Forget Me Not

Mrs Swati Arora was sitting outside the ICU of Kalavati Memorial Neurohealth and Rehab Center. Arjun, who was her husband for the past 35 years, was suffering from Alzheimer's Disease for quite some time. But now his condition has worsened so much that she had to get him admitted here. Her thoughts drifted back to the day when she had met him for the first time. It was the day when his family had landed up in her house with a marriage proposal for her. He was sitting in the parlour with his parents when she stepped in holding a tea tray in her hands. After his parents had nodded their approval, the two of them were allowed to talk in private.

"I don't have much faith in arranged marriages." Swati said as soon as they were far away from others, "how could you know the person is suitable for you just by meeting him once?"

"But I know you are the one for me." Arjun smiled, "because you make my heart skip a beat whenever I see you."

"What do you mean?" Swati was bewildered, "have you seen me before?"

"Many times," Arjun was amused by Swati's amazement, "our offices are on the same floor and I have seen you many times."

"But..." Swati strained her memory to recollect Arjun's face, "I don't think I have seen you ever before."

"I know," Arjun said, "you have never noticed me as you were always occupied by either work or friends."

"Mrs Arora," a doctor who has emerged out of Arjun's room called out, bringing Swati back to the present day.

"That's me," she said as she got up from her chair.

"You can meet him now." The doctor added hesistantly after a pause, "but...he won't be able to recognize you."

Swati entered Arjun's room with a heavy heart to see him lying on a bed surrounded by machines. Numerous chords extended from his body that connected him with the machines beeping all around him.

"How are you feeling now, Arjun?" Swati asked to which he replied with a blank stare.

One of the machines around him made a screeching noise giving goose bumps to the doctor.

"Oh my God!" The doctor nearly screamed.

"Whay happened, doctor?" A perplexed Swati asked.

"There was no change registered in EEG machine," the doctor said, "which means his brain couldn't recognize you."

"So, what's there to be so surprised?" Swati asked calmly.

"But the ECG machine showed a deflection."

"What does that means doctor?"

"Its almost like skipping a beat when you see some familiar or someone so special for you!"

Swati's eyes filled up as she turned towards Arjun who was still staring with his stony, aimless eyes.