Second Chance

Chapter 18 Concerned, more than Curious

Mahi, with a frown on her face, turns to face Dev. She doesn't say anything, just tries to calm herself by breathing heavily and fast-paced now.

Dev sees her holding her chest in pain. 'Let's get you to the doctor,' says Dev holding her from shoulders with a worried expression now.

'No! No!' says Mahi taking a step back from his hold, still taking unsteady breaths. She response to Dev's surprised look,' No need for a doctor-I'll-I'll be fine-5 minutes.'

Dev looks at her questioningly, not convinced with her answer. She again says with staggered and fast-paced breathing,' I am going through a panic attack. I have done this before. I can get it under control. It's just I didn't have these in years. I need 5 minutes. No doctor.'

Dev sees her getting rid of her heels as she struggles. He watches her wrapping her arms around herself tightly.

'How can I help?' says Dev softly, offering himself so that he could help her to calm down.

Mahi looks at him in surprise yet with a frown on her forehead. She hesitates as she looks longer at Dev.

'Say it!' says Dev reading her doubt on her face.

'Hold me! Tightly,' says Mahi giving in to Dev's offer to help. Because she had been trying to get herself calmed down. And she is nowhere to be successful. She is desperate to do anything right now to get this damn panic attack in control. She can worry about the rest later.

Dev gets shocked at her instructions. He hesitates as he thinks that if he heard her correctly.

Mahi looks at his face full of query and surprise says,' My pressure is high. A tight hug helps...to get it lower.'

'Ohkay!' says Dev, immediately taking a step closer to Mahi and wrapping his arms around her in a hug. Mahi closes her eyes, turning her head sideways so that she doesn't bury her nose in Dev's shoulder.

'Tight enough?' asks Dev holding her firmly close to him.

'A little more,' says Mahi instructing him. Dev does so.

Both stand there quietly for the next few seconds, yet no change in Mahi's condition. Dev could feel her shaking under his hold as she still feels breathless. Mahi scolds herself mentally, not to drag her mind to the past. But her mind betrays her as she still fails to stop her trembles with this uneven breathing.

'Distract me,' says Mahi.

'Huh?'

'Talk to me or tell me something so that I don't think about what I am thinking right now. Distract me with something or anything,' says Mahi in between her breathes.

'Okay!' says Dev as he thinks about something for a second, holding her tightly. He continues,' Your ears are right above my heart. Listen to it.'

'What!'

'Listen to my heartbeat and try to sync your breathing with it,' says Dev gently.

'It's beating really fast,' says Mahi listening to it.

'Yes! It is,' says Dev closing his eyes, feeling a little embarrassed. He then quickly continues,' Do this. On every 4 beats, take a deep breath in and hold it for 2 and then, let it go.'

Mahi tries doing what Dev told her. As she does it few times, she feels her breathing getting steady. She keeps doing it, keeping her eyes closed as her head rests on Dev's chest.

A few minutes pass by as both stand on the hotel's terrace, holding each other. Mahi's eyes still closed as she breathes calmly, listening to Dev's heart. She had her hands wrapped around Dev as he holds her softly now. Dev looks far ahead quietly as his chin lightly rests upon Mahi's head. He keeps moving his thumb, on Mahi's back, in a repeating motion. He notices that her shaking has stopped, and she is breathing normally for a while now.