Chapter 31: chapter 31

SHIVA“I still don't understand how me getting off work early is going to surprise Gowri,” I tell on the phone as I shut the car door.“Believe me, Shiva, it will,” tells Bala uncle.Today morning, though I told Bala uncle,  that things between me and Gowri had cooled off, he insisted on me going home early to surprise her.I seriously have no interest in surprising Gowri but if I didn't leave the company, Bala uncle would have got his doubts and may report it to my mom. Which I don't want. So, with no other option, I left the company. If my car didn't have a GPS tracker, then I would have gone somewhere else to stall time but unfortunately, my car has and very unfortunately Bala uncle has access to it. Come on, Shiva. You shouldn't sound upset. Then your ruse will be out. How would a newly married man sound?“I hope this works,” I tell in an apprehensive tone mixed with excitement.I hear Bala uncle's chuckle, “I have experience in romance for thirty-five years. Believe me, this will work.”“Now you are playing the role of what is that creature called? The one with wings and harp?”“Cupid,” Bala uncle tells with a laugh. “Yes, Shiva, since you are stupid in romance life, I am playing your cupid.”I sigh. This man and his rhyming words. “Okay, uncle. Thanks for the tip.”“All the best,” he tells and hangs up.Wait, ‘All the best’? Isn't that something we use for examinations and interviews? Why is he telling that now?I glance at my watch. Five thirty in the evening. The shoe stand shows her flowery sneakers. Gowri is home. Why am I suddenly nervous? I just got off work early. I will go inside and head to my room without a glance at her. I insert the key into the door and hold my breath.🍀🍀🍀🍀GOWRII am home sitting on the sofa. My injured leg is propped up on the coffee table and is aimlessly scrolling through my phone. I should ice my ankle but when I opened the fridge for ice cubes, there were none. So, I refilled the ice cube holder and am waiting for the water to turn to ice.My thoughts go back to Jay. I  don’t understand what he wants from me. He told me, he loves me but the emotion today I saw in his eyes wasn't love. It was lust. He was about to kiss me and when I pushed him away, he went off in ang-Wait, What Is That Sound? A key is inserted into the door and turned. It is not even six. Why is Shiva early? Oh no! I must go to my room. He will be pissed off if he sees me sitting here.As I am about to get up, the door swings open and Shiva stands in the doorway. He gives me a half-smile which eases my panic.“Good evening,” I greet him. Why do I sound nervous? Shiva nods his head in greeting but his face goes stone when he takes in my bandaged leg. “Gowri, what happened to you?” he asks in a concerned tone. I try not to show the surprise on my face. This is new for me and I am still trying to get used to Shiva's concern. He just changed from an utterly cold man to a concerned one in two days.“I sprained my ankle,” I reply not wanting to go into the embarrassing details.“Have you seen the doctor?” he asks.I nod. “What did he say? Is it a severe sprain? Or mild one?”“Mild.”“Did you ice it?”“I was about to an hour ago but there were no ice cubes in the fridge. So, I am waiting for it to freeze. It would probably be ready. I will ice it now,” I tell removing my leg from the coffee table but I am not careful enough as I bump into the edge of the table. Pain shoots through me and I draw in a sharp breath.“Don’t bother to stand up. I will get the ice pack for you,” he tells going to the kitchen.“No, you don't have to,” I tell but he is already opening the fridge door. I hear him removing the ice cubes from its holder and a few seconds later, the fridge door shuts. “Here,” he tells giving me a zip lock pack filled with ice cubes. I take it from him and wait for him to go to his room but instead, he seats himself on the single-seater sofa and watches me.“What? Why are you staring at me?” I ask sharply. Because his gaze is making me conscious. So conscious that I am not sure of myself.  He chuckles and that sound is odd coming from him but good odd.“Gowri, have you done this before?” he asks in a gentle tone.I shake my head. When the doctor told R.I.C.E, I seriously wondered why I should follow rice. Only after I googled it up did I know there exists a treatment known as rest, ice, compression and elevation or in short R.I.C.E.“Then listen carefully, icing your sprained ankle can be dangerous if you don’t apply the ice pack carefully. It may even cause more pain if applied wrongly.”