Chapter 87: chapter 87

SRUTHIThey say life is unplanned and you can never be prepared for the things that it throws at you. I have thought that to be too much of a stretch. How can you be not prepared for things that happen in your life? Even if things go out of hand, you can come up with a backup plan. But, now, standing in the middle of the road with Madhav suffering from an allergy reaction makes me realise how unplanned life is. One minute he was fine, the next he started to scratch himself. His skin is covered in red patches.Panic starts to kick in and for a few seconds, I just stand there frozen wondering what the hell do to. Then the reality kicks in and I start to take action.“Do you have a mushroom allergy?" I ask him.“I had it a long time ago. I didn't know I was still allergic to it.”“God! Madhav, allergies don't go away. Let me call an ambulance. We will get you admitted to the hospital,” I say guiding him to our rented car. He can walk but keeps rubbing his hands all over his body. His skin is turning red. His eyes are watery and he looks like he is about to pass out. I open the passenger door for him. He takes the seat without a protest. I am glad that he understands that he is in no state to drive and trusts me to drive him. “I don't want to go to the hospital,” Madhav says rubbing his arms. His face has red splotchs. I am never again letting him near a mushroom. “An antihistamine drug will do. Just get it from a medical shop. I will take the medicine and take some rest.”“No, I am taking you to the hospital,” I say in a firm tone putting the vehicle in reverse.“No, it is not needed," he protests but all his words fall on dead ears as I steer the car out of the lot and onto the road. This man is going to the hospital no matter what. I don't want anything to happen to him. I know mushroom allergy in normal cases is not lethal but I can't stop myself from worrying. He is right, an antihistamine would do the work but I don't want to take any risks with his health.  ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥“The effects of the medicine will start to show in half an hour or so. There is nothing to worry about. Other than the redness of his skin and itchiness, your husband is perfectly alright, Madam,” the doctor says scribbling on the prescription. “Apply this cream on the itching areas.”“Thank you, doctor,” I say and we walk out of his room.“The doctor has prescribed the antihistamine drug only, Sruthi,” Madhav grumbles looking at the prescription. He is still scratching his arms. I don't answer him and walk to the pharmacy. I get the prescribed medicines as Madhav waits in the parking lot. He has been quickly administered with that anti allegernt to prevent any serious harm. “Why didn't you tell me you have a mushroom allergy? Are you trying to make me guilty?” I ask as I get behind the wheel. I place the medicines on the dashboard and put the key in the car but don't turn on the ignition.I turn to look at Madhav. He looks guilty. Not the I-am-sorry-I-comitted-a-small-mistake guilty but he looks like I-have-comitted-a-grave-sin-and-there-is-no-atonement-for-it kind of guilty. The amount of guilt in his eyes surprises me. His shoulders are hunched and he avoids my eyes. He keeps looking at his lap with a brooding expression on his face.“Madhav,” I prompt placing a hand on his shoulder.He takes a deep breath and says, “I am sorry. I didn't think my allergy was this serious. In the past, I only felt nauseous and vomited if I ate mushrooms but this is the first time, I am getting this rashes and all.”“Since you are already suffering too much, I will forgive you this one time. So, cheer up, I am not angry at you. Tell me what else allergies you have. Are you allergic to seafood?”Madhav shakes his head, “No, I am not allergic to seafood. On the contrary, I love them to the point of obsession.”“Hmm,” I say making note of the point that he loves seafood. “Won't you ask me the same question?”A grin graces Madhav's lips and he meets my eyes, “I know you don't have any allergies.”“Did my brother tell you that?” I ask wondering if they both ever talked about me. If they did, what was it about?Madhav shrugs, “Maybe...,”Before he could finish the sentence, there was a loud knock on his side of the window. With a frown, he turns to the side and lowers the window. A man who looks older than Madhav stands with a questioning look in his eyes. He is dressed casually. Too casually. The bandage on the side of his head stands out.“Anand? It is been a long time. How are you?”“I am sorry,” Madhav's voice is polite yet cold. “But, my name is not Anand. I am Madhav. I think you mistook me for someone else.”The man looks confused, “Oh! I am sorry. You look like someone I knew.”When the man leaves, Madhav turns to me with a frown, “Why do people keep confusing me with someone? Do I have a common face?”I stare at his face. My eyes take in his sharp set of jaw that could cut marble.  The little scar above his eyebrow and the way his hair kisses his forehead are unique to him. The best feature of all that is his grey eyes which seem to have the power to pull me into a trance whenever I look into them. My eyes travel down his nose and pause at his lips. Not for the first time, I wonder how it would feel to have those lips against mine.Madhav clears his throat and I realize, I am staring at him too intently. I remove my gaze away from him feeling a blush creep up my neck. I throw a sideways glance at him to find him rubbing his neck nervously. Seems like I am not the only one who is shy all of a sudden.“You don't have a common face. You have a face that people could never forget,” I answer and start the car.❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