In the hospital, he was taken inside the out-patient ward. The duty nurse did the first aid but the bleeding continued without clotting. She called the main doctor, he had to inject him to stop bleeding. Doctor came out and said "The boy needs A+ blood, any of you are A+??
"Mine Doctor" Punya volunteered.
"Ma'am you must be mother of?" he said doubtfully.
"Punya, she's my daughter" said Narmada.
"What is your blood group?" asked the doctor.
"B-, my husband is A+ so she is A+" explained Narmada.
"How old are you young lady?" he asked.
"I'll be 18 in a couple of months" replied Punya.
"Oh you can't donate blood now. Anyways I'll check in blood bank, if we don't get anywhere we'll take your help" said the Doctor and walked away.
When Punya entered the ward, Prakruth was resting against the pillow with eyes closed. His face was pale and tired, there was a big white bandage on his arm. Narmada went first and rubbed his hair past his face.
"Aunty can we go? I hate this hospital environment, please let us go" he said in anxiety.
"Relax my boy, you've lost a lot of blood. Doctor has gone in search of it" said Narmada.
After twenty odd minutes, doctor arrived into the ward and said "Seems like you're the only option left" to Punya.
"Ma'am we need your permission, please come" said the doctor to Narmada and she followed him out.
"What option Punya?" asked Prakruth.
"That is" started Jyoti
"Jyoti, I'll tell him?" Punya said stopping Jyoti from revealing the truth. "Nothing Prakruth, Doctor was telling about the game... I'm the one who stays with you in the field right? I've to defend our team from getting defeated. That's it"
"I'm not that badly injured, moreover it is left hand. I can play well single handedly. Trust me" he said.
"Yeah you're seasoned player, you can play well" said Jyoti.
When Narmada came into the ward, the coach also followed.
"What happened Prakruth? Are you hurt seriously?" he asked.
"No Sir, it is just a small cut. I'm totally fine. Doctor wants me to stay here. I seriously don't know why" he shrugged.
Doctor walked in with the data sheet. "He has lost more than five hundred ml of blood by this small cut.... Cut is superficially small but it is very deep. Luckily there is no much damage to the muscles beneath...he needs a quick blood transfusion of 250-300 ml blood. What is your blood group Sir?" asked the doctor.
"B+ Sir" said the coach.
"So sad, Punya come" said the doctor.
"What??!!! Punya is donating blood to me.... No doctor, she's a minor. She can't donate blood" exclaimed Prakruth.
"Relax my boy, she'll be 18 soon, we've checked her thoroughly. Her blood group matches with you perfectly. Just 200+ ml that is it. She'll gain back the volume sooner" said the doctor.
"Aunty please tell the doctor that you won't permit... She's delicate, she doesn't have stamina. It is a small cut, due to long distance I lost blood...I'll regain myself. Tell Aunty" he pleaded.
"Prakruth it is fine. She's not that delicate as you think. You saw how she rolled down that rascal on the hill... Let her donate" said Narmada.
"Moreover Punya never wants to lose a chance to help someone and now it is you senior...her guide and mentor, I mean a known person, will she keep quiet???" asked Jyoti.
Meanwhile Punya had already slept in the neighboring bed and nurse pierced a flat needle into her left hand near the elbow. Prakruth closed his eyes as if he felt the pain... When the same nurse pierced same type of needle to his hand, he didn't react at all.
Everyone in the ward were sent out by the doctor...Punya and Prakruth were interconnected by the pipes and blood was transfused between them through the apparatus. Prakruth objected Punya by signals of his eye. She just smiled at him. Twenty minutes later, the nurse removed the pipes and left.
"From where did you gather so much courage to donate blood" asked Prakruth.
"From you.... When you can go overboard to take dagger for me... Shouldn't I do this much for you?" asked Punya standing next to him.
"That is my duty" said Prakruth.
"This is my duty" she smiled and embraced him. "You're so warm" she said. Prakruth was only in vest and she could feel his skin for the very first time. He hugged her more closer to him. "I trouble you a lot sweetie" said Prakruth apologetically.
"Love always is not flowers and chocolates, it has suffering and pain too...." she uttered resting on his chest.
He chuckled....
"Hey I can hear your heart beat.... It is so loud..." she exclaimed.
He chuckled again... "You know what does it say most of the time?"
"What?" she asked innocently.
"I love you Punya" he whispered.
She giggled...."I know.... Now we're blood related you know???" she asked.
"Yeah your blood is flowing inside me now, but I don't know why I lost so much blood" he said in a pale tone.
"The cut is deep.. You saved me. Doctor told if I suffered the same cut, it would be more dangerous" she explained the fear with gorgeous facial expressions, her wide eyes were showing her anxiety, dimple was appearing and disappearing when she was talking... He kept looking at her mesmerized.... He kissed her on forehead saying "No one in this world can hurt you when I'm alive".
She grinned and got up from bed, "Someone might come, I'll stay away from you"
Just two seconds later, doctor came in with nurse. He checked Prakruth's pulse and blood pressure.... "Everything is normal my boy... You can go home..." said the doctor and turned to Punya. "Your first donation is successful young lady, heard that you are playing in national games... All the best" he wished.
"Thanks Doctor" said Punya and Prakruth together.
Prakruth was discharged from the hospital and they all reached the hotel at 8pm. Night they all slept early after dinner as everyone were exhausted.