It was a couple’s therapy session, which they had gone for on advice from Dr. Mathew. They walked to the car silently, still reeling emotionally from the experience.

Paritosh had to drive. But Rupali was so overwhelmed that she leaned back on the passenger’s seat and closed her eyes. They had been asked to speak out their feelings for each other. And why did they feel the way they did?

“At first it was the professional admiration,” Paritosh had said about her, “She had the tolerance for everything unnerving that came with the profession. And still a compassion for people. I had seen too many people lose one for the other. Then it was a curiosity that drew me to her. She showed a strange mix of strength and helplessness… And then a connection. A shared pain of orphanhood. A shared past. But despite all the pain, helplessness, loneliness, sense of abandonment, her strength shone through. She herself did not realize it, but she had never given up on life. Always held on to something to carry her through. Her studies, her profession… And she was not bitter. She could act on my wisdom, which I had myself never acted on. She was… she is my hope… for life.”

Could she really mean that much to him? More than a protegee, a helpless girl in need of help, or a muse? She meant “hope” for him? Him saying that meant the world to her. The last shreds of doubt about herself, about their relationship were gone!

Even thought Paritosh was too responsible a person to not pay attention to the road and traffic while driving, it did not keep his mind free from the thoughts of the session.

“I could talk about a thousand times when he has been there for me,” she had said, “But he had me the very first time… When he stopped Rohan in the hospital… From forcing himself on me… Nobody else cared, or noticed earlier; and if they did, they looked the other way, they never said anything. That was the first time anyone had stood up for me. That was the first time I felt that… it might still be possible to save myself, my dignity…”

He hadn’t thought about that incident in a long time now. It meant so much to her!! That hesitant, unsure intervention? He had considered “looking away”. He couldn’t thank God enough that he didn’t act on that. Instead he had listened to his heart.

They were about to reach his house, when her phone rang. She picked it up reluctantly.

“Kaku?” She got attentive on seeing the number, “Hello Kaku… What? Oh… Oh my God! Dr. Khanna,” she looked at him and spoke urgently, “We need to go to the hospital.” He nodded, a thousand questions popping up in his mind. “We are on our way Kaku. Please remain calm. Everything will be all right.”

“What happened?” he asked as soon as she disconnected the call.

“Kakima had a heart attack. Kaku was too flustered. I could not get much information out of him. She is in the hospital.”

“Won’t take us more than twenty minutes. Don’t worry, okay?”

She nodded.

—

Rohan had escaped from the medical facility and had assaulted a girl. She was saved by the staff finding him just in time. But her family had filed a case. He might not have to go to jail because of his mental status, but it was going to be either the facility or the jail for him. Damyanti had not taken the news well.

“She kept asking for you Rupa,” Sabyasachi told her, as they waited outside the ICU.

“Me?” Rupali was surprised. Shouldn’t it have been Rohan?

“She thought that if you did not forgive her and Rohan, we’d never have a normal life again.”

“Oh my God!” Rupali buried her head in her hands, “How do I ever convince her Kaku, or you that I never bore any ill-will towards you? How can I Kaku? Am I so ungrateful?”

“Of course not, my child,” Sabyasachi tried to get control of his emotions, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have told you about her incoherent ramblings. I was just… I am not in control of myself…”

“Everything will be all right. The best cardiologist in the city, in the entire country, is with her right now. Please Kaku. Take care of yourself.”

He nodded and sighed.

—

There wasn’t much to be done at the hospital. Damyanti had survived the attack. But she would wake up only by evening. Sabyasachi refused to leave the hospital for even a moment. So, they arranged a room for him in the hospital itself and came back to Paritosh’ house. They had a late lunch, mostly in silence. Then Rupali followed Paritosh to his room. He had hardly spoken anything since the phone call about the heart attack, except for the bare minimal formalities in asking after Damyanti at the hospital. And thanks to the effect of the earlier session, they hadn’t talked much in the car before that either. It was a confusing situation for Rupali. What was he thinking?

“What happened?” she asked directly.

“Nothing,” his reply was non-committal, “Or probably a lot. How are you feeling?”

She gave a knowing smile, “Why does it always have to be about me first Dr. Khanna? Why don’t you speak about yourself for a change?”

Paritosh looked surprised by her reply. Then he sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. Rupali followed the suit.

“What is it?” she goaded, “You have to talk to me.”

“Rupali. You are already under too much pressure…”

“What pressure? Kakima’s health is upsetting, but what is there to feel pressurized about?”

“Let it go, Rupali. Some other time.”

“No. No way,” she was adamant, “Are you seeing some divine connection between what happened to Rohan or Kakima and us? I know you. You are prone to thinking like that…”

“If I could, I would take you away from all of this, so that you never have to hear about Rohan again. But… This morning I had thought that we’d taken a big step towards each other. And by now it seems like you have been pushed away again. I’m… I’m probably not thinking straight. I am sorry, Rupali. I might be hurting you… And I don’t intend to be insensitive towards Mrs. Moitra, but it’s just that…”

His ramblings were silenced by Rupali suddenly holding his hands and clutching them tight. He stopped talking and looked down at their hands in surprise. Rupali then lifted one of his hands and gently caressed his cuff-links.

