39. You're Reckless
He made me forget every single plan Jhanvi was making to make the guys regret.
* * *
Ashar's father thought Jhanvi and I were intrigued by the stunning tractor. He told one of his employees to give us a ride around the farmland. For some reason, I had an inkling he wanted to discuss something with his sons privately. In fact, an elderly man had also come in to join the new guests from America. We had been introduced as the "lovely" wives of his sons before we were sent to explore the property.
Ashar tried to tag along with us. "Baba, I'll go with them."
Jhanvi raised an eyebrow before scratching her nose to hide her smile.
"No, I have something else to discuss with you," said his father. "Beta, you go enjoy. You won't enjoy the conversation I need to have with my sons."
That got everyone's attention except my cousin and I politely followed the old man's request.
Jhanvi and I perched on one side of the tractor, clinging to each other arms. It wouldn't take much for us to slide off.
As we pulled out on the dirt road, a few rocks flew around and we saw a group of children run away in laughter.
"Bibi ji (madam), beware of these devil's kids," the driver said in agitated Punjabi. "They find it amusing to place rocks on the road and see them fly when cars or tractors drive over them."
I nodded in understanding. The kids were at a farther distance from us though we were headed in the same direction.
"How much land is ours?" Jhanvi asked him.
He didn't seem to understand so I translated it in Hindi for him. He relaxed, possibly thanking heavens above that one of us could speak a language he understood.
"Bibi ji (madam), starting from the gate all the way to the end of the road all belongs to your family."
Jhanvi and I exchanged a look. Ashar's father owned acres and acres of land and we didn't even know how far it extended in the back.
"Did they recently buy this land?" I asked.
He drove down the dirt street slowly, so we could stare in amazement.
"No," he said almost surprised. "This land has been passed down three generations. Gurnaam bhaji received it from his ancestors and he has been taking good care of it since he was a young man. I have been working here all my life. He came back from America because he missed this land incredibly."
Ashar's baba must've treated this man kindly for him to be speaking highly of man who abandoned his family in America for land and a new wife. No wonder Ashar had nothing polite to say about his father.
Imagine being an heir to this amount of property only to wait tables at a restaurant.
Poor Ashar.
The man kept driving slowly and informing us that Gurnaam bhaji aka Ashar's baba also owned some land on the other side of the road. That, he had purchased upon returning from the US.
We were listening intently until he took a u-turn and the tractor jerked to a stop.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Let me check." He jumped off to resolve the issue.
Jhanvi was sweating profusely even though the temperature had dropped with the sun. I leaned in close to her.
"Everything okay?" I inquired.
"It's the dust, I think," she said making a queasy face. "I don't know the motion sickness or—"
"Wait a minute," I said, "Have you been taking your medicine? You told me you went to the doctor and the doctor gave you some."
"I forgot it back home," she said with a defeated look.
"Why are you so careless?" I asked worried. "I'm gonna tell Sunny. I don't care. You have nothing more to lose."
"You will do no such thing!"
"Jhanvi, think about your child," I pleaded. "You're throwing up everything. You're not taking any medication. Your face always looks pale. We have to see a doctor. Get some vitamins, at least."
She got off the tractor and crossed her arms next to the man. Everyone loves silencing the voice of reason. Our driver told us he'd be right back with some water for the tractor.
Once he headed down towards the farm, leaving us to play security for the tractor, I went down next to Jhanvi.
"Listen, I'm ready to be an aunt," I said trying to lift her mood. "I'm going to take him or her on a vacation to Belgium, Spain, Bali, Maldives—"
"I don't want to talk about this." She began heading towards the farm as well.
I looked back at the tractor. Before following behind my cousin, I grabbed the keys the guy had forgotten behind. No one could steal it now.
"Jhanvi," I called her name repeatedly as she started walking faster. I ran to catch up with her. "I'll be a good aunt, I promise! I'll even give my niece or nephew young roles in my movies so he or she can be famous. What if the baby you're carrying becomes the next Justin Bieber?!"
She stopped in her tracks and stared at me with a straight face.
"Shah Rukh Khan," she said.
"What?"
"My baby will be Shah Rukh Khan not Justin Bieber." She grinned, putting me at ease.
"You know the baby's gender?" My hands flew to my mouth in excitement. "Oh my God, why didn't you tell me before?! I have to start thinking of names."
Both of us resumed our way back brainstorming boy names that'd have cute nicknames. We wanted something desi enough to please our parents but still an international flavor so the child didn't get bullied in school. We knew a Hardik, a Lovedeep, and a Shitij in our schools.
We were almost halfway when we saw the kids from earlier. They were watching a car riding down the street in my cousin and my direction.
"They look like they're up to no good," Jhanvi said disapprovingly. "Let's hope my baby doesn't enjoy watching rocks fly."
We moved to the side of the road to not get in the way of the car. Jhanvi was slightly out of breath. I wasn't sure if was the dust or the excursion today.
Our attention was focused completely in the kids direction that we didn't realize there were stray rocks in our path. I tried to hook to Jhanvi's arm as she tripped over one. She fell on her knees yelping in pain.
