Part XXVIII
Ishan sighed and said, "She's still in her room. I knocked on her door before coming down but she just shouted out that I should leave her alone. She seems to be in a foul mood. Maybe she is still sulking over yesterday's loss in our chess game."
Prachi did not think that Sahana would react this way for just a chess game. She looked concerned and decided to check on her daughter. Milind volunteered to go with her and asked the rest of them to go ahead with their buffet breakfast.
They both went up to Sahana's room. Sahana did seem to be in a foul mood as she refused to open the door. After a lot of coaxing she finally opened the door. Just as she turned around, she doubled up in pain, holding her stomach. Prachi immediately held her shoulders and led her to the bed. Milind understood what the problem was and called up room service asking them to bring a bottle filled with moderately hot water to her room.
Sahana looked up at her papa in surprise wondering how he knew not only what her problem was, but also its solution. Understanding her quizzical look, Prachi smiled lovingly at her daughter and said, "Your papa used to take care of me before, darling."
She thought back on the day that Milind first took care of her in a similar situation.
Past (Prachi's flashback)
Prachi had woken up that morning with the sharp familiar pain in her lower abdomen. She quickly got up and went to the bathroom. Having taken the necessary protection, she returned to bed, turned on her stomach and tried to go back to sleep. Soon she felt herself being yanked by Milind.
"Wake up, you sleepy head. It is already 7.00 o'clock. Come on, brush your teeth quickly and join me for our daily swim," he said impatiently.
She opened one eye and turned to see her husband in his swimming trunks, pulling at her arm.
"Milind, I am not coming today. You go for your swim," she said and pulling back her arm, she picked up the pillow lying nearby and covered her head up, hoping he would go away.
Milind, however, was in no mood to give up so easily.
"Not coming? No way. I am not budging till you get up," he said and pulled the pillow away from her.
"Milind, please.... I am not well," she moaned.
"Not well?" he asked in alarm and immediately sat down next to her. "What's wrong? Are you having fever?" He felt her forehead and her neck.
"No, Milind. I don't have fever."
"Headache?" he persisted "Shall I get you an aspirin?"
"No. I don't have a headache. Just a mild discomfort in the stomach," she said hesitantly.
"Stomach pain? Wait, I'll get you a painkiller." He got up to leave. She pulled at his arm and made him sit back.
"Don't worry. This will go in a couple of hours."
"How do you know that for sure? I'll call the doctor," he said and was all set to make the call. She snatched the phone from him.
"Milind will you stop over-reacting? This is a normal thing which happens to most women, nothing to worry about." Just then she felt a sharp cramp and her face contorted in pain.
"You have stomach pain and you call it normal? Prachi, you may have the capacity to bear a lot of pain but I do not have the capacity to sit back and watch you suffer. I am calling the doctor, now." He tried to get up again.
She had no alternative but to tell him what was the problem. She pulled herself up and leaning into his ears she whispered the reason for her pain. He took some time to comprehend what she had just said and then it dawned on him.
"Sorry," he said hitting the back of his head with his palm. "You see, I have not had any female influence in my life. I lost my mom when I was just 3 years old. Since then it has just been my papa, Nandu kaka and me. Nandu kaka used to work for my Nanaji, who is no more. Since papa could not take care of the house and his work, Nandu kaka came to help him with the cooking and in taking care of me. That is why I am very attached to him. Although I had learnt about all this in school, I couldn't make the connection. So you suffer from pain every month?" he asked her.
"No, not every month. Only some months are a bit more difficult than others. I don't know why."
"What medicine do you take for it?"
"Nothing. Sometimes if it becomes too unbearable I keep a hot water bottle against my stomach."
"Hot water bottle?" he asked curiously. He then snapped his finger and said, "Will be back in a couple of minutes.
"Milind, wait" she called out but he was gone by then.
He returned after a few minutes with a hot water bottle. Prachi was surprised seeing this. She knew that Nandu kaka does not normally wake up before 7.30 am which meant that Milind himself had got the bottle ready.
"You took the trouble for my sake?" she asked, deeply touched by his gesture.
"Trouble? What trouble? Heating up water? That is one of the few things I can do in the kitchen, remember?" he asked and without much ado, he pulled down the comforter, dragged up her nightie and placed the bottle against her stomach. As he positioned the bottle against her stomach, his fingers briefly grazed it, sending tremors down her spine. He quickly pulled down her nightie to cover her up and pulled up the comforter. The entire action was so swift that she was too stunned to react.
He then held the bottle in place with one hand and took her hand in the other, pressing it reassuringly.
Prachi's eyes filled up with emotion.
"Is it still paining?" he asked with concern written all over his face.
"No. These are not tears of pain," she said emotionally. "Thank you for being so caring."
"Thank you for what? For doing my duty? Wish I could take on the pain myself. Since I could not do that, this is the least I could do."
"I can manage now. You go ahead for your swim. You'll be late for work otherwise."
"No, I'll wait here till you are completely fit," he said and continued to press the bottle against her stomach. The warm water massage had the desired effect for after about half an hour, Prachi felt much better.
"Milind I feel much better now," she said and removing the bottle, she tried to get up. Milind hurried to help her up.
"I am not an invalid, Milind. I can take care of myself, don't worry" she said and got busy with her routine chores.
Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin
