Author's POV:
Adi came from the washroom in his robe and his gaze fell on his beautiful wife who is sleeping without the care of the world. She still look like a new bride with the faded mehandi, full bangles on her either hands, the nuptials around her neck, the vermilion in her partition and her beautiful toe rings. Looking at these are driving him crazy trying not to touch her.
He went to the closet and got into his uniform. He took the box of his badges, stars and whistle along with the box of bullets.
Adi hurriedly went down and ate his breakfast.
" Mom, please understand. I'm needed there. Shantanu alone can't handle this." Adi said waiting for his mom to respond.
He asked his mom to pin those badges and stars on his shoulders but she refused to do so as it's just been 15 days of his marriage.
" How come you do that Adi? For god's sake you are on leave. It's just a fort night that you are married to Nithya." Anuradha nodded her head in no.
Leaving the door open let Nithya disturb with all the arguments. She slowly woke and saw the adjacent space to find Adi no where. She drowsily walked down in her night dress to see Anuradha and Adi arguing.
" What's happening here?" Nithya asked yawning. Anuradha looked at her DIL and dragged Adi near her.
" Tell your husband that it's only been a fortnight and ask him to spend some time with you. He came to me asking to pin these." Anuradha said putting his badges in her hand.
Nithya's sleep flew away the next second he is closer to her. She ascended a step back seeing how close Anuradha brought Adi towards her.
" I was needed there for a month Nithya. Please tell Mom." Adi said. One thing she understood is, he is really in a hurry.
" Duty always comes first Aunty. He can't push away his responsibilities just because he married to me. Let him go." Nithya spoke softly smiling at Anuradha.
" Just look at my bad luck. Like son, like DIL. " Anuradha said making Nithya chuckle and Adi smile.
He is really mesmerized seeing her soft skin and healthy eyes where there are no dark circles.
" Then you pin these yourself. I'm not gonna help him." Anuradha muttered and walked towards Rahul expecting some pampering from him. And as always, he kissed his wife taking her side.
Adi hesitantly looked at her showing his shoulder. Nithya glared at him and gave him a cold shoulder.
" Attach these yourself. " She said trying to give them back.
" But I really can't attach them properly." Adi pleaded looking at her.
" That's not my problem." Nithya shrugged.
" Please Sweetheart. It's getting late." Adi pleaded where there is genuine tension.
Just get over with it Nithya! Her brain chidded.
" Fine." Nithya mumbled.
" Say the order." Nithya asked irritatedly.
" The Emblem on the top, next the two stars and last the IPS pin." He said and she gently pinned them on his uniform's shoulder.
" Last time I checked, you just have 3 stars and IPS pin!" Nithya asked raising her eyebrow still pinning the remaining on the other shoulder.
" I got promoted from DSP to SP Sr. Grade." Adi said kissing her hands. This is the first day he is going to his job and Nithya helped him in getting complete.
She swiftly pulled back her hands as soon as he kissed them which hurted Adi. She glared at him making his chest rise in pain.
" Take care Sweetheart. I'll be going there for a month." Adi said deeply kissing her forehead making her gasp. She felt his hot breath on her hair when he kissed her. An ounce of feelings swirled in her heart which she immediately suppressed.
" Just go away." Nithya pushed him angrily making him stumble on the stairs.
He left without even looking back. It pieced his heart seeing how heartless she is.
" Shantanu? Is everything done?" Adi asked shielding his eyes with the shades.
" Yeah. Almost. Just get into the car." Shantanu said getting inside the car. The driver drove them to the hilly areas and stopped the car at the old quarters.
" This is your stay for a month sir. Everything is arranged." The cook over there said.
Shantanu and Adi looked at the whole quarter and sighed. It's basically a small house with a kitchen, hall and bedroom. It's more than enough for two.
" Thank you." Adi mumbled and sat on the sofa. There is no TV around. It's just a small fridge, stove and few utensils along with two beds and a night stand.
" I don't know if I'll survive here." Shantanu chuckled slumping beside Adi.
" This quarter looked unused for decades." Adi said looking at the ceiling.
Adi got up and Shantanu followed him closely behind. He took out a cigarette and lit it inhaling the smoke though his mouth. Shantanu borrowed an another cigerrate from Adi and lit it leaving the circles of smoke in the air.
