Silent Love

| 25 |

Sidharth

I could sense how tensed my mother was by stealing just a glance at her side. If her exterior was in such visible stress, I could only imagine what she was going through inside.

"She'll be fine, Mom," I tried to assure her, but I highly doubted if my tone did the job. When she failed to reply, I realised that it indeed did no good. Defeated, I followed her gaze toward the source of her worry, looking through the glass window instilled to provide privacy to the patient.

Inside the room stood three men from the police department along with my sister, who had woken up just hours ago from a small nap. The first time she had woken up after surgery, she sent my mother into a deep pit of agony as she failed to produce any response when questioned about her state.

Although the doctors had informed us that it was nothing out of the ordinary and that it generally takes patients who had just undergone brain surgery a lot of time to be able to express all their bodily functions, mainly based on the pace of their progress, my mother was still quivering with worry.

I reckoned that reaction was expected out of any mother in her position, and to justify her condition further, I was feeling the exact same way inside. I was afraid to acknowledge how affected I was to watch my sister in
such a fragile state, something I had never taken well, and I knew that the moment I gave myself enough time to understand the actual gravity of the situation, I would have a bloody breakdown.

As I was fully aware of it, I went out of my way to prevent it. In the meanwhile, we had managed to gain contact with my father, who was devastated to learn about the incident that had taken place in his absence. After assuring him that she was doing fine, I informed him that there was still a lot I had to enlighten him about, and asked for him to fly down to Mumbai as soon as he could.

I wanted to wait for my father to return before I decided anything about what our course of action would be against my sister's assailant. There was no chance that we were going to let him, or her, go. About that, I was one hundred per cent certain.

"She just started to talk, surely they could've waited for longer?" I heard my mother's underwhelmed voice from beside me.

As soon as the doctors informed us that my sister began to talk, we rejoiced in delight. Since the detectives were with us while we received the news, they demanded that we let them talk to her as they needed immediate answers to carry the case forward. Despite my mother's disapproval, I granted them my permission to go ahead if the doctors allowed it. Fortunately, they did.

"It's in our best interest to let them do there job, Mom. I know you're worried but I'm well aware of situations like these. The victim's statement plays a huge rele in the investigation. And the quicker they get access to it, the better it is for all of us."

Sighing, she tore her glance away from the window. "She looks like she is in so much pain. I hope she gets well soon. It breaks my heart to see her in such a state. I'd never imagined her, of all people, to end up here."

Smirking, I said, "I'm pretty sure you expected me to end up in a hospital before her."

"Sidharth! Don't joke about stuff like that."

Chuckling, I stroked her hair, "Mom, but it's true."

She opened her mouth to counter my words but she couldn't find any. I was true, after all. "I hate that I'm admitting it but yes, I had often pictured you in the hospital, mainly
in my dreams, because you're working in such a dangerous field, Sidharth. I can't help but worry about you."

I smiled down at her with a sad expression and pecked her forehead. Pulling away, I brought her closer with my arm. Welcoming my embracing, she muttered, "Promise me you won't scare me as she did."