Splintered Lives (34 page)

Her grandfather decides he will go to get some supplies at the time Mula has to enroll for the medical college; he dresses in his best suit to accompany her to the college.
 
He knows she is nervous and is determined to support her at her enrolment.
 
The University of Kathmandu has just opened their medical college and it is incorporated with the teaching hospital of Kathmandu.
 
It is the first year to take students and Mula is hoping that they will be taking females along with the male ones.
 
She dresses smartly in a summer frock and thankfully gets into her grandfather’s old rattle cart of a car to be taken for her interview.

She finds the place of enrolment and her grandfather accompanies her to the reception, where she is asked for her details and then shown to an area where they can sit until it is her turn to see a lecturer.
 
Her grandfather gives her a gentle hug to calm and reassure her, she has nothing to be nervous about and that he is there for her.

The interview goes well but the lecturer tells her that only a few females have applied and is she willing to take up a place under these circumstances. She smiles shyly as she replies that she is.

She can’t believe that she has a place in the medical part of the Kathmandu University and she returns to her grandfather beaming with success.

“Shall we go to tell your parents, I’m sure they will be proud of you?”

“Yes, let’s go now whilst I feel this success and whatever they say will not upset me.” Mula replies.

They find their way through the busy streets and enter the hotel foyer.

“Mother, dad I have something to tell you,” calls Mula pulling her granddad by the hand.
 
Her mother comes from her office looking angry at the noise.

“Whatever is the matter with you Mula, you are disturbing the guests?”

Mula’s grandfather takes one look at his daughter in disgust and shouts,

“Have you no time at all for Mula? She has just been offered a place at the University’s medical college for the beginning of October and you all should be proud of her.
 
If this is your attitude we are leaving, come on love let’s go home.”

Her father appears from his office and her brothers arrive at the same time.

“What is going on here?” Her father demands.
 
“This is a quiet hotel; we don’t want all this shouting.
 
Mula’s mother goes to calm her husband telling him quietly the reason Mula and her grandfather have called with their news.

”It is very good news,” she says, looking embarrassed and giving Mula a tight smile.

“Congratulations, you have exceeded our expectations,” her father says in a dry voice.
 
Will you be living with your grandfather or is there any residential accommodation?”

“I have been offered a room in the residential block and I shall stay there so that I will have more time to study.” Mula answered, feeling rejected all over again.

“Well we will be off, we know where we are not appreciated, come on Mula let’s get home,” her grandfather says, putting an arm around his granddaughter in a protective way.

“Don’t take any notice of that lot, they don’t deserve you darling, let’s get back up the mountain and see to the chicks,” her grandfather says bringing a smile to Mula’s lips.

The October term began and Mula arrived at the University equipped with the books she had been advised to buy.
 
She encountered two other girls waiting to be allocated a room and the three of them were given adjoining ones with a shared bathroom and kitchen.
 
She settled down quietly and tried to be friendly with the other students but she is tentative because of the bullying she had received at her school.
 
The times of the lectures are posted on a central notice board, where the students are expected to copy from it.
 
As there is a crowd around it, mostly male students, she moves away and decides to wait until there is a lull.
 
She has been told that there are only forty-nine students in all, as it is the first year the medical college has opened at the University.
 
She arrived at the first lecture and counted only four girls, including her, in a sea of male faces.
 
The person sitting next to her was a mature student, much older than the others who are boys of a similar age to her, just left school.

He gives her a tentative look and then a friendly smile.
 
He is so handsome, with dark eyes and velvet -like skin.
 
His smile shows even white teeth and a twinkle in his eyes.

“My name is Simon and I have been waiting quite a few years for this college to open and I’m very pleased to meet you, what is your name?”

 
“My name is Mula, and I‘m so pleased to be here.
 
I feel so lucky to have been given a place in the first year of this college,” she replies with a smile.

“Do you live in
Nepal
?”
 
He asks, seeing a vulnerable young girl who seems to have trouble meeting his interested gaze.

“Yes, I live with my grandfather in the hills above
Kathmandu
,” she replies shyly.

“I live with my grandparents in Kathmandu and one of my aunts.
 
My grandfather and aunt are both doctors at the hospital here, and I have been working with them for a few years but I have to come here in order to get my medical degree and become a recognized doctor, “Simon tells her.

There is no more time for conversation as the lecturer arrives and quietness descends on the student body, as a show of their respect.

The lecture goes well but Mula finds some of the medical language strange and looks apprehensive as she listens to the terms being used.
 
Simon is sensitive to the vibes she is giving off and decides he will help her all he can, without trespassing on to her self imposed isolation.
 
She is friendly with the other girls but she does not join their group when she has her break.
 
Simon sees this and tries to draw her into a conversation.
 
He feels drawn to this beautiful young girl who shows intelligence, but timidity,

 
“Come with me to the canteen for a coffee and if there is anything you don’t understand about the medical language, I will try to explain it,” Simon tells her.

“Oh that will be so helpful, but I can’t take your time, you have your own work to do,” Mula replies.

