“Th-that’s a-amazing!”
The doorway is crammed with the shiny faces of all our friends from the dump.
“Let Asha rest,” says Lakshmi, shooing the others out of the room, but Attica squeezes through and jumps onto the bed, giving me a huge hug. “You too, Attica.”
I hug her back. “Go on,” I say, forcing a small smile.
Lakshmi closes the door and comes back to the bed. “More sleep, that’s what you need.”
“I don’t want to sound ungrateful—Raj has been so kind, and you—but I have to find my papa.” I grab hold of the poster from last night. “I have to find this place.”
“Why don’t we just call them?” says Jeevan gently.
I nod—it’ll be quicker that way.
“You have to be even braver now,” says Lakshmi, helping me out of bed. “Prepare yourself for what they might say.”
We go next door, where the others are just finishing breakfast. I pull up a chair and get ready to make the call, my fingers shaking as I try to carefully press the numbers, everyone watching in silence.
The fear rises inside me and however hard I try, I can’t push it away. At last I’m going to find out what’s happened to Papa … Is he alive or not?
What did they say?” asks Jeevan as soon as I put the phone down.
“We have to go to the hospital,” I say. “They said he might be there.”
I rush to the bedroom, get dressed, and collect the mango seedling, but the bud that was forming yesterday is looking a little crushed and makes me pause.
“Look what’s happened to it!” I say to Jeevan, placing it on the breakfast table in the other room.
“I’m sure it will recover,” he replies.
“Why don’t I pot it for you?” says Lakshmi, taking it from me. “All it needs is a bit of water … and Raj is waiting downstairs so you can get to the hospital straightaway.”
“Thank you, Lakshmi,” I say, my heart beating fiercely. “It might be silly, but I don’t want to leave without the seedling—I’ve carried it all this way for my papa, you see.”
The others wish us luck and, clutching tight to the seedling safely planted in a small terra-cotta pot, I sprint down the stairs with Jeevan at my side. We rush through the courtyard and jump into Raj’s taxi with Lakshmi following behind.
“Good morning, little sir and madam,” says Raj, starting up the rickshaw. “What lovely perfume you wear today … No worrying, OK? All will turn good.”
Raj drops us in front of the enormous hospital building, which looms ominously in the middle of its sprawling gardens, and I’m weak with fear. The thoughts I’ve been trying to quiet are now screaming in my head: What if he’s not here after all, or what if he’s so badly hurt he’ll never be the same again?
It feels like snakes are crawling through my stomach as I push open the wide glass doors and rush ahead of Jeevan and Lakshmi toward the reception desk. As Jeevan catches up with me, I slow down, dragging my feet, almost wanting to turn back. “I’m scared, Jeevan,” I whisper.
“We don’t know anything for sure yet,” says Jeevan, touching my arm. “And I know that’s hard … But the one thing that has kept you strong is your hope and what you believe.” He takes my hand and together we stand before the desk.
Tugging at my sleeves, I take a deep breath, hold my pendant for courage, and feel its rhythm pulse through me. “I’m looking for my papa,” I say. “He was in the factory fire at Connaught Place.”
A nurse looks up from behind the reception desk, giving me a hard stare.
I tug at the ratty ends of hair that barely cover my neck and pass my hand over the rest, trying to smooth it down.
“Yes … We do have a few men from that fire here.”
“We are all together,” says Lakshmi, hurrying along.
My heart gives a huge twist as I stand on tiptoes, peering over the desk.
“But I’m afraid the papers of all those men were destroyed in the fire, so we don’t have any names.” The nurse puts her pen down and stands up.
I swallow. “Please … I have to find him. My ma is back in our village. I’ve come from Moormanali.”
“But that’s hundreds of miles.” She raises her eyebrows. “Let me see if I can find someone … We’re very busy.” She waves her hand to another nurse. “Nurse Marler will take you, my dear.” She gives a tired smile, then carries on with her work.
We follow Nurse Marler as she clips along the white-tiled corridor.
“Try not to worry,” says Jeevan.
“Try not to worry? Are you crazy?” My insides are like springs, tightening and unraveling with each step. “I didn’t mean to snap like that. I’m sorry, Jeevan.”
Lakshmi strokes my cheek and we carry on down the long corridor.
When at last we arrive at the ward, sweat drips slowly down my back as I stare along the line of beds, crammed closely together. Long twisted wires filled with glistening liquid are attached to each patient’s arm, sending shivers spiraling down my spine.
“This is where most of the men are,” says the nurse kindly. “Don’t be shocked … We’ll go along the beds, see if you can find your papa.”
“I’ll stay right by you whatever happens, Asha,” says Jeevan.
“I wouldn’t be able to do this without you, you know.”
Moving slowly along the row, I scan each face. As I approach each new person, my heart almost leaps into my mouth; perhaps the next one will be Papa, no, the next one has to be him … But none of them are and then the beds come to an end.
“My papa’s not here.” I sway, suddenly feeling hot as sourness rises into my throat. “I’m going to be sick.” I cling to Jeevan.
“You need some fresh air,” says Lakshmi, scooping her arm around my back.
“Here, quick.”
