Abhithi began to shake her head. The girl really didn’t want to drink the milk. But Abhimanyu knew she had to. Pakhi may have been a little high-handed with her but she had a point. He just had to come up with a way to get Abhithi to drink the damn milk.
At that moment, Abhithi looked straight at him and for a second he wondered if he had spoken out loud. He was sure he hadn’t. Knowing he should not be teaching Abhithi anymore cuss words for the day, Abhimanyu got up from his chair and picked up the little girl from her seat. Pinning her onto his hip, he picked up the glass of milk and walked out to the terrace.
Half an hour later, Pakhi walked out onto the terrace to see Abhimanyu sleeping on the easy chair, Abhithi’s head tucked under his chin. It was the most heartwarming scene Pakhi had ever witnessed. Abhithi had grown really fond of Abhimanyu, and Pakhi knew he cared for the little girl too. But this was just so overwhelming. Abhithi had been through so much at such a young age. She would begin to forget the pain as she grew up, but Pakhi knew just how much she had suffered. Initially, the nightmares had been difficult. She would wake up screaming for her mother and father. Pakhi and her father would try their best to console her, waiting for the tears and shivering to stop.
Was Abhimanyu’s presence in Pakhi’s life good for Abhithi?
The thought entered her mind and Pakhi’s face fell almost immediately.
Had she behaved impulsively last night? Was she being selfish? And not thinking of Abhithi and her future?
Something was wrong – Abhimanyu could sense it. Pakhi had been quiet for most of their journey to Park Street. They were going to Shiraz, one of Kolkata’s most popular restaurants, well known for its biryani. On their way, he told her that he was thinking of bringing some changes to the biryani selection in the hotel’s menu, but Pakhi hadn’t uttered a word.
‘Pakhi, are you even listening to me?’ he enquired finally, his voice laced with a hint of irritation and worry.
She finally stopped looking glassy-eyed at the passing view and looked at him, her face blank. ‘I’m sorry. Did you say something?’
‘Yes, I…’ Abhimanyu began just as the driver pulled outside Shiraz.
He decided it would have to wait until after lunch.
Stuffed to the gills with the most scrumptious mutton biryani they had ever sampled, Pakhi and Abhimanyu settled into the rear seat of the car. Abhithi had dosed off halfway through the meal, and Abhimanyu had carried her out. She was now comfortably settled with her head in Pakhi’s lap and feet just about reaching Abhimanyu’s leg.
‘I think we should head straight back to the hotel,’ Pakhi whispered. ‘She’s completely exhausted and I’d like to put her to bed immediately.’
Abhimanyu could feel his temper rising. She hadn’t even looked at him. What the hell was wrong? All through lunch she had been very cordial, almost formal. They’d discussed the food, and agreed that the mutton biryani was definitely a notch or two above the biryanis served at most other restaurants. Then she’d declined dessert saying she was too full. That was it. That was the only lengthy exchange they had had in over two hours.
He wanted to ask if something was bothering her. She’d deny it and wouldn’t even do him the courtesy of looking at him. And he really didn’t want to lose his temper. So he simply nodded and instructed the driver to take them back to the hotel.
After about twenty minutes, during which time neither of them spoke, the car pulled up outside their hotel. Abhimanyu carried Abhithi to their suite and deposited her in Pakhi’s bed. He knew Pakhi was right behind him, but he wasn’t in the mood to look at her either.
‘I’m stepping out for a while,’ he muttered. ‘I should be back in a couple of hours.’
‘OK,’ he heard her soft reply.
Seething, Abhimanyu walked out of the room and the suite, quietly shutting the door behind him.
The bar wasn’t teeming with people at this hour. Abhimanyu ordered a large Johnnie Walker Platinum Label. He was perched on a barstool near the French windows that opened on to the deck and swimming pool. After downing the whiskey in a single swallow and letting his throat burn with its smoky taste he signalled the bartender for another one. He pulled out his phone and punched in the hotel manager’s number. It was time to get down to business.
Forty-five minutes later, having discussed certain issues with the manager and planning PR activities to boost footfalls, Abhimanyu walked out on to the deck for some fresh air. He hoped it would help him clear his head and give him some much-needed perspective, not to mention patience, while dealing with Pakhi and her current mood.
