Tears streamed down her face. She couldn’t control them.
‘She’ll be okay. She just needs to keep breathing. Right, Kaavi?’ When she heard the accent, she knew who it was without looking up.
Sven Kristiansen lived in the apartment next door to Shona’s and now he was Kaavi’s friend and doctor.
‘Breathe in and out. In and out. That’s it. Everything is going to be okay. You’re safe. This will pass,’ Sven said.
Kaavi listened to his reassuring words and then became aware of Neel’s heartbeat. With her head on his chest, he could hear his heart racing too.
She didn’t know if she was dreaming, but she thought she heard him whisper ‘I love you’.
‘No one will hurt you, Kaavi. You’re safe with us. I’m here,’ Sven said.
Kaavi took a deep breath and gradually started to feel calmer. Her heart began to slow down and her breathing was becoming normal.
‘There, beautiful girl. You’re going to be alright,’ Sven said again. Kaavi remembered the time that Sen had assumed Sven was dating Shona, when actually Sven was married to a man from his home country Norway!
She blinked away the moisture in her eyes and let go of Neel. She didn’t want to look at him. She was ashamed.
‘Kaavi, you’re good?’ Sven patted her shoulder.
She nodded.
Sven turned to Neel. ‘We haven’t met. I’m Sven,’ he said, extending his hand.
Neel shook his hand. ‘Neel,’ he said. Kaavi knew he was still shocked or even horrified by what had just happened.
‘You’re staying in town?’
‘Yeah,’ Neel replied.
‘Sven, thank you – and you as well, Neel,’ Kaavi said. She still didn’t look Neel in the eye.
‘Kaavi, you know I have a reputation for helping pretty girls on Main Street,’ Sven said jokingly.
Kaavi laughed as she remembered Sven always getting Shona or Anni out of a jam on Main Street.
‘I’m going to head back to the practice. I’ll see you aroundKaavi, and nice to meet you Neel,’ Sven said, waving goodbye.
‘I’d better go,’ Kaavi said.
‘What just happened?’ Neel asked quietly.
For the first time since her panic attack had ended, Kaavi looked up at Neel.
His face broke her. He looked genuinely terrified, like the ground shook under him.
‘I had a panic attack,’ she said softly.
He ran his hand through his hair. ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pressured you. God, I can’t do this. I can’t do this to you,’ he said.
‘It’s okay. It happens,’ Kaavi said.
‘I’ll walk you back to your apartment. You need to rest,’ he said.
Kaavi nodded. They walked in silence. Neel looked like hell. He looked conflicted. He was always so put together and in control, yet now he looked like he’d been to hell and back.
When they reached the entrance to the apartment block, he said, ‘I’ll leave you here if that’s okay.’
