He went back to the room and asked, “May I carry you?”
She shook her head and slowly started to get up. He helped her up and supported her to the bathroom.
“Would you need my help?” asked Piyush.
She felt tears brimming in her eyes. She shook her head. “May I call you if I need anything? I don’t want to disturb your mother and aunt as they must have just slept. It is already 4:30 am.”
He had postponed the meeting to the afternoon for her as she felt unsure of being able to make it. Then she remembered that she had not planned to be alive the next day. She looked at the water filled tub and then at Piyush. Piyush’s eyes went wide for a second at the implied meaning. He wanted to shake some sense into her, but it won’t do any good, especially in her condition.
Taking a deep breath, he moved towards her and said, “Do you trust me?”
She smiled, a genuine sad smile. He was taken by surprise. She was so beautiful and looked guileless with all her defences down.
“After what you and your family have done for me, I won’t be able to un-trust you.” She never imagined she would ever trust any man in her life.
He felt his heart tighten. “I will help you.”
She looked at him in alarm for a second. Then, she didn’t know why but she was nodding her head to show her consent.
He slowly removed the safety pins without touching her shoulder. He didn’t want anything sharp near her. He slipped them into his pocket and turned away. “I won’t look while you get into the tub. You can leave the clothes on the floor. I will pull the curtain and stay here in case you feel too sleepy.”
She nodded. She did trust him. He seemed to genuinely care for her. She wished she had come to know him this well under better circumstances. Would he have liked her? Then the sudden realisation that he would never want a battered girl like her, hit her. Shaking her head, she gave a sad smile.
Piyush heard the rustle of her clothes falling to the ground and after a moment he heard her entering the tub. She pulled the curtain herself. He sat over the closed commode. He wanted to keep her mind busy, so he started a conversation.
“Sunaina.”
“Hmmm”
“We might get a five-star facility residential project.”
“Where is the location?”
“Kammasandra. It’s in the Electronic city phase II.”
“You don’t get corporation water there, right?”
“No, we don’t. The connection is there for the bio research project situated on the other side of the National Highway. But I doubt they would bring the connection for a residential project, however big it may be.” He felt a little positive when he could successfully divert her mind because the look in her eyes earlier when she saw the water was scary.
“Hmmm…That would be a hitch.” She was silent for a moment and then called his name. “Piyush!”
“Yes?”
“Why don’t you get into full-fledged construction? Why do you only stick to the designing part?”
He was thrown off track for a moment but then he quickly grabbed her meaning. “It helps in channelizing or we would end up discussing the trivialities of cement and steel. Now, at least I am sure of the kind of work my partners do, just as they know that I strive for excellence. I also have the guarantee that all my partners will keep the name of our designs.”
“Your uncle is the founder of this company, right?”
“Yeah, his designs are in great demand even in Dubai and the States.”
“Yes, he is a role model for the new generation architects.”
He felt the smile on her lips and he also smiled himself.
They continued talking until the water went cold.
“Drain the tub, Sunaina, and I will give you the towel.”
He heard her gasp at his comment. He didn’t want to embarrass her, so he kept quiet. He thought he would wait for a few more seconds.
“Piyush, I…am not able to get up.” Sunaina started crying.
“Shhh… Don’t cry. You trust me, right? “
“Hmmm.” He heard her soft whimper.
“Let me help you.” He took the towel and slid the curtain to one side. She had her eyes downcast. He saw her sitting with her knees pulled towards her chest, the ugly bruises on her shoulder plainly visible. He bent and helped her up. Her eyes were closed so he supported her with an arm around her as he drained the tub. Then he wrapped her up in a long fluffy towel. Then he noticed the tears streaming down her face.
“Does it hurt too bad?”
She shook her head. “I am sorry, I know it’s disgusting.”
He frowned, not understanding what she meant. Then he saw the blood in the water and grasped her meaning.
