Chapter 57: chapter 57

MADHAVHave you thought that you know something about a person only to be surprised by them again and again? I  see Sruthi in a new light. This woman is something else. If I had been in her shoes, I wouldn’t have wanted to set foot in the same house where I was nearly murdered. I was treating her very carefully from the moment she opened her eyes in the hospital. The fear of losing her with the determination to never let something like this happen to her again made me treat her with concern and worry. I didn’t think that she wouldn’t like me treating her that way. Though she talked about facing her fears and told me that this place wouldn’t bother her,  I can see how much it bothers her as we stand before the front door of my house. The same place where Sruthi was shot. Sruthi does a very good job of maintaining a neutral face with no emotions but her tense shoulders speak volumes about her uneasiness. I take her right hand and clasp it gently in mine. “We will face your fear together,” I murmur in a low voice so that only she can hear me. “Just take a step forward into the house. I am here with you.”She gives me a curt nod and takes a deep breath. Her tense shoulders loosen up a little. I hear her mutter encouraging words to herself and then she takes a step forward. I mentally prepare myself for any outcome to happen. I hold my breath and watch her for any signs of discomfort. Her face which was a neutral mask changes into a surprised one as she takes in the middle-aged woman standing in the center of the house. There is so much relief, joy and happiness on her face that I wish I had a camera to capture her face. I let go of her hand and she closes the gap to Jaya Ma in five big strides. I watch in fascination as Sruthi and Jaya Ma hug each other. I don’t have a family and the only person very close to me except for Vikram is Jaya Ma. Sruthi was hell-bent on seeing Jaya Ma in the hospital. There was one time when her friend brought Jaya Ma to meet Sruthi but unfortunately, she was resting then and we didn’t wake her up. Jaya Ma was able to see Sruthi but she missed the chance to meet Jaya Ma. When she learned that Jaya Ma visited her while she was asleep, she argued hard with her brother for not waking her up. Vikram was relieved to see her fighting with him because he could feel the old Sruthi resurfacing. I too was glad to see her fierce. Among all the things I love about her, the one that makes it to the top list is her fierceness. So, this is the first time, Sruthi is seeing Jaya Ma after that incident. The two women are standing in the middle of the hall talking to each other rapidly and making sure that the other is okay. I know Sruthi would have been a loving daughter-in-law and my biological mother would have loved her. In some ways, they are similar. They would have had a great relationship. A hand lands on my shoulder and I don’t even have to turn to know whose it is. The only person who has the guts to pat me on my shoulders is Vikram.“I had no idea that she was this attached to your housekeeper,” Vikram says looking in awe at his sister.“Does that bother you?”“Of course not. It doesn’t. I am just happy that she has people who care genuinely about her and she cares genuinely for people. This is the first ever time, I have seen Sruthi let in a woman two or three decades older than her in her life. She was not great at making connections. She was always wary of the people around us after our parent's death. Sruthi was a great target for people who wanted to get close to me. So, she had never before had this sort of bond with anyone. I knew I made the right decision when I asked her to marry you.”“I still don’t think that it's the right choice,” I mutter. “Why do say that?” Vikram asks raising his eyebrow.“For starters, she hates me. I am nothing like Praveen. I am neither gentle nor caring. I don’t even know how to approach her with my feelings. I failed to keep her safe. This is the worst choice you have ever made.”Vikram gives me a serious look, “I never thought I would come to see a day where you are scared.”“I am not scared,” I reply automatically.“Yeah, sure, tell that to someone who would believe. I have never seen this look of uncertainty on your face. You are of afraid of my sister’s rejection, aren’t you?”I rake my hand through my hair, “I am.”“Then, become someone whom she cannot reject.”I sigh, “If it had been that easy, do you think I would have been suffering all these years? It is no use trying to change yourself for someone else. At the end of the day, that love would only last for some time. But, what I want with Sruthi is a lifetime.”Vikram massages his temple, “I don’t understand what you are telling me. I never understood love and romance in the first place. Why don’t just man up and confess your feelings to her?”I shake my head, “And risk your sister’s wrath and disgust?”“I don’t know about anger but Sruthi is not disgusted with you any more.”Yes, I did notice that fact. She flinches no more when I touch her and neither does she gaze at me with fear in her eyes. Something had changed in her. But whether the change is for good or bad is yet to be seen.❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥“Take good care of her,” Jaya Ma says throwing an anxious look at Sruthi’s room door. “She still has a long way to go. Do you understand?”