Tangled Tale With a Love Twist

by Shailly Jain

  The measurement of the hall will confirm. Types of equipment can be deployed as per the plan or not. With so many exits, security is a challenging aspect. The backside of the hall is the parking area for guests and service providers. The lighting lux level has to be determined out of all the options available.

  The round with the manager is finished. Now addressing the crew, they start the work. As per the plan today, the basic bamboo structure has to be deployed. The day before the event, fresh flower and cloth decoration will be executed. Signaling Karan about the Rahul and Gaurav running late, she moves to the staging area. This project turned them into event planners.

  He is unable to keep his eyes away from her. Tracking her moves, he anticipated an accident, if she doesn’t keep her eyes on the ground. Karan is looking at the rooms above, a few have to be sealed for security equipment. Screens set up to see every camera feed in the vicinity has to be done in one of them. Generator, lighting, water, decorations, and necessities, will be taken care of by the venue management. They only have to supervise the work.

  The living arrangement for the guests is managed in a nearby Hotel. They are 30% ready, 20% remaining is to be done in the coming days. Execution is another half they have to take care of on the big day. He moved towards the mid of the hall to check on the preparations.

  Sia is focused on the proper placement of the facade at a height where it’s visible to all. To see a clear view, she moves back. Tripping on a wire, she lost her balance, eyes closed in anticipation of a hit. Being vigilant, he reached her just above the ground.

  Her weight took him down with her. Undone hairs of Sia have formed a curtain from the prying eyes. Seeing him beneath her, feeling the warm embrace of his arms. The heat in his eyes melted her from inside out. His searing eyes is making her feel desired, scared, excited at the same time. Her desire to be with him in ways are notorious. She never felt such intensity for someone before.

  He is unable to look away from her eyes or move away from her. His body is betraying him in a manner he never expected for a woman. It feels like excitement coursing through his veins can only be satisfied by her. Sia’s eyes are begging to be taken then and there by him. The thought aggravated the burning desire inside him. A single taste of those rosy lips will not harm anyone. Her being in arms feels like she belongs there. It took all his will power no to kiss her.

  Her instinct is to fight the pull she is feeling on her shoulders. Someone is helping her to get up, realizing the surrounding she moves. Running a hand over hair and Kurti to gain composure. Karan is on his feet, barking orders settling the rumors around.

  Two chairs are placed for them to sit and relax. Sia is avoiding his eyes on purpose. Her anklet made a sound as she touched the rim of her salwar. A cut is visible now at the heel. Tying a handkerchief, he left giving orders. Julie is waiting beside her until he parked his car right outside the hall.

  ********

  I don’t think its a doctor level problem, she says rolling her eyes. Karan never takes injuries lightly, tetanus injection will prevent any infection love. Sia just bares it for me, he keeps a finger on her lips to shush her. Her lips feel soft beath his touch, jerking the finger away he smiles.

  The doctor has been given so many instructions by him, that he is prohibited from the room. After tetanus injection and bandage doctor declared her fit. Handing her a few tablets, they are on their way. When you have to take the first dose?. Whenever pain is high or in case of fever. His eyes roamed over her in concern. I am ok, Karan takes me back to the venue.

  Seeing the route home, she gave a questioning look. Karan musters seriousness in his voice. Rest for the day food will be delivered by Rahul, in an hour. No negotiation.

  You are no one to dictate my choices - revert is on the lip she chooses not to. Pain in her leg reminded her, he can be right. Closing her eyes, she submitted to the sleep. Watching her sleep, he tucks the strand of hair behind her ear. One earring is missing.

  There is not a single shop in half a kilometer vicinity. Most of the houses are vacant. A single woman choosing to live here is out of his understanding. Karan softly touches her forearm, wake up Sia. We are here. She smiles, thanks for dropping me. I will manage it from here.

  Rahul arrives before he can offer to stay or help her upstairs. He has a sinking feeling. Bidding them goodbye, he leaves. In the rearview mirror, he can see Rahul helping her through the stairs.

