“Does it hurt too much?”
Rhetorical question. Keerthi would get scolded either way, she knew it.
“Um.”
“Go to sleep. Maybe it’ll be better in the morning.”
“Yeah. Ouch”, Keerthi cried when she put some pressure on her hips.
Vikram swallowed,”I think we should go to the hospital.”
Keerthi’s side throbbed in pain, tears welling her eyes. Did she really break something?
“It’s fine”, Keerthi said hesitantly. She wasn’t sure anymore. A simple bruise didn’t hurt that much, surely.
“Come on”, Vikram picked his wife in his arms.
Keerthi smiled when her husband took her hand in his, kissing the back of it and released it, as he shifted the gear.
“There was really no need”, Keerthi rolled her eyes when they were in the hospital premises.
“Nothing wrong in confirming”, Vikram shrugged, parking the car.
“Sure”, Keerthi mumbled under her breath.
“Why are you flinching repeatedly then?”, Vikram quirked a brow, when his wife joined him.
Keerthi gave her husband a flat look,”I have fun. That’s why.”
“You can have fun doing other things.”
“We are in a hospital Vikram.”
“I was talking about normal fun things. How is it my fault if you have sex on your mind all the time?”, Vikram teased his wife.
Keerthi blushed, slapping her husband’s arm gently.
The couple waited anxiously as they waited for the doctor to finish reading Keerthi’s reports, their hands intertwined.
No. Please don’t let anything be broken.
Keerthi prayed.
Vikram squeezed his wife’s hand, giving her a small smile, rubbing soothing circles on the back of her hand.
“Hmm. Mrs. Keerthi, your X-rays look fine. But, it looks like you some amount of soft tissue injury.”
Keerthi blinked. What did that mean?
“Your bones are fine. There’s no sign of fracture on any of your X-rays.”
Cool.
“I will prescribe you some antibiotics and pain relievers, for the pain and swelling to come down. Use them for a week. You should be alright.”
“Thank you”, Keerthi smiled.
“See, I told you there was nothing”, Keerthi sighed in relief, glancing at her husband when they walked out into the empty corridor.
“Yeah. I’m glad I’m wrong”, Vikram stroked his wife’s cheek.
Keerthi only squeezed her husband’s hand, looking at him with all the love she had for him.”I’m sorry I scared you.”
Vikram shook his head,”I’m relieved it’s nothing serious”, he kissed his wife’s forehead.
“How’s your pain?”, Vikram asked after some time, glancing at his wife seated in the car as he drove.
“It’s better now. I had received some weird medication with saline.”
Vikram glanced at his watch,”Are you up for some ice cream?”
He didn’t know if his plan of concert and dinner would work out tomorrow. His wife didn’t seem to be in a position to move around too much.
He could rest well if he could at least make her cut a cake.
Keerthi’s side ached, but she turned to her husband, grinning,”When am I not?”
Vikram squeezed his wife’s hand, driving to the nearest cafe.
He wanted her to rest, but he wanted to celebrate her birthday.
He ran a hand over his hair.
Keerthi hid a smile when her husband asked her to take a seat.
Though he wasn’t exactly doing a good job at surprising her, she knew he didn’t have much of a choice.
Keerthi’s lips twitched when she saw a cake in front of her.
“You said ice cream?”, she teased.
“Ice cream cake”, Vikram winked at his wife, joining her. He was glad the cafe was almost empty.
Keerthi grinned, shaking her head.
Vikram glanced at his watch,”Happy Birthday Sweetheart.”
Keerthi smiled,”Thank you”, she stretched a little, hiding the hiss about to leave her lips as she placed a kiss on her husband’s cheek.
“Come on”, Vikram handed his wife a knife.
They fed each other, smiles on their faces.
“Can we go on a long drive?”
Vikram frowned. He didn’t have a problem, but he didn’t know if his wife was up for it,”You aren’t well.”
“My pain has come down now.”
“Okay. But tell me when you start to get uncomfortable?”
“Of course!”
Vikram smiled at his wife, smiling, talking about the most random things as they explored the night life in Delhi.
“I am hungry”, Keerthi yawned, leaning against her husband’s shoulder as they sat on the hood of their car.
Vikram glanced at his wife,”Have the cake.”
“I don’t want to eat sweet. I want something else.”
Vikram rolled his eyes,”You are not exactly hungry then.”
“I am “, she said, eyeing the momos in the end of the street.
Vikram followed his wife’s line of vision,”No way.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t think you should have street food now. We’ll eat momos some other day?”
“It’s my birthday”, Keerthi pouted.
Vikram shook his head. His wife seemed to be taking full advantage that it’s her birthday,”Fine. But we’ll buy only if it looks hygienic.”
“Of course”, Keerthi’s nose wrinkled.
“The sunrise in Venice looked better.”
Keerthi slapped her husband’s shoulder,”You are only saying that because you like beach sunrises better.”
“You do too.”
“Yeah. But then I like sunrises. So it doesn’t matter”, she stared at the sky, enjoying the warm glow on her face.
“Let’s go home.”
“Why can’t we stay for some more time?”
“You think I didn’t see you wince a couple of times now?”
“But it feels good”, Keerthi stared into space, embracing the calm.
“We’ll come another time”, Vikram promised.
“Alright”, Keerthi yawned,”Can you drive back home?”
“Why not?”, Vikram’s eyes burned, as he reversed the car.
“I’m so sleepy now”, Keerthi yawned.
“Go to sleep. I’ll wake you when we reach.”
“Aren’t you sleepy too?”
“I am”, Vikram shrugged,”But the sooner we go home, the sooner we can hit the bed.
“It’s not going to look nice if we sleep through the day.”
“It’s your birthday”, Vikram shrugged,”You get to do whatever you want.”
Keerthi raised an eyebrow,”I get to do whatever I want anytime.”
“Of course”, Vikram agreed,”But, I feel like everyone gets to take a little lenience on their birthday. And you aren’t well, exactly. Go to sleep.”
“Okay. Thank you”, Keerthi closed her eyes.