Page 31 of Driven By Desire
B lood pooled in a slowly growing circle around the small, still figure. Max’s heart iced over even as they raced to reach Pooja lying near the still screaming maidservant who had found her. Dropping to his knees by her side, Krish shouted to Chirag to call for an ambulance.
“Somebody shut that bloody woman up.”
The screaming continued unabated as Chirag fumbled for his phone.
Blocking it out the best he could, Krish looked down at his baby sister.
She was wearing her swimming costume and had one arm flung out at an awkward angle like she’d tried to brace herself.
Blood seeped from the gash on her head, matting her hair and running in rivulets down the side of her face. Through it all, she didn’t wake.
The past merged horrifyingly with the present as memories of standing over his mother’s lifeless body flashed through his head. Pulling his mind back from the ugly vortex it was spiraling down, he refocused on the baby sister he’d sworn to protect.
“Pooja. Pooj. Baby.” Voice cracking on the last word, he stared helplessly at her unconscious form.
Knowing better than to move her when she was bleeding from her head, he gently cradled one limp hand.
She didn’t move. Not even a flicker of an eyelash.
Desperate for some sign that she could hear him, he continued to talk. To coax. To beg.
In silent support, Max placed one hand on his shoulder but he didn’t notice. His entire attention focused on Pooja, he barely registered the faint touch.
“Ambulance is on its way.” Ashen faced, Chirag crouched next to them while Adi went to silence the hysterical maid and get her out of the way. “What can we do?”
“No one move her.” Holding himself together with an iron control he’d hoped to never have to draw on again, Krish kept his eyes trained on Pooja. “Her breathing is fine which is a good sign. Someone get me something to keep her warm.”
The snapped order had Max running towards the house.
Grateful for the chance to be doing something useful, she ran into the bedroom she’d just shared with Krish.
Tossing the tangled sheets and scattered clothes to one side, she looked desperately around the room for something useful.
Finally grabbing the comforter from the bed, she ran back out and handed it to Chirag who gently covered Pooja.
Desperate, soundless prayers escaped her as she saw that Pooja hadn’t moved an inch.
Ruthlessly blinking back the tears that stung her eyes, she clasped shaky hands and went to stand behind Krish who was talking to Pooja in a low, fervent whisper that broke her heart.
The sound of sirens split the air to her everlasting gratitude.
Time sped up with the arrival of the paramedics and before she knew it, Pooja was loaded into the ambulance.
Maintaining his death grip on Pooja’s hand, Krish climbed in after her while flinging some rapid fire instructions at Chirag.
When Chirag broke away to head for the garage, she leaned in closer to touch Krish on his arm.
“We’ll be following right behind.” Krish didn’t turn to look at her or indicate by even a twitch of a muscle that he’d heard her promise.
“Krish?” The door swung shut cutting off anything else she might have tried to say. Scared and confused, she ran for the garage where Chirag was already starting the car.
---***---
The bright lights and controlled chaos of the hospital had Max blinking out of her stupor.
Following Chirag and Adi through the swinging doors of emergency, she scanned the ward until she found Krish talking to a doctor.
Behind them, a still unconscious Pooja was being examined by any entire team of medical professionals.
Moving closer, Max reached out and touched one small foot.
Unable to push words out past the emotion clogging her throat, she searched the inert form for any sign of movement. Finding none, she continued to stroke Pooja’s foot, her entire body one fervent, desperate plea.
“They’re going to x-ray her now. We’ve been asked to wait outside.
” Dimly aware of Chirag gently unclenching her fingers from around Pooja’s foot, she let him lead her out into the crowded corridor beyond.
Minutes later, Pooja’s stretcher was wheeled out with Krish following on its heels.
They were past them and into the diagnostics center in the blink of an eye.
Sitting down on the floor in a corner, Max heard Chirag’s quiet murmur as he comforted Adi who had tears running down his face. Giving the brothers their privacy, she kept her eyes glued on the doors Krish had disappeared through.
When close to half an hour passed without any sign of him or Pooja, she pushed herself off the floor. “I’m going to get us all some coffee.”
A tired nod was all she got from Chirag. She searched the entire floor before finding a dinky looking coffee machine. Filling two cups, she trekked back and handed them to Chirag and Adi.
“Any news yet?”
“They’ve shifted her back to the ward. We’re waiting for reports now. Bhai is in there with her.”
“I’ll go in and check on them. See if he needs anything.”
“The guard said only one attender is allowed inside.” Patting the bench he was sitting on, he gestured to her to sit down. “They aren’t letting any of us in.”
“Can I go in for a second to see him?”
She needed to see him. This was his worst nightmare come true.
She needed to be with him. He hated hospitals so much and to see Pooja in one must be bringing back horrifying memories of his parent’s accident.
Wishing desperately that God would grant them all a do-over of this night, she blinked back hot tears.
If something happened to Pooja- She couldn’t even finish the thought.
“No, they’re not going to allow anyone. They’re being pretty strict about it. He’ll come out when he can.” Her pinched, white face had him adding gently. “Sit, Max. It doesn’t help anyone if you keel over.”
Worry, fear and fatigue came together in a noxious mixture that had her wanting to throw up.
Swallowing the bile that rose in her throat, she ignored Chirag’s instruction, squared her shoulders and marched over to the doors leading to emergency.
Breezing past the startled guard, she stormed past the nurse’s station before anyone could stop her.
Coming to an abrupt halt beside Krish, she looked down at his bent head.
She followed his gaze to the pale, frail figure lying in the bed.
An IV line ran from the back of one hand to the bottle hanging from a stand.