“It will be to both our benefits if we work together and besides I will enjoy your company,” Simon tells her with laughter in his eyes.

Mula feels a spurt of happiness rise in her heart as she smiles at this young man and hopes that she may have found a proper friend at last.

Chapter 48

Simon has always been a friendly boy and now he is a friendly man.
 
He soon earns the respect of the younger students, because they ascertain that he already has knowledge of the medical world, and they find him forever helpful when they are having difficulties with their studies.
 
Mula finds him an excellent help and though she does not wish to monopolize his time, he is always willing to help her.
 
She has a good idea of the application of the science of medicine and she is enthusiastic in all her work and learning.
 
She is far ahead of a lot of her fellow students and Simon finds he has a great respect for her intellect, as well as, her determination to be a good doctor.
 
She lets her reserve slip for Simon and they spend a lot of their spare time together.
 
She feels the freedom she had with her grandfather, and she becomes a lighter and happier person.

In her second year she knows that she can trust Simon and she tells him something of the problems she has with her parents.
 
How her grandfather is the mainstay of her life and the life she had as a schoolgirl, living with him during her long holidays.

  
Simon tells her of his loss of memory and that only for his grandfather he would be languishing in some French institution.
 
How he lost his “other family” in an accident in France and how his grandfather brought him home to Kathmandu.
 
He still has no recollection of his former life.

Mula listens with tears in her eyes but Simon wipes them away and says, “I love my life here, I would not like to be anywhere else.”
 
And now I have found you I am glad this happened to me.

Mula looks at him in wonderment, “What are you saying Simon, tell me?”

“I love you Mula, I know I shouldn’t take advantage of you, I know you are only nineteen but I have never felt this way about anyone else, ever.”

“Oh Simon I love you too, I have never had a friend like you, in fact apart from my pre- boarding school teacher and my grandfather, I have never had a friend before.”
 
Mula answers as she moves towards him to give him a hug.

“I would like you to come and meet my family, they have heard about you because they have been teasing me and saying I look too happy these days and there must be a girl in the picture, so I told them of this beautiful girl I sit with at college,” Simon tells her.

“I’d love to meet them, they sound so wonderful but I may feel inadequate with the family I have, and I can’t take you to meet them as they are too busy to bother with me.
 
They were rude to my grandfather and me when we went to tell them that I had secured a place in the medical college.”

Simon is shocked at this vision of her life with her parents, and intends to see that she finds the care he is sure his family will give her, he makes sure that she will be more than welcome by getting the aid of his aunt Taz, and telling her the story of Mula’s past.

Simon arranges for Mula to visit him at his home where he lives with his family.

They are curious to see the girl that has stolen Simon’s heart and Mrs. Menon means to pull out all the stops to make the girl welcome.
 
Taz, who knows something of Mula’s background, is determined that the girl will be made to feel comfortable at the Menon house.

Mula, who has become more confident by being befriended by Simon, and has found friends amongst the other three girls who live near to her in her room at the college residence.
 
They tease her about Simon but she gets used to the banter and can give as much as she gets.
 
Her life is greatly improved and she has never been as happy as she is now.
 
She loves the work at college and next year she will have some work experience at the teaching hospital.
 
She visits her grandfather weekly on Saturdays.
 
And has recently told him about her close friendship with this more mature student. He is pleased for her and asks her to bring him the following Saturday to meet him.

“I’d love you two to meet.”
 
Mula says with a smile, “You will like him, he is so different to anyone I have met before and he is so helpful with my confidence and my studies.
 
He makes me feel special and the thoughts of my parents don’t matter to me now. He has asked me to meet his family and I am to go this Sunday for tea.”

“Then you shall bring him for tea here next Saturday so that I can give my approval,”

Mula’s grandfather says, with a teasing grin as he pulls her to him and gives her one of his bear hugs.
  

 
They go upwards to his terrace where he finds some fresh vegetables for the making of a salad and a couple of eggs from his few hens and they return to the cottage to make the tea.

Mula boils the eggs whilst her grandfather washes the vegetables and when the eggs are cold and sliced their salad is ready to eat.
 
She loves these times she spends with her grandfather and always feels refreshed on her way back to college and back to her studies.
 
Sundays she usually works on her studies and sometimes she meets her friendly roommates and they spend time together, walking in the parks that surround the college.
 
But this Sunday she has been invited to meet Simon’s family and although she is looking forward to it she feels apprehensive.
 
She changes her clothes a few times before she decides on a pretty yellow dress. She has had it a long time but it makes her feel bright and sunny.

Simon arrives in his car, as the Menons live a little way from the college, and he wants to support Mula, as he knows she is a little anxious at the thought of meeting his family.

 
“Wow! You look sensational.”
 
Simon whistles and gives her a hand into the car.

“Thanks, I have had this dress sometime, are you sure it looks alright?” Mula asks.

“You look great.” Simon answers. “And they are going to love you anyhow because you are lovely, whatever you wear.”