Chapter 18
Lavanya stood outside the office and walked form one corner to other. She knew this all was bad idea, but what to do? It wasn't possible to find someone else in this short span of time and she didn't want to take the risk to lose ASR's offer. Especially, after she knew from Akash how important this job was for him.
She chewed on her thumb nail and tried to control her tension while Mr. Khundra gazed to door. Akash on the other side, didn't take his eyes from her. She could see how he observed her every movement and she knew that he knew her good enough to see on her body language how nervous she was, and that something was very wrong.
And yes, something was very wrong. Lavanya heard allready that the girl was dumb and crazy, but she hoped for some kind of wonder and now she realized there is no wonder for her and Akash. She failed in her plan. Her hope was that ASR saw the work of this girl, before he finds out about her handicap, because the girls embroidery was simply amazing and out of the world and then - this happened.
*
Lavanya turned around and looked to other direction trying hard to escape Akash's knowing gaze. She folded her palms together and prayed for the first time since long.
>>Dear god, please help me. Please. I promise to never lie again. Please, just let us get this job.<<
Her prayers were interrupted by Mr. Khundra who passed her and walked into one of the rooms on her right side. Lavanya turned back and saw how Akash started to walk to her. She prepared herself for the next confronation.
*
In this moment the door to Mr. Kundra's office opened and the girl ran out to the opposite direction. Akash wanted to walk back to office but to their surprise ASR ran behind the girl. They heard how he called her name. Lavanya and Akash exchange their glance but then ran behind them too.
Lavanya didn't have any second to ask herself what happened inside the office, because she saw how the girl got hurled by one of the machines, crashed against the next wall and landed on the floor. The voice of ASR resounded in the hall.
>>Khushiii!<<
She saw how he walked to the unmoving body and tried to awake the girl. He called her name again and again, and removed slowly and very carefuly her hair to touch her face. His every movement was so tender and caring that Lavanya forgot to breathe. The man who didn't like to be touched by anyone, touched now an unmoving girl so softly, like he is used to this touch thing, even he himself didn't like to be touched. Lavanya shook her head because her thoughts confused her.
His hands moved to his jacket and he sought for something, while Akash and Lavanya exchanged their glances again.
Finally ASR seemed to found whatever he was searching for and Lavanya saw that he took his smartphone out. She was not sure whom he was calling, but she suspected it must be the emergency. He tried to dial again and again but his fingers were too shaky to manage the keypad. He ran frustrated with his fingers through his hair and tried it again, while Akash took his own mobile to call someone.
Lavanya could only see how many of the employees gathered around them and watched what happen in the middle too. Then her eyes moved back to desperate ASR. She couldn't stop herself to wonder about the new insights about her new boss.
As much he was distanced to everyone, now he seemed to be someone totally different. Whoever this girl is, it was obvious to Lavanya that she was very important to ASR.
***
Arnav saw Khushi on the floor and felt the fear growing in his heart.
>>Khushi? Khushi, open your eyes, Khushi<<
No matter how often he called her name, she didn't respond. He didn't notice anyone around. Not even his two employees who stood behind him. It seemed the world vanished around him and only Khushi and he existed. He touched her face and tried to wake her up.
>>Khushi, please open your eyes. Khushi?<<
He closed his eyes to control his panic and tried again to dial the emergency, but his fingers were to shaky.
The voice of Akash reached him.
>>ASR, I called the ambulance.<<
Arnav remarked that someone kneeled next to him.
>>You don't need to call, boss. I called them.<<
Arnav didn't really heard anything Akash said. He just tried to get his fingers under control again, so that he could help Khushi.
He was busy with his mobile, when he remarked one movement. He looked down and thought it was Khushi but it was Akash's hand who touched Khushi on her neck. He was surprised by his own voice which left his mouth and resound uncontrolled.
>>What the hell are you doing?<<
Akash stopped in his movements.
>>ASR?<<
>>Don't touch her. Take your hands away.<<
>>ASR, I just tried to check her pulse.<<
Arnav jerked his hand off.
>>I will do it. Step back!<<
Akash looked puzzled to him and then to Khushi.
Arnav ignored Akash and pressed his fingertip on her neck. He tried desperate to find her pulse. As longer he searched, as more he got into panic. He just couldn't find it. He tried to calm his breath and send a silent plea to someone in power over the sitatuion.
>>Please.<<
He didn't know why he spoke this word out, but in the next moment he felt something under his fingertip. It was weak, but the light pulse was there. He held his breath and tried to disable the whoosh inside his ears.
Arnav pressed his fingers firmer on her neck, on the same place, just to feel the evidence that Khushi was still alive. He saw how Akash moved and took his blazer of and wanted to cover her with it.
>>What the hell do you think you are doing?<<
The words came sharp out of his mouth again, while he held Akash's hand from any movement that could bring him closer to Khushi's.
>>ASR, I just wanted to cover her, I mean her back. Her top is torn, Sir.<<
Akash explained ASR what he was going to do but he seemed not to understand his intention. ASR looked down to Khushi and then back to him.
>>I said don't touch her. Don't touch her never again, dammit.<<
Arnav took his own blazer of and covered Khushi with it.
