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Corina... Corina

Corina... Corina

By John Nagarkar

Amidst the lockdown, a handful of guests tip-toed in through the gate. Frank and his girlfriend Mini were there to welcome them and usher them secretly in the house. It was Mini’s birthday and she had insisted on a party for her close friends including a dear cousin who had just been back from a visit to Sicily. The night had just started.

Or so Corina thought with a smile as she took a walk around the quarantined ward ensuring all her patients were comfortably sleeping. Comfortable was too soft a word, she rued at her choice of the word but then life can be good or bad or worse.

Her thoughts were broken by the sound of someone sobbing softly. She turned around to find it was young Bobby who had been admitted just that morning with a severe bout of pneumonia. But then pneumonia was just a front for the deadly corona virus that had engulfed the country and the world at large.

She gently held his hand and lovingly spoke a few words of encouragement like a mother would do. She knew he missed his mother and who better than Corina, all of 28, a mother herself of a 5-year old daughter and head nurse, to understand that feeling. She gently eased Bobby into deep sleep.

Her thoughts drifted back to her daughter Anita back at home. Anita was accustomed to sleeping with her mother holding her hand. But now the situation had changed. It had been 3 days since she had last seen Anita.

“Anita doesn’t need you anymore Corina. She doesn’t need to see your bloody face anymore.” screamed her husband over the phone. ” We’ll survive without you. You can bloody hell stay in the hospital for ever.” He went on angrily. “No need to come home.” Corina trembled slightly as she heard her husband bang the phone down. The chasm between them had grown wider and corona had made it worse. Would she be able to recover from it and reconcile with her family, she asked herself. But for now, the patients needed her more. She had a duty to fulfill towards them.

A slight tremor in Bobby’s hand jolted her out of her thoughts. She smiled as she looked at Bobby sleeping peacefully. He will be alright, she said to herself as she gently pried her hand loose from his gripping fingers.

And then days later Frank tested positive and was wheeled in her ward. The first words he spoke to her was malicious and spiteful but she controlled her urge to retaliate.

“Corina… is that your name Corina?” he asked with a sneer. “Why it seems you are sister of this corona virus.” He added mischievously.

She paused to look at him. “Well, you got the sister part right.” She then walked around the ward administrating drugs and speaking a few words of encouragement. Done, she stood at the doorway and looked back at the patients. Some might walk back home on their feet, some might not. But she had to make it easy for all.

The next few days it got worse for Corina at the hands of the pompous Frank. He was a bitter man as Mini had dumped him as soon as she heard he had contracted the deadly corona virus. But Corina was there for him. She knew what he was going through. Despite his harsh behaviour, she would be gentle and kind to him often empowering him with encouragement.

“Momma, you’ll do fine Momma.” Her daughter encouraged her over the phone. “Dada is nice. I’ll tell him to be nice to you too. You are doing such an amazing work. Momma…” Her daughter then pleaded, “Momma, please come home soon.” Tears streamed down Corina’s face, the phone stuck to her ear through the protective gear. “I met Bobby”, her daughter continued. “He sends all his love to you Momma.”

She hastily disconnected the pay phone and turned around to find Frank on a wheelchair watching her silently except for a slow whistling of the Corina Corina song leaving his lips.

Later that night as she went around the ward on her routine walk, his voice stopped her.

“You love him a lot eh?”

She smiled at his silly thinking, shaking her head. Men will be men.

“Not him… her. My daughter.” She replied, the smile still lingering on her face.

Not that he could make out the smile clearly not with the protective face mask she had on.

“How dumb of me.”

The ice had thawed and a change seemed to come over Frank who thereafter made it a point to make Corina smile at every given opportunity. They were the Ying and Yang in the hospital premises encouraging each other despite the differences they had.

For Corina, Frank was a angel sent to brighten her life with his silliness and his laughter inducing quotes. It made her reflect on her personal life. She promised herself that when all this will be over, she’ll make up to her family by quitting her job and spending the rest of life with them. But for now Frank and other patients needed her.

“I want to see your face…your smile.” He requested.

“Well, this is all you get to see”, she told him teasingly.

“Come on”, he pleaded. “It’s like looking in a mirror with a steam bath on. Complete hazy image.”

She laughed at his discription. “I am sorry Frank. Rules.”

“Please Corina. I want to see what angels look like.”

Despite her reservation, she couldn’t help but admire his perseverance as she walked over to the next bed.

The next night he repeated his request. And again the next day…

As she tucked herself in to take a much deserved power nap, she found it difficult to sleep. Okay, she thought aloud. He deserves it for making her professional life worthwhile. And a few seconds with her mask off won’t do much harm.

That night she paused at his bed a wee bit longer. But strangely, he didnt put forth his demand that day. As usual he asked if she had a good day and she nodded in the affirmative. He then softly bid her good night and closed his eyes. She hesitantly walked away and stopped. She tried to recall his medical condition. He was out of danger or was he?

She walked back to his bed. He was watching her all this while and now looked at her in anticipation. She gently pried her protective face gear loose and pulled it off to show her face and her smile.

They looked at each other silently, smiles still lingering.

Few days later, Frank was discharged from the hospital having recovered completely. Mini was there to receive him. Corina had been secretly instrumental in making Mini realise her folly. She had placed a call to her and told her about his impending recovery and his need for her to be by his side. But Frank wasn’t aware of Corina’s good deed or her existence that day as he walked out of the hospital happily with his lady love.

And for Corina, few days later, it was isolation and then death as the angel of mercy succumbed to the deadly disease. The very disease which she had protected others from but couldn’t protect herself.

Corina wasn’t there by her family’s side while she lived. And corona virus ensured that her family wasn’t there by her side when she died.

Author Notes: An ode to all those medical warriors who are braving the corona virus so that we may live in peace and in good health.

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About The Author
Jonivestal
John Nagarkar
About This Story
Audience
All
Posted
21 Apr, 2020
Words
1,249
Read Time
6 mins
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