He had controlled his tears, very hard. She immediately opens it and tasted it. She became a bit frank with him. She appreciated the chef. She didn't know it was Puneet himself. Puneet accepted that praise on behalf of that chef.

She had a lengthy list of tasks and talks for him. Once she started, it would be difficult to make her silent. She was like going on and on...

 Well, Puneet also shared some of the things with her. It was time for him to say goodbye. While Puneet was leaving, Ashi called him," Will you come tomorrow?"

 Puneet nodded a yes. While he was leaving the doctor called him and gave him the reports. 

"What's written in the reports doctor ?"

"I am sorry, Mr. Puneet. She is not showing any improvement. We are having the best staff here, to take care of her. I am sorry but...."

" But ...What ?"

" We are left with only one option... That's you know."

"Why are you saying like this... She is showing improvement, I know. You know what happened today, while I was leaving, she called me back and asked me to come tomorrow.....She is improving. Still, 2 weeks are left, let me try once more. She behaved well with me, I am sure, she would recall, everything, including me. 

Next day, he visited her again. But she again asked him, "who are you ?"

This time the doctor was also present there. The doctor left seeing his disappointed face. Puneet felt like a loser. Again the introduction, breakfast, playing, small talks, tea breaks, etc. Everything happened the same way, again. Puneet left saying goodbye to her.

Puneet was feeling helpless, her mother called him and asked about her health.

 Puneet lied. "You know what maa, she is improving, yesterday she asked me to come again."

"Really."

"Yes mom, we still have two weeks."

"Yes."

There were sobbing on both sides. Puneet was having tears because he lied. Her mother was having tears because a ray of hope shines inside her. 

Next day, Puneet gave her a camera and notebook. He clicked both of their photographs and write about himself in the dairy. He asked her to remember it whenever she was going to meet him. Puneet had written so much on the notebook. He was very well aware that she was fond of reading books, and he used it here. He was right, Ashi started reading that book. She was literally treating everything as fiction. Every day, he gave her something to learn. Days became more beautiful. She was interested in whatever he was telling her. Soon, two weeks passed. It was the last day when the doctor called Puneet. He showed him the reports. Puneet was sure that it will be positive this time, but to his dismay, reports shown a negative result. Puneet was broken. The doctor asked him to sign the consent form. Puneet asked for a day.

He came home and cried inconsolably. Her mother called him. He was crying continuously over the phone, she could understand what his tears mean. He asked her to come there, for the consent form.  

Her mom reached in a day. That day, he didn't even visit her once. Even Ashi was feeling furious for some reason, which she herself doesn't know. When her mother came, Puneet kept his head in her lap and cried like a baby. 

"Why this happening to me, maa. Where I got wrong. I didn't want to lose her, that's why I was against this operation. But the doctor had told me that their last option is operation. And the survival chances are just 5 %. Mom, please asked God to forgive me na......"

They both cried the whole night. 

Next day, when Puneet and her mother came to visit them. The doctor called them and informed that her health has been deteriorating. They are sorry. But.....

"I am ready to sign the papers."

Puneet was shocked. 

She said she was her mother, she has to take the risk, for her Ashi.

They both were leaving the hospital when someone bumped into Puneet. Puneet and her mother were confused. Behind there, the staff was running. The girl didn't leave him. When he saw her, it was none other than Ashi. She cried like a baby and asked a sorry for her behaviour. She pleaded him to take her home, she didn't want to live there. She even recognised her mother. They hugged tightly. 

Even, doctors were shocked seeing that change in her. They treated it as a miracle. In the end, Ashi herself told that she had listened to Puneet's conversation with the doctor. It really affects her. Then, yesterday he was not there. She was feeling incompleteness without him. Then, she continuously read that diary and stared at those photos. She could recall everything about them and here she was. Puneet thanked God for this miracle. That operation was necessary for saving her, on the other side, that operation could cost them Ashi's life. They came home along with Ashi.

The doctor treated her with medicines. Her mother praised Puneet's endless efforts for Ashi's recovery.