Man, I thought I was moody. Abhimanyu snorted. Half the time, Pakhi was a time bomb waiting to go off. The other half of the time, she was utterly lovable and it was all Abhimanyu could do to not pull her into his arms and keep her there. He couldn’t quite put a finger on what had caused the sudden change in her attitude, but he had a strange feeling that it was to do with Abhithi. There was no doubt about it after the way she’d fussed over the little girl at the restaurant, especially after the milk episode, and the almost-scene she had caused when Abhimanyu had lifted the sleeping Abhithi to carry her out to the car.
‘There’s no need for you to carry her,’ Pakhi had said. ‘I can manage.’
Abhimanyu, who was already irritated with the monosyllabic responses he’d got at lunch, gave her a look that should have made her insides freeze. But Pakhi was adamant.
‘You don’t have to do this! Give her to me!’ And she tried to snatch Abhithi from Abhimanyu’s arms.
‘Pakhi, just walk to the car,’ Abhimanyu had said through gritted teeth. ‘Please,’ he’d added, more to diffuse his temper.
‘It’s really not your place, Abhimanyu. Give her to me, please!’
‘Walk. To. The. Bloody. Car,’ he’d muttered.
As he watched the ripples in the swimming pool, it hit him. Is that what’s bothering her?
11
Pakhi sat down on the couch in the living room, exhausted by all the turmoil in her head. She had a roaring headache and just needed some time to clear her head and be away from Abhimanyu. His presence of late had been somewhat of a reassurance that everything was going to be OK. And she didn’t want to feel that way. She didn’t want to feel his eyes following her when he thought she wasn’t looking. She didn’t need to see his smile, that gorgeous smile, which only rarely reached his eyes. She didn’t need to hear his deep baritone as he discussed the most mundane things with her. She just needed time away from him. Pakhi kept saying that to herself for the next half hour.
However, the only thing she managed to accomplish was to turn her headache into a full-blown migraine by the time Abhimanyu walked into the suite an hour later. He looked around for Pakhi in the living room and on the terrace. But she was nowhere to be seen. He went over to her room and knocked on the door. When there was no response, he hesitated slightly before opening the door. Abhithi lay asleep in the large bed, with pillows and cushions on either side, her small chest rising and falling rhythmically to the sound of her breathing. Abhimanyu’s heart melted at the sight of the little lump of cuteness. If Pakhi would let him in, then perhaps things could be different. He wanted to be a part of this … this small unit they’d become – just the three of them.
Where was she? He walked across to the adjoining bathroom and knocked again. He opened the door, hearing no response. And that’s when his worry turned into full-blown panic. His heart was thumping so loudly that he was afraid Abhithi would wake up from the ruckus it was creating. He quickly walked out of the room, pulling the door behind him but not shutting it completely.
In the living room, he began to pace up and down like a caged tiger. Any minute now, his blood pressure was going to hit the roof. All those times Daji had told him to get a full body check-up done were coming back to him. Damn! He couldn’t find Pakhi anywhere, and he thought he was going to die.
The impact of his thoughts didn’t quite hit Abhimanyu as he was distracted by t
he strange sounds coming from his end of the suite. What the hell was that?
He quickly padded across to his room and flung the door open. Following the sound, he walked straight into the bathroom. Relief flooded him but worry and concern immediately took over his features.
Pakhi was holding onto the pot and heaving miserably. Her hair was plastered to her forehead and her yellow top was drenched with sweat.
Having assessed the situation immediately Abhimanyu rushed to Pakhi’s side. He caught her by the shoulder and pulled her back against him just as her heaving subsided. Her body was now trying to recover from the ordeal and she began to shiver despite the sweat trickling down her back.
Picking her up, Abhimanyu set Pakhi on the black marble counter that surrounded the washbasin. He adjusted the water setting to cold and scooping some water into his hands, he washed her face, taking particular care to clean the area near her mouth. He finger-combed her hair, and gently patted her face dry with a soft, Turkish hand towel. He then pulled her top off, and staggered for just a second when he saw the butter-yellow bra she was wearing. But he quickly composed himself and picked her up off the counter. Cradling her in his arms again, he walked out of the en-suite bathroom. Pakhi’s head was nestled near his neck, her arms draped around his neck. She was asleep already.
