Prithvi... [Vol 5]

Chapter 118

His great-nephew glanced at him then, and the emotion in those young eyes startled him.

"I'll do whatever it takes," Prithvi said quietly, "but I won't let anything happen to her again."

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As Priyamvada emerged from the bathroom, the young nurse hastened to her side and grasped her hand gently.

Priyamvada regarded her coldly. "I'm quite sure I told you I don't need help."

The nurse withdrew compliantly.

Priyamvada walked to the bed and lay down her head on the pillow, drawing up the light coverlet. She was ashamed of the weakness that had caused her to faint, and the lingering tiredness that made her want to sleep for the rest of the day. Since last evening, she had worked so hard to create the image of an extraordinarily strong woman. But the effort had gone to waste.

"My son must be talking to the doctor right outside this room. Request him to come in," she told the nurse flatly.

The nurse hurried to obey.

After a few moments, Priyamvada smiled as her son strode into the room and raised a thin hand.

Smiling back, Prithvi caught her frail fingers and sat down near her. "How are you feeling now, Maa?"

"Fit and fine," Priyamvada lied firmly, then hastening to the most urgent issue at hand, she determinedly said, "Prithvi, I have to meet Nandini immediately. I need to apologise in person. She was our guest...and my actions were unforgivable."

"You can meet her, but not today," Prithvi said calmly. "Not for some time. The doctor said your blood pressure is high. She has prescribed medicines and suggested a few tests -"

"No, no. I don't need any medicines or tests. It was just stress," Priyamvada insisted. She hated doctors. However, Prithvi had been so worried for her that she'd not had the heart to prevent him from calling a doctor and installing the idiotic nurse in her suite. But she couldn't put up with any more medical attention.

"I need to know for sure, Maa," Prithvi replied soberly. "But whatever the results say, I want you to take as much rest as possible for the next three months. There will be a doctor and nurse just for you from this day onwards. You need to listen to whatever the doctor says, and the nurse will be with you at all times."

The doubts that had tormented him about his mother's innate nature had lost all meaning the instant he had seen her lose consciousness. His only goal now was to restore her to full health. The doctor and nurse tending to Priyamvada had been borrowed temporarily from Indrajit's medical team. He would hire new permanent staff for his mother. He had mentioned a period of three months to make it easier for her, but his vigil on his mother's health was going to be permanent.

Starting to be annoyed, Priyamvada severely said, "Prithvi, I am not an invalid and I will not be treated like one."

"You're not an invalid but you're also not as healthy as you should be," Prithvi responded patiently. "You have to do this for me, Maa. When we were in Devgarh, I wanted to do everything that was humanly possible to help you feel better. But I couldn't. That's not the case now. I can do everything for you. I want to do everything for you," he said emphatically. "Please let me take care of your health. I won't ask you to do anything else for me."

Astounded, Priyamvada gazed at him tearfully and squeezed his hand. She didn't want to postpone her meeting with Nandini. However, how could any mother be strong in the face of what her son had said. But there was a way of turning this situation to her advantage.