Surgeries and Roses: A Reminder of Hope Amidst Hardships

Jessica celebrated her daughter’s birthday amidst surgeries, consultations, and painting—a real-life incident fictionalised by Dr Surabhi, exclusively for Different Truths.

It was a very busy day for Jessica (all names and locations changed). There were three surgeries and lots of patients for consultation. She couldn’t refuse the appointments either. The surgeries went well. She was happy to see the smiling faces of her patients and their relatives. Anita and Rubina were blessed with baby girls after so many years of marriage. Lilly had twins, a son and a daughter. Anita, Rubina, and Lilly were her very special patients. They had come from far-off places for treatment. Lilly was a doctor herself and had taken up a job in a nearby hospital so that her visits to Jessica’s clinic could be easier. After all, her twin conception needed her to be more careful.

There was happiness in the nursery too. The cries of four babies, nursed by smiling Pooja and Kajal — who had been on duty that day were captured on the camera by the overjoyed, first-time fathers. Jessica called up the balloon boy to quickly decorate the patients’ rooms. Pink balloons for Anita and Rubina and mixed ones for Dr Lilly.

Jessica was painting roses in those days. Painting roses with a palette knife was so much fun. Painting the impressionist style with a flat brush and warm colours was so soothing too. She was carried to the 16th-century French era when these were painted by famous artists as a symbol of love, power, royalty, beauty, sensuality, and mysticism. She remembered the well-tended roses in her school garden, that burst with joy in so many beautiful colours. There were French roses, beach roses, China roses, white roses, and bourbon roses — to name a few. Jessica remembered with reverence her Sister Jauna, who was such a good teacher of the German language. She was from Germany and must have missed her homeland. In one of her early morning German classes when she was teaching just a bunch of them— she became nostalgic. She mentioned the Peace Rose, the 4th of July rose, the May Queen, Eden, Dublin, and the Bay Rose. Jessica and her friends, as young girls, were all so fascinated. The Juliet rose was the rarest and most expensive. Jessica still recollects the story of Juliet Rose as narrated by Sister Juana. She and all her friends giggled and gossiped later about Juliet Rose.

“It was Valentine’s Day evening. Princess Charlene looked so elegant in her pink gown. The round table placed near the eastern window of the room was draped with a white laced linen tablecloth. The crochet mat, silverware cutlery, her favourite Bordeaux wine and ceramic candle stand with five golden candles adorned the table.

“The warm glitters from the huge chandelier that adorned the ballroom, the soft piano music and the Chloe’Eau de Perfume were reasons enough for the Princess to realise that waiting for her love was the best decision she ever made. She admired the big, beautiful floral arrangement at the centre table. There was so much to be happy and cheerful about in her life.

“Suddenly the lights went off and Charlene was wrapped in the arms of her adorable Prince. In the candle-lit aroma of romance, as she kept holding onto his hand, she cherished every moment with passion and tenderness.

“The Prince surprised her with a brilliant rose. She got carried away in the romantic fragrance of Juliet Rose. They both had a beautiful journey together.”

The heady fragrance of the rose bouquet on Teacher’s Day for Sister Elizabeth, Jessica’s music teacher, lingered on for almost two weeks around the piano. Those were the days when Jessica collected floral scraps in large numbers from Sister Elizabeth. The roses in the scraps were pink, yellow, red, purple, blue, and white. The scraps were glossy and so well carved and curved. They adorned her brown paper-covered coursework books and of course, there were many pasted on the big drawing copy. Scraps, pressed flowers, and handmade cards were her prized possessions. In class eight Jessica loved to colour with crayons always. The dull colouring pencils never appealed to her. Her drawings were often put up on the class boards. Jessica would smile with contentment.

There was a curfew in her town and the school was closed for a very long time. Jessica had left all her crayon drawings in the school cupboard. She was in class VIII C, Mrs Padmanabhan’s class. The drawings were made on thick chart paper for the upcoming Art Festival at school. Jessica still becomes sad at the loss of all of them. The school remained closed for a very long time and the curfew extended till the summer break. Who could have taken them? Mrs Padmanabham was also at a loss for words.

It was around this time only Sister Elizabeth had stopped selling scraps and Jessica was completely broken down for so many days. Her younger sister had secretly taken Jessica’s scrap collection to school and lost them all.

It was 6 pm, then. Jessica counselled her last patient. She had prescribed some blood tests and sonography too. Her patient was in a lot of hurry to return home and so was Jessica.

After all, it was Jessica’s younger daughter Jasmine’s birthday that day. They had planned to go out for dinner that night. Jessica asked one of her staff to quickly get the rose paintings wrapped in a matte finish printed paper, from the market. Her staff, Sheena, was smart enough to make a video call for the wrapping sheets and satin bows. Jessica was certain that her daughter would love to possess her paintings.

It was 9 pm —Jessica was dressed smartly in navy blue jeans, a white shirt and printed silk stole. The stole had interesting prints of birds, butterflies, and delicate pink roses. The pink Swarovski earrings, Queen Elizabeth crystal brooch and her wristwatch with cream, pink rhinestones perfectly matched her favourite perfume by Rihanna. Her daughter was looking pretty in her pale peach knee-length tunic. The grey peach and turquoise socks blend so well with her shiny black Clark shoes. 

Jessica was pleased to see her hubby too in his cream silk shirt and he was smelling good with his Versace cologne. The staff at the Radisson Hotel were so welcoming. 

Smiling, Riya greeted them and quickly accompanied everyone to their table for three. Jessica spotted a bunch of ladies waving at her at the far end of the dining area. With mixed emotions, she waved at them too. Jasmine and her dad want to enjoy their privacy. Riya, the smart staff at Radisson could smell this uneasiness. To their surprise, a pretty girl from the group came rushing to greet them all. She was excited to meet Dr Jessica, her Godmother, and her family. She explained that her birthday was a week later. She congratulated Jasmine too. She clicked a selfie and moved on. Jessica silently prayed for some private moments.

They all sat together beside a flower-adorned, square table, which had a square chocolate truffle cake with 19 candles. The table linen had bold red and navy stripes. Jessica and her hubby hugged their daughter and sang the birthday song. Jessica smiled as she looked up at the rose paintings adorning her daughter’s room: ‘Roses in bloom, lighten up the gloom’.

Paintings by the author