Placing his foot on the bed for balance, he pulled back the duvet with one hand. He laid her down, gently taking off her arms from around his neck. He was about to tuck her in when he noticed her jeans had vomit stains. Abhimanyu didn’t think twice before unbuttoning her jeans and pulling them off. He didn’t want her to wake up and see the stains. He knew her well enough to know she’d be incredibly embarrassed.
Her panties were the same butter-yellow shade as her bra. Abhimanyu didn’t even pause as he tucked her in. His mind was racing now. He needed to call the doctor. He hadn’t even been able to ask Pakhi what was wrong. And now that she was asleep, he couldn’t very well wake her up. He needed answers. And the only person who could give him some was a doctor.
Pakhi bolted upright. What time was it? Why was the room dark? Gingerly pushing the duvet aside, she swung her feet off the bed and tried to stand up, only to immediately sit back down. Clutching her aching head, it dawned on her that her migraineaddled head was disoriented.
But, why am I not wearing any clothes?
The door to the bedroom swung open. Pakhi turned to see Abhimanyu stand in the doorway with a tray in his hand. Except for the diffused light coming from the en-suite bathroom, and the dim lights in the hall, the room remained dark. The doctor had told him to make sure that no lights disturbed Pakhi until she recovered completely from her migraine. He wondered if he should tell her that he had called a doctor. But he knew she wouldn’t take it very well, and would probably be even more embarrassed than she already was now.
Avoiding her questioning glare entirely, he walked into the bedroom and set the tray laden with orange juice and the medication the doctor had prescribed on the bedside table.
He handed Pakhi a pill and a glass of juice. ‘Take this,’ Abhimanyu said in a tone that brooked no argument.
She glared at him for a fraction of a second longer before taking the pill from him. ‘What is this for?’ she asked.
Crap! Now he would have to tell her that his blood pressure had hit the roof and he’d called the doctor to make sure she was OK. But before he could say anything, Pakhi said, ‘I’m guessing you recalled the last time this happened.’
‘Hmmm?’ was all he said, not giving away much in his expressions.
‘Yeah. Last month when I almost fainted at work because of my migraine, you told Rajat to give me a Migranal.’ She popped the pill into her mouth and quickly took a large gulp of the juice before adding, ‘Do you carry the tablet everywhere you go?’
‘I … err … Pakhi, listen,’ he began, but she interrupted him.
‘What’d you do with my clothes though?’
Without thinking, Abhimanyu replied, ‘They were covered in vomit, so I sent them to the laundry.’
No sooner did the words leave his mouth, he realized Pakhi had begun to cringe with embarrassment. Her big, round eyes were almost bulging out of their sockets as she fought hard to blink back the tears that were threatening to flow.
Crap!
‘I’m sorry.’
‘I’m sorry.’
They both spoke at the same time. Pakhi looked up at him from beneath her lashes as she tried to figure out how much more embarrassing this situation could get. How had a migraine escalated to her being in Abhimanyu’s bed sans clothes? And why did she have to puke in front of him? And why couldn’t she have been a little more ladylike and not soiled her clothes?
Ugh!
Sucking in a deep breath, she squared her shoulders before saying, ‘I’m sorry for creating such a mess, Abhimanyu.’
‘Pakhi,’ his voice was soft and gentle as he sat down beside her. He gently pulled out her hands from under the duvet and threaded his fingers with hers. Pakhi was stunned at the intimacy of the moment. She couldn’t find the right words. But Abhimanyu could.
‘Pakhi, you have nothing to apologize for.’ Tightening his grasp, he said, ‘To be honest, you had me anxious.’
His confession threw her off guard. ‘Why?’ was all she could manage, her voice cracking.
‘Why?’ He looked into her eyes and Pakhi realized that he was still worried.
‘Because you were so weak and fragile, Pakhi. So unlike the woman I know and have come to admire.’
Pakhi couldn’t breathe, listening to his words.
‘For the first time in my life, I didn’t know what to do.’ He looked crestfallen.