“God! No…listen!” he held her in his embrace. “This so called disgusting thing makes you a woman, makes you fertile to give this world a new life, something we men cannot. Honey! I come from a family with lots of woman around, where we have been taught to respect a woman for what she is, what she stands for. And trust me, we have been in a lot of trouble for teasing girls about their PMS.”
She looked up, her palms resting on his strong chest, “You teased them about it?”
He smiled sheepishly and nodded.
“Good that you were punished for it.”
He chuckled and went out to get her a sanitary napkin. He looked away as he passed her the night gown along with the napkin and panties. He could sense her awkwardness. He immediately started talking about their ongoing project to ease her mind. Then once she was ready, he turned to see her completely spent.
Supporting her, he guided her to the bed and on their own accord, his fingers loosened her bun. Her dense long black hair cascaded down. Involuntarily, he combed his fingers through her hair as she closed her eyes.
It felt good, she thought, tilting her head towards his hand.
‘This felt too intimate.’ Piyush paused a moment and slowly let his hands slide down.
They both didn’t notice Sujal standing at the door, shocked. Suddenly, as if waking from a trance, Sujal left. It felt as if he was interrupting a private moment of a couple. Why did he think of Bro and Sunaina as a couple? But the picture they had presented as he had helped her on the bed and loosened her hair was so domestic. A sad smiled played on his lips. If it’s going that way, good for them but just like his aunt and mom, he didn’t want either of them hurt. And it seemed to be the wrong time for anything to brew between them.
Chapter 5
Piyush eased the pillows around her as she laid down. The pillows now cocooned her back and lower abdomen. He had noticed Naina, his sister, do that during her cramps. Pulling the blanket from the foot of the bed, he tucked her in. He spread her hair to dry as it was a little wet from the tub. He felt a desire to play with her hair. It was so beautiful like pure thick silk. He couldn’t pull his hands back. While caressing her hair his fingers grazed her scalp and she sighed. Smiling, he let his fingers caress her scalp and she leaned more into his hands. He now let his other hand join in the head massage.
He was watching her hair in his fingers with a smile, when the feeling of her watching him made him look towards her and his eyes locked with hers. His fingers froze at their position as his eyes were transfixed by her green and grey ones. His eyes slowly moved down and stopped at her soft pink lips that were now marred with the ghastly purple colour. And the corner of her mouth had bruises and a cut. Reality came crashing upon him. What am I thinking? How can I be so callous? he thought. He cupped her face, smiling softly at her.
“Now go to sleep. You have had enough difficult times. Now forget everything and sleep without worry.”
Her lips trembled, and he saw the tears pouring down her beautiful eyes. She bit her trembling lips.
His thumb caressed her lips, easing them from her teeth. “No more crying.” he said, “Your pain filled days are history. You said you trust me, didn’t you?” When she nodded amidst her tears he continued, “Then believe
me, I am going to make everything all right.” His thumb caressed the bruise on the corner of her lips. He wanted to take away all the pain from her life.
She looked at him, her eyes full of trust. He smiled at her and without giving a second thought, he pressed his forehead on hers and took a deep breath. Without any hesitation she let him, her eyes closed. Her hands came over to cover his, which were still cupping her face.
“Sleep, little one.”
His husky voice caressed her skin. She opened her eyes, a little surprised. No one would have called her a little woman. Yes, she was just 5’3’’ but with her broad shoulders and full figure, she appeared big. She was not fat, but neither was she thin. Though his 5’11’’ height and strong built was pretty intimidating. With him hovering over her, her face in his palms, she really felt ‘little’. She smiled, though it hurt as her lips stretched. “Good night!” she whispered as she closed her eyes. She had not known how exhausted she was.
Sujal walked in to see Piyush still sitting beside her, but he was staring unseeingly at the wall.
“Bro, we should be stealing at least a couple of hours of sleep before the meeting tomorrow.” Sujal said.
Piyush looked at his cousin and nodded. “You take the couch. I will lie down on the floor if I feel sleepy.”
“Floor?” Sujal asked, surprised.
