Chapter 14
Shlok frantically paced back and forth through the doctor's office waiting for his report, "What the hell is taking him so long?" he cursed at no one in particular as he looked at his watch. It had merely been 5 minutes since the doctor left them to go run the tests but for Shlok it felt like an eternity. He remembered the events of the morning in anxious scrutiny, trying to pin point what could have caused her to faint so suddenly. They had grabbed a quick bite at home before leaving for the office, so it couldn't have been that she hadn't eaten. He remembered her holding onto his chair for support during her presentation; she looked so frail and weak, how did he fail to notice?
"Shlok" she held her head as if to stop it from spinning, she grabbed onto to his shoulder for support and suddenly she hit the floor. He didn't have time to react.
"Astha!!!!" both men rushed to her.
Shlok tried reviving her every way he knew how but nothing was working, this only heightened his worry.
"Take her the hospital Shlok" came Abhi's panicked voice, "I'll call an ambulance."
"No, that'll take too long, I'll take her" Shlok replied frantically, she was pale and lifeless and it scared him to death, he couldn't see her like this.
"I'll drive, you sit with her." Abhi insisted.
"Shlok...please sit, I am fine but you're making me dizzy with all this pacing." Astha tried to calm down her visibly shaken husband, it warmed her heart to see him this concerned for her but at the same time she wanted to console him and let him know that she was fine.
"You're fine? Fine? Astha this is the 4th time you've fainted in the past two weeks, I know you're a little bit loose in the head but this isn't what I call fine." She was tickled at his response, only he could be worried yet find the time to insult her amidst his panicked state. "Where the hell is the doctor?" He started pacing again.
"You know, this is probably why I fainted, your mood swings are enough to make anybody giddy" Astha made a teasing face at him but he was not amused, how could she be joking at a time like this, "Aren't you worried that something could be seriously wrong with you?" he questioned her totally annoyed at her unconcerned state.
"Apart from being certified mental?" she shot back...Shlok's head shot up at her response...ahhh...she shook her head very pleased with herself, she managed to make him smile.
"You ARE certified mental" he sounded annoyed but his half smile betrayed his facade.
"I know, you make me mental" she lay back into the bed, glaring at him as he strode up and down the room.
"Poison"
Both Astha and Shlok were stunned at the words, poison? Traces of poison were found in her blood...
"How? How the hell is this possible?" Shlok was practically shouting at the doctor, Astha sat up in the bed, she held on to his arm, hoping to calm him down, he straightened feeling her touch, he didn't want to cause her any more stress, and so, he abided to her silent request.
"Mr. Agnihotri" the doctor spoke cautiously accounting for Shlok's easily aggravated nature, "the traces seemed to have been administered in controlled amounts over a period of time." Astha felt her blood run cold, Shlok felt his surge right to his head, she was being poisoned? Nothing made sense to them, Shlok started thinking back to all the events that had taken place where her life was endangered, calculated attacks, he was right, they had all been calculated attacks on her life...but why? These questions plagued him on the drive back home.
The darkness of night had fallen by the time they were finished at the hospital. Abhi had taken them back to the office so that Shlok could collect his SUV. "Shlok, I know many people, if you need help with this, let me know." Abhi was sincere and genuine, Shlok couldn't help the further aggravation that this generated within him but he knew the gesture came from an honest non-threatening place, yet he felt threatened. He mentally chastised himself for his trail of thought given their predicament; he shook himself out of his trance and thanked Abhi, assuring him that he would let him know if they needed anything.
"Aditi" Shlok looked at Astha as she spoke feebly from the passenger seat, she was clearly drained and tired, she had nodded off for most of the journey. "Shlok...please believe me, I'm sure it's Aditi." He didn't respond, Shlok didn't know what to think or believe, he had prevented himself from thinking about this solely for the purpose of avoiding insult to his baba, but now, Astha's life was in danger, what if something had happened to her? He wouldn't be able to live with himself knowing he could have done something to prevent it, knowing he could have done so many things differently with her, divorce be damned, he could have truly lost her. Could it be Aditi? He pressed his palms against his forehead, leaning into the steering wheel; he needed to figure this out before anything happened to her.
Astha reached out both her hands to him, she held on to his arm while gently running her hand at the back his head, caressing his dark locks, trying desperately to console him, she saw his mental turmoil spill across his face, she knew the battle he must have been fighting internally, she knew it would serve neither of them any good to press the matter any further tonight, for now, he appeared to be tormented enough. "Let's go inside, we'll handle it tomorrow, come on." She tugged at him to comply. Shlok slightly raised his head off the steering wheel, he stared at her for a couple seconds, appraising her, as if to make sure she was really there, he couldn't understand her, it frustrated him, her life was in danger, yet she wasn't worried, she seemed more concerned with pacifying him...she frustrated him...something worse could have happened to her, yet she held on to his arm if he were the one that could have been lost, he looked at her confused, agitated, irritated and completely beside himself with fury, fury with himself for she had always been selfless in her concern for him yet he made her endure so much to this point. He could have lost her. She looked at him innocently, so innocently, unaware of the silent torment it was inflicting within him. He stared at her...his bewildered state plastered across his face, he could have lost her and it dawned on him.