Pakhi cupped his face. Looking into his eyes, she said, ‘Abhimanyu, you have nothing to worry about. I’m OK. I really am. It was just a migraine. Nothing I’m not used to.’ She pulled his head down and kissed his temple.
Abhimanyu almost sagged with relief. He rested his head against her shoulder and Pakhi’s arms went around him. She moved, making more room to accommodate his large frame, and Abhimanyu draped his leg across hers. Pakhi pulled the duvet over both of them and for the moment, the two were content.
And they drifted off to sleep.
Pakhi woke up first. Checking to make sure that Abhimanyu was still asleep, she scooted out of bed. His watch on the bedside table told her it was 7.30 p.m.
Shit! Abhithi was probably awake and worried that Pakhi had not come for her yet.
She quickly wore Abhimanyu’s discarded shirt and walked into her room and tried very hard not to panic immediately. She checked the bathroom, although she knew Abhithi was still too small to use the toilet by herself. But the en-suite was empty. So were the living room, terrace and kitchen. She checked the entire suite, but there was so sign of her niece. She phoned the front desk and concierge but to no avail. Nobody had seen her.
Where could Abhithi have gone? How could she have been as careless as to not even check on the little girl? Should she inform the police? Where would she begin her search for Abhithi? Kolkata was a huge city. Perhaps Abhimanyu knew some local authorities.
Abhimanyu! Surely he would know what to do.
Tears were streaming down her face, as she ran into Abhimanyu’s room and shook him awake. He sat bolt upright, looked at Pakhi’s tear-stained face, and asked, ‘Sweetheart, what is it? Are you OK?’
Pakhi shook her head – words were failing her. She threw her arms around him and cried into his neck. She was the worst guardian ever. She had failed her brother.
Pakhi was lost in her own thoughts, but Abhimanyu pulled her arms down from around his neck and forced her to look him in the eyes. Wiping her tears with his thumbs, he asked, ‘Pakhi, tell me what is the matter? Does your head hurt? Should I call for the doctor again?’
Between sniffles, Pakhi managed to find her voice again. ‘Abhimanyu … I … I…’
‘Pakhi, tell me!’ Concern laced his voice.
‘I can’t find Abhithi any
where,’ she sobbed. Tears began to fall in earnest again. ‘I can’t find her, Abhimanyu. I woke up and went to check on her, but she was not in the room. I looked everywhere for her, but I can’t find her anywhere. I even called up the reception desk, but they said they haven’t seen her. Kolkata is such a big city. Where could she have gone? I’m the worst guardian. My brother should never have trusted me. What if the child rights unions demand that I give her up? I can’t live without her, Abhimanyu. I can’t!’
Abhimanyu waited for Pakhi’s tears to subside again, but they only just managed to stop flowing. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears, her nose was red, and her cheeks were streaked with tears. She was panicking for no reason. And he told her so. ‘Pakhi, you’re overreacting. Abhithi is fine.’
Pakhi’s eyes flew up to meet his. She wiped her nose on his shirt sleeve and asked, ‘How can you be so confident? I can’t find her anywhere. I…’
‘OK … OK…,’ Abhimanyu stopped her before she started crying again. He swiftly got out of bed and pulled her up with him. ‘Why don’t you put on your clothes, Pakhi? Then I’ll take you to her.’
Pakhi took a step back from Abhimanyu. ‘You mean … you know where she is?’ Her tone was accusatory.
‘Of course I know where she is. She is downstairs in the hotel nursery,’ he informed her.
‘The nursery?’ Pakhi repeated. ‘You put my niece in the fucking nursery? Did you even bother to check with me?’ She was screaming now but Pakhi didn’t care.
‘How dare you do this to me, Abhimanyu? I’ve been going crazy for the past half hour, thinking the worst! Do you have any idea what I’ve gone through? Who the hell do you think you are?’
‘Pakhi!’ Abhimanyu’s voice matched hers now. ‘Stop shouting! There’s absolutely no need for you to panic.’ He lowered his voice as he continued, ‘You were unwell. You had fainted. In the midst of all that confusion, Abhithi woke up asking for you. I couldn’t tell her you were unwell, because I didn’t want to upset her. So I took her down to the nursery to keep her occupied for a while.’
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