  Getting back in the night suit feels like heaven to her. Seeing a spread on the table, she smiles, Did you robbed a hotel of its food?. Rahul shakes his head, when Karan called, we were food tasting from different catering services. I asked them to pack it all. Tell me what should I serve you first.

  To ease his concerns Sia smiles brightly. Looking at the dishes, she rubs a hand over the stomach. I will take a pastry and spring rolls chef. Then we will reheat chole bhature and pav bhaji in some time. Seeing her deciding the order to eat dishes, took away his worries. Tell me all about your new avatar today?

  She sheepishly smiles, I have the salwar Kurti for a long time. Thinking of trying some new styles. So, how do I look in Indian attires?. Rahul cannot deny seeing her in Indian dress evokes feelings in unknown territory. He naughtily taunts, You look bad in everything. She says mockingly, just like you.

  She remembers the look in Karan’s eyes. He hasn’t called to check on her, she is secretly hoping to hear from him. She picks the phone instantly, hearing the ring. It’s Arvind. Playfully throwing the pillow at Rahul, she moves to take the call. He is speaking so fastly Sia cant grasp a few words. I have been messaging for the past few hours, why are you not replying? I received a message that you were injured on set. How are you now? She doesn’t want to share much. I am alright nothing serious. To get rid of him, she agrees to meet him at the venue tomorrow.

  Rahul has never seen her behave estrange with someone. The Sia he knows is quick to forgive. Arvind must have done something horribly bad to receive such cold behavior. To satisfy his curiosity he asks, Why do you avoid him so much?. Sia gives a look of discontent, he is a creep, irritates me, trying to flirt always. The list can go on and on if you want. Her reply bothers him a little. She is saying the truth but hiding the story behind it. Today is not the right day for such discussions.

  Passing a controller to her, he gave a challenging look. Defeat me if you can, princess. Gaming is an integral part of their friendship since childhood. This warrior game is the first they played together. She can kick his ass at every level. The game night is ON, she is full-on ready.

  Seeing him brooding, she can’t stop her laughs. He is a sore loser. The wall clock cuckoo sound reminded them its midnight. The food and games are so engaging they forgot the hectic schedule for tomorrow. Sia your medicines are on the counter, take them to sleep tight. I am in my room call me if you need anything. Rahul has checked on her every 2 hours, she is sleeping comfortably.

  The one with the Unfortunate Accident

  Gaurav sent you in his place, he asks in an accusing tone. She musters all the sympathy for seeing his condition. He wanted to come, but it’s my idea. I will take care of all the arrangements.

  She starts by calling the doctor. Handing her a form the nurse asks her to wait outside. She enters back into the room, hearing the argument. Karan is looking at the doctor with a stubborn expression. Seeing her worries, the doctor left the room without saying a word. Mam doctor wants to see you in his office, Sia follows the nurse.

  She reads the nameplate, Abhimanyu Singh. His expressions are sympathetic, he offers the chair. Can I call you Sia? she nodded. Sia, Your husband has to understand we are trying to help him in the best possible way. I will not be able to do my work if he is trying to control me. His meddling will only delay the process, talk to him. Karan is not her husband, but there is a more pressing concern to deal with. Sia assures him that he will behave and left the room.

  Karan has been giving a lecture to the ward boy about hygiene and sanitization. A nurse gave him a
mild sedative merely to subdue his pain or shut him up. Sia demands better facilities and shifts him into a deluxe room.

  Seeing her coming back. Karan asks, Do you find out the education of the doctor? Is he qualified to treat me? She signals no. He became angry, I will live with the broken leg, but I will die from your incompetency.

  She understands his pain and anger, but it is no excuse to misbehave. He has been rude to the doctor, nurse, ward boy. Now she is the recipient, she didn’t miss the event for this. In the background, he has been asking for the head of the hospital. They have given him a strong sedative, but rather than subduing him, it brings out his peak of sarcasm. She calls Gaurav to ask for advice and tells him that he is okay. Gaurav agitated her by remarking he should be there with him, she is of no help. She cut the phone and started calling his known girlfriends. She glances at the menace at hand.

