"That's a sprain, Anirudh. I've bandaged her leg for now, and it should start to get better in a couple of days. Plenty of rest until then"
The words Dr. Sengupta was saying washed over her as she closed her eyes, but her mind, her mind was far away.
Ever since she had fainted, sir ji hadn't left her side, apart from the 2 minutes he took to get his phone to call the Dr, and to let the Dr in.
What had happened just before he had left her room to get his phone was still fresh in her mind, her chin still tingling from his touch.
And she hated herself for that!
"You.are.not.a.maid" he had told her and the look in his eyes made her want to believe what he had said. A little. Somewhere deep down.
And she hated herself for that even more.
Because she was being utterly, incredibly stupid and complicating everything.
She had accepted that she was a maid. She had accepted her fate. The insults. The hatred.
The hatred.
" I'll come back to check on her tomorrow evening"
Did that mean the Dr thought she'd be better by then. Phew, she could stop being a burden and start doing her work.
"Until then, no walking"
Her eyes flew open at that "N-No walking, Dr?"
As her voice rang out, both the men turned to look at her, one looking apologetic and other looking stern - she was only looking at one man, she didn't even need to look at the other to read the expression on his face.
"Yes, beta" the Dr said, nodding his head apologetically, "you need atleast a couple of days rest. Minimum"
"That's ok, Dr, I'll ensure Jhanak - "
"But-but, I - I can't rest. I - " she stammered
"Yes, you can. And you will"
And that ended the discussion. Because with one look at sir ji's determined face she knew that no matter how hard she tried, he would not leave her side.
Especially when she was alone, and needed help.
Especially when she was alone!
The panic rose within her as she realised what that meant. She was alone in the Bose house for the next 2 days and she couldn't walk - that meant she was dependent on sir ji for even the basic stuff - just no freaking way!
"Dr. Sengupta, give me medicines. Painkillers. Kuch toh Hoga. I can't be in bed like this for 2 days" she tried again desperately.
At her delirious rant, Dr.Sengupta shared a look with sir ji and he just nodded back, before asking, "how early can the nurse be here, Dr?!"
Nurse? The relief that washed over her soothed her instantly, and it took immense strength to not heave a sigh of relief very loudly.
If sir ji was going to get a nurse to take care of her, then it would not be as bad - she would still be pulled up for him helping her, but that wasn't new.
"Monday morning"
"MONDAY?"
She was shot a look that said "please keep quiet". And she promptly sent a look right back which screamed, "no way"
"Dr. Sengupta, Aap try kijiye na - aaj Friday hai, and I - "
"Arrey beta, why are you worried, Anirudh hai na yahaan, he can help you get around"
Help me get around? That was EXACTLY what she was worried about.
Maybe that was very visible on her face, and sir ji's eyes locked with hers and he said, "Jhanak, let me help you"
She was about to retort with a "Aap kasht mat lijiye" when his eyes softened and she just couldn't bring herself to say that.
What was it about his eyes that always made her think that they held a pool of unsaid words and emotions.
"Please" his voice was so earnest that even if she tried she couldn't fight it.
Whether or not she liked it, she was here, alone in the Bose house, with a sprained ankle, reduced mobility for the next 2 days and only sir ji for help.
Bloody brilliant!
******
Jhanak winced as a sharp pain shot up her leg, her ankle still sore from the nasty sprain she had given herself as she had fainted and lost her balance.
Taking care not to make too much noise, she slightly tried to adjust herself on the bed to a more comfortable position, but no matter how much she wriggled, she just could not find that sweet spot.
"You never listen, do you?" his voice was laden with half amusement – half annoyance.
No matter how much she had tried, sir ji had refused to leave her room, saying that he would stay where he wanted before settling in on the small sofa in her room.
She had feebly tried to argue that he would be uncomfortable and she would be okay.
Of course he didn't listen to her, so here they were in the same room, and her pain had just gotten worse and she couldn't do a damn thing about it.
A look from the corner of her eyes told her that he was sauntering over to her, exactly what she did not want.
" door rahiye mujhse" the words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself, but she saw that it had the desired effect as he stopped dead in his tracks.
She bit her lip as she closed her eyes – she didn't want to look into his expressive eyes and see the tinge of shock and pain at her words. She had not intended it to sound as if he was taking advantage of her – far from it, but didn't sir ji understand that his care and concern for her only gave her problems?
"Fine"
Her eyes flew open at that – fine? Just Fine? He had accepted? Before the onset of even a slight tinge of relief, she knew that he wouldn't – not so easily. Especially when she was hurt, and she hated to accept it, but, needed his help.
She waited for him to go on.
But to her dismay, and to her utter shock that she was dismayed, he walked back to the couch at the other end of the room.
Not taking his gaze off her, he sat down, and stretched his long legs out on the coffee table, his eyes silently challenging her.
Annoyance rising within her, she pursed her lips together.
This was for the best. She shuddered to think the kind of questions that would be thrown at her when the family came back, and the farther sir ji stayed away from her, the better it was.
Anirudh was amused at how hard Jhanak was trying to keep him away from her - he should have been offended, but he realised that he wasn't - not in the least, just amused.
He leaned back on the small couch - she had been right when she had pointed out this would be uncomfortable - of course it was.