Astha observed him in bewilderment, dark eyebrows tensed, his handsome face pensive, his penetrating eyes pained, she looked at him and felt her heart shatter, she could never see him in this state, she always found herself wanting to make his world better, taking his sorrows away, regardless of the cause, she wanted to take it all away. Unrestricted emotion driving her actions, she cupped his face gently and looked straight his eyes, tears now leaving her own, he straightened a bit at the sight of her plight, he understood her hushed plea just as she did his, her hands ever so tender against the rough features of his handsome face "I am fine" her broken voice filled the silent air, "I'm here with you aren't I?" her eyes pleading with his, "I am fine and we will figure it out" her hands gently slid down his cheeks, resting onto the lapels of his shirt, "Now let's go inside and rest, we will deal with it tomorrow" she tugged at it as if to straighten it before turning away to undo her seatbelt. Shlok observed her with curious appreciation, he felt an overwhelming urge to take her in his arms and surround himself in her warmth, he felt an overwhelming need to feel her, to drown his senses in the aroma of her essence, he felt an overwhelming need to protect her, to hold her and never let her go. What was this resurrected effect she had on him, an effect he had long buried when he set about his mission in getting married to her, the memory agonising him... "Dammit Shlok" he had so much to make up for.
He shook himself out of his musing and came out to help her. He took her to their bedroom insisting that she not walk, he laid her on the bed, ordering her not to move while he went out to get tea for them both, he saw her fidget as he attempted to leave "I said don't move" he was stern and commanding, she wasn't the least bit fazed but more amused, "Akru" she twisted her head at him as he walked out, "Pagal" he retorted walking away, a soft smile easing the tension of what had been a completely exhausting day for both.
Shlok briefly gathered his father and Varad in the privacy of their study to inform them of all that had transpired, both men became instantly tensed and worried. Astha was equally adored by both and neither could stand the thought of her life being in danger. They discussed in brief detail the sequence of events over that past month, trying to make any sense of the situation that they possibly could.
"Ok Beta" Niranjan consoled his son, we know how to proceed from here, go get some rest now, you've had a long day."
The men parted ways, Shlok headed to the kitchen to gather up chai and something for them both to eat, something both had neglected to do amidst the happenings of the day. "Shlok" he turned around to see Varad standing behind him, "I know you've had a long day so I won't keep you long..."
"What is it Dada?" he subtly urged Varad to get along with it which Varad understood noticing that his brother was attempting to put together a food tray. "I just wanted to tell you, that I am happy to see you caring for and worrying about Astha this way. There is a silver lining to be found in every situation Shlok. Astha is a gem, let go of everything that has you overcome in misery and let her in, accept her Shlok, wouldn't it be a shame if you lost her?" Varad knew his words may have sounded sharp but the look on his brother's face assured him that the desired effect had been achieved.
Astha had changed into her night dress and cozied up on the couch, she remembered that it was her night to forfeit the bed, she also knew that he would be exhausted after the day they had endured and so, she happily settled herself in. "I thought I told you not to move" he stood at the door, completely annoyed that she hadn't listened to him.
"I didn't do much Shlok, I just changed and settled in...see" she motioned her hand over her body "still in one piece..." she teased him animatedly hoping to lighten his mood but he was having none of it. "You're sleeping on the bed tonight..." he was demanding
"But Shlok..." she tried to get a word in but to no avail.
"Not buts, I said you're sleeping on the bed...otherwise we both sleep on the couch" he shot her a look before placing the food tray on the dresser, pausing in his position, realising what he had just said, he mentally scolded himself yet the thought gave him an inexplicably warm feeling, yes, he wanted to hold her, he stood there, trying to compose himself before facing her. "Do you understood the severity of this whole thing?" he spoke without turning to look at her, Astha understood his frustration...
"I do" she walked up behind him, maintaining a cautious distance yet close enough that he could feel her, "I do...but we can't do anything about it tonight right?" she spoke reassuringly hoping to break him out his troubled state of mind. "Shlok" she gently took hold of his arm turning him to face her, she searched his eyes and hoped that he would find comfort in hers, "Don't burden yourself so much...please..." her plea was teary and pained, she couldn't help the way his distress burdened her heart, she cupped his face once more, searching his eyes..."please?" Shlok gave in, he was helpless to her demand. His thumbs reached up to her gently grazing her moist cheeks, wiping her tears away, their eyes meeting in a moment of understanding and unspoken yearning to be held and comforted by the other. A yearning that neither would give into tonight, a yearning that neither could deny nor make disappear.
"Good" Astha pulled at his shirt, trying to lighten the atmosphere with her childlike antics, the air between felt electrified but she knew giving thought to anything else would prove to be a futile endeavour...for tonight.
"You brought food for us right? Let's eat" she took the tray and sat on the bed, motioning him to join her, holding out a handful of food waiting for him to accept it...and he did, sitting facing her, he indulged her, if this is what gave her comfort, he would let her have it. Shlok looked on at the figure in front him in astonishment, here he was worried for her yet she seemed to be only concerned about him, she astounded him. It would take him a thousand lifetimes to figure her out he thought and he suddenly found himself wishing...wishing that he indeed had a thousand lifetimes to do just that.
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Kumkum Bhagya
Anupamaa
