“Don’t talk to me like a doctor!” She slapped his wrist away. But he still smiled at her, not taking the bait. Amaal didn’t know until this moment that she was testing his limits with every unintended brush off. And he was letting her do it happily.
“What has happened to you?” She murmured, stilling in her fear and grief enough to look at him properly after months. She had last seen him in passing for half an hour when they had both been in Jammu Secretariat. Ever since, even their calls and dwindled.
Samar’s face remained steady, smiling, reassuring. The rock that… she probably never thought she’d ever have in this relationship.
“We will talk about all of it later. But you should know that I am not going to hurt you because you hurt me or I am hurting. Do it, run your trials. I will still be standing here when you are done.”
His mobile buzzed in his hand and she instantly stood to attention. “Is it Mom?”
“It’s from Himachal.” He took it, gathering the back of her head into his chest and holding her there as he spoke into his phone. Amaal didn’t even care to hear or understand half the things he spoke. He was talking to his assistant, Gauri. She wrapped her arms around him and let her weight rest on him as he continued talking, walking them back to the island running the length of the main window and opening his laptop single-handedly, phone between his ear and shoulder. He did not relent his hold on her. She did not make any move to let go.
“I am looking at Balwinder and Vikram’s lists, but what about Atharva’s…? Hmm… Mmm hmm… no, I am going to remain here. I’ll sign it remotely, activate Docusign. Have Vikram lead ticket distribution in his area, Balwinder Joshi will take care of Shimla and north-west. For the rest, Hariraj Singh will be landing today from Udhampur. He is an expert in managing pre-election.”
Pre-election. Amaal tried to pull away from him but he frowned down at her, gripping her neck. “I will call you back once I am ready, Gauri. You all still there at the office…? Hmm.”
He locked his mobile and tipped his head down — “What happened?”
“There is election in Himachal in three weeks, how are you even here?”
“In five weeks.”
“Yes, that makes all the difference!” She rolled her eyes. “Samar, this isyourelection.”
“You are also mine.”
Her body heated. Even in this situation, her body heated.
“You go now, Dad will be fine and I am also fine. Why did you come leaving everything behind? Wait, why didn’t you come with me on the charter flight?”
“There was no flight from Shimla to Srinagar that night. I also needed a diplomatic visa. You’d have had to wait for me. So I went to Delhi, got it stamped and took the first London flight. The frequency there is the highest.”
Amaal pressed her forehead to his chest. “You don’t show your face for months and then you come like this.”
He stroked her hair, silent. Again, his mobile rang. She thought it would be Himachal but a familiar voice made her break away. When she looked up, it was Mom on his mobile screen, turning the camera to Dad. Dad, whose one eye was open.
“Amaal.” Her mother pointed, and Amaal snatched it — “Dad! It’s me, hi…”
He tried to lift his hand, then lifted his other hand when he couldn’t. A crooked half smile formed on his mouth. It worried her but she kept smiling.
“I am coming there, ok?” Amaal told her father, half crying. “I am coming in twenty minutes. How are you feeling? Mom, how is he?”
“He is ok. He will go back to sleep again now,” she said in her scolding tone for him. “You don’t rush. Take your time. Eat something. Both of you, go out and have breakfast. I haven’t made anything.”
“We are coming.”
“Ok… the nurse is here. I’ll call you back.”
Amaal stared at the blank phone screen for a long moment, thanking god and every blessing that had worked in their favour. Then she glanced up at the man whose phone it was and collapsed into his chest. She didn’t cry but she spat out the fear and fatigue of the last two days. Strong, warm arms wrapped tight around her and rubbed her back through the thin layer of her T-shirt, his stubbled chin pulling at her hair and creating the sweetest friction.
“Thank you.”
“He is alright.” Samar kissed her head.
“His mouth will always remain like this?” Amaal asked. “He couldn’t lift his hand either…”
“It will get better. With time and rehab it will get better.”
“100%?”