Adi went down using the steps to see the greenary everywhere. The cool weather around and the burning cigarette in his hand made his mood a bit better.
Once he finished that cigerrate, he threw it down crushing it's butt under his shoe. Looking at the trees around only made him think of his Sweetheart. She really love to be surrounded by nature.
" Just get her out of your head for a month Adi. You have come here for the work, not to dream about your wife." Adi said to himself punching the nearest tree.
Adi and Shantanu slept till the evening as they have the night duty.
" Shantanu, get up." Adi yelled kicking him.
" God! Idiot. I hate you." Shantanu yelled sitting on the bed.
" Shut up. I'm just tired of hearing those I hate yous. " Adi yelled walking to the kitchen.
They went to the jungle and observed the surroundings for the next 20 days. Day by day, the actions and sounds made in the jungle alerted the whole team. Adi and Shantanu asked Akshita and her team to mark the places they asked for.
Adi, Shantanu along with the team chose the last 2 days to give the ultimatum.
They retired to their respective quarters while Shantanu is looking into the jungle with his binoculars.
" Adi! Come here." Shantanu whispered hurriedly.
" Here. See towards the east." He said hurriedly. Adi grabbed his binoculars and looked at the east to see few naksals killing a person brutally.
" Those people already killed him." Shantanu whispered.
"Those are very dangerous to deal with. And the MLA is visiting this place tomorrow for the site seeing. " Shantanu said looking at Adi and he knew what's gonna happen in the next two days.
Adi and Shantanu gathered in the larger quater. Shantanu and Adi explained everyone where to be present and explained them where to stand and fight. Suresh helped them with their places leaving some marks to follow the path easily on the map.
They had their food and got into the bullet proof jackets. Adi, Shantanu, Suresh, and a new member Akshita along with her group joined Adi.
They went into the jungle and hid themselves behind the tree.
" Shantanu, lead the team." Adi said in his walke talke.
" Copied." He said and asked everyone to move towards the west.
The naksals got alerted when the member adjacent to them fell on the ground lifeless.
" There are police here. Just kill them." The leader of the group yelled making the naksals disperse.
Adi and Shantanu felt a bit contemplated seeing them getting along with the moss around. That confused them leading to the unexpected firing.
" Shantanu. Down." Adi yelled pushing him down.
Suresh took two people down hiding the injured Akshita behind the tree.
" You stay here. I along with the team will handle them." Suresh said her hurriedly patting her cheeks.
" Suresh sir, I..... I got to know that there are around 32 people." Akshita said trying to supress the pain.
" I got you." He immediately took the walke talke out and informed Adi who is on Shantanu.
Shantanu's hawk like eyes fell on the green leaves where two people are hiding. Shantanu signalled Adi and he looked at the leaves. They took their guns and shot them mercilessly.
" Suresh sir, to your left." A person from the team informed making Suresh turn swiftly and shoot him.
" 18 more left sir." Akshita mumbled painfully.
" Adithya sir, there are 3 persons. One at 45° right, and the remaining two at 80°. " A girl from the team said making Adi alert. Shantanu shot a women while Adi cleared the remaining two. The team member hurriedly said that they are trying to use the bombs.
" Get into the safe place...... Quick." Adi and Shantanu ordered.
They hid behind the big boulders leaving the dust raise in air with aloud sound.
Suresh saw the person running towards them with a bomb but even before she reach them, a girl from the team shot her mercilessly.
" How many left?" Shantanu asked hurriedly.
" 7." Akshita answered looking at the very small screen in her hand.
" 11'O clock and 3'O clock." Akshita said panting.
The boys team shot them making Akshita show her thumbs up.
" Adithya sir, Shantanu sir, 105° left, 20° right." She said and Adi fired.
" Ahhhhhh......" Suresh yelled holding his shoulder. Adi hurriedly ran to him and looked at his shoulder to see the bullet went touching his shoulder. It's nothing serious.
" Can you do it?" Shantanu asked running.
" Yes sir. It's really nothing." Shantanu smiled at Suresh's dedication.
The cops from the team finished the remains three letting everyone sigh.
" Kushal, please take Akshita to the quarters. Quick. She need the medical attention." Adi said collecting the important things those fell down.
Once they reached the quarters, Shantanu asked Adi to call Nithya.
