I have no words.My silence is an admission of my guilt.
“What are you going to tell him?”Priya questions.Thank heavens she does not probe me further.
“Nothing.I will never meet Jimmy again.”Once I make sure his health is taken care of, I will move far away from Almora.
“Aditya, you can't walk away.He needs you at this hour.You love him.How will you let him go?”
“My love has only brought Jimmy pain.I am not capable of giving anyone happiness.”The sky lights up, followed by a thunderclap.Raindrops pelt down, soaking me again.Priya sighs.Ignoring her words rattling out of the phone, I turn back towards the hospital.She, or anyone else, cannot cut the iron chains of guilt binding my legs.I am the culprit, the police, and the judge of my actions.I will never forgive myself, but I will repent.“Priya, listen, I need a favour.”
Chapter 27
Afairy godmother
JIMMY
“Where is he?Where are you hiding, my boy?”The stern female voice brings forth a smile.I had dissuaded Priya, but she insisted on visiting.So now, three days after I woke up, she is here at the hospital.
Before I can ask Kiron to straighten the bed, Priya walks in.Her sunglasses are perched on top of her head.A striped red and white scarf is around her neck, and a pink top over black trousers peeks through a paisley-printed overcoat.She adjusts her matching bag on her arm.The three other patients in the room sit up on her entry.The city memsahib, spreading her signature jasmine fragrance, intrigues the simple town folk.
“What are you doing here?”I croak.My throat is still dry after the doctors took out the tube.I am still not sure how I survived.When the kerosene smell invaded the cabin, I stepped out to investigate.Jatinder and Yoginder jumped me, but I took them on despite the three cans of beer in my belly.The time at the gym and boxing helped for once in my life.However, a drunk man against two hate-filled monsters proved a big task.Until help arrived.The memory makes me cringe.Aditya has not stepped inside my room, but I heard him speaking with Sahil outside the hospital ward yesterday.
“How rude.I travel from Delhi to visit my sick friend, and what does he say to me?”Priya rolls her eyes and perches on a stool beside the bed.She surveys the room and scrunches her nose.“Why are you hospitalised here?We are moving you to a single room in a private hospital down the road.I have already hired a male nurse who will be there with you at the hospital.Once you are discharged, he will continue at your home till you recover.”
“Priya, I can't afford the private care.”
Priya looks at me, horrified.“How dare you say such things?Am I dead?”
“I don't want any money from the book,” I grumble my protest.Most of the money is still stashed in my bank account.Before the attack, I had made up my mind to return the advance and all subsequent payments.The debt will push me back, but Bhatia Ji has promised to help.I am firm in my decision.
Priya shakes her head and swats the only part of my arm visible beyond the plaster cast.“Don't throw your attitude at me, young man.You will do as I say.Money is not a problem.Your next modelling assignment has agreed to pay a handsome advance.”
The client must be crazy.“What am I modelling?Bandages and plaster casts?”I nudge her elbow with the cast.
“Shush.The shoot is in three months, which gives us plenty of space to work with.”Priya looks me over again.“You need healthy, nutritious food and someone to pamper you to get the glow back on your face.”
I roll my eyes at the maternal love Priya is showering on me.The way she is dictating her terms reminds me of my birth mother.Ma had always fussed about my health ever since I landed in the hospital at four years of age, dehydrated and weak from diarrhoea.How things changed in a single night four years ago.Did Ma have any inkling about this attack?Did Bapu instigate Jatinder?These questions now haunt me day and night.
