The Stake.

17

It had been a week since Shahwar had been released from the hospital. Rehaan had been home for the first five days completely monitoring her recovery. Her other wounds had healed but her abdominal stitches were still there and were to be changed two days later when she was to go back to the hospital for it.

She wasn't allowed to shower until they were completely covered with something that wouldn't let water penetrate through the wound. It was bothering her. Rehaan was at work now and she had been in her room since days. She didn't need to do much as there was a bell button added to the bedside table for her to call the nurse or any other house worker whenever she needed something directly to her room.

Dur e Shahwar had never had any injuries on her body that could leave a permanent scar but now she did. It wasn't very huge but it was there on the side of her belly that was visible to her whenever she would change her clothes.

She wanted to feel fresh and bathe her body, she'd only had head washes since she came back and now she desperately wanted to clean her body. At first it didn't bother her but now it had been a little bit longer than her liking to stay unclean, which is what she felt of herself. Everyday she'd look at her husband looking all clean and fresh after taking a shower and it made her envy him so much. He always smelled so good.

Shahwar decided to do something about it and moved around with slow motion looking for plastic tapes and plastic bags. After unable to get her luck inside the bedroom she pressed the bell button and Isabel was inside in no time. She told her to get her those two items and she immediately left on her request, coming back ten minutes later with both the things. Shahwar smiled and sent her off.

Now she got up and took her clothes off and then went to the bathroom. She turned the faucet on over the bathtub with a happy face. While the water started to fill in the tub she took the plastic bag and tore it into a small piece and then taped it around her stitches. After feeling like she had taken great preventative measures she stepped into the tub adding bath salts and all floral bath gels to the water. For ten minutes she felt like she was in heaven and then it slowly started to become uncomfortable.

The whole bent position right inside the bathtub was pressuring the abdominal area and the doctor had advised against any pressured positions. The tape that had been holding onto the plastic became flimsy due to water pressure and had come off.

More minutes later her stitches were soaked up and she started to feel too much of pain around the area. She didn't even have the strength to get up or move inside the tub. She gave out many cries but no one could hear her because she wasn't even in the bedroom for her to be heard.

Then after what felt like an eternity the door of the bathroom suddenly opened and Rehaan was standing inside looking at her with a shocked expression. "What are you doing inside there Shahwar!"

"I came for a bath." She cried with tears blinking out.

"What the hell is wrong with you, you are not fucking supposed to do that!" He came stepping forward in his suit.

"I smelled bad." She cried more.

"Get out of it." He gave her his hand to stand.

"I can't please...Rehaan." Her cries were driving him insane.

"It's okay I got you." He hurried and knelt down next to the tub to lift her out.

"No—No I'm not wearing anything." She tensed up further.

"I'm your god damn husband Shahwar!" He ignored her and slid his hands down into the water gripping her legs and back he pulled her out.

"No—it hurts! Please." The movement made a jerk on the wound making her yelp.

"I got you, I got you." He held her tighter to himself letting least movement and force reach the wounded site.

He focused on walking out of there without letting her feel any mobility. Shahwar knew he didn't once look at her bare soaked up body as she pushed her face into his neck.

Rehaan swiftly bent to the bed and placed her down gently then turned to pull the blanket over her. He went inside the bathroom and fetched her bathrobe and a towel, he was feeling completely frustrated but he didn't want to make her feel worse when she was already in pain.

When he came back to the bed she was sniffing holding the blanket around her and he groaned internally at the sight. He had so much disappointment for her carelessness at the moment and he couldn't even express it.

He sat down next to her and slowly wiped her face with the towel, "Just two more minutes, I'm calling the nurse." He started covering her with the bathrobe slowly taking her hands pushing them into the sleeves first and then wrapped the rest of it around her body setting the blanket aside. "Hold it." He took her fingers and placed them on the front opening to keep it covered. He didn't tie the rope around her to save exertion over the stitches that he had glanced at, and they appeared terrible to even look at currently.

When he called the nurse inside, she told him that they'd require the doctor to replace the stitches right away and it could definitely get infected now.

Rehaan got the doctor called in after an hour's wait and when the man arrived he truly wanted to reprimand Dur e Shahwar but Rehaan Kazmi's presence was enough to not let anyone even make eye contact with his wife. He told Rehaan that now it would take double the time for her body to heal the wound. They couldn't give her higher doses, her body wouldn't be able to tolerate it.

Rehaan was fuming at the incompetence of the healthcare workers. After changing the stitches, for which they had to give her local anesthesia under emergency care, the doctor left strict guidelines for further care, or he'd have to admit Shahwar back to the hospital till she recovered fully. Dismissing the doctor and rest of the people he sat next to where his wife was lying on the bed clearly looking like she was under sedation.

"Shahwar, I think I'm going to lose my mind." His voice was very low but Shahwar knew he was upset.

"You're angry with me." Her's was more like a whisper.

"God please Shahwar." He placed his forehead on hers, "Do you know you smell so much like flowers that everything in this room smells like you, the bedding, curtains, couch, wardrobe, all my clothes and even I smell like flowers ever since you've been in this room." She'd spray her perfume so many times a day all around the place that he had gotten used to smelling like her and she'd gone for the life threatening bath just because she thought she had been stinking.

"I won't do it again."

"Which? Take a bath or make me lose my sanity?" He lifted his head up.

"I'm sorry." Her voice resembled a child's cry.

"No, I'm sorry. I should've never left for work till you'd recovered fully." His hand grazed her face in slow motion. "I won't go anywhere now." He'd learnt one thing about his wife, to make her do what he wanted the only way was being affectionate and loving. He'd have to talk to her with care for her to understand as there was no other way.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

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