A fine new day.
SM, Priya, Lakshmi Aunty, Rajesh, Thatha & Paati were already at the hospital. Roja was to regain consciousness that day and they were eagerly awaiting that

Sometime later, Arjun, paati & kalpana too arrived. Prathap had to go for work and Deepa had University. So they'd promised that they'd join later.

SM saw Arjun approaching and asked him hopefully.
"Roja Inniki kannu mulichiduva la pa"

A: Kandippa appa. Ellam nallathe nadakum

Annapoorni paati: Kalaila varapove kovil la roja perukku archanai vechitu kovil thiruneer ah kondu vanthurkom. Roja nalla padiya kannu mulicha odane itha vechu vidanum

Ashramam Paati: Unga kudumbathuku nejamave nalla manasu ma. Roja yaruney theriyadhu irunthalum ava mela ivlo paasam kaatringa

Kalpana: Ithula Enna ma irukku. Manushan ku manushan paasam katradhuku urava irukkanum nu avasiyame illa.

Arjun: Vaanga, ellarum polam. Roja va general ward ku early morning eh shift panniyachu.

They all followed Arjun.
Soon they reached her ward. Everyone entered the room with some sort of a nervousness.

Everyone saw Roja sleeping peacefully. There were bandages all over her. Shanthamoorthy reached close to roja and caressed her gently. 

"She should regain consciousness now"
Arjun announced confidently. Everyone was literally waiting for that moment.
But even after waiting for an hour, Roja didn't regain consciousness

Annapoorni paati: Arjun Enna pa aachu. Roja yean innum kannu mulikala?

Arjun: Theriyala paati. Check panren.
Saying this he went near Roja, placed his stethoscope on her chest and checked gently.
Everyone noticed a tensed look on Arjun's face.

Arjun: Ellarum konja neram veliya irunga. Naa koopadren.

Everyone walked out.
After 10 minutes, Arjun himself came out.
He looked crestfallen.

Rajesh: Dr. Arjun! Sollunga, Roja ku Enna aachu? Ava eppo kannu mullipa

Arjun: 🥺
Arjun couldn't speak.

Kalpana: Yen da ippdi ethuvume pesama nikkura. Ethavthu sollu da bayama irukku

Arjun: Athu vanthu....

Shanthamoorthy: Thambi ethuva irunthalum sollidunga. Evlovo paathutom. Innime ethu naalum paravaila. Please ippdi pesama mattom irukkathinga

Arjun : Roja coma ku poita!
Arjun broke the news in one breath with his eyes closed. After two minutes, he looked at all their faces. There was no sign of any movement in them. All of them simply stood dumbfounded.

Sensing their state, Arjun quickly added
"Ithu most TBI patients ku post surgery nadakarthu than. This coma is not long lasting"

But everyone found this news too much to bear. Arjun consoled everyone and then quickly walked away to check on his other patients.

The entire day passed in distress and silence. Arjun was extremely busy with lots of patients. Finally by 9pm, he managed to finish checking all the kids.

Meanwhile Priya had managed to somehow convince Shanthamoorthy to go back to the ashramam as staying there would make him even more depressed.
So Rajesh and Shanthamoorthy had left and just Priya was there by Roja's side, for the night.

As Priya sat alone pondering about Roja's condition, suddenly something struck her
"Ithuthan correct time!"
She told herself and walked straight to Arjun's cabin.

He was pondering about Roja's health too. He was all alone, done with his work for the day. Earlier in the morning, he had consoled everyone. But deep inside, he was extremely disturbed too.
As he was all alone, tears flowed down his eyes, out of worry and guilt.

"Naa ellarkum eppdiyo dhairyam solliten. Aana ennala Intha baaratha thaanga mudiyalaye. Enakku Romba guilty ah irukku. Yean Roja ippdi panna?

"Because she loves you with all her heart and soul, Doctor!"

A voice echoed behind ARJUN. He turned back startled.
It was Priya!

Arjun looked at her surprised.

"Naa unga kooda pesanum Dr. Arjun, neraiya pesanum!"

Priya walked into Arjun's cabin.

"Enkitta pesanum ah"
Arjun questioned her.

Priya began -
"Ungaluku nejamave ethuvume puriyalaya doctor? Neenga ivlo padichirkinga manitha udamba pathi. Aana ungaluku manitha unarvugal puriyalaye."

Arjun interrupted her
"Excuse me..."

But Priya stopped him
"Please Enna pesa vidunga. Ethuva irunthalum Naa pesina appram Neenga pesunga...

Oruthi unga hospital la vanthu serntha,
ava unga hospital ode munnetram kaga olachirka. Sadhigal ah muri adichirka! Appram Neenga ava vendam nu thooki potta appram kooda ava unga hospital la athey sincerity ode than work panna..."

