Rudra helped the old lady to get into the car, Richa picked up her shopping bags and got into the car too.
Rudra took his place behind the wheel and started the car. Drive to the clinic was a quiet one because everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Only a whimper or two, of pain from the old lady.
Rudra stopped the car in front of the clinic and helped the old lady to get inside. Richa was walking behind them.
Doctor checked the old woman....
" No need to worry Mam, it's only a mild sprain "
He wrapped her ankle with a crape bandage, and give her a pain killer shot for relieving the pain.
"Don't put wait on your ankle for 3-4 days, take pain killers if it's unbearable,ok.... just take rest for few days and you will be fine "
Doctor smiled at the woman and helped her to get down from the examination table.
Richa was helping her to get into the car while Rudra paid the doctor's fees.
He got in the car and turned to the old lady
"Don't worry Aunty Ji, you will be fine in no time, take it as a golden opportunity to lay on the bed all day long, without doing anything and even get your food served on the bed too. You will feel like the queen of the house for next few days, just enjoy that"
Rudra said with a playful smile, the old lady laughed at that and even Richa couldn't stop her smile
"Aunty Ji tell me your address I will drop you home now "
"Lake Veiw Society, it's quiet far from here "
"No problem "
Rudra feed the address on his navigation system and started the car.
Richa started to talk with the old lady to distract her from the pain and also for keeping her to stay awake, she was feeling drowsy because of the pain shot she had.
Richa soon found out that keeping the conversation with that old lady wasn't a joke. She was talking about her knitting skills from an hour, nonstop. Richa was feeling a headache coming to acompany her.
Rudra kept quite through out the conversation just humming in here and there, when his attention was required.
They reached to the 'Lake View Society ' Rudra parked the car and got out, he went to help the old lady to get to her house....
"Richa ji, please wait in the car, I will drop you home after this"
"Okay"
Richa replied and sat back into her seat more deeply.
She was feeling puzzled by Rishi's behavior today too
He got her number without her knowledge.
When he picked up her call he called her name with so much familiarity as he was used to call her like that on daily basis.
He took them to the same Doctor's clinic where Rudra and Richa usually go whenever they need to.
He played the same old instrumental music in his car, which Rudra used to play while driving.
He has a habbit of biting his lower lip same as Rudra used to bite his lip when he was shy or nervous.
How they can be so similar...???
She was lost in her thoughts when there was a tapping sound on the car window.
Richa looked up and there was Rishi smiling at her, he motioned her to open the driver side door from inside.
Richa opened the door and he got inside. He looked at her and smiled again
"Have you had your dinner yet....?? "
"Not yet "
Richa replied
"Then let's have some dinner before I drop you off "
"N.. O.. No, it's ok "
"But it's late and already past dinner time too"
Rudra continued without even taking a breath...
"Are you not hungry..?? Because I m just starving , so much, that all types of tasty food items are dancing around my head, oh, the yummy smell coming from those dishes is just tickling my nose and my taste buds are screaming for me to be lost in the world of deliciousness "
Rudra said with a dreamy look like he was really seeing the pots of food dancing around his head
Richa laughed out loud, looking at his face. It was her first laugh since the accident happened.
Rudra's heart was full of happiness ,watching Richa like that.
"I will take it as a Yes... So we are going to eat something before sending you back to your house "
"let's go on a food Hunt.... "
Rudra said in a very exciting tone and started the car.
Rudra parked the car close to a food van. It was a famous 'Dosa Point' for the late night walkers.
Rudra looked at Richa and said...
"Just wait here, I will bring the food "
Richa just nodded her head
Rudra walked towards the food van to order their food.
Richa got out from the car too, she closed the door and leaned against it.
Richa remember this place very well, she and Rudra always comes here whenever they were geeting home late, for whatever reasons, or not in the mood to cook at home.
Rudra loved the 'dosa' served here and Richa liked the 'Maisoor bonda' most.
Why Rishi always do things as Rudra used to do or liked to do.
why he always reminds me of him.
WHY......
Richa's eyes were following Rishi's every movement, he must be really hungry, right now he was bouncing on his legs while waiting for the food.
Suddenly he looked at her and their eyes met.........
Richa was trying hard to break the contact between them but she couldn't tore her eyes away....
after few seconds Rudra smiled at her and turned his head towards the food van.
Richa felt her breath hitched, she turned her head too and tried to calm her heart down.
Rudra was back with the food trays in both of his hands, he put them on the bonnet of his car. Then he slide the tray of 'Maisoor bonda' towards Richa and kept the 'Dosa' infront of him.
Richa noticed his choice of food selection too but chose to be quiet about it.
"Please start eating "
"You are really hungry, hun.... "
"Believe me I m trying my best to be a gentleman and wait for the lady to start first but this tasty smell is telling me to forget my manners and just dig in "
Richa smiled wholeheartedly at him
"Then dig in.... "
Rudra started eating with both of his hands, bite after bite and moaning out loud at the deliciousness.
Richa felt happy to see him enjoying his food to this extent.
"Richa ji, you are not eating well, don't you like it "
"No, it's good "
"Then why are eating so slow "
"Nothing, I m just not that hungry "
Richa said while pointing towards his both hands full of food.
Rudra smiled sheepishly and slowed down a little.
"By the way who was that lady, do you know her"
"No, I just bumped into her and she fell down, spraining her ankle "
"Oh, I thought you must be familiar with her because you were listening to her talking so intently on the ride to her apartment "
"I was just trying to distract her from her pain, but why are you asking that, like it was a big deal to listen to her talking "
"You really think it wasn't, oh it was a very big deal to me, she was talking about her sweater which she knitted for herself in highschool, for half an hour. literally, I was just this close to build a time machine and go back to her highschool days for destroying that sweater for the sake of doing a favour to humanity. OH MY GOD, I was really wanted to bang my head on the stareing wheel, I just stopped myself because of the respect of her old age "
Rudra said while making a irritated face and Richa burst out laughing, so hard that tears sprang out in her eyes.
Rudra was Smilng so lovingly looking at her that he stopped eating and just continue staring at her.
"Rishi you are just like a small naughty kid trapped in to a grown up man's body "
Richa said trying to control her tears from laughing so hard.
Rudra just smiled and started eating again.
They finished their dinner, chatting happly about food and books.
On the ride towards her house Richa was quite again and Rudra noticed that
"You look tired, tuff day "
"hmmm, life itself seems tuff to me these days "
"Wanna share with me,......I mean.... yours problem with life these days "
"My husband got into an accident few months back, he is in coma Right now"
Richa said while sighing heavily.
"Oh, I m really sorry, it must be so hard for you "
"Yes, it is, but I know he will wake up soon, he will never leave me alone for so long "
"You really miss him "
"He is my life, his smiling face his beautiful eyes, full of life and happiness, they are my sole reason to live now "
Rudra smiled at her but her reply made him uneasy.
Will Richa accept him with a different face..??