39 chapter 39

"Mind your language Arnav, this is a hospital for heaven's sake. And moreover, I dint suggest a sexual assault act'--" he used air-quotes sarcastically. "I was just suggesting that we should let her brain register such an intention from the opposite gender-- " he stressed "--and see if indeed this is the only thing that she is reacting to. We had been just witnessing her fluctuating heart-beat caused by the stories Lavanya has narrated, but I was just having this thought to try it literally and see what happens, but it was you, who took things in hands---"

"And how would you do that? Get any man to touch her improperly?"

"How does that bother you?"

"If you think she is just some random patient of yours on whom you can perform your stupid over-intelligent experiments just to prove your skill then let me make this very clear Angad, I'll not let that happen!"

"Oh really? So I'm the desperate one here? Super! And so you decide to take everything in your hands? Dint you realize you went overboard with your so called act and thus ended up earning the wrath from her? Although I'm not complaining the progress in her recovery, but seriously? Why am I the only one being blamed here?---"

"Just shut up!!" Arnav yelled yet again and this time Angad frowned annoyingly urging him to keep it low.

"Seriously Arnav you are over-reacting. You should be relieved to have earned a reaction; the CBI will be here any moment with their little interrogation, you will have your answers and so the much needed rescue from the case and off you can go!--"

"I---"

"And if it's your time, money and effort that you are concerned about, I'll let her know about it. She would need another few weeks to recover completely, I have already talked to physiotherapists who would be needed for her limbs; maybe she will give her vote of thanks to you and repay you later--"

"Will you just shut up already?" Arnav snapped clearly disoriented by the way in which his friend is making it all seem too easy when in reality he had been struggling to settle his mind into the much needed peacefulness about the situation he was in. "Who do you think you are to decide anything about her?"

"No one actually, just like you, but I take this great honor to be her doctor and being a doctor I can advice someone not to see my patient for her well-being--" Angad's voice suddenly became authoritative yet hesitant and he internally felt sorry for his friend who had been struggling with a lot of inner turmoil, much more than he would let on. As much as he did mean what he just said, it was his friend that he is more concerned about. Angad had been seeing him all these days and he knew his friend all too well to believe that he had done everything just for the reasons he claimed.

Having just been informed about Khushi's mental condition by the psychiatrist who recently consulted her, Angad was almost sure she wouldn't let Arnav around her and might even become hysterical about it. Him being around her after what happened that night would not only mean excess of stress to Khushi but would also add up to Arnav's never ending unusual concern for her, and this seemed like an uncertain tangle of situations to both of them. It would only result in messing up these already messed things. Right now what both of them needed is time and space. Khushi, more importantly needs to find her own way back to life which dint quite seem possible with Arnav being around. The recent encounter only added up to his already analytical mind and he now exactly knew what he had to do.

And right now, looking at how his friend's face took a complete U-turn from a destructing rage to disheartening paleness, how his eye-brows creased into a thoughtful frown, how his friend looked guilty, confused, determined and worried all at the same time, Angad was just more sure about what he have decided--