“What is it with the cuff-links?” he asked suddenly, “Why do you stare at them all the time.”

Rupali was taken by surprise. Her reaction to the cuff-links had been noticeable, it meant. She smiled, “There was something I should have said in the session, but I did not. For some reason. However, since you are such a believer in seeing divine connection, let me tell you this.”

He looked at her questioningly, when she paused. Assured that she had his attention, she went on. She told him about her nightmare and the helping hands she had seen. And how in the morning she had realized that she had seen his hands.

“I must have known subconsciously, Dr. Khanna,” she concluded, “That you would be there for me. If there is a divine connection, it is this. Here. Between us. Otherwise, we being together was impossible.”

“You are crazy, Rupali.”

“So are you. But this ‘pushing away’ business is over, Dr. Khanna. Nobody, nothing is going to push me away any longer. Just one thing…”

“What is it?” he was easily alarmed.

“The past can not be erased. They are my parents. Guilty or not, they are not going to turn their back on me. Or me on them. And Rohan is their son. He and his issues will come up every now and then. Kaku has promised me that he won’t bring him back to Kolkata. Now, he can’t do that even if he wanted to. But I can not wipe those names off my life, Dr. Khanna. Will you be able to take it?”

“I can take a lot more,” Paritosh replied in a hoarse, urgent voice, “So long as you are there.”

And in an uncharacteristic act, she lifted his hand even further, bent down a bit planted a quick kiss on it. When she looked up, she met with an intense gaze from Paritosh. Today, thought, she was able to hold it. She went ahead, put her arms around him, leaned on him, and nuzzled his chest and hollow of the neck. The effect it had on him was too much for him to handle. He held her and pushed her away a bit.

“Don’t do this,” his voice was hoarser and his eyes dark.

“Why not?” she whispered back.

“You are driving me crazy. I’ll break my promise…”

“I don’t care. I want to jump through all the steps remaining between us.” With this she closed her eyes and her lips pouted, just a little, expecting to be kissed.

The invitation was impossible to resist and Paritosh crashed his lips on hers. This must be how the heroines in the romantic novels felt, Rupali could not help thinking to herself. This kiss was something she could look forward to – again & again!

He bent over her and started kissing and nibbling on her neck and earlobes. She was surprised at the sensations it created in her body. Rohan had never done that. Not surprising. He was always driven by his own needs. Groping her wherever he felt like. But why was she thinking about that jerk at this special moment. Her head turned, as Paritosh moved to the other side of her neck. And she saw the door.

“Dr. Khanna,” she hissed with difficulty. Her throat was giving way to his sweet assaults on her body.

He withdrew immediately, looking concerned. Was she not ready?

She pointed towards the door with her hands. “Please lock it,” she managed to say.

Paritosh sighed in relief and got up, but did not leave her behind. He took her with him to the door, locked it and pinned her against it.

“You are sure?” he wanted another confirmation.

“Please stop asking questions,” she was miserable. With her anticipation and desires!!

“You can still stop me anytime, okay?”

She just managed to nod. And he busied himself with her body. She soon found herself responding to his actions. She ran her fingers through his hair, gently at first, then urgently. She ran them over his back, spine and chest. She had never touched Rohan, except when he forced her hands on himself and… Stop thinking about him, Rupali. Don’t spoil this. She threw away those thoughts. And she did not realize when he had taken her back to the bed. She remembered him hissing in her ears once, “You will need a pill after this. But once is okay.” Will he stop thinking!

And finally he entered her. It was strange at first, but he was gradual, slow and gentle. Soon, she had settled in the rhythm and started enjoying the ride. She was thankful that Rohan had spared her this. Else, she would have had horrible memories associated with it. She didn’t. She could enjoy it.
Their union!

Paritosh suddenly turned towards her, as they lay spent on the bed, basking in the after-effects of their love-making. “Marry me, Rupali,” he said suddenly.

She was taken by surprise. But she managed to come back, “You are wicked, Dr. Khanna. You ask me, when I am at my vulnerable best.”

His face twitched, “I… I am sorry. I didn’t…”

She chuckled and shook her head, “I am joking.”

“You can tell me later,” he was still serious.

“Dr. Khanna,” she spoke somberly and sat up slightly, pulling the bed-cover over her naked body, “You are way too sweet. To ask me. I had presumed it. I thought you had too. If you hadn’t, you can now.”

She hadn’t seen a bigger grin on his face earlier. He also sat up and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. “Thank you,” he said.

“Seriously?” Rupali raised her eyebrows dramatically, “Thank you?”

They laughed slightly and hugged.

“This has given peace of mind not just to me, Rupali. But when we announce it, it would give peace to all the people who feel guilty for either of us. Chand, Moitras.”

“Ah! I have been fooled. It is for their love that you want to marry me, not mine,” Rupali joked.

“Shut up,” Paritosh replied playfully.

“Or else?”

“I will shut you up,” he said and to demonstrate kissed her on her lips long and hard.

“Let’s catch up on some sleep,” he said after breaking the kiss, “Night duty.”

“As you say, wise man!” Rupali teased him and they lied down in each other’s arms.

– The End –