Incense and Sensibility (The Rajes #3) - Sonali Dev Page 0,113

was filled with all the relief and joy he was feeling, and he could see it, even though she wasn’t near him, where she should be. “Will you call me when you get there and let me know everything?”

“Yes. We have so much to talk about.” I love you. He didn’t say it. It felt too casual to say it over the phone. His mind flew into the future, where they would have this: I love you’s uttered like simple words. Not words that made him feel unhinged with the weight and wonder of them.

She stayed on the phone. Happiness filling the silence as he raced down the freeway.

“You should call your family,” she said finally, knowing he’d called her first. Caring that he told everyone else.

“Yes, ma’am.” But she didn’t hang up and for a few minutes he just listened to her breathing coming through his car speakers, and soaked up what that felt like. “India?” He loved saying her name.

“Yash?”

“I can’t wait to see you again.”

“I know exactly how you feel. Now go.”

This time he listened. Then he called Nisha and asked her to let the family know. He’d work on the public statement himself, after talking to Arzu and seeing how she wanted it handled. Abdul was awake and Yash had never felt more happy to be alive.

Abdul was holding Arzu’s hand, his baby girl tucked in next to him. His parents sat by him, rubbing his feet with their hands.

“Boss!” Abdul’s smile was so vibrant that Yash almost forgot that they weren’t backstage waiting to go out and campaign. He almost forgot that nearly two months of Abdul’s life had been lost.

“She’s gorgeous, isn’t she?” the proud father said.

“Totally. Takes after her mother.”

That made Abdul laugh, a deep belly laugh that made the hope already filling Yash swell to bursting.

Abdul’s mother picked up a bright red box of Turkish delight and offered it to Yash. He took one. “Thank you.”

The darned thing was so delicious, and he was feeling so heady, that he asked her if he could have another piece.

She handed him the box. “It’s a day for celebration, have it all.”

“Obviously, you don’t know Yash, Ammi,” Abdul said. “Because he will eat the entire box.”

“Damn straight!” Yash said.

Abdul’s mother patted Yash’s arm. “I always trust a man who loves his sweets.” Then Abdul’s parents left to go home and get some rest. He’d woken up late last night, and they’d chosen to take the initial hours to themselves. Yash understood that.

For the next half hour, Arzu and Yash filled Abdul in, and played with Naaz, who was more cheery and alert than Yash had ever seen her. It was as if she knew her life had fallen back on its rails and that she was going to know her father’s love. Or maybe children reflected the world around them and this was the first day that the adults around her were not weighed down with sadness.

The doctors came in and gave them an update. Abdul’s scans and tests were perfectly normal. A miracle. He’d be free to go home in a matter of days. He was going to need some rehabilitative therapy to get back to normal, but he would get back to his usual healthy self soon.

“I heard your new bodyguard is a woman,” Abdul said with a smile. “Arzu tells me she’s totally badass.” He stroked his little girl’s head with a crooked finger, all the tenderness in the universe in that gesture.

“What can I say, I’m a lucky guy when it comes to my security detail.”

“Naaz has a role model. She can follow in her abbu’s footsteps, inshallah!”

“Hey! Naaz is going to chart her own footsteps,” Arzu said.

“You’re only saying that because her abbu gave you the scare of your life,” Abdul said.

“Her abbu almost killed her ammi with his heroics.”

“You find my heroics hot, admit it. Look at your face, you’re proud of me.”

Their eyes locked and it was a beautiful thing. “Mostly I was just missing your arrogance.” But her lips curved and she dropped a kiss on his cheek. “Since Yash is here and I know you’re dying to ask him about the campaign, I’ll go grab myself some coffee. Yash, would you like some?”

“Thanks. Do you want me to get it?”

“Nah, I need to stretch my legs.”

Abdul watched her leave. “My ammi said that Arzu didn’t leave the hospital the entire time I was here.”

“She’s fierce. You’re a lucky guy.”

“I know. I’m also lucky to be alive.

readonlinefreenovel.com Copyright 2016 - 2024