Roger's fever subsided but his cough got worse. He got some cough medicine and stayed in bed with a heat pad. His joints were sore. He did not feel like getting up from the bed and the medicine made him drowsy. Pari called several times, and got worried when he did not pick up the phone. She had now been shifted to a general ward. She still felt extremely weak. She asked Kajol to call up Roger.
As he lay on the hospital bed, drawing his breath in feeble gasps, Roger found his thoughts clouding. Was it the previous day, or was it night before, he did not know, but he remembered being carried on a stretcher and the sound of a siren. There were voices, muffled ones; he tried to say that they had to call Pari's number. Between drifting in an out of consciousness and comprehension, he felt the lead in his voice.
After several attempts to get through to Roger, Pari had dialled 999 and given her address. She had called Ashok da and Chris. Both promised to go over and check on Roger.
Chris came to the hospital to meet Pari and tell her that the flat was locked. The janitor had told him about a person been taken from Ms. Haque's flat in an ambulance. Pari traced her emergency call and was connected, after what seemed an awful amount of time, to the bereavement officer at UHL.
The hospital had called Pari's number, many times, as the emergency call had been made from there. When Pari called back, it went to the switchboard and no one picked up. It was two days before Pari could get connected to UHL.
Roger Cuthbert died alone.
His last minutes of consciousness were spent, without success, trying to remember a face and name.
He died on Wednesday, two days before Pari could find him. She sat there, on the cold steel chair, without the strength or understanding, to cry.
Chris sat by her side, afraid to hold her, should she break into a thousand pieces.
London End February 2020
Having met Roger's mum, once on a video chat, it seemed inappropriate to call and tell her that her son had died alone, without anyone knowing where he was. Pari requested Mr. Momen to convey the news. Abdul had met Roger's mother last year, when he had been a guest at their home.
There was no body to see for the last time, no physical reminder over which she could cry and get some relief. All she had was a death certificate that said Roger Cuthbert, born on 10 March 1978 in Newfoundland and died on 29 January 2020 in London at the University Hospital Lewisham. Reason of death – Covid 19 infection.
This was what she was waiting with, tucked carefully in an envelope, at the hotel lounge. She had not wanted to meet her, but Mrs. Cuthbert had insisted to see 'Roger's Pari.'
Kajol had implored Pari to come home for a while. Pari told him that she had to re-join her classes and why waste money when there was no wedding. She had refused to meet anyone.
But this one meeting was unavoidable. She had to get this done, the last that she would do for Roger.
Next week she was going back to work. It had been difficult to convince Monty but she agreed to all his terms. "The pain will do me good, maybe help me to cry," she said, when Monty made her contract for the first time, getting her to agree to everything that a scene demanded.
There was nothing else she could do. Her goals stayed the same.
Roger was a break, a holiday that had been gifted to her. And like all holidays it had come to an end