  She requests the nurse to leave them alone for a few minutes. Closing the door behind, she turns to deal with the situation. Karan feels her anger towards him. The flare in her eyes is like never before. She has a defensive body language. The words came out as scolding.

  I am here because of Gaurav. I am as pissed as you are, Mr. Mehra. Its no shock to me that none of your girlfriends want to ruin their perfectly manicured hands nursing you. All you got is me, deal with it. Shut up and suck it up now. We have 2 doctors in this vicinity, one seems kind enough to tolerate you. The procedure is going to take place in 30 minutes. Giving him a hard glare, I hope you will behave well.

  He is feeling a rush of admiration towards her. There are very few people who have used that tone and got away. He nods sweetly, at her bossiness. Gaurav has chosen well.

  She asks the nurse to come in and call Mr. Abhimanyu too. Karan is telling the right dosage of sedative, due to his training in past small dosages does not work on him. After that, she has not heard a single word from him. He cooperated and let the doctors do their work. She is holding his hands for support, with every stitch, he squeezed it hard. Soon the sedative took their toll.15 stitches are holding the injury together.

  Sia admires how peaceful he looks while sleeping. The frown on his head has vanished. Soft lines around his eyes and mouth relax. There is a childlike innocence on his face, Sia wonders where it goes when he is awake. Slowly stroking his hair, she runs her thumb on his cheeks.

  Abhimanyu has sent a message to join him in the cabin. Seeing her worry, he assures, Don’t worry. Mr. Mehra will be fine in 15-20 days rest. His tests are clear, so no need to worry. We can discharge him after 24hours of observation. But I will suggest you 3days in the hospital to be on the safe side. I see your husband is a tough man to endure so much pain. Ask him to take the next few days slow. She feels relieved hearing the diagnosis from the doctor.

  She is leaving the room dialing Gaurav, she recites the doctor’s word. Gaurav feels a sudden rush of relief, he is telling her that everything is going smooth at the event. Before cutting the phone, he hands it to Rahul. Sia take care of yourself too, Rahul says tenderly. I have sent someone with food and your laptop. If you require anything else, call me. We will be there in a few hours bye.

  ********

  Seeing the blood and stitches have left her nauseous. Losing the appetite, she decides to roam around. Seeing so many tragedies and people coping with it gives her a sense of courage. Everything will become better with time. Sia prays for his early recovery at the hospital temple.

  Sia is free to go as Vikrant has delivered the bag and going to stay. She knows Gaurav is sick worried about him and would want her to stay. Whereas the event will be near to its end if she leaves now. Checking on Karan once, she watches her favorite movie.

  Knock on the door woke her up, She has fallen asleep on the sofa. A dainty woman is asking permission to come in. Sia smiles and makes some space on the couch. Her face is very known to her, but cant place when they met.

  Hi, I am Julie, the secretory of Karan and I think you are Sia. Gaurav filled me over the details and asked to find you. Julie hands over the bag, it has clothes, toiletries, and other things.

  Sia is going for a cup of coffee and asks Julie to join her. Seeing her confusion, she gave an assuring look. The doctor said he will be out for one more hour.

  They are in the cafeteria, this is the second-best hospital in the city. They have all the major brands of beverages to choose from. The seating area near a window seems appealing due to sunlight. Sia picks the coffee and burgers as Julie is okay with everything. Handing her the cup, Sia asks How it is working for Karan. Julie smiles, hearing the question - He is set in his ways, but he is invested in the growth of every staff. Perks associated with the job secure families. Seeing Sia’s eye roll, she chuckles. I know Sia, Karan seems arrogant from outside. Believe me, if you come to know him, he is a softy. They talked about Karan’s condition for a while.

  Heading back to the room, Sia picks coffee for Vikrant. Karan is still sleeping peacefully. They are talking about the change in weather when Julie receives a call. Karan and Gaurav sir, are occupied currently, I will meet you in half an hour. After giving the message, she is on her way to the office.

  Sia starts browsing the movies, thinking, Julie must be a very trustworthy employee of the company, to handle things in the absence of everyone. She sat on the couch, removing the heels and coat. Waiting for him to regain consciousness.

