Unedited.
After not getting any response from her, I stood up and sauntered towards the hanger to grab a woolen shrug to cover her as it was quite cold outside because of the winter breezes.
Moving towards her, I hurriedly draped that shrug around her shoulders and lifted her in my arms before marching outside.
Coming outside, I placed her carefully in the passenger seat before securing her with the seat belt. Then I again make a run to lock the main door of the house and rushed to my car. As I got into it, I started driving her to the neighboring hospital.
Once I reached it, I scurried to her side and again I hoisted her unconscious form in my arms before making my way inside.
"What's the problem?" One of the nurses approached me and asked me immediately after sensing the urgency.
"I don't know. I found her lying unconsciously in her room."
I replied in an urgent tone as she gestured me towards a room and asked me to place Yuktha there.
It was just a small hospital but I heard that they offer the best service in this locality. As far as everything was concerned, this hospital seemed the best option for me as I didn't know what kind of urgent medical aid yuktha was in need and I couldn't delay it just because I wanted to give the best.
So without saying a word, I went to that room and placed her softly on the bed. As I went out, I saw a doctor was making her way inside. To be honest, this was the place I hated the most because hospitals never gave me any good memories.
I hated the way hospitals smell because it always makes me relive those memories of my mom's suffering. Yet here I was willing myself to wait for the person who had given me bunch of sweet memories and the very same person who had inflicted bitter pain on my soul but now nothing matters to me except her wellbeing.
'She will be fine and she has to be fine' I assured myself as I settled myself on a chair but soon stood up as the doctor came and stood in front of me.
"How is she? She will be fine..right? Nothing is wrong with her na. Answer me..dammit!." I asked her in a frustrated tone as she was still standing in front of me like a cool cucumber with a smile on her face.
"What's your relationship with the patient.?" She asked me eyeing my uniform as I thinned my lips before taking my eyes off her.
"Nothing that concerns you. Just answer me. She is not going to die..right?" Hearing my question, the initial glare of her at my rudeness turned into laughter.
"Young man! Why will she die? She is just having her monthly cycle." She answered me, making me embarrass a little but having a thick skin, I managed to mask my embarrassment and kept a straight face.
"Then why was she looking like she was about to die?"
I voiced out as I remembered her lifeless lying form and at that moment I felt the rapid beating of my heart, reminding me of its existence after so many years.
"She must be experiencing severe cramps. Cramps are common for many but their severity would differ from person to person. I can't conclude anything until I can ask her about her medical condition. As per her words, you guys can consult the gynecologist for the proper treatment. For now, I just gave her the pain relieving shot."
"It means, she has to go through that pain every month?" I asked her in concern.
As a grown man and having a mother and sisters in my house, I wasn't completely clueless about all this thing but I never saw them getting hurt in a way to even faint out of the pain.
"Probably yes. I am not quite sure about her condition. We just have to wait for the patient to wake up to know what she has to say. If she hadn't consulted a doctor then she better consult one. These things shouldn't be ignored and can't be treated carelessly. Keep a watch on her. Inform me once she wakes up." Saying this she left as I entered inside to have a look at yuktha.
She was sleeping so peacefully, unaware of the turmoil she had created in my heart a while ago. Shaking my head a little, I stretched my hand to caress her cheek lightly but retracted it immediately and went near the window before placing a soft kiss on her forehead.
Standing in front of the window, I glanced into the darkness as my mind drifted back to the very first memory of her.
The first time I saw her was at Daksha's house. I went there to see Aaru as it had been so long since I had seen her. There I saw the girl who made my heart skip a beat.
It might be sounding so filmy and that was exactly what I thought whenever someone says these words until I experienced it for the very first time in my life.
There she stood so tall, so proud while glancing at me blankly. She might be aware of who I was, as there was no unfamiliarity in her gaze and she was looking quite composed.
She stood there for a while, waiting for me to say something but when I didn't, adjusting her glasses on her nose bridge, she calmly left from there without even giving me another glance as my gaze was fixed on her retreating figure.
Seeing her composed, demure, and simple mannerisms, the only name that came to my mind was 'Ms. Prim and Proper' which I later found out was quite apt for her.
That was how she became the first ever girl who had managed to grab my attention at the first sight itself.
I became so curious and wanted to know more about her. I didn't know when that curiosity turned into much more than that but it did and it didn't take much time for me to realize what a beautiful illusion it was.
Coming out of my thoughts, I glanced at her sleeping form and mumbled to myself monotonously.
"I wanted to hate you. I wanted to go far away from you. I so badly wanted this heart to stop craving for you but how is it possible when this is the very same heart that wants your presence..only your presence.. in it as a whole."
Composing myself, I gave her a final glance and left from there while closing the door of the room as well as my heart.
Squinting up my eyes, I glanced around the room and greeted the unfamiliar surroundings. Startling at the unusual sight, I jerked up to the sitting position.