Arjun : Ungaluku eppdi athu...

Priya : Doctor, Naa avalode best friend and sister. Ava enkitta ethayum maraikka maata. Ellathayum sollita kovil la nadanthatha. Seri atha vidunga..

Nyayama Neenga thooki pottu iruntha vera oru ponna iruntha Intha hospital um vendam velai Um vendam nu poirupa. Athu mattoma, ungaluku fever vanthapo, athuvum marunaal eh, ava thane ungaluku ella vithathulayum care panna, help panna? Athukku mundhina naal than avlo periya vishyam nadanthu irukku. Ethavthu kaatikittala??

Ithula Ellam ava love puriyalena kooda ok! Aana Ithu ellathukum mela onnu pannale...
Unga uyiruku aabathu nu therinja odane thanode uyira pathi ava kavala padala. Thalaila avlo periya glass dome vizhuntha..athu evlo periya vibareetham. Yean oru doc ah ungaluku theriyatha but irunthalum ungalukaga ava atha vaangikittale , ethukku doctor ithellam seiyanum?
Neenga avaluku Enna uravu...ethavthu ratha paasama bandhama? Neenga avalode employer, ava unga staff. Avlo than. Yaravthu athukku poi ivlo seivangala?? Ithula koodava ungaluku avalode unmaiyana pure love puriyala??

Enakku theriyum, Neenga avala oru friend ah than paathu irukkinga..but ivlo nadantha appram Neenga consider panna koodatha? Neenga enna reason kaga reject pannunga nu laam Enakku theriyadhu, but avalode love true and pure. Entha kallam kabadam um illathathu. Ithukku mela accept panrathum pannathathum unga istam..."
Each word of Priya hit Arjun hard. Before he could reply anything , a nurse came in

Nurse: May I come in doctor?
Arjun: Yes, please.
Nurse: Roja is showing signs of improvement doctor. Her hands are moving and she's mumbling someone's name.

Both Priya and Arjun brightened up at this.
They immediately rushed to her ward.
Arjun went inside alone. There was dead silence in the room. Except the faint sound of her breathing and her mumbling. Arjun couldn't make out what she was saying.

He tiptoed through the room and reached her. Her fingers were moving slightly. She was constantly uttering someone's name.
Arjun gently held her hand. That's when he heard the name she was saying.

"ARJUN SIR...ARJUN SIR...ARJUN SIR"

Her feeble voice pierced the silence around Arjun and also his heart.
His heart nearly skipped a beat.

"Intha nilamai layum ennode pera"
He gasped!
He felt all of Priya's questions ringing in his ears.

Just then Roja said something that made ARJUN cry.
She held his fingers tightly.
"Naa oru anathai aavey vaa..zhnthuten. Enakku nu yarume irun..thathu illa. Aana Naa ungalode vaazhanum si..sir. Ithey mathri unga vir..algal ah pudichu agni ah 7 thadava su..suthi varanum sir. Vaazhkai muluka unga kooda...irukk..anum sir...enna vittutu poi enna vazhkai muluka ana...anathai ah aakidathinga sir"

She spoke with great difficulty. All that from the bottom of her heart had come out in this condition. Arjun saw a teardrop roll down from her eyes. He immediately nodded his head mumbling "No Roja..." and wiped that teardrop with his hands.

Arjun felt himself bursting with emotions. Unable to stay there any longer, he walked out.

He went straight to his cabin and cried his heart out. He couldn't reject Roja, nor could he accept her. The fact that someone loved him so much strangled him
He immediately got reminded of his past which was in sharp contrast.

The night was sleepless for Arjun. He stayed in the hospital itself burdened with emotions.

After what seemed like an eon, it was finally dawn. Arjun had hardly slept that night. Only in the last hour, did he catch some sleep. As soon as he woke up, he was greeted with the good news that Roja had recovered from coma. As it was a mild one, she had recovered overnight.
Arjun was very happy, but last night's incident was still fresh in his thoughts.

He went home, quickly showered and again left. He himself went to the nearby temple, prayed to God, thanked him for curing Roja, and did an archanai for her. All this was extremely rare. He took the vermilion (prasadam) and went back to the hospital.

Roja had regained consciousness and had opened her eyes by then. Dr. Venkat was checking on her. Just as Arjun neared her ward, Dr. Venkat came out.

"Vaanga Doctor! Roja is alright now. Only her stitches have to heal. She has regained her consciousness and has opened her eyes too."

After that Dr.Venkat walked away. After the previous night's incident..Arjun opened the door to Roja's room with great hesitation.

He entered her room slowly...
...
...

To be continued
Thanks for reading ❤️