CH 21 || Turn The Tide

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Dhruv

******

I laid Saavi down on my bed and kissed her gently on her forehead. I stayed with her for a while caressing her cheeks. She would have gotten up but the effect of injection didn't let her to.

I kept the small bag in my cupboard which had probably two or three clothes in it. I needed to arrange a lot of things for her.

I went to my living room and the first thing I did was called Niharika. She picked up after two rings and as expected sound worried, "Hello, Dhruv? Where are you? Did you forget today's meeting? Mrs. Lizzie will...."

I intervened in mid to calm her down. "Niharika, calm down first. I need to tell you something very important and also I needed your help."

"What is it?"

"I will be on leave for a week. Tell Mr. Richard and Ms. Lily to handle the meetings and postpone those that require my presence."

"Are you going somewhere?" She was surprised and was curious too but I didn't want to tell her the truth yet.

"Yeah, kind of."

"Thank God. Finally, you are taking leave, and don't worry about the meetings we will handle them."

"Thanks."

"No worries, Mr. CEO. Anything else?"

"No. Bye."

"Bye," she said and hung up the call.

I opened my laptop and instantly ordered some comfortable clothes for my muffin. I was not in favour of letting her wear the clothes she was wearing for long. She didn't even look comfortable in it. After placing an order of around a hundred sets of clothes, I called a real estate agent.

"Hello, Mr. Johnson."

"Mr. Kapoor. What a pleasant surprise! You need any new house or any mansion?"

"The penthouses you were talking about earlier, are they still up for sale?"

"The ones in the exterior of the town?"

"Yes."

"Five of them are already sold and only two are left." I was just hoping that the one I wanted to be still available.

"Which ones?"

"The one on the third floor," he mentioned and that was the one I didn't like at all. Also, I needed to think about Saavi's comfort first and I knew she would never be fine there.

"The one in the building next to it on the fifth floor is available too but I received requests for it today morning." It was the one I wanted and in no way, I was going to let it go from my hand.

"I will pay you triple the price and the money will be transferred to your account ten minutes after the call."

"It's all yours then. I will send the papers and the keys to your office." The deal was done. I was glad I called him on time.

"No, just send your staff to my house with the documents and the keys. I will send you the address."

"Ok. No problem."

Her safety was my utmost priority then and also, I had to maintain a low-key profile for time being, away from media and all. I called my security chief Andrew and told him to arrange a team which would be available 24*7 and asked him to spread the news of me going to Russia for an important meeting for a week. It was necessary to keep everyone in the dark for the time being.

I was cooking dinner for both of us when I heard some sounds coming from my room. I rushed there and saw Saavi frantically looking for something. Hearing my footsteps she turned towards me, looking terrified. She scooted to the corner of the room as if I was there to harm her.

"Saavi," I said and moved towards which only made her tremble more in fear. I thought maybe calling her Rose will help.

"Rose, you don't need to be scared," I said and she closed her ears as if she didn't want to hear my voice.

"Saavi, please listen to me." I could see tears rolling down her cheeks, she was in pain and so was I.

I tried but nothing worked. Sitting at a distance from her on the floor, I kept looking at her.

She had changed a lot. Her face had lost all the colours and shine. She looked pale and weak. The eye bags under her eyes were proof of her lack of sleep. But the way she was scared from my presence was not settling well with me. I was mindful I won't be able to help her if she would keep distancing herself from me.

"Muffin," I called her softly and she looked at me. I don't know why I felt that she might still remember, maybe a bit.

"Hi." She was just staring at me not uttering a word, how could she when....

'No Dhruv, don't believe it. She can speak, for sure.' My inner self had stopped me from uttering those hurtful words.

"Muffin, you remember me?" I asked the most stupid question of the millennium but the truth was all I wanted was to be on talking terms with her. I wanted her to feel safe and secure with me.

She was not replying but was looking at me. I thought I was doing good and with a little hope moved towards her, without even realizing it was a bad move. She pressed herself in the corner being scared and I had to back off.

I had no idea how to talk to her, how to make her understand things, how to make her feel comfortable, and then I remembered the bracelet.

Yes, the bracelet. That was my only hope. I got up and took out the bracelet from the cupboard and showed it to her. She looked at the bracelet and then at me.

I knew she wanted it badly as her eyes teared seeing it in my hand but she couldn't gather the courage to take it from me. Sitting at the same spot again, I slid the bracelet towards her.

She grabbed it from the floor and hid it as if she won't let me have it again. I saw her adoring the bracelet as if that was the most precious thing for her. Tears welled up in my eyes but I tried to hide it. At that moment I realized that I was still there somewhere in her memories.

"Muffin," I called her again and fortunately she looked at me.

"I know you don't know me." And only I knew how did I gather the courage to say that one statement.

"But don't be scared. I won't hurt you." adding further I smiled at her.

"If I ask you or say something, I want you to respond, ok?"

"If you like something or your response for something is positive, just nod your head," I said and nodded to show how she had to do it.