  ********

  Karan’s eyes flutter a little. Seeing her face, he grins tenderly. Touching his cheek softly, she asks for the doctor. He is fully awake now and feeling a lot better. Delicately running a hand over bandages, she asks, How are you feeling now. Karan answers with a grim look, weakness is less. But the leg hurt like a bitch. I think sedatives are wearing off as we speak.

  His diagnosis is confirmed when Abhimanyu said the same out loud again. Seeing the smug smile on Karan’s face, Abhimanyu focuses his attention on her. Being his doctor Sia, I am advising him to eat something before taking the meds. But if he has a better idea, let him try that.

  Sia hands him the menu, as he refuses to eat the lunch sent by Rahul. Sia takes the spoon from him forcefully. It’s the third time, the spoon has slipped. Now stop giving me angry looks, I will help with the food. She fills the spoon with curd rice, stop this childlike behavior, and eat now. First, regain your strength then you can do as you please. Karan smiles softly, this is the side of Sia he likes.

  Eating and taking the medicines have lifted his spirit. He is being checked from time to time by the hospital staff. He borrows her phone to check on work. Assigning a few urgent tasks to her, he supervises. Sia has been sitting by his side now for hours, he took a nap or two in between.

  Gaurav hugs Karan in a hard embrace while criticizing the lunatic ways of his driving. He curses him with a few big words and then hugs him again. Gaurav feels better now, he has been feeling sick throughout the day.

  Rahul is standing beside Sia, he signals her to leave. He took her belonging and tell her to join in front of the hospital. Sia sensed tension between Rahul and Gaurav. Rahul has never liked Karan, but today the warmth for Gaurav is strained. She cant dwell in it now, but its a thought for another day.

  She orders Karan to take care of himself and listen to the nurse. Sia is going to say goodbye to Gaurav when Karan took hold of her wrist. She moves closer to him, he signals to come nearer. Softly whispers in her ear, “you have been on fire today love, keep that fire burning. Just change the attire, and it will suit you perfectly”. His face is expressionless, but his eyes portray admiration and hunger. She feels a jolt of excitement.

  She sees Gaurav in the hallway, Bye, take care. Gaurav took a seat on the bench and pointed her to take the second. He took her hand in his and asks for forgiveness. I was so afraid for him that I outraged my helplessness on you. Today you missed a dream opportunity to play nanny for me. I know playing nurse to Karan is no easy task. I am sorry, please convey the same to Rahul. I will say sorry to him in person soon. Sia smiles through tears - If you require any help c
all, don’t worry about Rahul. I will talk to him, take care.

  Rahul has been waiting for her near the hospital entrance. She slid next to him, I am famished let’s go to Rivota. Seeing his grin at the mention of food, she speaks softly - Gaurav has said sorry, don’t be mad at him. He has been acting out because he worries, think of your behavior if I am in such a condition. Rahul nods to agree. He can’t imagine Sia in place of Karan. It’s painful to think of any such scenario.

  So tell me every detail about today’s event. Rahul is telling her about how much team has missed her and hated him as her replacement. The room was filled with tech geeks like you, so many new technologies were discussed. He jokingly mentions A lot of strides have been made in the field of hacking too. Arvind has asked for you a few times, call him once. He helped a lot today in your absence.

  Sia feels a tinge of sadness on not attending the event today. Seeing her deep in thought, he asks, Which way is Rivota? She signals left. She asks with curiosity, Do you agree that I should make changes in my dressing sense?. His eyes twinkle with excitement, definite Yes. Throw away the loose shirts, shrugs, baggy night suits, and oversized tees. So when are we going shopping? Sia turns him down chuckling, don’t get so excited. I am just thinking not doing.

  They dropped the Rivota plan as roadside food seems more appealing. They were famished, it’s the fourth plate of momos. They are enjoying each one of them. Sipping tea, he asks casually, is he okay?. Sia knows that Rahul cares deep down, he will be fit as a fiddle in 20 days. They retire to their beds quickly after such a hectic day.