Tumbleweeds ...24th Update.. Pg 45 - Page 30

"Take long breaths ……. do that slowly. Don't tax yourself too much." Manav advised the shaken-up girl. He turned her on her side but facing him. Arch slowly sucked in a deep breath. She knew it helped not only to overcome pain but also ease off the tension. Her eyes were open but she didn't seem to really see anything. He patted her hair and slid his hand down her arm to her hand. It was a light touch enough to let her that someone was beside her and that she was safe. He continued to stroke her from head to her wrist in a rhythmic manner. He waited until her shallow breathing became normal. It may have been ten minutes or so but at least he knew that she had control of her breathing. He held her hand in both his hands and looked down at it. Her fingers were slim and long and her nails short and clipped.

"Arch…… that was some fall you took. How did it happen? Did you slip or did the chair get in your way?"

She shook her head. "No."

"Did you feel faint?"

"No. I tried to touch those." She eyed the dumbbells beyond on the rack.

Manav turned to look.

"You wanted to feel the bumbbells? Do you have any muscle power for that? With milk and toast for breakfast, you are not going to able to move those."

She looked at him. He reached out and lifted the lightest one in his hand. He placed it on the table near her. He took her hand and placed it on it.

"Hold it ….. don't lift it."

She did as he said. She tried to roll it to guage its weight. She toyed with it as a young toddler would with a new toy. He waited. It was necessary that she be ready for some cursory examination.

"Arch ….when you want to venture into doing something new, nothing should deter you. You have to live again."

She jerked her hand away from the object as if it were red hot. "I know what life is all about."

"Sure you do."

"There are some who go through life normally and there are those who don't."

"You mean like you?"

"I didn't say that."

"Life is about ups and downs. When you come to a 'down' you don't have to stay there. You have to learn to rise again."

"I have been telling myself just that for a good part of the year. I know I have to try and be able to be independent. The crutch fell and ….."

"Exactly my point," he interrupted, "the crutch is a lifeless stick …. It's not your leg. Your mind can control the leg; but not the crutch. The coordination ends there."

He touched her forehead. "This is where your mind and intellect is seated. The spine is the coordinator of a kind. But the spine is in an inferior position as compared to your head. The brain is undamaged and in the circumstances you could consider yourself lucky that all you have is feeble vision. The dribbling nose is a very minor problem and in time both will improve."

He moved the dumbbell away. "Can you sit up on your own?"

"Of course I can." Her movements were awkward but she managed to sit up and dangled her legs over the side of the table. He stood in front of her. He caught her head in his two hands. Carefully he started to manoeuvre her neck.

"Tell me the minute there is pain."

He turned her head sideways, back and forth and then round. Then he told her to do so independently. Most of the tests he performed in an informal manner telling and explaining why he was doing a particular thing. He noticed her arms were weak. She couldn't keep her arms aloft for a long time. No wonder she got tired of walking on the crutches. He made her lie supine. She knew that this would be the worst. It was difficult for her to lift her legs. And the pain made her grimace. He lifted her ankle and then she could move her leg up and down. The pushing of her foot against his hand was weak but there was some strength and he smiled to himself. That was a good sign. He continued thus for a good forty five minutes.

"Tired?"

She nodded. He helped her sit up once again. He placed his hands on either side of her.

"Well?" He looked down at her.

"Well what?" she asked.

"Are we going to work together? Are we going to see the meteoric rise of Archana or not?"

"Meteoric rise? It's not that simple or do you have a magic wand somewhere?"

"I do. It's in my heart, ballerina."

She looked at him not understanding him at all. She was trying to come to some conclusion.

"What's taking you so long to answer my question? Are you really thinking or admiring my good looks?" He asked not bothering to hide the insolence from his eyes.

She couldn't believe his pompous statement or his audacity! She pushed him away from her.

"Pushing me away as usual? Not a sweet habit you know." He grinned. "How are you going to get off that high horse ….er I mean table?"

"Go to hell doc ……," she glowered, "someone will come by and help me."

"I am amazed at the number of molly coddlers you've kept around you. All of them never say a word against you. Like some spoilt queen in historical times with her sycophants around her."

"You have some gall….." she started.

But he was at the door and bellowed. "Sachin! Your friend needs you." He looked at her looking down at her tight fists. "My brother is the biggest sucker!"

Sachin came in hurriedly. "Archu….how are you? Need any help?

Manav gave a dramatic sigh and stretched out his hands. "I rest my case."

He turned and left with a laugh.

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