Chapter 2

It took a little bit of time to get used to the new circumstances. ‘ Amma took the longest. It was as if they had realized that they would never be the same ‘ happy’ family ( which included Ramesh’s brother and his wife, their child sonu and Amma) again and so each one learned to live with whatever they had . A compromise for sure but under the circumstances , the best solution.

The tests were regularly conducted at the Tarapur Cancer Research Centre. It was the injections that were taking a toll on Anoushka. In three months the effect of chemotherapy started to show .Anoushka lost 13 kilos in this period lost a whole lot of hair,but somehow she was always made to feel special by Ramesh. Infact the last card Ramesh gave her( along with a necklace) said “ To the woman who is making me crazier by the day “. After moments like these, Anoushka just go to the bathroom ,cry a little and then she was prepared to fight out the next bout of injections .

One day Ramesh and Anoushka went to the market . Anoushka was weak but the doctor had insisted on keeping her daily routine as intact as possible. After buying the vegetables as she was walking a tomato just fell off the carry bag. Anouska ran after it not seeing a bike was heading towards her. It was a close save. But the tomato got crushed. Ramesh was furious. He shouted at the top of his voice. ”Are you blind. It was a tomato for gods sake!”. He had never shouted at Anoushka before. That night Anoushka did not come to eat with the family. As Ramesh entered their room he saw a tear trickle down Anoushka cheek. She had not talked with him the whole day. He went near her. She did not look at him.

“ Do you know Anoushka why I was mad at you today?” she did not respond.He took her hand and gazed at it. She wanted to take it back , but she could not. “ You know I can think of many shops which can give me another tomato but I cannot think of one place which can give me another Anoushka “.

For a moment she did not know what to say. She just looked at him and remarked “ I guess I never thought of that .“

“ I think of it every time I see you” remarked Ramesh . it was hard to tell who started crying first. That whole night they did not sleep.

Next day , the chemotherapy session surprised Dr. Ashok Handa.

“I wonder how she is responding so well, I never changed the medicines.” he said.

Little did he realize that Anoushka was being administered a far more potent drug……… LOVE.