To Love Again !!!

Chapter - 35

Amrit had been busy stacking her books in the shelf in Abhay's office. He had removed the bedroll and a few other things and installed two book shelves for her and she had been touched. Of course she had forgiven him after making him promise he would not talk about 'emergency situations' casually anymore. And he had, reluctantly. She had already gotten into a routine and she felt more comfortable with Abhay with each passing day. He was a really great guy though she still had difficulty in fully adjusting to him being shirtless especially in the mornings when he was dressing up for office after taking a shower. She remembered how flustered she had been when she had seen him like that on Tuesday morning. She had remained like that till he hadn't left. A physique that resembled Adonis was something he could easily boast of because that was true. He hadn't lied about being in top shape when she had posed the question to him. That hard lean muscular body was something Amrit hadn't been able to take out of her head yet. Though she had become calmer about it or so she thought. No man should be this handsome and she was married to one.

The phone rang and Amrit went to her bedroom to answer it as there was an extension there. She picked it up.

"Hello?" she said.

"Is this Mrs. Malhotra," someone asked.

Amrit did not recognize the voice nor the number flashing on the phone set. Wondering who it was she responded accordingly.

"Yes," she said, "who is this?" she asked.

"Ma'am I am calling from the Army hospital," the person replied, "your husband has been brought in with a gunshot wound," she said, "we wanted to inform you about it and could you please come as soon as possible," she said.

Amrit felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. Did the woman over the phone say gunshot wound? What? Where? How? Her head reeled with the questions and she had to sit down at the edge of the bed. She quickly took in deep breaths to calm herself down. She had to respond.

"Uh," she said into the phone then cleared her throat, "is he okay?" she asked.

"He seems to be doing fine as it is an arm wound but we would still want you to come in," the woman over the phone replied.

"Sure," Amrit said, "I would be there as soon as possible," she replied for lack of anything to say. Her mind was not functioning right now she needed to get over this so she could be of use and not have others start fretting over her.

"When you come in ask at the reception for him," the woman said and kept the phone down.

Amrit's mind was racing. Just three days ago Abhay had mentioned something like this. How did you deal with something like this? She was at a loss here. Yes, she knew his job entailed this kind of danger and yes she was aware of it but till it did not happen to you it was just that, a thought. Now to be in a situation where your husband of two weeks has had a gunshot wound how did you react. What did you think that made you feel better? So what if the wound was not fatal. Did that make you feel less anxious? Is that how it should be?

She didn't understand what she was feeling right now and it was annoying her. She quickly got up and went to the washroom to wash her face with cool water. She felt a little better. Then quickly taking her dupatta from the wardrobe she changed her slippers to flat sandals and then went out. She had forgotten that Abhay had taken the gypsy to work today. Damn. How was she to get to the hospital? But even if she had the keys she couldn't drive so it wouldn't have been of any help. She will have to learn how to drive soon. She remembered the local directory inside and went back. She found a taxi service nearby and called in a taxi. The car arrived within fifteen minutes and she left for the hospital.

Those fifteen minutes seemed like a waste to her. Sitting on the little porch doing nothing. Her mind kept going back to the conversation with the woman over the phone. She hadn't even got her name. Must be hospital staff. How did it matter? She sat in the car staring out the window watching the scenery pass her by. She was not seeing anything. Her brain was a bit numb not knowing what she would find when she reached the hospital and so she had reduced it to a not thinking mode right now. But it was her heart that had her worried. It was beating so fast inside her chest she feared she might have a stroke by the time she would reach the hospital and they will have to admit her instead of Abhay. Why did it feel like this? Why was she so anxious? The woman on the phone had sounded calm and she had also said it was not very serious. But how much was non serious? She bit her lip. As the hospital came into view she felt her heart pick up pace almost drowning everything else. And she was surprised at the sinking feeling she had inside. She had always prided herself over her control so where was it now when she needed it so bad. She got out paid the driver and went inside. Thankfully she had remembered to carry her purse with her.