Zoya wasn't sure whether to act as if she hadn't noticed the tears that pooled in Aditya's muddy brown eyes or ask him if he was okay, she understood that his emotions were at a high point due to what he had been through, but she also had to be aware of her timing, if she asked him if he wanted to talk he may get defensive and shut down and that wouldn't do anything for their working relationship. Rubbing the soapy flannel across his chest she pursed her lips "So, got any hobbies?"
His adam's apple bobbed in his throat as he processed her question then chose to ignore it, allowing his eyes to fall shut he imagined being somewhere else, today his hands were wrapped around a steering wheel, right foot pushing down on the accelerator as he sped down winding roads while the wind swept through his hair. Whenever he drove for pleasure he'd always listen to the old songs, the classical ones that had soft beats behind each note and on rare occasions he'd listen to jazz.
In order to try and make the situation less awkward she decided to sing, she didn't have a very good voice and she hoped he'd pick up on that, rather than the situation at hand "My funny valentine, sweet comic valentine you make me smile with my heart".
Aditya's eyes opened slowly at the sound of her voice, she had a soft seductive voice when she sang and the smile on her face as she did it made a shadow of a smile form on his, closing his eyes again he went back to his happy place, but this time he didn't block out the sounds from around him, this time it was her voice on the radio.
"Your looks are laughable, unphotographable yet you're my favourite work of art".
+++
Zoya tapped her fingers on the sideboard, released a heavy sigh then turned around. Clearly this had been an embarrassing experience for Aditya and this was probably why he had turned his head the other way and refused to speak or look at her, but she had to try and get through to him "I noticed you had a pressure ulcer on your spine and I'd like to dress it so it doesn't get worse" stepping forward, she knelt before him only to see his face flinch as she got closer "You know, when I was in college I stole a boy's jumper because I was cold and he caught me and embarrassed me in front of the whole class and for the following years everyone called me a little thief, even my teachers" leaning to the side to see his expression she frowned, she had hoped by telling her own embarrassing situation, that he'd feel less worse about his but clearly, it hadn't worked. "Um, I once got caught in the wrong showers by a man who at the time I didn't know, but later on when I got home he was at my house with his father who was my Abbu's boss".
"Why are you telling me this?" Aditya didn't turn his head, but at the very least he had listened. He hated being in such a vulnerable position, never in his life had he been washed down by an attractive woman who had just seen him in a state worse than someone who was homeless, he didn't want her sympathy and he didn't want her help. He'd never get over just how disgusted he felt with himself.
"I was hoping we could have something we could relate to, but that didn't really work" sliding across the floor so she was in his line of vision she smiled kindly up at him "Please don't be embarrassed, I have cleaned up many people before and I don't judge, I know this isn't easy for you, but-".
"But what?" Gritting his teeth, he scowled down at her "Bottom line is, you don't understand so don't try and relate to me with your stupid stories because you will never be able to understand how I feel at this moment, this wasn't meant to be my life, this was never part of the plan, just get out of my sight" waving his hand he closed his eyes in frustration and was even more aggravated when he opened his eyes to see she was still there.
"I can't do that, I have to put a dressing on your ulcer before it gets worse, find out your medical history, give you a check-up, ensure you have the correct medications, move you, feed you and clean your house, and that's just my plan for today, it would make both our lives easier if you would just give me permission to do my job" the twinkle in her eyes as she spoke made his breath hitch, there wasn't a single thing he enjoyed about this situation, her beauty only seemed to make it worse.
"You cleaned me up without my permission" he stated with a droll tone, he sounded like a child who hadn't gotten their way.
"You called me and asked for help, I had to clean you up so quickly because of the risk of infection, as much as I respect your boundaries, I will cross them if your life is in danger and I won't apologise for that, so do I have your permission or do I have to go ahead and clean you up anyway? I prefer the easy way, but if you want to be difficult I'll find a different way" Zoya stood up, crossed her arms and looked down at him in what seemed to be disdain. "Can you move your arms completely or is it only your right hand?"
"Right hand".
"Your records are wrong then, it says you are paraplegic, you're tetraplegic, you've clearly seen a rubbish doctor which means that your medication won't be sufficient either, exactly who looked after you before I got here? Because they really didn't do a very good job" waving her hand, she shook her head "You know what, it doesn't matter, let's get you sorted" rolling him toward his bedroom she turned him onto his left ever so slightly then slipped the sling beneath him "Tell me if I'm hurting you".
Aditya snickered "I can't feel you doing anything so how can I tell if you're hurting me?" He watched her closely as he was turned onto his other side so she could get the sling firmly beneath him, she smiled at him when she attached the sling to the lift and began to pump it with her foot "Do you enjoy taking rights away from your patients, or am I just a special case?"
Zoya moved the lift down till he was in a seating position, unhooked the sling then led him down "If you must know, you're a special case, and regardless of whether you can feel what I'm doing, you are still within your rights to tell me you're uncomfortable or that something feels wrong, I haven't taken those rights away, I'm not a monster" rolling him onto his front she pulled his top up "I'm using an alginate dressing just in case anyone asks, it's meant to speed up the healing process" cleaning around the wound after placing gloves on she peeled the dressing from the cover and applied it over his skin.
