Written In Stars (Ashlok version) Sample

Ch 52

Shlok could not go to sleep, restless he paced in room. Astha was asleep,he could not ask her what was wrong and he kept thinking what could have gone wrong. Astha turned in bed restless, and cried.

He went to her, and called her name, she was still crying, it had happened once in hospital too,she had gotten up and start talking to someone she thought was sitting next to her, had scared him but nurse had told him, it sometime happened and changed her sleeping pill. did they again gave her the same one, he thought.

There was nothing he could do,so he sat there but she just kept crying,so he wrapped her in blanket and took her out on terrace and sat on the swing chair with her in his arms. He pushed the swing with feet and let it go, it moved slowly and gradually ashta's cried turned to small sobs and vanished. She snuggled closer to him, her fist holding his shirt ,he smiled and kissed her fist. Shifting her slightly, he pulled the blanket over him too and stared at moon as she slept i his arms.

...

Morning

Astha woke feeling surprisingly refreshed, although at hospital she was usually irritated at everything. She took a deep breath and got up. she was alone in room. Where was he? may be gone for jogging. She slowly got up and taking little small steps went to washroom.

But when taking a shower,she got so tired of standing that she sat down in tub unable to move, her legs simply not listening to her command to get up.

There was a knock on door and then shlok called out,''astha!''

She refused to reply or call him for help,she just sat there. The knocking stopped and then, he said,''If you are okay then just reply,if you did not reply I think something happened to you. You are listening?''

Astha tried to say she was okay but she was not,'' call ayi.'' she told him.

Shlok,''she went to mandir with sojal.''

Astha,''call any maid.''

Shlok,''what happened?''

Astha,''Just call them.''

Shlok went and called from his intercom but then disconnected it before anyone could pick it up. What would they think, he was astha's husband, he could go in and what if she was hurt. He hurried back and lied because she wouldn't listen to him,'' Can't find anyone, I am coming in, nothing i haven't seen before.''

He went and opened the drawers of dressing table and got the key of bathroom lock and opened it. She was sitting in bathtub with her arms around her legs and she bent toward her legs her face and upper body partially hidden by hairs.

The shower was open. He went to her and picked her in his arms and carried her out in room and placed her on bed. Then, he went back and got bathrobe for and a big towel. He helped her into bathrobe, her lips were turning blue, stubborn women he thought, god to know how long she was sitting there helpless. With other towel he dried her hairs. She laid back on bed, her face fatigued, worried he covered her with the blanket.

Then, he got up and called to the kitchen, his eyes on her face, she had closed her eyes but he knew she hadn't faint, it was clear the way her breathing had changed when he helped her into bathrobe., he told the cook to send a hot bowl of soup immediately.

Then, he took out the hair dryer and dried her hairs. She didn't say anything but he noted her face colour was better. After the hairs were dried, he gently brushed them and put them in a braid, he was doing it after a long time,so it was a bit lopsided but suited her grumpy face, he thought with a smile.