Page 32 of The Unwanted Husband
Isha wrapped the uninjured arm around his neck as he picked her up off the floor. Thankfully nothing else seemed to be hurting as badly as her shoulder.
Could she have a broken shoulder?
“I know you’re in a lot of pain. Keep breathing,” he whispered as he carried her down the stairs.
One of the staff was downstairs and had the passenger door open. It was not until he placed her in the seat that she noticed he was bare chested and in his sleep shorts. He instructed the staff to stay with her as he rushed back into the house.
“Madam, Ashok sir asked you to put this on your shoulder.” Sarita came to hand her a bag filled with ice.
She slowly placed the bag on her shoulder and adjusted the robe over her thighs.
Shortly after, Ashok came out of the house, wearing a t-shirt and a pair of athletic pants. He got into the driver’s seat. “I’m taking Isha madam to Global Hospital. Keep your phones by your side, I will call if we need something.”
The staff looked worried and only nodded in response as they drove away.
“We are only a few minutes away from the hospital.” He sounded calm but knew he had to be rattled by the fiasco.
“I…I’m sorry…”
Ashok hushed her. “Just breathe. Is the pain increasing or decreasing?”
“I can’t tell.” She felt numb all over.
“We are almost there. Hold the ice pack to your shoulder.”
A few minutes later, she saw signs to the hospital and he pulled up in front of the emergency department. He handed the keys to the valet and came to her side. He scooped her off the seat, effortlessly and took a few steps before a hospital staff brought a wheel chair.
He placed her gently on the wheel chair. “She fell on her shoulder and is also complaining about her foot.”
One medical staff asked her name and age. When the nurse asked Ashok for a relationship with the patient, he said without hesitation. “She is my wife.”
Her stomach dropped for a moment as the reality hit her. She pushed away the implications of what she thought was a piece of paper that was needed for the adoption.
Shortly after, a doctor saw her and they ordered an x-ray and gave her some pain medication.
Ashok and the doctor stepped out and the young nurse stayed to help her put on a hospital gown before she was taken to the lab for her x-ray.
Midway through helping her, the nurse whispered, “Madame, did your husband cause this injury?”
Isha was taken aback and froze looking at the nurse and the young woman shook her head. “It is only protocol that I haveto ask, I don’t think your husband will do such a thing. You both look so much in love and he looks so worried for you.”
Isha only smiled and said, “Yes, he is a good husband.”
At least looks like he will make one at some point to someone else.
“You are so lucky to have such a handsome man love and care for you.” The nurse was gushing.
Was this woman being delusional? How could she read so much from observing Ashok just for a few minutes?
“Thank you.” She could feel the pain subsiding already and a deep sleep threatened to take over from the pain medications they had given her.
*****
Hours later, she came out of the daze and the first thing she noticed was the warmth against her side and felt like she was floating midair. Moments later, a familiar masculine scent hit her and her eyes fluttered open.
She opened her eyes just a small slit only to confirm her suspicion that she was being carried upstairs to her room from the car. She was awake when he loaded her into the passenger seat. Embarrassed that she fell asleep in the short drive from the hospital, she decided to stay put in that situation.
It was kind of Ashok to carry her up and down the stairs twice in a matter of a few hours. She was thankful she was sent home with a sling and pain medications. She had sustained a hairline fracture from the fall that would heal in a few weeks.
