She held my hand, walking into the hut.. But I could clearly see the hesitation in her yes.
Does she hate me now?
Her hand felt too small in mine.. and we walked to the house. A lady was standing at the door step, she also looked old and worn. Though her face looked confused, she gave us a warm and welcoming smile, her eyes constantly shifting between us and her husband.
The old man, taking his towel and placing it on his shoulder, walked to his wife, holding a small packet, of what I assume is eatables. The lady took the packet, while whispering something into her husband's ears, looking at us.
Making Dhruvika stay near the door, I walked up to them. Seeing my approach, they both went silent.
"Please help us. My wife, she is injured. We just need a place to stay for the night. We will be long gone before tomorrow's sunset. Please." I pleaded them, folding my hands.
"It's okay, I understand." She said holding my hands and smiling at me in a very motherly way. "But we do not have much to offer you. But you can sleep here alright, and we will give you food. But is she really your wife? She has no mangalsutra or sindoor." The lady said. She looked kind.
"Oh Kanchi.. They were chased by the goons. Look at her, she is scared." As if on cue, the three of our heads turned towards Dhruvika, who stood alone by the door, looking around her in fear, hugging herself. It was so obvious that she was visibly shaken.
I felt a pang of guilt flow through me seeing her like that.
"And she is pregnant!" The words were out of my mouth before I could even think.
"Oh my..." The lady cried, and both of their eyes looked warm and kind. Another pang of guilt shot through me.
Oh.. Dhruvika was soo not going to like this...
"Bring her here... She must be scared." Said the lady, as she shooed my off to fetch my girl, my wife.. No, my pregnant wife.
I held her hand, tightly within mine, pulling her close to me. She seemed to hide her face behind me, but I couldn't be sure. Soon the lady welcomed us in. But as soon as she saw Dhruvika, she gasped.
"Oh My God, you are badly injured. It is all bloody, and dark. What happened?" The lady asked, going all hysterical. This seemed to push Dhruvika into agony. Her hand twitched in mine, and I squeezed her in reassurance. "I will make some hot water for you.. You should wash before it starts to get infected. I hope you will help her, I am not very good with all those. I'll start going hysterical." The lady said the last part looking at me, and I smiled back.
"Kanchi, first just let them inside. They must be tired. Come in Kids. We don't have much luxury here. I hope you will be able to adjust. Kanchi get them something to drink." He told the lady, as he assured us inside. The lady, Kanchi ran inside to get us all some water.
She came holding a clay pot, handing it first to Dhruvika. She slowly pulled her hand from mine, and held the pot close to her mouth, smiling at the lady. She gulped down the water taking huge gulps. But most of the water was flowing out of her little mouth, wetting her dress. Soon the pot ran dry, and the lady chuckled.
"Oh dear, you must be famished. Let me get you some more." Saying that, the lady went inside, while Dhruvika looked at us, embarrassed. Her face going red.
Soon we were all drunk, our thirsts quenched by the cold water.
"You know... you should help her wash. By then I'll make you all some food. We weren't expecting guests. But by the time you both have washed up, we will be ready to have dinner." The old lady was kind.
She walked us to a small washroom outside the house. It was actually, a small square room with just four walls, and a gap for a door. A large piece of metal sheet stood up by thick metallic wires made the door. The top was bare, no covering.
Dhruvika looked scared, as she held on to my wrists, her long nails cutting my skin.
"This is our bathroom. But don't worry, it's absolutely safe. No one will be here after dark, so you have full privacy. If there is anything to worry, then it's the leaves." The old man said, pointing to the trees, that posed as a roof to the washroom.
Making her stand outside, I walked into the bathroom, looking for anything that could scare her. The room was dimly lit by a CFL bulb. The insides held nothing, but a big boulder, with its top surface flat, must be for washing clothes. A bucket filled with water. And a small cup.
"Before you wash, we need to take care of that." I said, pointing to her back. "Is there any chance of getting a disinfectant? Like any pharmacy or from someone's house." I asked Prabhu sir.
"I am afraid there is no pharmacy here. And at this hour...everyone here sleeps fast, you know and Everyone wakes up early here. So no one would be available at this time. But don't worry. We use alcohol here for that. We don't have a pharmacy, but we do have a beverage shop." He said proudly, and I nodded my head.
Something is better than nothing.
But Dhruvika seemed shaken by the idea. I looked at her, giving her a warm smile. We slowly made our way into the bathroom, and I made her sit on the rock and stood behind her, examining the bruise. I wasn't a doc, but I had very much experiences of self treating.
Soon Kanchi, the lady came out with a fresh towel, a bottle of alcohol, and some white cloths, and a torn bed sheet and handed them to me. I took them gratefully, placing them on the floor beside her.
"This will do, I guess. So both of you wash up. And the door cannot be locked from inside, so I'll better do it from outside." With that, she was gone. And there was silence around us, except for the night crickets and the rustling of the leaves. From far away, we could hear the sound of a stream.
"Why did you tell them I am your wife?" She shot up from the boulder, and faced me, crossing her hands over her chest, her eyes glowing in the dim orange light of the CFL. Her face looked pale, but there was the small tint of red from the scene before. Few strands of her hair were sticking to her sweaty face and neck. She looked like a wild lady, her face having specks of sweat and dirt, but looking all the more ravishing. The way she held her hands across her chest seemed to push up her firm breast, her long fingers tapping her hand impatiently.
The weather, and the sound of forest felt all the more appealing to me now. She moved her mouth, talking continuously using her long hands, and I just looked at her like a lost puppy.
She still looks beautiful, was the only thought running through my head as I gazed at her soft lips, that was red. She must have bit her lips on the way, else it wouldn't be this red. Thinking of that made me think of her biting her lips, and I pressed my lips to control the slow moan threatening to escape out of my mouth.
