Read Online Who Will Catch Us As We Fall by Iman Verjee - Free Book Online Page B

beginning to settle into a throbbing headache. ‘You – Raj Kohli, come back here!’
    But he was already away with his son, back on the road and lost in the cacophonic noise of the traffic.
    They had never had an African in their car before. Skin cracked open with dryness, rubbing his tongue continuously over his lips and along his inner cheeks. His clothes were old strips of dirty cotton and the soles of his shoes were broken – like flapping, dusty mouths every time he moved his feet. Leena wanted to open a window for his smell to escape but she was squeezed tightly between her mother and Jai.
    She recalled Pooja’s constant warnings. You must be careful, most of them are thieves – they robbed my friend Bharti, they hijacked your second cousin, Jiten, and tied him up and stuffed him in the boot for three hours! Those words caused fear to pile up in her because it made it impossible not to see this man as the enemy.
    Her father spoke, his soft voice immediately soothing her. ‘We’re almost there.’
    â€˜Where exactly is there ?’ Pooja asked pointedly, speaking in Punjabi.
    â€˜We’re taking him to M.P. Shah Hospital.’
    Pooja shook her head. ‘Don’t you ever think that other people would also be able to solve these problems if you just let them?’
    â€˜Did you see anyone else stopping for him?’
    She talked over her husband. ‘Always having to be the first, always wanting to be the hero.’
    â€˜What would you have me do? Leave him dying in the middle of the road?’
    â€˜And when we get to the hospital? If he has no money, they’ll just let him die there anyway.’
    Raj remained silent, unwilling to reveal his full plan to Pooja. Constantly wanting to argue , he thought irritably. The woman was born with difficulty in her blood.
    When they reached the hospital, Jai helped his father to carry the man across the parking lot, toward the swinging white doors of Emergency Care. It was difficult and took time, given how heavy and limp the man had become. When they placed him in the plastic chair of the crowded waiting room, the man groaned and his head began to pitch and roll.
    â€˜Let it kill me.’
    â€˜Hush.’ Raj patted his shoulder. ‘You’ll be better soon.’
    People in the waiting room had lowered their magazines, watching the scene keenly.
    â€˜Go and tell the receptionist he needs immediate help,’ Raj instructed his son, and as Jai went to speak to the woman behind the desk, Raj slipped three thousand shillings into the man’s limp hand and pressed it shut. ‘This should be enough for you right now.’
    â€˜Thank you, mzee ,’ his fingers clutched tightly.
    As they made their way back to the car, Raj wrapped his arm around his son’s shoulders and brought him close, whispering, ‘No telling your mother about this, you hear…’
    They were watching the nine o’clock news later that night when they were interrupted by the shrill ring of the telephone.
    â€˜Mr Kohli? This is Dr Pattni from…’
    â€˜Yes, yes. How is he?’
    â€˜I’m afraid I don’t know.’
    Confusion made his words slow. ‘What do you mean you don’t know?’
    â€˜He left just after you dropped him off.’
    â€˜But he could barely even stand!’ Raj remembered to speak in whispers, gripping the telephone, struggling to understand.
    â€˜The nurse at the front desk told me that he waited for five minutes after you left and then stood up and walked out. No one saw where he went.’
    â€˜Are you saying that he tricked me into thinking he was sick so that I would give him money?’
    â€˜I’ve seen it happen before. It was very kind of you to bring him in.’
    Raj swallowed down his building aggression. ‘Thank you for calling.’ He put the phone down and turned to his son, who was standing beside him. ‘You heard