6

— H O O R —

“How are you now?” I ask her as soon as I reach her room. Parul, my friend, lives in her room though there's nobody to take care of her. Along with my dad, I take care of her because she is also suffering. 

I have no problem taking care of two people at a time but who wants to see their loved ones suffering from diseases that can be proven fatal in later stages of life? 

They say the human mind is prone to think negatively first. And the same is with me, of course, because Parul’s health only deteriorated. My dad could not walk after an accident at his workplace and I was broken when I found he could not walk anymore. 

I have seen him struggling and regretting on his own that all the burden was automatically on my shoulders. I could not save him at that time but I can save my friend from getting sicker than she already is. 

Parul is lying in bed. She looks up at me as soon as she hears my voice. I first came to check on her because I knew Dad would be sleeping in his room at this time. He usually takes naps after taking medicines. Though drugs heal, we can't ignore they make us sleepy and weary too.

Instead of answering me, Parul tries to sit up, which I do not find adorable at all. I do not understand why she takes everything so lightly?! 

“Hey, I asked you how you are. I didn’t ask you to get up.” I glare at her. 

She sighs. “I’m good,” she tells me. Her voice is hoarse and weary. 

“I see. Have you taken the medicine?” I ask another question, coming to her and taking a seat near her covered-in-a-blanket legs. 

She gives me an obedient nod and I smile at her. Our small conversation began and we laughed and talked heartily. She asks me about my day and I tell her everything. Even about that feral monkey that turned out to be my customer. 

Parul laughed when I started ranting about him, about his arrogant personality and our little quarrel. Parul seemed to find it funny. Of course, anyone would when they know how we quarreled but if they stand in my place, they would realize how annoying that man was!

After my rant was over, Parul suggested that we visit a park so I can watch the sunset and enjoy the moment. I know she wanted to visit a park so she could lessen my anger. And I agreed on that. 

•• 

Parul has been ill for a few days. And because of the illness, she was not able to go to work and she had to lie on the bed due to a fever throughout the day. So it was a good idea to come out to a park and see nature. 

It gives peace to see the sun setting. The heart feels relaxed and in the summer, the wind blowing in the evening cools the skin of the body. Maybe that will be enough to make Parul feel good. She must have been bored while lying in bed all day. 

After reaching the park, I made her sit on one of the benches in the park, in front of which the sun was setting. 

“Beautiful…” She mumbled, looking in the front. 

“Yeah, so much.” I smiled, looking down at her. I sat next to her and watched the sun. 

“Sir asked something about me?” She asked me, gaining my attention. 

“Yes. He asked about your health. He wants you to get well soon and come back to work.” 

“So he must’ve bothered you for the delivery work.”

“I’m handling it like an expert.”

She looks at me. I arch my brow, asking her indirectly what she found worthy looking at my exhausted face. 

“Thanks,” she said, smiling. 

“For what?” I tilted my head, asking her. 

“For being this good and selfless.” She shrugged her shoulders. I smiled and looked back at the sun. No, I am not selfless here. I, like crazy, want to see my beloved doing fine and living healthily, so if it takes my sleep and rests to let them rest and gain energy back, I am going to do it without a second question.  

We sat there like this for some time. Dad might be seeing the same thing from the window of his room. I know he does it regularly. After that accident, he stopped leaving his room. He rarely came out. Mostly for check-ups. 

After sitting for a while, a child came running to us whose ball had stopped near our bench. 

He bent down and picked up the ball and then an old man also came after him who was gasping for air. 

“Ryan! Run slowly!” The old man said to him, bending down and holding his knees.

“What Grandpa! Who runs this slow?” He complained, looking up at the man. 

“For me, Ryan?” He requested, but the kid shook his head frantically and started running. 

“Ryan! Carefully! You will fall!” The man yelled behind him and then started taking deep breaths. I sighed and looked at Parul, who was smiling. 

“Now I have to run after him again.” I heard him muttering. Kids are so annoying, no? Can't they see how hard it is for an old man to run without any trouble? 

But whom am I blaming? I was also like that in my childhood. 

“But you should sit back and relax.” My words got his attention and he looked over at me. For a moment, he kept looking at me and suddenly his lips parted as if he was surprised. 

I look at him with confusion. I doubt if I am ugly. Yeah, as I am a woman who knows her worth, I know I have a pretty face crafted by the almighty. 

“Grandpaa!” Both of us look in the direction from where the kid’s voice came. I gasp when I find him lying on the ground, on his stomach and he is crying. 

Unable to hold myself, I got up and asked the man to wait because I could see he was not in some condition to run. He agreed with it and I rushed to the kid. 

Reaching the child, I picked him up hurriedly and checked his wound. It was not a great injury, just his knee was chipped. 

“Hey relax, it's okay,” I cooed him, wiping his tears away from those chubby cheeks. They were soft and pink as I felt the touch. 

“It’s hurting.” He looked down at his knee. 