“I will take good care of my wife,” I assure her. It is seven in the night and Jaya Ma is about to go to her home. “Thank you Jaya Ma for coming here today.”She waves it off like it is no big deal but I know how much straining it is for her to move from one place to another when she hasn’t fully recovered. “I have cooked a simple dinner.”“I already told you that you were invited here today as a guest. I shouldn’t have allowed you inside the kitchen.” “Now, now, boy, this house’s kitchen has been my territory for more than a decade. Not even your father had the right to ban me from there. So, don’t even think about it. I will come back in three weeks, until then don’t make a mess out of the kitchen.”“Okay, I will try to maintain it as you have kept it but I make no promises.”“Feel free to give me a call whenever you have any doubt about cooking or want to know where the chilli powder is kept.”“Okay, I understand. Now, get going. If you delay another one minute, your son is going to barge in here and fight with me.”“Oh! That boy does have a hot temper. So, I will get going,” she says walking out of the door. I wait until the car in which her son is waiting to leave before closing the door and locking it. I lean against the door and let myself face the reality. Vikram and Nisha left a little early since he had some sort of work to take care of. So, that leaves me and Sruthi alone in the house. She has been resting in her room for the past two hours. I walk to the kitchen  and put the dinner Jaya Ma prepared for her on a plate and go to her room. It is partially closed and I don’t hear any sound from inside. I knock lightly on the door. I wait a whole five minutes before pushing the door open with my leg. The room is lit only with a night lamp and Sruthi is fast asleep on her bed. I place the food on bedside drawer and I gently wake her up.Her eyes flutter open slowly. She blinks a few times before focusing on me. There is a moment of confusion in her eyes before her recognition dawns on her. “Hello, there,” I say softly, brushing aside a strand of hair from her face, “Good evening.”She sits up slowly and I adjust the pillows on her back so that she would feel comfortable.“Good evening.”“How are you feeling?”“Tired,” she answers with a yawn.I nod in understanding, “It is been a long day for you. I brought you dinner.You can rest again after eating it.”“I will gargle my mouth,” she says getting from the bed too quickly. But, before she could take a step forward, she falters and I quickly catch her.“Are you okay? Wait, let me call the doctor,” I say making her sit on the bed. I am about to go get my phone when she grabs my wrist.“Don’t. It is not serious. I just felt dizzy,” she says shaking her head. The doctor did tell me that she would feel dizzy at times because of the medicine she is taking  but I still look sceptical. Her grip on my wrist tightens and she meets my eyes with a determined look, “I am fine, Madhav. I would be okay after eating.”I slowly nod my head, “Stay here. I will get a bowl of water for you to gargle and wash your face.” I expect her to argue but she nods in consent to my relief. I bring the things she need. She quickly gargles and spits the water into an empty tumbler. Wetting the white towel I brought, she wipes her face. I help her whenever she wants me to. I am glad she never hesitates to ask me help when she needs it. When she is ready to eat, I bring the plate towards her. She rubs her hands together in glee, “Did Jaya Ma make this?”“Yes, she did. I banned her from entering the kitchen but she sneaked into it when I was busy sending off Vikram and Nisha.”Sruthi smiles knowingly and takes a bite of the food. She sighs in pleasure and I focus very intently on counting numbers in reverse in my head. I don’t glance her way until she finishes her dinner. Only when she asks  me a glass of water do I look at her. “Where have you kept the tablets?” I ask.“In the second drawer,” she answers.I rummage through the said drawer and take out the brown packets. I take out the tablets that are prescribed for the night. I don’t have to look at the prescription to know which tablets she must take for the night. I knew it by heart because I was the one who usually gave her tablets in the hospital. I give her the tablets and watch her take them one by one. Every time, she swallows a tablet with water, she scrunches her face in disgust. Vikram told me one day how much Sruthi loathes pills and tablets but she never complains about taking them.“You can sleep now,” I say getting the water bottle from her when she has swallowed all the tablets. She nods and lies down. I pull the bedsheets over her and adjust the AC to a moderate temperature. I walk out of the room and return with a full water bottle. Sruthi’s eyes are already fixed on me when I turn to her. She has a soft look in her eyes. The usual loathe and snark is missing. Something else is present. I can't put a name to that emotion.“Do you need anything else?” I ask taking her plate with me.“No, you have taken care of everything,” she says with a grateful smile reaching out for my hand, “Thank you.”I squeeze her hand gently, “Just call me if you need anything at any time. Good night.”“Hmm, good night,” she says slowly drifting off into sleep as the medicine’s effect starts to take place.❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