Adi called Nithya again and again only to be left in voice mail. For the fourth ring, someone cut the call and messaged Can't talk right now. Will call later.
Fucking lift my call Nithya. It's urgent. Adi typed furiously.
The receptionist read the message and replied that Dr. Mehra is in the OT. I'll let her know once she is out.
Ok. Adi typed and groaned angrily.
" What happened? Why isn't Nithya lifting your calls?" Shantanu frowned.
" She is in the OT performing surgery." Adi said.
He called two girls from the team and asked everyone to leave except for them.
Adi's mobile rang after 15 minutes making him happy.
" Hello Sweetheart! I need your help." Akshita and the remaining two girls looked at Adi as if they are seeing the ghost. He, talking so softly is nearly an impossible thing.
" What do you want?" Nithya asked tiredly.
" Can you come on the video call? A girl here is injured in her shoulder and I really don't know what to do." Adi explained hurriedly.
Nithya hummed and turned the normal call into the video one. Adi accepted it and turned the camera to Akshita.
He looked at Nithya to see her still in the doctors scrub. He looked at her eyes and winced. There are the dark circles again around her eyes.
" Are you fucking listening to me Adithya?" Nithya yelled bringing Adi out from his conclusions.
" Sorry. Sorry. Yeah." Adi said embarrassed.
" What's there in the first aid box?" Nithya asked him.
" There is some cotton, few bands of gauges, dettol, some yellow ointment and a long string in packet, alcohol, iodine, peroxide. That's it." Adi said searching for the new things in the box.
" Ok. Those are enough but don't you find any needle and forceps?" Nithya frowned not finding the forceps atleast.
" No." Adi answered quickly.
" Argh fine. Turn the camera to the girls." Nithya asked and Adi did as she asked.
" Girls, go to the kitchen and get two forks and a knife." Nithya said and the girls went to bring them.
They came back and Nithya asked them to cut her uniform with the knife around the injured area. They did as Nithya asked and looked at the camera again.
" Use the forks and pull the bullet out. But clean them with the alcohol first." Nithya said.
" What the fuck?" Akshita yelled with the bulged eyes.
" YOU JUST SHUT UP FOR A WHILE AND LET ME DO MY WORK. " Nithya yelled on the top of her lungs which shut everyone around. Adi looked at her flabbergasted. He knew she would be irritated if she don't get enough sleep but this is totally to an another level.
" First, cleanse the infected area." Nithya said holding her head.
The girls did and used the forks to take the bullet out. All the time Akshita cried her lungs out making Nithya more irritated.
" Adithya, just shut her. I feel my head aching more." Nithya warned while Adi closed her mouth pushing his handkerchief in her mouth.
The girls looked at Adi seeing how much he loves his wife that he is doing everything to keep her as a sane person.
" Well, now, use the peroxide and clean the wound repeatedly. " Nithya said rubbing her eyes repeatedly.
" Sweetheart, are you sleepy?" Adi asked her concerned marking her nod. She looked very cute in the head cap. Akshita's anger melted seeing how much she is trying not to sleep instructing the girls from the past half an hour.
Adi looked at the time to see it as 11:34 PM and he winced at the wierd timing.
"Zoom to her wound Adithya." Nithya said and he did.
" It's not that deep to stitch." Nithya said making their eyes wide. Akshita sighed in relief when Nithya said she doesn't need stitching.
" Do not apply any cream or some shit. Just place the cotton and band it with the gauge. And dress your wound every day. If you feel that the wound got wet, just change it immediately." Nithya said. Once they are done, Adi turned the camera to his side.
" Don't drive. I'll ask the driver to pick you up." Adi said firmly.
" You are spoiling someone's sleep to get me home safe? I can drive Adithya." Nithya said discarding everything price by piece. Adithya glued his eyes towards her body enjoying the view he is getting.
" I know how well you can drive. Let the driver pick you or I'll ask Dad to pick you up." Adi warned making Nithya's anger reach peaks.
" Have you gone mad or what? Why do you want to disturb Uncle now?" Nithya asked angrily.
" It's Dad or Driver Sweety?" Adi asked seething in anger. Both are blazing in ire.
" It's waste of time to argue with you." Nithya said huffing angrily.
" Don't spoil someone's sleep for me. I will drive Adithya." Nithya said gritting her teeth.