But Dr. Sengupta had said that painkillers had their limitations, and his decision was made in an instant. The comforts of his king size bed could wait a day or 2.
She needed him here. Only if she accepted that.
Right now, she was hell bent on showing him she did not need him.
Okay, if that was how she wanted to play, he would play along too.
He hooked his hands behind his head and closed his eyes - he might as well try to sleep if he wanted any work done tomorrow.
"Owww"
His eyes flew open and he shot up from the couch.
"Sir ji, I'm fine" she tried feebly, even as her face betrayed what she was trying to say as she winced in pain
"The hell you are" he hoped the sterness in his tone told her she had to stay put, but she was Jhanak, and she shot back more loudly this time, "sir Ji, I said I am fine"
He shook his head as he pulled a chair next to her bed, deciding to ignore what she was saying, and instead focus on the pain on her face.
He reached out to her leg and she immediately tried to scoot away, the action only hurting her more and she winced in pain.
"Jhanak, will you stop" he scolded, and in one swift moment scooped her feet in his hand.
She looked at him as if to ask - what are you doing?q
He shrugged, not taking his eyes off hers - helping you.
The same defiance in her eyes that he was so used to now - I don't need your help.
He chuckled, once again amused at her trying to push him away - yes, you do.
He started to draw circles on her ankle with his thumb, gently pressing on it, but taking care not to apply any kind of unwarranted pressure so as to hurt her.
She seemed to not expect that as she looked down at her feet, her eyes widening in suprise before snapping her eyes back at him - that is NOT helping.
She was right. With a jolt, he realised that once again, despite his good intentions, he was doing this all wrong.
"I'll be right back - I'm going to go get an ice pack" he told her as he gently let her feet down on the pillow he had grabbed with his other hand to prop her feet up.
To his relief, she nodded
****
The chillness of the ice pack was soothing against the pricking pain of her ankle, and for the first time since this debacle had started, Jhanak felt relaxed.
Well maybe not relaxed, but the ice pack definitely helped.
"Does that help?"
That questioned rattled her - because the tone in which sir ji had asked that shone with the care and concern his eyes had always shown, and that threw her off balance.
Because just a couple of days back he had accused her of trying to frame him. He had called her a maid. He had made it abundantly clear he hated her.
So why was he doing this?
It felt like her head would explode if she didn't ask, so she did
"Why, sir ji?"
His eyebrows creased in confusion for a second as he searched her face for clarity on what she had just asked before understanding dawned.
" To protect you"
" Protect me?" She was not sure she understood.
" Someone has to fight for you, Jhanak. Especially when you don't do it for yourself"
Now what was that supposed to mean?
"Then why were you willing to go with Tejas?" He went on, as if reading the question in her eyes.
As if reading the question in her eyes???
"And don't you dare tell me you chose to do it - because I know you don't want that life for yourself"
Because he wanted to kill you. But of course she couldn't say that out loud, so she settled for a lame, even in her own eyes, "the words you hurled at me - " she trailed off, unable to even complete that sentence.
He didn't need her to, "- was wrong. I'm sorry for that"
The only sound in the room was the fan running as they looked at each other, the words said and those left unsaid churning the wheels of understanding in her head.
"My intention was never wrong. I got you hear to keep you safe. And for you to run back into fire again, I didn't know how else I could keep you back"
Seeing the look in her face, Anirudh said hurriedly, "I'm not justifying - I just - " he trailed off, struggling to find the right words.
"That does not change I am a -"
He lifted his hand, "stop right there" he said firmly, "You cannot give up, Jhanak - you just can't"
"Why is that important to you?"
Some questions were better left unasked because you could realise that you were never ready for the answer.
Jhanak learned that pretty quickly when sir ji pinned her eyes with a confident gaze, "Because I want to see you succeed"
She wanted to ask why - why did he care. But she was sure she was not ready for the answer.
So she kept quiet.
"Feeling better now?" Sir ji asked, and one look at him told her that he was not only referring to her leg.
Not knowing what to answer, she nodded.
Passing her a smile, he got up and went back to his couch, trying to get comfortable.
She glanced at the big wall clock above the sofa - 12.53 it read.
She looked down again at sir ji - he had leaned back on the wall with his head arched behind, his eyes closed.
The way sir ji had been so honest with her, she realised this complicated everything even more.
It had been easier to believe he hated her and thought of her as a maid.
Learning that none of this was true both encouraged her and unsettled her.
She didn't know what to make of her situation now.
Everyone else still hated her - there would still be insults and taunts.
But sir ji wouldn't be a part of that anymore.
And for some strange reason, that comforted her.
"*Thank you, sir ji" her voice was soft and she wasn't sure he even heard her, but she felt the need to say it in any case.
Even with his eyes closed, he knew what she was trying to say
Thank you for saving my life.
And just as her eyes were drifting, he said softly, "you're welcome." A pause of a heartbeat, " and Jhanak, thank you"
Even with her eyes closed, she knew what he has trying to say.
Thank you for saving my life.
*** To be continued***
Author notes
1. I LOVED writing that.
2. I tried to tap into the eye conversations ani and Jhanak keep having in the show, hope it had the desired effect.
3. Read, review and leave your comments please as it helps to write more
Mridzy.