‘Your mother.’
‘She was here – and no one woke me up?’
‘No. Imtiaz said you were to rest – and we let you rest.’
‘Who else came today? Do you know, I’m feeling rather hungry.’
‘Not many people. Today we were supposed to leave you to yourself.’
‘Oh.’
‘Just to get over things.’
Pran sighed. There was a silence. ‘Food?’
‘Yes, we’ve brought some from the house. Imtiaz warned us that the hospital food is horrible.’
‘Isn’t this the hospital where that boy died – that medical student?’
‘Why are you being so morbid, Pran?’
‘What’s morbid about dying?’
‘Well, I wish you wouldn’t talk about it.’
‘Better to talk about it than to do it,’ said Pran.
‘Do you want me to have a miscarriage?’
‘All right, all right. What’s that you’re reading?’
‘A law-book. Firoz lent it to me.’
‘A law-book?’
‘Yes. It’s interesting.’
‘What’s the subject?’
‘Tort.’
‘Are you thinking of studying law?’
‘Yes, perhaps. You shouldn’t talk so much, Pran, it’s not good for you. Shall I read out a bit of the Brahmpur Chronicle? The political news?’
‘No, no. Tort!’ Pran began to laugh a little, then started coughing.
‘You see?’ said Savita, moving to the bed to prop him up.
‘You shouldn’t get so worried,’ said Pran.
‘Worried?’ said Savita guiltily.
‘I’m not going to die, you know. Why have you suddenly decided to take up a profession?’
‘Really, Pran – you seem bent on having that tiff. If I rake up law it’ll be because Shastri got me interested in it. I want to meet that woman lawyer, Jaya Sood, who practises in the High Court. He told me about her.’
‘You’re about to have a baby; you shouldn’t take up studies immediately,’ said Pran. ‘And think about what my father would say.’
Mahesh Kapoor, who believed in women’s education, did not believe in women working, and made no bones about it.
Savita did not say anything. She folded the Brahmpur Chronicle and swatted a mosquito. ‘Are you ready for dinner?’ she asked Pran.
‘I hope you’re not here by yourself,’ said Pran. ‘I’m surprised your mother let you come here unaccompanied. What if you suddenly feel unwell?’
‘Only one person is allowed to stay beyond visiting hours. And I threatened to kick up a fuss if it wasn’t me. Emotional excitement is very bad for me in my delicate state,’ said Savita.
‘You are extremely stupid and stubborn,’ said Pran tenderly.
‘Yes,’ said Savita. ‘Extremely. But your father’s car is waiting downstairs in case it’s needed. Incidentally, what does your father think about Nehru’s sister, who is a working woman if ever there was one?’
‘Ah,’ said Pran, preferring not to take up the last remark: ‘Fried brinjal. Delicious. Yes, let’s hear a bit of the Brahmpur Chronicle. No, read me a bit of the University Regulations, beginning where that bookmark is. That bit about 1eave.’
‘What does that have to do with your committee?’ asked Savita, resting the volume on her stomach.
‘Nothing. But I’ll have to take leave, you know, for at least three weeks, and I may as well find out what the rules are. I don’t want to fall into one of Mishra’s traps.’
Savita thought of suggesting that he should forget about the university for a day, but she knew that this was impossible. So she took up the volume and started reading:
‘The following kinds of leave are permissible:
(a) Casual leave
(b) Compensation leave
(c) Deputation leave
(d) Duty leave
(e) Extraordinary leave
(f) Maternity leave
(g) Medical leave
(h) Privilege leave
(i) Quarantine leave
(j) Study leave.’
She paused. ‘Shall I go on?’ she asked, glancing briefly down the page.
‘Yes.’
Savita continued: ‘Except in urgent cases in which the Vice-Chancellor or the Pro Vice-Chancellor shall take decisions, the power to grant leave in general shall be vested in the Executive Council.’
‘No problem there,’ said Pran. ‘This is an urgent case.’
‘But with L.N. Agarwal on the Executive Council – and your father no longer a Minister –’
‘What can he do?’ said Pran calmly. ‘Nothing much. All right – what’s next?’
Savita frowned, and read on:
‘When the day immediately preceding the day on which the leave begins or immediately following the day on which the leave expires is a holiday or a series of holidays or a vacation the person to whom the leave is granted or who is returning from leave may make over charge at the close of the day before or return to duty on the day following such holiday or series of holidays or the vacation provided such early departure or delay in return does not involve the University in extra expenditure. When leave is prefixed or suffixed to such holidays or vacation, the consequential arrangement shall begin or end as the case may be, from the date when the leave begins or expires.’