" Then you will drive at 40 speed. And you will turn your GPS on and you will be on the video call with me." Adi said strictly making her huff.
" My mobile is about to be dead." She informed.
" Then charge it till you change and wash that face first." Adi instructed leaving no chance for Nithya.
The girls and Akshita looked at him seeing how much he loves his wife. But one thing they wanna do is, take back their words where they said Adi is very sweet towards Nithya. No. He is not.
" She'll die of suffocation. Just remove that cloth piece." Nithya said and the girls removed it quickly.
Nithya changed into a comfortable dress and went to her car. She attached her mobile to the mobile holder turning the GPS on. Adi sat on the bed and Nithya ignited the car engine.
The car hit the road and Adi took all the time to gaze his wife. Nithya could feel his piecing gazes even from the mobile making her uncomfortable.
" Stop creeping me out." She said annoyingly making Adithya laugh.
Nithya reached the Vohra Mansion in half an hour. She parked the car and collected her belongings. She showed Adi the mansion and immediately cut the call.
" So rude Sweetheart." Adi mumbled.
" Sir, the cars are ready. Let's leave." Suresh said to Adi and Shantanu. They nodded and packed the little luggage they brought.
Shantanu, Suresh, Adi and Akshita sat in one car while the others are coming in another car.
" How much time will it take?" Adi asked impatiently.
" 6 hours sir." The driver replied.
" You and Sweetheart mam are really great sir. You both work irrespective of your timings. You left your newly wed wife and risked your life for the minister while Sweetheart mam is working even though she can ask some other surgeon to do the surgery." Akshita said.
Shantanu bursted into fits everytime she mentioned Nithya as Sweetheart mam.
" Sweetheart mam?" Shantanu asked.
" That's what Adithya sir called her sir." She said in a low voice.
" Her name is Nithya and she is a Bronchologist cum Cardiothoracic surgeon. And she working at these odd hours, she have no other choice. That hospital belongs to her mentor and teacher, Dr. Ahmed. She is obliged to listen to him when he particularly wants only her to do the surgery." Adi said. Akshita made an O with her lips when she learnt Nithya's name.
" And she coaxed my mom to let me go or else my mum would never allow to leave my 15 days wife then." Adi smiled thinking about her.
Adi slept holding his heart in pain while Shantanu gestured the driver to drive faster. He manged to reach the place in 5 hrs.
Adithya slowly opened the door and walked into his room to see Nithya sleeping. It's 5:23 am in the morning and he went to take a quick bath.
He wore only the shorts and slept beside Nithya pulling her closer. The sudden contact made Nithya shiver in cold. His cold body is making her repel from him.
Nithya tiredly opened her eyes to see Adi looking at her.
" What are you doing here?" Nithya asked irritatedly in her groggy voice.
" Sweetheart please let me sleep. I'm really tired and in the dire need of sleep." Adi pleaded with almost no energy.
" Just leave my body atleast." Nithya spoke pushing his chest making him yell in pain.
Nithya frowned and looked at his chest to see his skin red and broken as if someone burnt him. His brown eyes emitted tears of pain.
" Adithya?" Nithya called him sitting on the bed.
" What happened here?" She asked trying to touch the skin there.
" Ahhhhh..... Please don't touch there. " Adi uttered in immense pain.
" Shhhhh..... It's alright. Did you bath properly? I mean did you neatly clean this area?" Nithya asked.
" No. I left that part." He said holding Nithya's hand for some support.
" Alright..... Alright...... Let me come." She said petting his hair gently.
She brought a bowl of very cold water and a cloth. She sat in the middle of the bed and examined the burn with the torch of her mobile.
It looked some yellowish type. She bent towards Adi's chest and smelled it making Adi feel her warm breath. Nithya rapidly moved back unable to bear the smell. She sneezed twice.
" What is it?" Adi asked lifting his head a little.
" Shhhh..... Just lay down. I'll see to it." Nithya said pushing back gently.
She had a little knowledge about chemical burns. She thoroughly washed his skin only to hear his painful moans. Tears swirled in her eyes seeing him going through so much.
" Hello Dr. Mrunali. I'm Dr. Mehra. I'm sorry to disturb you at this odd hour. Please just listen to me." Nithya said biting her lips harshly waiting for her answer.
