“Stop overworking yourself,” it was Siddharth at the door of her hospital room.

“When did you come back?”

“You had already started your walking exercise when I came and you have overshot the time advised by the doctor.”

“I want to get well quickly.”

“What’s the hurry?”

“We have to go to UK and finish the shoot.”

“UK isn’t going away!”

“You don’t understand.”

“I do. There are things… we could do once you are fit… in UK… or elsewhere…” he smirked.

“Shut up. I told you, you don’t understand. It is just one of the movies for you. But for me it is my first movie as a writer. I am eager to see it completed.”

“Right!” Siddharth smiled, “And I promise you that the post-production work will go at lightning speed. But you should not fight with your body. There is only so much strength it has…”

“You can not complain about me fighting anything, or anyone. You are the one who made me a fighter. I was a simple girl with simple dreams.”

Siddharth was amused as well as a little saddened, “You delude yourself. You were a fighter. Else you wouldn’t have enchanted me in our very first meeting like you did.”

“How come you came back?” Karishma changed the topic. The past was not a comfortable subject, “I thought you had work.”

“I postponed the meetings with distributors.”

“You didn’t need to. I am fine here…”

“I did need to…”

He is overcompensating, Karishma thought with some worry, but didn’t dwell on it.

—

“You have already seen it?” Siddharth was disappointed when he saw Karishma with the newspaper.

“What happened?”

“I… Nothing… Give me the newspaper,” he asked. She had probably not seen it yet.

“Superstar Forsakes Work to be by Ailing Wife. Refuses Meeting with Disney Executives,” Karishma repeated the headline to him. He looked embarrassed.

“You shouldn’t be reading so much. It is stressful,” he tried to take the newspaper away from her.

“No doctor told me so. I am bored of the hospital bed. Reading is my only recreation. So, are you going to find out who are all the reliable sources?”

“Huh?”

“‘Reliable sources from the hospital have informed the reporter that the superstar was even present in the operation theatre after the accident. This is something not allowed under normal circumstances, but he threw all his weight around.’ And this… ‘His refusal to make time for a short meeting with executives from the legendary Hollywood production house has generated mixed response amongst his employees. Many feel that…'”

“Stop.”

“Are you mad?” Karishma asked sincerely.

“Me? Why would I… I mean… aren’t you mad?”

“Me? I had expected worse for being the super star’s wife. This is rather kind to me. I thought it affected your rough and tough image though…”

“Blah! Articles keep coming and going. I can’t afford to keep reacting every time a story-hungry reporter comes up with some crap.”

“There isn’t much crap here though. You have been neglecting your work. You are a busy man, Siddharth. You can’t continue doing that. And I am not on my deathbed…”

“Shut up.”

“Okay. Sorry about the death thing. But refusing a meeting with Disney?”

“The real world of the film industry is not as filmy as these reporters would like to make it appear. It’s not like I sent them a dramatic note saying I don’t care about you as my wife is ill. I will fly to the US and meet these people after you are fine. I spoke to them on phone.”

“Fine. But still…”

“If you don’t want me around, you should just tell me directly.”

“Whatever I want, I am telling your directly.”

“So, you don’t mind me being around you.”

“Who doesn’t like being cared for.”

“I assume that means you don’t mind. They are going to start your physiotherapy from today. Are you comfortable with that?”

“The doctor says I am ready.”

“I asked if you are comfortable or not. If not, I will ask them…”

“Mr. Superstar,” Karishma laughed, “I can deal with you trying to be God. But trying to be a doctor can be injurious to your wife’s health.”

Siddharth smiled at her joke.

—

“How are you doing?” Ramesh asked Karishma over phone.

“Pretty well. I will be discharged today evening.”

“Yeah. About that… Karishma. Boss must attend this meeting with censor board…”

“So?”

“Disney executives are more understanding, distributors and directors will tolerate his whims. But censor board is another beast… They will order some random cuts, if he is not there to convince or pressurize them. Then he himself will be mad later.”

“Why are you telling all this to me? He knows, doesn’t he?”

“Yes. Still he is refusing to come because he wants to be there for your discharge. Can you please ask him to come for the screening before censor board.”

“Oh! I see…”

“Will you?”

“Yeah. Sure. I mean, I will try for sure…”

“Thanks Karishma.”

“Hey. Do you also have to be in the meeting?”

“Not if he goes.”

“Okay.”

—

“You have an army of staff. Just ask one of them to be with me,” Karishma argued with Siddharth.

“If I have to send a deputy, it will be for my work. Not for my personal commitments. And the reporters will hound you outside the hospital and at home.”

“And then you will be mad at everyone if the censor orders something you don’t like.”

“Well…”

“Listen. Will Ramesh be free? He can be with me. You do trust him, don’t you? And he will know how to handle media too.”

Siddharth sighed, “Fine! You are hell-bent upon sending me.”

“Yes. I am.”

—

“Won’t you come in, Ramesh?” Karishma asked when Ramesh dropped her home after her discharge.

“I have to go home Karishma. I have promised my two-year old to take him out today.”

“So sweet! I won’t detain you then. Bye. And thanks a lot.”

“Thanks to you. Else a tsunami would have hit the office tomorrow.”

Karishma just smiled in response and then went in. She was surprised to see Siddharth in her room.

“You are back?”

“Yeah. You were already discharged when my meeting got over. So, I thought I will meet you here.”

“That was a good idea. You didn’t need to come to the hospital. Weren’t you sick of the hospital? I was!” she sat down on the bed. She still had to be careful about her movements and some weakness was still there.

“I actually felt sick of this house when I came here. This place is used to your presence. Karishma…” he stopped and she looked at him questioningly. He continued, “I want you to… stay in my room. That’s your right place. If you can…”

“Siddharth!”

He held her hand and made her stand up to face him. “I am sorry. For everything I did. I was acting on some mad rage for which… I have no justification. If you would give me a chance, I promise you I will spend my life making it up to you.”

“Stop please!”

“You don’t believe me?”

“It’s not that. But…”

“But?”

“I don’t know if this is how you see things. But people want to spend their lives with someone who loves them, who can accept them. It may sound funny, but for a middle-class girl like me, being loved by him is more important than being able to love your partner. You married me out of anger, out of a need to crush me, defeat me. I appreciate it that things have changed. You have been very caring and you regret all that happened wrong. But regret is not good enough. Regret does not mean love. Under normal circumstances, you would never have thought of a girl like me. I may have taken a high moral stand against you given your behaviour. But socially and otherwise… You are on far higher grounds. Girls like me do not get husbands like you. You have to ask yourself. What you want right now – is it anything more than regret? If not – it is not a good idea. And if you just want to move on, I won’t come in your way. I won’t ask for an alimony, if we divorce. And I won’t create a media circus. I promise!”

Siddharth let her hands go and took a step back from her. He looked stunned and hurt at first, but thoughtful later.

“You need to take rest,” he said completely changing the topic, “The physiotherapist will come in the evening. I have asked the housekeeper to arrange for any equipments you might need.”

Then he went out of the room. Karishma looked after him thoughtfully. Was he angry? Or was he just considering what she had said? She realized that it was difficult for her to remain calm about this uncertainty. She wanted him to decide quickly. And decide what?

—

To be continued