“Sujal, I didn’t like the way she looked at the water in the tub. I am not planning to leave her alone for quite some time. I know you would prefer to sleep in your bed but-” Piyush combed his hair with his fingers, “If she loses it, I need you here to help me. They violated her and to make things worse, they put…” he took a deep breath. It was difficult to say what she must have suffered, “…some object into her. The doctor had to do a D and C.”
Sujal became pale. He remembered Sunaina’s mumbling from downstairs. Then the anger rushed in. He swore vehemently but when Sunaina shifted from her position, he became silent.
“Bro, call the Police. We need to file a complaint. The doctor would give us her report.”
“It’s not that I haven’t thought about it. We had discussed about this in the hospital but she wants some time to recuperate and I too want to give her some space before she is grilled by the Police regarding it. I can’t imagine how she would take everything and react to being questioned about it.”
Sujal understood Piyush’s point of view and nodded in agreement.
*******
Piyush got up with a start, throwing the blanket away from his body, when he heard a stifled sob. He saw that Sujal was still asleep on the couch, snuggled in his blanket. He heard the sob again and he got up and saw Sunaina still asleep but sweating profusely. She sobbed again and tried to push some invisible thing away from her. Soon she started thrashing her legs. It was clear she was reliving her past in a nightmare. Piyush immediately tried to calm her, but she started fighting him. Sujal slowly opened his eyes, and though he was confused at first, he soon realised the situation and got up.
“Sunaina, calm down.” Piyush tried to pin her wrist by her side. “Stop, Su…It’s only a nightmare.”
With stifled sobs, Sunaina continued thrashing with more vigour. Piyush pressed his weight on her to stop her from moving her legs while his hands pinned her, but it didn’t help. She gave out a soft cry of surrender that was more painful to hear than her earlier rambling.
“I will stop fighting…” She whispered. “Please! It hurts. Don’t hurt me. I will not fight.”
Piyush felt her pain seeping into his own being. He slowly lifted his weight from her and she whimpered, as if waiting for a blow to come. He got up slowly and trying not to hurt her, he gathered her in his arms and onto his lap as he leaned back on the headboard.
Sujal felt his respect for Piyush increase. He watched as Piyush settled back and he pulled the blanket to cover them both. For the second time that night, Sujal went back to the couch feeling like he was intruding in a private moment.
Sunaina finally stirred, and when she opened her eyes she felt protected, as if a warmth was enveloping her. She didn’t need to look who held her. The strength, the comfort which seeped into her was witness enough. The only problem was the pain she felt in her lower abdomen.
“Piyush…” her voice was barely noticeable.
“Hmm…” He opened his eyes and looked into hers.
“It hurts. Can I have a painkiller?”
Piyush checked the time. It was not six hours yet since she took her last dose. He placed a pillow by her lower abdomen and spooned her.
“Not yet. Your next dose is after breakfast. I will hold you and comfort you. Please try to sleep.”
Sunaina sniffed. She didn’t remember the last time someone had taken such diligent care of her. She slowly drifted off, sleep engulfing her senses.
When Dia came to wake them up with coffee, she was surprised to see Piyush sleeping on the bed, holding the girl close. Sujal was struggling to hold his six feet lanky frame on the couch. She felt proud of the boys. Though unconventional, Piyush would have a good reason for being on the bed. She kept the coffee on the side table and shook Sujal first to wake him up. Sujal was groggy as he wished his mom a good morning. Then Dia woke Piyush up. He looked confused for a moment, and then slowly detangled himself, suddenly feeling awkward at having his aunt wake him up while Sunaina was in his arms.
“She had a nightmare and was in pain but I couldn’t give her pain killer…” Piyush tried to explain.
Dia brushed it aside and asked him to drink the coffee instead. Sujal and Piyush sat down on the couch, drinking coffee. Dia slowly woke Sunaina up who tried to get up suddenly and flinched with pain as a result. Piyush was about to rush to her when Dia motioned him to relax. She then helped Sunaina into the bathroom. Every step she took looked unbearable. But Piyush thought it wouldn’t be proper if he volunteered when his aunt was helping Sunaina.