“Do you know to ice it?” I ask. In response, a proud smile lights up his face. “Yes, when I was in ninth grade I sprained my ankle. So, I have prior experience in doing this.”“Fine, then, teach me,” I tell not meaning it but he gets up from his place and comes near me and extends his hand to me.“Huh?” I say still surprised that he is willing to stay in the same room as I am for more than five minutes. Yeah, I had always noticed in my past encounters with him how he ached to move away from me.“Ice pack,” he says.I hand it over to him. He moves the coffee table to the side and sits down comfortably on the floor with the ice pack on his side. He looks at the injured ankle before looking at me with questioning eyes.“Can I?” he asks pointing to my leg. I nod my head and lean on the sofa.He slowly removes the bandage and inspects my ankle gently like he is worried that his touch would cause me pain. But his touch is light. Feather light. My leg tingles at the places he touches. When he twirls the toe ring on my toe softly with a smile, goosebumps travel through my whole body. I am grateful Shiva doesn't notice it as he suddenly gets up and moves to the kitchen and comes back with the ice pack wrapped in a towel.He resumes his position on the floor and places the ice pack softly on my ankle. I inhale sharply at the coldness of the ice on my ankle. But it is relieving.“Set a timer for twenty minutes,” he tells motioning to my phone that is lying next to me.“So, tell me how should I do this?” I ask him. “Okay, listen, never try to ice your sprain for more than twenty minutes. Ice it as regularly as possible. Avoid walking as much as possible.... ” he is telling but my mind seems to ignore his lecture as I focus on his face that was never this close to me or I did never observe it like now.He still has his beard but it is shorter than I remember. Maybe he had trimmed it. His eyes are intently focused on the ice pack as he slowly moves it around my ankle easing my pain. His hair is neatly combed and I have a strange urge to ruffle it. His lips are moving in the lecture for me but no words enter my ears, even if it enters my mind is slowly processing them.Oh no! Why couldn't I take my eyes off him? Why is his face so distracting today? Without any warning, he suddenly raises his head and meets my gaze. My breath hitch. His eyes are amused like he knows I am not listening to his lecture.“I asked you a question,” he tells giving me a raised brow.Question? I think back but somehow the only thing I heard for the last few seconds were some distance and faraway guitar music.“Sorry, I wasn't listening,” I confess turning red. When was the last time I zoned out like this? Maybe in my sixth grade?He searches my face for a second before a slow grin spreads on his face. It seems like he wants to say something but he holds it back.“I asked you, how did you sprain your ankle?”Oh boy! I was hoping he won't ask that question. I want to tell him a lie and save myself from being embarrassed today. But when I open my mouth the truth tumbles out.“I slipped at the top of the stairs and fell,” I reply looking at my hands feeling ashamed. I feel like an idiot for falling like that. Who in their right sense would tumble down the stairs like that?“You weren’t looking where you were going?” “Yes, I was occupied in my mind that I didn’t notice the floor,” I answer in a small tone.“There is nothing to be embarrassed about being occupied and falling down the stairs and you don’t have to be self-conscious before me,” Shiva tells in a comforting voice that makes me look at him. I search his face to see if he is being sarcastic but his eyes are sincere. “Why?” I ask.“Remember you read my diary entries? All my private thoughts and opinions,” he tells raising his eyebrow.Busted!My cheeks flush at his accusation. I didn’t expect him to find out so sooner. Yes, apart from the incidents there were a lot of other things he had written. “I was just curious about your past,” I tell avoiding his eyes. Ugh. Why do I suddenly feel like a teenager justifying her mistake?“How did you feel about me after reading it?” I have a crush on you after reading it. I wanted to say but hey, I have some dignity.“You were different in your journal from the Shiva I know. I wondered where that caring and gentle Shiva have gone? But I didn't judge you.”“Why?”“Because I have my faults and I don't own the right to judge you,” I tell in a sincere tone. He smiles a full smile. This is the first time I see him smile that smile and it makes my heart flutter.“You keep surprising me,” he tells his eyes delighted.🍀🍀🍀🍀