The shark and the saint

16. Care

Time ki problem nahi hai, Prerna thought to herself as she paced in worry. How would she tell them that she has a fear of injections? Mr. Bajaj would surely laugh at her childishness.

What's it to you if he sees you as a child? It's not your fault he married someone younger than him.

Prerna had never gone to a clinic without her mother, and here she was with a man who she had no relationship with.

Prerna was sitting on the bed when the nurse came in with her cart, with too many things on it.

"Y-yeh sabh kya hai?" Prerna asked, pointing at the the tray.

"Doctor ne aap ke liye vaccines likhi hain. Drip se pehle aap ko lagani hain," the nurse told her.

Come on! More than one needles?! And she had thin veins too, meaning that the nurse would have to prick her a few times to get the needle in the right place.

"Roll up your sleeve, please," the nurse directed her, and Prerna nervously rolled up her sleeve.

The nurse grabbed her arm and just as she knew, the nurse couldn't see a vein. She massaged her elbow pit, and did a lot of slapping and trying to get her veins to show up.

The nurse laughed. "Aap ki veins hain bhi ya nahi?"

Prerna nervously laughed in response.

"Give me a second, I'll go get a tourniquet," the nurse said and left the room.

Prerna took her chance and bolted out of the exam room. She bumped into Rishabh in the hallway.

"All done?" He asked, confused at her state.

"Y-yeah, all done. Abh chalein?" Prerna grabbed his arm and was dragging Rishabh to the exit when the nurse started calling after her.

Rishabh noticed her rolled up sleeve and stopped, yanking her back to him. Prerna reflexively put her hands out, ending up with her hands on his shoulder before she caught herself and pulled back.

"I think kuch reh gaya," he said, a smile slowly coming on his face.

"Please! Mujhe injections nahi pasand. I promise main sari medicine le loon gi, sara khana loon gi! But main ne injections nahi lagwane!" Prerna pleaded.

"You should have thought about that before. Let's go," he started taking her back to the room but Prerna dragged her feet.

Rishabh stopped and scooped her into his arms while Prerna resisted.

"Aap ko bhi Kukki ki tarha bribe kar na pade ga?"

"Aap ke saara bank balance ke liye bhi nahi karna mujhe. I'm serious, Mr. Bajaj. Mujhe needle phobia hai. Agar aap mujhe pehle bata dete..."

"Agar pehle bata deta toh aap kabhi nahi aatin," Rishabh said, already back in the room.

"At least mentally ready toh hoti," Prerna whined as he put her down on the bed.

More nurses had come in the room in case they needed to help. Prerna tried to get up but Rishabh kept her down.

"Ms. Sh- Mrs. Bajaj. Mrs. Bajaj, listen," Rishabh tried to convince her. "Yeh aap ke liye nahi, aap ke baby ke liye hain. Injections mein five seconds lagte hain, at most. Agar na hue, aur aage jaa ke aur badi problem ho gayi toh..." he didn't need to finish that thought.

Prerna sat still at his words. "Lekin main..."

Rishabh fit his hand against hers, clenching his fingers. "You look at me. Dekhein gi nahi toh dar kam lage ka."