"Did you hear me?" She asked, waving her hands in front of my face.
"Huh?" I asked feeling like an idiot.
"If you plan to take advantage on me, I swear Mr.Ram Charan, you would be dead. If you try to do so much as to lay your hands on me, I'll make sure you will be punished." The way my name rolled out of her my mouth was making me go crazy.
And punishment... It was better not to think about it..
"So don't you dare take advantage of me!" She said again, fire in her eyes.
"Fine... Let me just clean you up first." I said, and thankfully, she sat down.
"Um.. you have to, you know, remove the top first." I said rather awkward.
"Why?" She asked, her voice feeble. It felt ironic how she was a small lioness then but was nothing less than a deer now.
"I have to remove the shards of glass." I said, feeling my hands shiver.
With a small node, she proceeded to remove her salwar. And with shivering hands, I took hold of her dress from behind slightly pulling it up.
Oh God, this clearly wasn't how I expected to undress her for the first time.
But before I could even move it, Dhruvika winced in pain, holding my hand, stopping me.
"Jaan..." I whispered as I went to face her. There were tears flowing off her eyes, and I knelt down, holding her hands.
"It hurts.." She whispered.
"Okay.. let me check, turn this side.." I said as I slowly moved her. Her back facing the light.
"Just stop me if it hurts, okay." I said soothingly and she nodded.
Looking closer at her back, I slowly began to remove the small shards of glass that seemed to be protruding out of the dress. Holding it tight between my fingers, I began to pull them out, and each time she winced in pain. Soon most of the pieces were removed, but by the time, her eyes were puffy, and red.
"Hey hey hey.... it's okay.. I said as I cupped her face with my bloody hands, and wiped off her tears. "Come on.. I know you are stronger than that. Where did that little lioness who just scared me go?" I said, slowly rubbing her face, and she smiled. But soon it felt awkward, as it reminded both of us of her words.
Don't you dare take advantage of me!!
"Now.. just hold still.. I'll tear that dress off you." I said, as I started to get hold of her salwar slit.
She jumped off the rock, screaming. My hands went still in the air, everything happening too fast for me.
"What?" I asked, still shocked.
"Noo... I mean.. You can't..." She started speaking my out random words.
I stood still looking at her, my hands on my hips.
"Fine.. But don't look, okay?" She said like kid, and a small smile crept to my face.
I slowly pulled my shirt out of the jeans, and she screamed again.
"What is it now?" I asked, shocked again.
"Why are you removing your shirt?" She asked, and I felt like hitting my head on the wall.
"So that you can wear it.. to cover your body... Or do you plan on sitting like THAT in front of me?" I asked, as I started to unbutton the shirt without waiting for her approval.
She tried to avoid looking at my body, running her eyes everywhere else but me, her cheeks getting red.
"As if you haven't seen it already!" I muttered under my breath.
"What?" She asked, probably hearing my words.
"Oh my God, nothing. Just hold this to your chest." I stated as I removed the shirt and gave it to her. She immediately clutched it to her chest. I slowly proceeded to remove the gun I had tucked inside my belt, and her eyes widened, ready to scream.
"Please... Don't scream. I'm not going to shoot you with this." I said, as I placed the gun near her, and raised my hands in surrender.
"Now turn, and sit still." I said as I slowly went closer to where she sat, once again facing away from me. My hands shook more as it moved closer and closer to her dress. Just before I was going to tear the stitch, she yelled.
"WAIT!"
"Now what?" I asked, clearly getting angry. She doesn't know how difficult it was for me to do this.
"Can you switch off the light, please. I am not..." She gulped, her hands trembling.
Nodding my head, I went and switched off the light, and darkness enveloped us. She gasped, and I immediately placed my hand on her shoulder, and she relaxed.
Slowly I brought my hands down to her dress, and taking one deep breath, I pulled the slit upto her hands, careful not to put pressure on her back or harm her. Once I was done, the dress was opened on the side, and slowly I pulled it off her back, careful not to hurt her.
"I'll do the rest." She muttered and I heard her get up. The thick trees above us was blocking any moonlight, and I could only make out her slim body in the dark, as she removed the dress and clutched my shirt tight.
Soon she asked me to switch on the light, but when I did, I really began to wish I hadn't. She was sitting in front of me, her bare back facing me, and I gulped. Her back was covered with blood and bruises.
I could sense the tension thickening in the room. With each step I took, her body stiffened, her hands hugging the shirt more than necessary.
After removing the remaining of glass pieces, I slowly took the cup, and began to wash her back, being very careful not to touch her. Soon the blood was washed, and her white skin was on display, and my heart ached, yearning to touch her. But controlling myself, I slowly took the white cloth and cotton and began to dab her back. She winced with each touch of the cotton, her bare shoulders raising up each time.
He curves would move each time she writhed, and everything was driving me crazy. Soon after her bruises were cleaned, I took the bed sheet and tore it lengthwise. I placed one end on her back, covering the bruise, and began to wrap it up to the front, only to be stopped by her.
Sensing her uneasiness, I gave it to her, while she wrapped her front, making sure not to expose too much, and gave it to me from the other side, and we repeated the process until the cloth was completely wrapped around her body, covering her bruises. I tore the end, wrapping it on her side. Her stomach was now bare and display to me, which she slowly hid using the shirt.
Soon after she was done, we called Prabhu Sir who opened the door for me to get out. Taking the gun, and the alcohol, and the glass pieces, I left the washroom for her to clean up.
As soon as I was out of the room, I gulped the remnants of the alcohol down my throat, calming my nerves.
God.. This was going to be one hell of a night!!
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Hey guys... This is a back to back episode, that's why I took so long. So enjoy reading. Next chap will be updated soon!!!