More than just Feluda (Fanfic)

Trying for improvement

Sindhuja blinked again. She was trying her best, but this was getting more and more difficult. To make things worse, there were tears of irritation in her eyes clouding her view even more. Her head was throbbing and she was at the end of her focus.

"I can't do this anymore!" She almost cried out.

"Try to focus sweetheart, please! I know you can. We're almost there..."

"No!" She said and lost balance, falling the other way. But his arm immediately darted out and pulled her back.

"Boudi!" Tapesh stepped in front, but stopped seeing that he had handled the situation.

"Come on, stand up! Stand again!" He kept her head rested against himself while trying to pull her up by holding at the shoulders.

"I can't... Please..."

"You can Sindhu! Come on... Stand properly or I'm leaving you here. Do you want to fall down again?"

"No!" She quickly held on to his arm. She had had enough with falling here and there already.

"Stand then, yes... Yes... Very good! Now take a step..."

"Mitter babu!"

"Take a step Sindhu!"

The world around was spinning to her now. "Please, stop!"

Tapesh called out concerned from a few meters in front of them. "Feluda, I think she's dizzy. This is enough for today."

"No, she's fine. Sindhu, look ahead, focus! You're alright, come on! Just a step...." He kept on.

She somehow put a step ahead.

"Yes! See? You're so strong! Now slowly, the next one..."

Her vision blurred again, and the silhoutte of Tapesh standing in front of her now split into two, then four, then...

"Sindhu focus! One more step..."

But she had already reached her limit. One big bolt of pain through her skull and everything around swirled and spun. Her body faltered like she was a rag doll, and he hurriedly held on around her waist, supporting her back with his chest as his other hand kept her head from bobbing away.

"No, no! Look here, talk to me! Sindhu, we have to go farther!..."

But she could only hear him because her eyelids that were out of her control didn't allow any light in, drooping and darkening everything.

Tapesh ran to them now. "Feluda she's really had enough for today! Don't force her into more!"

He looked down and patted on Sindhuja's cheek. "Sindhu?... Can you hear me? Look here... Sindhuja!"

It was too late. Everything had turned pitch black in front of her eyes, his voice ringing like a distant echo. She could now hear Tapesh too, but couldn't understand what they were saying.

They both quickly placed her on the sofa and Tapesh went back to bring water.

Sprinkling some water on her face, he patted her cheek calling out again. But she did not respond.

He sighed hard and rubbed his temple tiredly.

Tapesh said slowly, "I told you it was enough for her."

"She couldn't even take twenty steps, Topshe. That's... worse than yesterday."

"Feluda you can't force her to do better!"

"I'm trying to encourage her!"

"But you have to stop insisting after she asks you to stop! Her being well is more important now than being able to walk more steps."

"It means the same thing; that she isn't improving!"

"We know that, Feluda."

He sighed again. "It's been two weeks since her discharge. She has to improve!"

Tapesh hesitated, "I know... But, you know..."

"I don't believe whatever those doctors told, and I'm certainly not going to stop trying just because they think she wouldn't respond!" He said trying to suppress the frustration that built inside, remembering the last appointment they had with Dr Dutta and Ashok when he was only told things were getting worse with her.

He was still finding a better treatment after ruling out the old homeopathic one, but hadn't been successful with any. Time was ticking off as he still held on to everything and tried his best to make sure she doesn't know about what's actually happening.

It was very difficult to hide things from Sindhuja; she noticed all the little things off with him and it was nearly impossible to lie to her face, when her large, beautiful eyes bore right through him every single time. Every time it felt like he was lying to his own soul, betraying himself... But he somehow managed it for her sake; to hide the tears, the pieces of his heart breaking as he saw his Sindhu struggling more every passing day... He silently gulped down all the impossible poison and smiled encouragingly at her again, as if everything was fine.

"Boudi, Boudi!" Tapesh called watching her slowly open eyes again.

She slowly got back to this world and he helped her sit up. Making her drink some water, he pushed back the wet hair and dabbed at her sweat drenched forehead with his shawl that was lying nearby, right where he had kept it before starting with her walking practice.

She slowly managed to speak after a few minutes.
"I tried."

"I know. It's okay..." He almost whispered.

"H-how many steps?"

Tapesh answered hesitantly, "...sixteen."

"Oh!... I- I'm sorry... I couldn't..." She felt disappointed and guilty.

"I know you did your best... That's important." He repeated the same meaningless optimistic words.

She stayed silent still recovering from the exhaustion for some time. When she was better, Tapesh and he helped her up the stairs to Kaaki's room for resting.