I bent over to help her rise up when the car the kids were watching drove by us. Something hard pelted against my temple barely missing my eye.
I cried in pain as I clutched the side of my head. The kids who were laughing vanished into the the abyss when they saw we got hurt.
"Jhanvi, you okay?" I asked holding on to her hands. She sat down on her butt clutching her stomach. I didn't know whether it was the shock of the impact or it was normal pain.
"I'm fine," she mumbled out wincing hard enough to tear up. Her tears made me afraid.
What if something happened to the baby?
No one was around for help.
I didn't want to leave her alone to run down to the farm. She wasn't in a condition to be alone. My hands trembled pulling out my phone which had zero signals.
Thankfully, the driver finally stepped out of the farm at a distance holding something in his arm. I jumped up and down waving and screaming at him for help.
Behind him, two other figures also stepped out.
Our driver noticed us first and alerted our husbands. They were running in our direction and I crouched eye level to Jhanvi.
"They're coming," I assured her, rubbing her hands. "Everything's gonna be fine."
She smiled faintly before closing her eyes. I almost jerked her to remain awake. Thankfully, her eyelids remained open.
I looked up in relief at Ashar as he reached us. Sunny was right behind and his eyes went to Jhanvi sitting on the ground.
"Ashar, please, she needs a doctor," I said standing up. I clutched Ashar's sleeve who stood in a stupor staring at my fave. "She's not well. Please."
"We will," Ashar said, putting his hands to my cheeks. His eyes were scanning my face with concern. "Don't worry. I'm here."
I stared into his eyes, absorbing his words.
"What happened?" Sunny asked, hurrying to his wife's side. "Jhan, look at me."
"I'm fine," Jhanvi mumbled. "I need water." The driver who was standing behind with the water bottle quickly handed it to Sunny. Sunny put it to Jhanvi's lips and she sipped slowly.
"There's a clinic nearby," said the driver.
Against Jhanvi's protests, Sunny picked her up bridal style and told the driver to get his father's car ready. The guy ran back to the farm with the water bottle in hand.
"I'll explain everything later, but we have to go to a hospital," I told Ashar. We followed behind Sunny. "No clinic. Hospital."
Ashar grabbed my arms and stopped me in place as his brother headed into the farm. I hadn't realized I was trembling.
"We'll go to the hospital. She'll be fine," he said. "You won't be, if you continue crying and shaking like this."
"I can't stop," I said staring at my wavering hands.
Just the thought of Jhanvi getting hurt instilled fear in me. The baby! What if something happened to the baby? I didn't know whether I should tell the guys or not.
Ashar moved forward and wrapped his arms around me. All my thoughts stopped for a moment. I stood still. Was Ashar Virk actually hugging me? My head rested against his chest where I could feel the beats of his heart which were almost on their way to match frantic ones.
It wasn't a small hug. He was embracing me in a way that made me feel safe. He was here now. I could relax knowing he'd handle the situation. I slowly brought my arms to hold onto to the back of his shirt. I had never realized how broad his chest was. His chin perfectly rested on top of my head. He made me feel warm. He made me forget every single plan Jhanvi was making to make the guys regret.
My erratic breathing slowed down to match his rhythm. In fact, I didn't know how to breathe anymore.
"She might be hurt," I whispered. "Seriously hurt."
"Anmol, you're also hurt," he said, pulling back.
His eyes stared at my temple. I raised my hand only to wince at the pain and blood that attached my fingers. I had completely forgotten about the rock that had hit me.
"I didn't notice," I said partially confused.
"I knew I should've gone with you two. You're reckless."
My concern solely lied with my cousin's condition. I prayed the God this was just a scare for her to start taking care of herself more. If anything happened to the baby . . . I almost shivered at the thought.
Ashar misread it as me being actually cold. He took his jacket off and put it around me. His eyes kept wandering back to my injured temple. He raised a hand to push some hair out of the way so it wouldn't stick to the blood.
"Ouch," I said as I felt a sting of pain near my eyes. It was like a lightning strike. The pain came and left in the span of two seconds.
"Anmol, what happened?" Ashar asked his face bending eye level. "Is it hurting?"
"I'm fine," I lied.
Ashar's baba's car pulled out of the farm. Someone honked to alert us to hurry. Ashar took my hand and led me to the car quickly. His father was driving. Sunny was with Jhanvi in the back so Ashar took the front passenger seat. I slid in next to my cousin in the back. Sunny was holding her hand as if that was the only thing that was keeping her conscious. It could be.
"The clinic's five minutes away," baba said as he drove.
I almost had my head next to Ashar to protest, but he beat me to it. Ashar pushed me back gently in my seat with his finger on my shoulder. He turned his head to his father.
"No, baba. We're going to a hospital."
* * *
A/N
How is the chapter?
How is life?
How are Ano and Ashar?
Any predictions? Any long weekend plans?
Next update maybe this Friday. I am trying to tie some loose ends together.
Thank you for the support so far!!!! I appreciate every single vote and comment! It means a lot.
—K-K-Kiran