The result ***

Vina tossed and turned. The girl at the clinic had said the test was positive. Vina had been devastated. If her parents came to know, they would disown her. She just did not know what to do. But the girl at the clinic had held out some hope. These tests are not conclusive. A blood test should be more reliable. But it had to be done at the lab. Vina grabbed at the straw. Anything to hope for. The test result was expected in the morning. Vina looked at the green display of her bedside clock. It showed 2:00.

***

Gina had just gone into a fitful sleep. Her pillow was wet with her tears. Her husband was not at her side. Gina had cried herself to sleep. Her life had turned into a living hell. It had started just about six months into her marriage to Hari. Initially she and Hari had decided that they would defer staring a family for a couple of years. But when Hari’s mother heard about it, she threw the nastiest tantrum. She wanted a grandson. Pronto. Hari agreed, to make his mother happy. And Gina agreed, to make her husband happy.

Soon they found that she had fertility problems. As they went from clinic to clinic, trying a variety of options, Hari’s mother got increasingly abusive. Hari too became cold and distant, and began to blame Gina. Gina’s hell was getting unbearable when the unbelievable good news came. She had conceived! Even her mother in law smiled at her that morning. Hari too had been treating her delicately ever since. And then - bad luck struck. She fell ill, and started bleeding. The doctor said she had probably lost her child. Just as she was staring at the bleak future, he held out some hope. A lab test was needed for confirmation. There was a remote chance. Gina prayed.

***

The shrill ring of the phone woke Vina. She picked up the phone and listened. She was in a sleepy daze. ‘Negative.’ As the news sank in, her face brightened. The day was bright. The sun was shining. Everything was ok.

***

Gina waited by the phone. At precisely 9 am, it rang. Listening, Gina’s face lit up. ‘Positive’. Just then Hari walked in. Hearing the good news, they hugged each other tightly. Life was worth living again.


***

Viji realised her mistake too late. She had mixed up the samples. But results had been released to the patients. She went to the telephone and dialled.