"And if you don't like something, just shake your head in denial, like this." Shaking my head I said to her.

"Do you understand?" I asked but she didn't respond.

'Don't lose hope Dhruv. Let's try again. My inner self consoled myself by saying this.

"Muffin, I won't hurt you. I will stay as far as you want me to. Just please, respond to me....once." My voice cracked at the end. Taking deep breathes I said, "Just nod your head if your answer is yes like this or shake your head in denial like this if your answer is no," I said again nodding and shaking my head.

Please God, help me, please. I chanted in mind.

"Are you hungry?" I had no idea whether she will reply or not and all I could do was pray to God.

After a few minutes which felt like an eternity to me, she nodded.

I felt like I was on cloud nine. My Saavi replied to me, she just nodded. I wanted to tell everyone, but that was not the time.

"You stay here, ok? I will bring food."

I went to the kitchen put the soup prepared in the bowl and made my way towards the room but not before mixing her medicines in the soup which were prescribed by the doctor in the morning. Mrs. Maria had told me, she never eats medicine so to make her eat them, she used to put them in her food.

I went inside the room and as I was going towards her she again pressed herself in the corner. I had to move back and slide the tray of food towards her. She looked at the food as if she was seeing it for the first time.

I wanted to feed her but I didn't know how will she react. She looked so weak to me that I knew she won't be able to eat herself. I had to do something so that she allows me to feed her.

"Muffin," I called her.

"Can I feed you?" I asked. She didn't reply but she looked fearful.

"I won't hurt you, I promise. Just let me feed you." She didn't look convinced at all but she needed to eat to get better.

"Please, muffin. I will maintain my distance. I will feed you from here only." I said and she looked at me. I had to convince her anyhow so I again asked, "Can I feed you? Please?" and to my relief, she nodded.

I took the bowl of soup, placed a good amount of the hot soup on the spoon, blew air on it, and placed it towards her mouth.

"Muffin," I said and gestured her to eat. She opened her mouth a bit and I fed her. She was really hungry as I made her eat a good amount of soup and she didn't protest.

She kept sitting there, even when I requested her to go to bed.

"Muffin, please go to bed." and she shook her head in denial. I thought my presence was bothering her, so I left her there and went out of the room. I was outside looking at her from a distance. She was still sitting at the same place and I was peeping through the door.

After around one hour she slept at the same place. I went inside and first made sure that she was sleeping. After confirming my doubts, I picked her petite form in my arms and placed her on the bed.

Looking at her for a while, I kissed her forehead and left the room after switching off the lights.

It took me around four hours to talk to her and make her eat. It was for certain not going to be easy. And after looking at her state how could I even expect it to be.

I had made her sleep that day but was frightened for the next day.

Firstly I needed to know what had happened to her. And about the medicines she was having, they looked familiar to me. One of them looked like the one my sister used to have at one point when she was dealing with depression. The mere thought of Saavi dealing with the same scared the shit out of me.

Without giving a second thought I called Mrs. Maria.

"Hello, Mrs. Maria?"

"Mr. Kapoor? What happened? Is Rose fine?"

"Yeah, she is. I just wanted to know who was the doctor who had been treating her for the last three months?"

"Mr. Brian Morrison. But why are you asking suddenly? Rose is fine, right?"

"She is fine Mrs. Maria. I just wanted to know about her condition."

Assuring her about Saavi's health and taking Dr. Brian's number from her I cut the call. Brian Morrison was a middle-aged man and a famous psychiatrist. I had met him once or twice in some seminars. I didn't bother much about the time as I couldn't delay anything which was related to Saavi and called him. He picked the phone on the first ring itself to my surprise.

"Hello, Dr. Morrison?"

"Yes, who is it?"

"Good Evening doctor. I am Dhruv Kapoor, CEO of D& D Industries."

"Oh, yes, yes. Mr. Kapoor. I remember meeting you at the seminar four months ago. How are you?"

"I am fine, doctor. Doctor, actually I have called regarding Rose."

"Rose?" He seemed puzzled hearing me and I cleared his doubt by replying, "Yes, Rose from the Seema Hope NGO."

"Oh, that Rose. But how do you know her?"

Before I could reply he said, "What a silly question, I asked. It's your mother's NGO, after all. Sorry for my poor memory Mr. Kapoor," he said laughing.

"It's fine. Doctor, can you please meet me tomorrow?"

"That won't be possible. I have to leave for Malaysia for a week."

A week was a very long time. I was in urgency to know everything before that.

"Can I come to you now? If you don't mind?"

He might have sensed the seriousness in my tone as he asked, "Is the matter that serious?"

"It is."

"Where do you live Mr.Kapoor?" he asked. I was surprised at his question but told him.

"Good. I am in the neighbourhood only. Can I come to your place if you don't mind?"

"Yeah sure."

"Okay, then. See you in a few minutes," he said and cut the call. I was pacing in my living room waiting for him and after around twenty minutes my doorbell rang.


I opened the door in the hope to get the answers but little did I know that those answers will turn the tide against me.

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