" No.... No problem Dr. Mehra. What's the matter?" Dr. Mrunali asked in her morning voice. Nithya sighed when she asked what the problem was.
" Actually, my husband got this chemical burn and his skin broke on his chest. By looking at the skin, smell and colour of the chemical, I figured it out that it's Sulpher Mustard. You are a dermatologist and I really have no idea what to do. Please be quick. He is in pain." Nithya asked almost begged her.
Adi looked at the vulnerability in her eyes. And she is vulnerable because of him. The tears which she is controlling since long are saying how much she cares from him. She forgot all the things he did to her when he is suffering from all these.
" Easy Dr. Mehra. Sulpher Mustard is something we find in guns or bombs. And I've heard that your husband is a cop. Ok. Firstly, don't use any peroxides or alcohols on his skin. It could slow down the healing process. Just use the water to clean his burn and do it daily. Don't expose it to the air. Secondly, apply only the petroleum jelly on the burn. I repeat only the petroleum jelly and no other creams. Just cover the whole burn if it's big. Just do this for now and wait for one weeks to heal." Dr. Mrunali said.
" Thanks doctor. " Nithya said ending the call.
She turned to Adi too see him looking at her with the tears flowing into his hair.
" Is it burning?" Nithya asked as if she is talking to a baby. Adi slowly nodded in yes pushing her more into the pain.
" Adi, now I'll apply the petroleum jelly and it really hurts. Please bear it." Nithya asked very gently.
" No. Please...." He held her hand when she brought the petroleum jelly near to his skin.
" Is my best friend that weak?" Nithya frowned looking at him.
" I thought men doesn't cry Adi." She said looking at him. He is glaring at her for considering him weak but on the other hand she is silently doing her work.
" Did you just trick me Nithya?" He yelled on the top of his lungs as the pain became immense. He held the sheets in his fist and pulled them unable to bear the pain.
" Adi ...... Please...... Adi...... I'm done. Just look here. Now I'll just band it." She tried to control him cupping his cheeks. There is no stop to his tears.
His head is really aching badly. And Nithya too didn't get enough sleep. She nearly slept for 4 hours. She messaged Dr. Ahmed saying that she can't make it to the hospital today stating the reason.
" You need to sleep Adi. Come on. Listen to me and sleep." She cooed wiping his tears. She decreased the AC temperature and closed all the blinds locking the door with the remote.
" Please sleep with me." Adithya pleaded with closed eyes.
Nithya hesitated to get her hand out of his hand but he held it tighter. She gave up and slept beside him while he pulled her closer to him. She gently patted on his abs pushing him into sleep along with herself. She hugged his torso and fell into deep sleep along with him losing the track of time.
" Nithya didn't wake up yet?" Rahul asked sipping his morning green tea.
" I don't know. She might be late last night." Anuradha shrugged.
Rahul called the security guard who is the incharge for the last night.
" When did Nithya come back last night?" Rahul asked.
" Nithya mam came back around 12:30 while Adi sir came back at 5 in the morning." He said and Anuradha dismissed him.
" Even Adi came back and they didn't even inform us." Anuradha scoffed sipping her butter tea.
" They might be tired Anu. And they might not wanna disturb us." Rahul said caressing his wife's soft hair where there are flicks of grey hair in them.
" Let me check them." She said placing the empty cup on the teapoy.
" Anu, stop invading their privacy." Rahul said in a strict tone.
" No. I need to check on my children. What if they need something?" Anuradha gave a lame excuse walking to Adi's room. She always loves to witness Adi's private moments with Nithya. She really finds their bond fascinating since the fight they had in the airport.
She slowly opened the door with her fingerprint and there are Nithya and Adi sleeping soundly hugging eachother. The duvet covered the dressing of Adi but Anuradha looked overwhelmed seeing her children sleeping like that. She snapped a photo of them and sent it to Avanthi.
An immediate jealousy flowed in Avanthi which made her post a pic to Anuradha where Advi is sitting on Awan with her legs on his either sides with the duvet partially covering them. Anuradha rolled her eyes seeing them but sent a heart symbol which satisfied Avanthi.
Adi uncomfortably shuffled finally sleeping in a perfect postion.
With Love ❤️
introvert_2001
Word Count: 4142.