Nothing infuriated him more than the sarcasm in her tone, she had come in here so adamant that she knew the best way, had bossed him about and given him no choices about his own care, since arguing with her got him nowhere he though it best to ignore her outright.
"So I was going to check your weight but as you've been alone for a while I'm going to check it in a week after I've gotten you back on track, let's check your temperature" clicking the thermometer she placed it in his ear and waited for it to beep "Temperature is good, no pneumonia thank god, now your blood pressure" placing it around his arm she sat back "This may be a bit tight for a few seconds" shaking her head, she pushed her tongue into her cheek "eighty over fifty, your BP is low, I need to check your blood sugar so I'm just going to push this into your finger and check it with this, okay? I also need to get a doctor to check how your heart is doing but we don't need to do that today" frowning she shook her head again "Low, do you want some ice cream, that will help?"
Aditya bit into his cheeks, he wasn't even slightly bothered by the results and in his eyes, she shouldn't have been either, agreed he was incapable of caring for himself, but he wasn't a child.
"Are you ignoring me? We won't get anything done if you ignore me Aditya" her eyes narrowed when he turned his head again "Okay fine, ignore me, I'm going to check your meds and make a call to a doctor I know, I'll be back with food soon".
+++
Zoya was tired, she had tried relentlessly to get him to eat and to get him to talk but she was yet to achieve anything, she didn't want to put him on a drip because that meant more time in bed and that wouldn't be good for him, so she had decided to inform him that she was also on hunger strike until he ate, but as expected he didn't even flutter an eyelid. "A proper gentleman wouldn't want a woman to starve".
"That what you call yourself? I never told you not to eat, that's on you" his tone was scornful.
Gasping at his words she stood back up "Fine, but I make a mean curry and you are missing out, you have thirty minutes to stop being so stubborn and let me feed you or I'm putting you on a drip".
"Is that a threat or a promise? Because you know I have no control over what you do anyway, it wasn't you who lost feeling of your arms, chest, stomach, back and legs was it? I already have lost control of all of that, what more could you take from me? Go ahead, decide for me, you're the one with the power here" he spat distastefully.
"I didn't want to do this" blowing out an exasperated sigh she hooked her phone up to the T.V., "But you've given me no choice" moving to lie beside him she turned the volume up, torture was not part of treatment, but she always had been eccentric.
Aditya's eyes widened as she began to sing, her voice now loud and squeaky to the point his ears buzzed.
"Even when you're home you won't pick up your phone and take my call, when I see you on the street you stare down at your feet, you won't talk at all" sitting up now so she was looking down at him, she continued "If only you would see me one more time and maybe someday you will find that you could really love me, you could really need me, maybe you could change your mind" squeezing his cheeks she continued "But you'll never stop me from loving you it doesn't really matter what you put me through, you'll never stop me from loving you".
As soon as she opened her mouth to sing again he shouted "Okay, fine, I'll eat" this woman was crazy, and he had, had more than enough crazy women in his life.
"There we go, wasn't that hard was it?" She shrugged, "We really need to work on use of your other hand, so I can get the round of applause I deserve, so for now" she clapped her hands together "I'll clap for myself".
"Are you nuts?" He paused for a while to allow her to take it in "I want a new nurse".
"That's what they all say" her laugh tinkered through the hallway as she walked away "But don't forget the song, you'll never stop me from loving you" peering her head around the door, she smiled widely "As I said before, we'll be best friends by the end of our time together".
"What exactly constitutes as the end of our time together?"
"When you need me but do not want me, I must stay, but when you want me but no longer need me, then I must go".
"What are you? Nanny McPhee?" He was astounded.
"I prefer Grandma Zo, but whatever takes your fancy, just not me because I'm married to my work".
"But I'm your work".
"Look Aditya, you're taking this too fast, I'll accept your proposal only if you're on bended knee" she looked down at her nails unbothered.
"I can't bend, I'm disabled AND I'm not proposing, you just confessed your undying love, I am not the person moving too fast" he argued back, what exactly was wrong with her?
"I get it, you're obsessed, it's okay, sometimes relationships like this can be misconstrued as something else".
Aditya rolled his eyes for the millionth time since he had met her, "Aren't you meant to be feeding me?" He needed to distract her from this idiotic line of conversation.
"Well I was trying to, but then you tried to trick me into marriage, gosh, you're not really showing me husband material right now, so the answer is no until you can be nice and respect your wife".
"YOU ARE NOT MY WIFE".
"Gosh, don't even know where we stand anymore, whatever did I do to deserve such hatred? Know what you are, a bully that's what" storming off she left him to his thoughts.
If there was one thing he was clear on, it was that her sister was by far the saner one and it was just his luck that he got trapped with the psycho.
The first song Zoya sings- My Funny Valentine: Amber Holcomb
The second song Zoya sings- You'll Never Stop Me From Loving You: Sonia
I wasn't particularly expecting many people to read this story, so thank you for doing so, the love has been overwhelming x
