Footprints on Sand

Prelude

reposted:

"Khushi! I'll leave right after the conference." He replied feebly to her inconsistent begging of trying to return home early at least today. He let out a sigh, putting the phone down. The tiredness reflected from his face was enough to prove how much work had piled up with his 'taking-time-off-a-bit-after-marriage-everyday' strategy. He heaved a breath before throwing some files in the top drawer, putting few documents in the leather bag, and making a memo on the desk to have Aman look over a couple of files for the London and New York Fashion Week.

He leaned back for a few moments in his chair, sat up straight with a paranoid expression, and pulled the laptop screen up for the teleconference he would be joining with the international clients.

There were few points that made sense when the director board talked but many pointers were left out. The frustration and restlessness grew inside him as he stated few of the factors that he expects to focus on. In about an hour and half later, he clamped the screen shut and slipped the laptop inside the bag, flung the strap over his shoulder, locked his cabin doors; walked out of the building.

**

A nervous restlessness filled inside her as she sat beside her son massaging his hair.

"Mumma, When is Dad coming back? I wanted to show him my A+ on the math quiz.", a sleepy voice interrupted her thoughts that caused a small smile to take over the frown.

"He's probably on his way now Aarav and you could show the quiz to him first thing in the morning. It's getting really late and you should sleep now." She replied softly, closing off the lamp and then silently walking out the room. Sudden anxiety built inside her that seemed to explode as soon as she stepped out. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

**

He shifted the car to the side of the lane while hitting the breaks but his attempts were futile since the truck was taking over the whole road. With a sudden jolt, the front of his SUV crashed against the sidebar on the road and his head crashed the steering. Her smile flashed in his mind followed by the day she almost died in his arms. A numbing feeling overtook him and everything went black.

The driver didn't know what happened. He immediately got off to see the young man bleeding profusely from his forehead. He took out his phone and immediately called for help. In minutes, the red blazing siren sound filled the silent street and he was taken to the hospital.

A tow truck pulled in and along with the police who identified the car belonging to Arnav Singh Raizada.

A man shifted the leather bag from the passenger seat to the ones in back; "I want his family informed about this.". The officer spoke as the car was towed to his partner who nodded in response.

"He recently had his security vetted by us and now this!" the officer shook his head in exasperation.

*

"It's more of the brain and internal injuries rather than physical Dr. Shilpa. He also turns out to have diabetes which can be a little hassle while treating him." the intern reported to the doctor who continued to write with a fluent speed on her clipboard. "Three broken ribs and scratches to the forehead where airbag burst. Blood pressure is stable now. He's sedated on pain medications right now but he was muttering earlier. We didn't test any anxiety medications in the blood report."

"Has his family been informed yet? Make sure his wife gets here as soon as possible." She addressed a bit too coldly before walking out. The last time a doctor went on home-call from this hospital to the Raizada's house, it was a week after his wife who had been kept away from the press despite being part of a local pageant was tested positive for pregnancy. Mr. Raizada had been a tough spouse to deal with then, and she was not sure that after an eighteen-hour shift, she was ready to deal with the chaos Mrs. Raizada had proven to be.