“Well yeah, you should’ve listened to your grandfather but you kept on running.” I know I sounded rude but scolding kids is not something bad. 

I take a neat handkerchief from the pocket of my jeans and wrap it around his wound so it does not come in contact with the dirt around. 

“Yeah, I should’ve,” he murmured in an English accent, voice cracking once again. The boy even seemed half-Indian. 

“C’mon, don’t start crying again. You’re strong, aren’t you?”

He bobbed his head, a pout on his lips. He is so cute that I want to kiss his chubby cheeks. 

"Hm, good." I hold his hand and then make him stand. I know he should not walk before treating the wound nicely. 

“Would you mind if I pick you up?” I ask him, looking down. 

“Rather I should ask, would you mind if I ask you to pick me up?” The kid asks innocently and I must say this kid has got some good manners and a way of asking. 

“Well, there’s no problem at all. Come,” saying that, I pick him up and walk towards the man. 

“What happened, is he okay?”

“Nothing much, he just got his knee scrapped.” I shrugged my shoulders, looking at the kid over my shoulder, who was holding my shoulders tightly. 

“Oh no… how will you go home now, sir?” The old man asked the little boy sarcastically. 

“I’m sorry, grandpa!” He cried out and quickly hid his face in the crook of my neck. Oh god, such cute actions of kids melt my heart. 

The man giggled. “It’s good you learned something.” He then looked at me and muttered, “Thank you so much, child.” 

“It’s okay, sir.” I shake my head. 

“Ryan, come here now.” The man asked the kid but I could not ignore it. I looked at his knee and then at the man. 

“Sir, I don’t think he should walk. We have to treat his wound first.”

“What if I pick him up?” He asked me. I sighed when I looked at the kid. His weight is normal for me but his weight can pressure the man’s knees. 

“You shouldn’t even think about it, sir,” I told him honestly. He sighed, nodding. 

“Then what should we do?” He murmured in confusion. 

“Hoor, can you drop him at home?” Parul said, looking at the man, “If sir hasn’t any problem.” 

“It’d be a great help then.” The man grinned. 

“Okay, I’ve no problem.” I shrugged. “What about you? Will you reach home alone?” I ask her, arching my brow at her. I am not surprised to find more people to handle because it is my habit now — to take care of others. 

“Of course, I’m not a little kid.” She got up from the bench and sighed. 

“Good. Take care. I’ll cook something once I reach home, okay? And let Dad know everything.”

“Fine.” She smiled before leaving. I also started walking with the man. 

“You must’ve known the way to our house that you have already come to, haven’t you?” He asks me suddenly. 

I nod. “Yeah. And I didn't even realize before… that your house would be so near to our place.” I remember the path I took from the shop to here. That road was very long, but today seeing these two in the nearby park, I understood that their house is not far from our house. 

He chuckled. “Nice to know that you haven't forgotten.” 

“No one can forget after knowing you, Mr Mathews.” I smiled, gaining his attention. He smiles back. 

“You’re a nice lady.” He sighed. “And I was wondering if you’d marry my son?” 

I stop walking the moment I hear him. What did he just say all of a sudden? Did I mishear him? I looked at him in disbelief. The expression on my face might look comical but I can't help it. 

As if he just realized what he said, he frantically shook his head, saying, “Oh, I was just overthinking about my son's life. Don't mind me,” he tried to ensure and I nodded, biting my bottom lip. 

I could not help but sigh heavily in my head. Of course, which rich man would come to me with his son's wedding proposal? That seems absurd, nor do I want to get married already? I have a dream to achieve. I have so much to do. I can't get married and ruin everything for myself. I have not achieved a degree and studied so hard just to get married and put a full stop to my desires and wants in life. 

“I hope you don't get me wrong but I always think about him.” Is his son that ugly that no girl is saying yes to him? But instead of passing any crude comment, I listen to the man silently. Old people tend to keep secrets buried in their hearts, waiting for someone to hear them out. 

“He doesn't want to get married and is still adamant about living alone. Can you believe it? He thinks he doesn't need a partner in his life?” 

I nod. He is right. “I understand, sir. The man wasn't made to live alone. God made Eve for Adam because he didn't find isolation good.” I speak without thinking twice because my knowledge is good and true. 

His eyes gleam when he listens to me. “It's good to see you have that knowledge.” I nod my head with a grin. I am also glad to know the Bible. 

“I hope he understands the same thing.” 

“Of course, he will.” 

“Would you mind telling him the same?” 

Eh? Once again I find the situation awkward as I just pass him a weird smile. What did he mean again? The man beside me is jolly but sometimes very unexpected. 

But to end the awkwardness, I swallow. “Sure. But I wonder if he'd want to hear me out. I mean, you're his father. He should listen to you. And I'm a stranger, so…” I think it is enough to give him that hint. 

He chuckles gingerly. “He will.” 

“How are you so sure?” I frown a little. But before I can get an answer, the destination arrives and I let the kid stand alone with his grandfather.