*
The emergency came and took Khushi with them. Arnav didn't want to leave her alone for a second and that's why he drove with the emergency to the hospital, too. He didn't remember when they reached the hospital and how. He didn't remember how they entered the hospital. He didn't remember how Lavanya and Akash also reached the hospital and how long it took them to come to hospital after he came here with Khushi. He was just busy with his concern about her condition that he couldn't think about anything else.
The doctor came in and wanted to survey Khushi who laid on the bed. He asked everyone to leave the room, but Arnav refused to leave. Akash and Lavanya wanted to argue with ASR to leave the room with them, but he just ignored them and kept looking at Khushi.
>>Mr., please leave the room so we can finally check her condition.<<
Arnav walked to the bed, >>her name is Khushi.<<
>>Ok, please leave, so we can finally start to do out job.<<
Arnav ignored his request and took Khushi's hand in his. He leaned down to kiss her cold fingers and felt the fear growing inside his heart. He looked up, still holding her hand and spoke.
>>Her name is Khushi Singh Raizada and she is my wife. I am not going anywhere. Mr. Sharma and Miss Kashyap should leave.<<
Lavanya and Akash looked shocked at each other and left the hospital room in hurry.
*
Whatever doctors did, wherever they surveyed Khushi, Arnav was on her side. It was obvious that everyone was nervous and this was because of ASR's killing eyes on the nurses and everyone who wanted to touch her. The doctor remarked the bad state of the girl on the bed and wondered how this poor girl could be the wife of this rich dressed men.
Arnav on the other side, talked few times on his phone with his PA in Lucknow to organize a flat for him and Khushi and cancel all appointments in the next weeks. He stood up from his chair whenever someone walked inside the room and took place next to bed to see what they did with Khushi.
The next person who entered the room was the doctor himself to tell results of the investigations. Arnav walked to him and came direct to the point, not waiting for Doctors explanation.
>>Is she ok?<<
The doctor nodded, >>She is ok. She suffers from rib fracture and maybe cerebral concussion. That's why we want to keep her overnight to be sure nothing else is coming up. After she left the hospital, she should take a rest for the next few weeks.<<
Arnav nodded, >>Did you found anything else?<<
>>No, nothing else. She is pretty underweight and should eat more. Also she should eat healthy. Carbohydrates. Vitamins. Everything that will give her body power. But most important is rest. Rest, rest and again rest. No hard work. I don't know if my advice has any use because I see on her body how hard she works. I am just telling you and hope for the best. At least one of you, her and you, should listen to my advice.<<
>>Arnav's eyes formed to slits but didn't say anything that was crossing his mind because now was no time for discussion.
>>Thank you doctor.<<
The doctor nodded and walked to exit but then spoke on the door.
>>I hope you take good care of her, and I hope to not see her ever again here in this hospital.<<
And then he left the room.
Arnav turned around and walked back to bed where Khushi laid. His thought circled still around doctor's words, when he realized what the doctor wanted to say and how right he was.
He saw her state much clearer and remarked her old clothes, her dirty face, her pale skin, her nearly lifeless body. He took her hand in his and kissed her forehead. In this moment she opened her eyes and blinked few times. And then, she removed her hand away from his.
He could see terror in her eyes when he wanted to lean again down. He could see how horrified she was and wanted to soothe her, but then, she pushed him away. Arnav ignored her movement and tried to get closer again.
>>Khushi, are you ok? Do you have any pain? Should I call the doctor.<<
She pushed him again away, but he caught her hand and held it.
>>Don't move. You are going to hurt yourself.<<
She tried to free her hand from his but he held her firm.
>>I said, stop it. Your ribs are hurt and you was unconscious for few hours, so just stop it.<<
Khushi looked on her hand which he held so firm in his and then back to him. Her eyes widened and he could read fear and terror in them. With her last power she tried to free her hand and then fainted again.
>>Khushi? Khushi? Damn it.<<
Anav ran to door, opened it and called for help.
>>Doctor? I need a doctor. My wife...<<
***
Khushi opened her eyes and the first thing she saw, was the barred window. It was dark outside and only few lights make a glimpse, on the still busy life outside. She breathed in and noticed one small pain inside her chest whenever she filled her lungs with air.
Her thought wander back to the bad dream which she have last time. She was sure it was just a bad dream and nothing else. In the three years since her separation, she never dreamed about him, but the last night she must be dreaming.
She closed her eyes and recalled the memory again. She remembered how he stood in front of her, his face serious and he looked older. His hair was shorter and his grip firmer as in her old memories. Suddenly she remarked something warm in her hand. Her head turned slowly around and she saw him. His head laid on her bed, his eyes closed, his lips lightly open. He didn't move so she knew he was sleeping firmly. She allowed herself to observe his face longer because she couldn't believe he was really there.
He looked different. Older, but this is something she remarked already before. His skin was still dark and his face clear, but she remarked shadows under his eyes. His hair was much shorter and she suppressed the wish to touch it. As next she remarked that his hand held hers while he slept.
Flashes from the day he left her ran through her head. She could clearly feel how the feeling of betrayal flood her body. She removed her hand slowly out of his and ignored his short murmured disagreement. She turned to other side and faced the window again. Khushi didn't want to see him, she didn't want to touch him, not even imagine him. She closed her eyes in hope when she opened it again, he would be gone. Forever.
But the next morning she opened them again, he was still there.
>>Good morning, Khushi.<<
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