Once I got the whiff of the disinfectant smell, I understood that I was in a hospital but the question is, what was I doing here and who brought me here? Except for remembering the fact that I had fainted out of pain, I was completely clueless about all the events after that.
I was still frowning in confusion as I walked out of the room carefully in the hope to get a sight of, at least someone who would answer my questions but I nearly stumbled on my feet in surprise when I noticed the unexpected presence of someone.
"God!! What is he doing here? Don't tell me he is the one who took me here?"
I questioned myself but my gaze softened a little when I noticed his uncomfortable sleeping posture in the chair with his arms crossed over his chest.
Thinking of something, I went back to the room and retrieved the blanket which I had used till now.
With that in my hand, I comprehensively walked up to him and cautiously tried to cover him with it so as not to wake him up from his slumber but before doing so, he clutched my hand in his vice-like grip before opening his alarmed eyes.
Not foreseeing this kind of response from him, I gave out a startled grunt and started wriggling out of his hold.
"What are you doing?" He asked me after releasing my hand and composed himself.
"I.." What should I reply now? Better tell him the truth.
"I came out of that room and saw you sleeping here uncomfortably. So I thought to.." I left the sentence hanging in the middle while gesturing towards the blanket in my hand. He gave me an understanding nod and looked around.
"Are you feeling good now? Do you need anything? Wait here. I will grab some hot water for you." He said while making a move but I held his hand to stop him and released it immediately when I sensed his gaze on my hold.
"I am sorry. I don't need anything. Let's leave from here." I told him in a low tone.
"Okay. Let's go and meet the doctor before leaving."
Nodding at him, I followed him and went inside a cabin to greet the doctor as she gestured us to take the seats in front of her
"It's good that you are awake. Hope your pain is bearable now." She asked me with a smile and I nodded at her slowly as I was really feeling much better than yesterday.
"I don't know your condition but I can say it is quite severe. So may I know whether are you using any medication or not. If not, you better consult a gynecologist and start it immediately."
"She is a doctor, that too a gynecologist to begin with," Indra answered instead of me while giving me the stinky eye.
Well...what did I do now?
"Ohh. That's great. Then I don't have anything to say as you, yourself, know the best but even if as a doctor, you shouldn't ignore your health like this..right? Please take proper care of yourself. Yesterday, I just gave you a shot as I don't know much about your condition."
"Yeah. I am already using the medication but it's not something that will get cured just by using the medicines. Thanks, doctor. We will take our leave now." I said as she nodded at me in an understanding manner.
As I was going out, Indra followed me with a clueless expression.
"Hey! Stop. What do you mean by 'it won't get cured by using the medicines'? Is it that serious? Will you be really okay?"
Trust me, the obvious concern in his tone really warmed my heart as I smiled at him a little.
"Oh. It's nothing serious. What I mean is, in addition to using the medicines, I have to take care of my diet and physical fitness. That's it. Don't worry." I explained without looking at him as he just scoffed in my direction.
"Whatever! And who is worrying about whom?" He muttered before making his way out as I rushed forward to match his footsteps.
"Btw, how come you are the one to admit me to the hospital? What are you doing at my house in the first place and how do you get inside? Don't tell me, you are..." I asked him while raising my eyebrows in a questioning manner as we both got into his car.
"Don't flatter yourself. Rishu called me when you didn't attend her calls as Aaru told her that I dropped you at your home yesterday. So not to let her worry about you, I took it upon myself to check up on you." He answered me blankly as I nodded at him in an understanding manner but again looked at him in confusion.
"You didn't tell me about how did you get inside?"
"Of course with the keys under the flower pot." He replied while rolling his eyes as I shook my head.
"Well. That explains everything."
I still have my doubts but being a wise person, I chose to keep my doubts to myself as I knew this Dracula would gulp me alive once I voiced them out.
As we reached my house, I got off the car and bent a little to peek inside the car.
"Thanks for your help. Can you please tell me the amount that the hospital has charged you with? I will pay you back." I asked him calmly as he glared at me.
"Don't make me regret my act of helping you." Saying this angrily, he rolled up the window and zoomed off within a blink of an eye.
"Youuu!!! What a jerk. Hmph."
I stomped my feet and went inside but a gasp escaped my mouth when I saw the door of my room lying on the floor in a broken form ,making me rush inside the room.
Immediately, I heard the pinging of my phone which was lying on the bedside table and I went forward to grab it and saw a message from him.
[I will send someone to fix your door
in a while. I had to break it yesterday
to get in. If you have so much money
then pay him for yourself, Ms. Yuktha.
-Dracula.]
[Thank you.]
I replied curtly. Just then I noticed something over my nightwear. It was a woolen shrug but if I remembered it clearly, I didn't wear it when I went to sleep unless he helped me in wearing it...
I smiled at that thought while holding the nooks of the shrug but it faltered a little after remembering something.
'I guess, Dracula is really angry... very angry. I must say!!!'
I knew it because he called me yuktha instead of Ms. Prim and proper.
Hope you guys liked this chapter.
Thanks for reading.
Please do vote and comment.