Lady Enigma

Chapter 8

"Amma, I'll be back in a second," I tell her and head out, only to see a pale-faced Kiran, listening to the bubbly woman as she talks.

Her head hung low, eyes pleading desperately to make her stop talking, hands and limbs shaking. If anxiety and sadness were personified, then she must be it.

I want to rescue her, but she will be more offended than being thankful. And the last thing I want is to upset her. The lady tries to explain while writing something on tissue paper and Kiran just nods. She doesn't really look like she is harassing Kiran. And I doubt if she is understanding what she is trying to say.

After nearly half an hour, when the lady leaves, I go to her. "Kiran?" I call out. She comes out of her trance with a visible flinch.

"Huh?"

"Are you okay?" I ask while brushing the right side of her face. My finger pads feeling the tender vulnerable skin, with millions of folds, that makes my grip on her cheek softer than before.

After a while, she leans in, basking into the comfort my callous palm gave away. She looked so... Small. Vulnerable. Soft. So, so soft. I was afraid of hurting her. But it was her inside, that was eating her away.

Without thinking anymore, I surrounded her in my embrace. Feelings be damned. Right now this woman needs all the comforts of the world.

She holds me even closer, nuzzling into my chest, hands tightly clasped, as if she's afraid that air might come between us, to do us apart.

"What happened?" I asked while rubbing her back to give at least an ounce of comfort.

"Nothing." She replied, getting out of my hold. "I... I should go now... I guess.." she trailed off.

I nodded my head in agreement "shall I drop you off?" I offered, cupping her face in my hands, trying to feel her as many times as possible.

"No. I came on my bike. I'll head off now." She said, her head hung low.

"Are you sure you're okay? Do you still have that fever?" Ridiculous question. I know. But still, it can get her talking.

"Ha! No. But I'll be fine. I'm having a mid-life crisis right now. So I'm heading home." She joked and looked at me for the last time.

"Let me know once you've reached home," I command.

"Yes, Sir!" She shouts, with a salute. But her eyes were not containing the same mirth.

"You better ping me. I know where you live." I warn while she just waves off.

I don't know how, but it suddenly started to rain when she left. And the rain was not making me happy. If anything, it only made me feel sadder. Remorse. Guilt.

What exactly did that lady say?

-

"How is your mother now, Vijay?" The commissioner asked me, in my cabinet, standing in front of my desk.

I immediately jolt up and pay my respect "Sir!"

"Please. I came here as a well-wisher. How is your mother?"

"She's good and dandy. She doesn't even look like a woman who collapsed a few days back." I chuckle at the memory of my mother cracking illogical jokes. This makes me wonder, I haven't seen Kiran since that day.

She only messaged me on the last day I saw her, saying she reached her place safely.

Later that day, I informed her about my mother's discharge. And there's no reply till now.