p 19-First proper fight.
It was the day of surgery, they were going to use her thigh skin for graft. When she opened her eyes, she looked at her side to find
Aru's head resting on my bed, he was sitting on the chair. I smiled at his sleeping form, he had his mouth open and frown lines on his forehead.
I softly ran my hand in his hair and he woke up with a jerk. "Oh god Imlie, is everything ok?"he exclaimed.
"Thik hu, just you looked cute." Just then a nurse came in with for preop talk. Imlie wasn't anxious at all for some reason maybe because she has the most loving
person on her side. Aryan hold her hand and kissed it "it will be over soon" as if he was reassuring himself.
When Imlie woke up next, the surgery was successful and doctor told her she will soon be able to go home if everything is stable.
She saw red and some purple on her hand and chest am sure the face look as bed, the nurse assured her its normal color right after surgery.
The dressing has to be sterile for 3-5 days she instructed same to Aryan. If skin remains dry, she can apply vaseline infact its recommended to apply 3-4 times a day.
All other instructions were given to-for one year to avoid direct sunlight thereafter she apply sunblock as needed.
In 3-4 months she should she the color of skin as rest of her body but she was reminded her face might have little scar.
It was too much to take in , but Aryan heard everything taking notes mentally.After two weeks, she was given discharge as they wanted to make no infection or failing of repair signs are visible.
When she entered the house with Aryan, she was greeted with flowers. There were candles lit on walkway leading upto living room with rose petals as she walked on them.
Dad came and hugged her ,"Beta, this is first time as bahu in this house, I don't know much what this generation does, but this is what i came up with"
"I thought i was your daughter"she frowned
"You are"He had tears in his eyes. "Chalo go rest, Aryan i will send both of your dinner to room"
"No Dad"Imlie replied "I want to spend time out here, i have been confined in room for last three weeks " She pouted like a baby.
"I will sit here and eat here will only go when time to sleep" she had decided
"Acha baba, as you wish" Dad replied. She spend rest of night with Aryan and Dad chatting until she started to feel drowsy.
Next day, when she woke up Aryan was missing. "i wonder where he went ...
It was a dark room, there was muffled scream of man tied in a chair. Right across him was Aryan smoking a ciggerette glaring at the man tied.
He had gotten the sketch from the police, since he was ATS officer he had contact and way of getting things out of the station.
He had been locating this man ever since the surgery and he found him three days before discharge since then he was tied up here with only water as his food.
He got up, blew the smoke on the man, grabbed his hair and removed the cloth from his mouth.
"Saab maaf kardo , maine sirf jo wo dusre sab ne bola wahi kia" Pleading and wailing.
"Acha, tumne aur kuch crimes nai kiye?Hhmm like raping a minor in your village, murdering people, extortion and the list goes on" He punched him in the stomach.
He took the cigrette and smeared it on his skin. He yelped in pain.
"Kaisa lag raha hai?Jal raha hai? Meri biwi ..chey" He tooked spiked chain and punched him on his face. He put the gag back in.
He brought a small cart with wires, he gave him shocks at high voltage on his bare skin. The screaming pain was ignored, the rage in him was back . These people had evoked something very sinister in him and he did not care at the moment.
He just wanted to punish. He increased the voltage kept gaving the shocks after shocks until finally he breath his last.
He left that body in that abondaned room lucky if he ever gets discovered. When he sat in car and relaxed himself, he realize he will have to tell Imlie the truth soon and he wasnt sure how well she was going to take it.
He went late home that night not knowing that he was about to tick off Imlie.
When he had entered the bedroom, Imlie was in shower- heard the water running. He changed his clothes and went to balcony to smoke.
Imlie came out and saw his back in the balcony. She was happy to see him but it was shortlived when she saw what he was doing.
"Aru!" she yelled at him. He turned around frowning "Kya hua baby?" asked innocently
Without a reply, she went upto him and grabbed the ciggy out of his hand and hit his hand. "You are reeking of it" she pointed toward the ciggy.
"How many you had and tell me honestly and how long?"
"Imlie, chill yaar been doing since i came back. I need this" He took another one out. "I won't lie , 6 a day sometimes when am too worked up whole packet"
Imlie was astounded she didnt say a word but her eyes glistened. He added about to to lit the ciggy "And this is just recently, i had quit after the trip to Himachal but after "He looked at her.
"After what? After my attack? This is how you coping?" She took the other ciggerette out.
"Imlie please stop snatching i have whole packet with me how many you going to snatch" he was glaring at her.
"As many i could!" warned him. Both are stubborn. This happened for next 1 minute, he would take out and she would snatched both huffing.
"You know what? " she went into room, rummage through small mandir she had set up in morning got the matchsticks.
She threw all the ciggys down the building except one. "Lets smoke together, my skin is burned already let me burn my lungs" sarcasm dripping in voice, tears already spilling from here eyes.
"You are ridiculous" Aryan snatched it from her hand.
"Kyu?Tum kar sakte ho main hai?"
"Shut upImlie just shup! Band karo ye sab.Jao aaram karo" He ordered her.
"Nai karungi aaram. You had quit right aur meri wajah se meri tension ke wajah se hua shuru wapas right"
Aryan didn't answer her. "Bolo"she insisted
"Shut up Imlie! Tumhe nai dikhta meri halat? Its not about you everytime! Bohut tensions hai life mein bohut kuch chal raha hai, I don't need this right now samjhi!?" he screamed at her like he had never before.
Imlie flinched at his rage, she hadn't seen this side of him before.
"About me? When did i made it about me? Ye sab jo hua meri galti hogi aur isiliye somehow i made it about myself? "she asked him.
"Jo samaj na hai samjho" he took a smoke which Imlie snatched and said " Don't talk to me until you can quit" she told him.
"Nai karunga quit jao" it was last one , he took it out and lit it.
"Don't come to me, please no need to change my dressings I can do myself , i don't want you accusing me again about being self centered. Just don't."She sobbed.
She left the balcony and went and sat on bed her back to him.
After two hours, Aryan had calmed down he didn't know what has gotten into him. He recalled the fight. He has really hurt her and now he doesn't know what to do.
She is also wrong, Aryan thought , just for cigrettes she is fighting . He went to bed and turned his back to her as she was already sleeping with her back to him.
Or so he thought. Imlie wasn't able to sleep. She got up, took her blanket and pillow and went to guest room. She will move her things in the morning without anyone help.
He had hurt her period. She will not take anyone's help, he had hurt her ego. She doesn't care about dressings, she will do whatever she can herself, if it recovers or not she doesn't care anymore.
If he doesn't care about his health neither will I. Bhaad mein jao Aru, she muttered to herself and laid on bed.
The pain killer she took finally put her to sleep.