A white bandage covered a shaved part of her scalp.
A shaky sob escaped Max as she took in the weak, helpless child in the hospital gown.
Moving to rest her hand on Krish’s shoulder, she froze when he stiffened and leaned slightly away from her. The miniscule movement had the first ember of fear spark inside her. Pulling her hand back, she concentrated on keeping her voice calm and even as she asked, “Can I get you some coffee?”
Not looking up, he shook his head in the negative. Clearing her throat, she was about to ask him what the doctor had said when a formidable nurse made her way over.
“Only one attender is allowed per patient.”
Smiling conciliatorily, Max cleared her throat. “If you could just give me a minute-“
“You should go.” The brusque words came from the man who was refusing to meet her eyes. The man who held her heart.
The nurse folded her beefy arms and eyed Max with a smug grin that had her grinding her teeth.
Leaning over to press a gentle kiss to Pooja’s forehead, she walked out with the nurse dogging her footsteps.
Bewildered and upset, she shoved through the doors, walked over and plopped herself down beside Chirag.
“Coffee?” Holding his half full cup up to her, he gave her a small smile.
“Thanks but I think I’ll get myself a fresh cup.” She needed to walk off some of the turmoil inside her. “Message me in case you hear something before I’m back?”
When he nodded, she started to stand only to stop when the doors opened to reveal Krish walking out with the doctor.
They stood to one side and continued a hushed conversation that Chirag walked over to join.
When Adi groped for her hand, she closed her fingers around his and squeezed in silent reassurance.
After several more minutes of intense conversation, Krish and the doctor shook hands. Max and Adi got to their feet as the doctor peeled off and Chirag and Krish walked over.
“Will she be okay, Bhai?”
The quaver in Adi’s voice had Krish pulling him closer in a reassuring one arm hug.
“She has a concussion and needed eight stitches for the wound on her head. She’s also got a possible tear in her ligament in the wrist but on the whole she should be fine.
They’re going to keep her under observation for tonight since it’s a head injury. ”
“Has she woken up yet?”
Chirag’s quiet question had Krish scrubbing a tired hand across his face. “Briefly. They’re keeping her sedated after that because of the pain.”
“Any idea what happened?”
“Best I can figure she wanted to practice her swimming so she could learn to dive tomorrow. I guess we’ll know more when we get her home.” Patting Adi once on the back, he added, “They’ll be shifting her to a private room soon. I’ll stay the night. You guys should go home and get some sleep.”
He still wasn’t meeting her eyes. The fear was slowly turning to panic. “I’ll stay with you.”
He was already shaking his head before she’d finished making the offer. “No, thank you.”
No, thank you? What the hell was that? What was going on here?
“Okay.” Pasting on a shaky smile, she said, “I’ll bring breakfast and come in the morning. I’ll get dad to whip something up.”
“Don’t.” The quiet word had panic start to bubble inside her.
“Don’t what Krish?” She couldn’t take it anymore. Her voice rose with her anxiety and fear. “Don’t bring breakfast?”
“Don’t come.” Now he was looking at her and the flat, dead look in his eyes was something she wouldn’t wish on her worst enemy.
Panic stilled and an icy numbness spread through her. Knuckles whitening as she slung her purse over her shoulder, she held his gaze. “To the hospital? Or don’t come anywhere near you?”
He didn’t answer. The bloody coward.
“You’re blaming me?” The words would barely make their way past her numb lips.
He still didn’t answer. Aware this wasn’t the time or place for a scene, she muttered her goodbyes to Adi and Chirag, both of whom were looking like they wished themselves to the farthest reaches of the globe, to anywhere but here really.
“I’ll transfer the final payment on the car renovation to you by the end of the week.”
The words struck her like a physical blow to the stomach. Turning to him slowly, she said, “The car’s not done.”
“No, but we are.”
“Just like that?” Pain made it hard to get the words out.
Not a hint of emotion touched those shuttered eyes that watched her. Controlled and remote, he shoved his hands into his jeans pockets. If they were out of sight, she wouldn’t know how they shook with the need to reach for her.
“This isn’t your fault. It’s mine.” His words were flat, toneless, a ghost of the man who’d held her, who’d loved her.
“Please.” Bitter, corrosive hurt leaked through and had her flinging hurtful words back at him. “Don’t bury me in platitudes. Either tell me the truth or shut up.”
“You want the truth?” Fury, self-loathing and grief burned his eyes as he took the two steps required to stop in front of her.
“You’re the reason I wasn’t with her. You’re the reason I didn’t check to see if she was safely tucked into bed like I always do.
You’re the reason she even wanted to learn to dive in the first place. You’re the reason I failed her.”
Every shouted word ripped her heart to shreds. Feeling like she was being buried alive, Max struggled to breath as his anger rained down on her.
“I told you. Repeatedly. I told you that I needed to take my responsibilities seriously and that I needed you to do the same. But as far as you’re concerned, everything is about fun. That’s what you’re all about, Max. Irresponsible, thoughtless fun.”
Rainbows. He’d said she reminded him of rainbows once. As if from a distance, she watched the cold, furious stranger in front of her continue to shout. Chirag moved forward to reason with him to no avail. Shaking off Chirag’s restraining arm, Krish swore viciously. “Get out, Max.”
Jerking back like he’d slapped her, Max took a faltering step away from the three of them. Turning dismissively away from her, Krish told Chirag, “See that she reaches home safely.”
“That’s not necessary.” Pride stiffened her spine and had her finding her voice.
Not deigning to respond to her comment, he turned away and walked into the emergency without a backward glance. The door shut behind him with a finality that resounded in Max’s heart.