“Piyush!” It was Dia’s alarmed voice that got both Sujal and Piyush on their feet in an instant. Piyush motioned Sujal to stay while he went inside the bathroom. Dia was holding the tired figure of Sunaina sitting on the edge of the tub.
“She is bleeding badly. I helped her into fresh clothes. But she is feeling dizzy.” Before Dia could finish her words, and her head rolled back as she became completely unconscious.
Piyush easily lifted Sunaina up and placed her on the bed. He immediately called Prathyush to ask for Dr Savitri’s number. Prathyush said he would call her and ask if Sunaina needed to be brought to the hospital.
The five minutes wait seemed like an hour. Sunaina still was unconscious and Dia was using a cold towel on her forehead. Finally, the call came. It was Dr Savitri.
“Does she have fever?”
“No, I don’t think so. Let me check.” Piyush placed his hand on Sunaina’s forehead to check. Then he realised that with the cold towel on her forehead, he won’t be able to sense the temperature. He let his hands slide inside the neck of the t-shirt Dia had helped Sunaina into. She was warm but not hot. “She doesn’t have a fever.” Piyush said to the doctor.
“How bad is the bleeding?”
“Errr… wait.” He turned to his aunt and gave her the phone.
Dia spoke for a few minutes to the Doctor and then disconnected the call.
“Dr Savitri says that it can be her body trying to shut down from the pain. Sunaina wouldn’t have had proper rest last night. She said she is coming to have a look at Sunaina’s condition.” Saying this, Dia quickly texted their address to the doctor. “If she thinks Sunaina needs medical help, we can take her to the hospital.”
Piyush nodded as he looked at the unconscious woman on the bed. He felt something tug at his heart. Sunaina was such a good-natured girl. He had been too judgemental about her until he saw the trauma she had been hiding, while working every day and coming up with some extraordinary designs. Judging her for how much makeup she wore? How superficial he had been? If it had been a girl who was less strong than Sunaina, she would have given up lon
g back. But now I will make sure that she stays strong, he promised to himself.
Chapter 6
Dia said she needed to attend the one-hour lecture so she needed to leave. Mia was home and said she will be with Sunaina and make sure everything was fine.
Within half an hour Dr Savitri came. Sunaina was awake but a little groggy. She patted the weak girl’s face which was white as a sheet. She said she will come again in the evening to have a look. Sunaina nodded and drifted back into a disturbed sleep. Piyush came in, still wet from the shower when Dr Savitri had just finished her examination. Piyush lead Savitri to the dining room, offering her breakfast. She hesitated for a moment but later accepted. She asked if she could speak with all his family members once they finished the breakfast.
“I know she is not family, yet you have taken her well-being as your responsibility.” Savitri said. Piyush was about to speak when she stopped him. “I know the person who should be responsible is the one who did this to her. You all need to know she was raped brutally by more than one. They had hurt her in ways we can’t even imagine. She has injuries inside her because of what they did. That’s why I had to do D and C. And if the bleeding doesn’t stop we may have to do the proceedure again or depending upon the severity, we may have to do a surgery.”
Sujal cursed out loud and then whispered a ‘sorry’. But his eyes blazed with anger. Piyush was struggling to sit quietly. All he wanted to do was to kill that man with his bare hands.
“This is only the physical trauma. She will heal from it, as she is young and healthy with no medical problems. We only have to keep infection at bay. But-” she paused to check if she had everyone’s attention. “-the mental trauma she has gone through is difficult to overcome. She will need counselling. And trust me, if she doesn’t get a proper counsellor she would end up hating herself even more. It’s easy for them to feel disgusted about themselves, feel dirty, or spoilt. Thanks to the stupid notions circulating in the name of culture and values, girls are taught that if they are abused sexually, they are no longer pure but filthy and that it’s nobody’s fault but theirs.” She looked at each of the Verma family members to see if they understood her.
A Promise Togetherness Forever: Piyush and Sunaina's Sanctum (Verma Clan Sanctum Series Book 2) Page 3