Chapter 173

She didn’t like him at first; he was there for her mother whenever he needed her. He got her mother a better job, which eased up their finance and he gave her space and promised her that he is not trying to take her fathers place when her mom and decided to tie the knot.

It took some time for her to get used to him in their home and in this new life, but he made it easier on her by not interfering in her personal space and of course now the double income, his paycheck too made a lot of difference. Things changed one her mom gave birth to a baby boy.

Every time she looked at him playing with her step-brother, she longed for her dad, slowly it changed and she longed for his affection, but he didn’t seem to understand that and continued to give her space, she didn’t want it anymore; she wanted him to be a part of her life, more like a dad.

Chapter 172

They moved in with her grandmother, she didn’t like it, she was angry at everyone, she didn’t want to go to school, she wanted her dad to come back, she had made new friends and she missed her dad the most on her birthdays, every year she made a wish that he should come back.

She longed for a fathers love every time she looked at other kids with their father. He grandmother passed away when she was nine and this time she understood that she won’t be coming back, she was old and God wanted her to come to him, same thing her mom told her when her father died.

She didn’t understand then but believed her then; she understood now and didn’t believe her. But she still longed for a dad, and she hated Father’s day. Years passed by and she was entering her adolescence when Morris Clan came into their life, a charming handsome man according to her mother, but he looked more like a macho man to her, with a round face and a shaven head, average in height.

Chapter 171

Her father was a carpenter, she loved him, she loved him dearly, and she was daddy’s girl, at least that’s what everyone said. She was proud of him, his accomplishments; there was not a single house in the town that didn’t have his work. He was a hard worker, worked too hard to provide for his family and eventually too much work killed him.

She was almost six, when she heard the news about her dad, she didn’t understand, she wanted him to wake up, she wanted him to talk to her, she didn’t know why her mother was crying and why all the neighbors had gathered in her home. He looked peaceful and happy lying there.

She was angry at everyone for not let her to wake her dad up; she wanted to show him the picture she had drawn for him, she wanted to tell him that she can give it to him and it doesn’t have to be a surprise anymore. She felt angry, since it was the first time her dad had come home this early to spend time with them, but he was not waking up!

Chapter 170

They had walked towards the nearby park and sat on a bench overlooking the manmade artificial lake and were enjoying the evening. Birds chirped and fluttered around the birdfeeder nearby. Finches clung to a bag of thistle hanging on a tree branch, only ten
feet from me. They'd grown used to human presence and no longer flew away when someone walked by. She watched them pull the thistle through the tiny openings in the fabric. Their feathers - red, purple and yellow - were beautiful.

From a distant tree, she heard the song of a cardinal - purdy, purdy, purdy. The song changed. It was a starling. Next, it was a version of the robin's evening song. A little later it was a song she couldn't identify. It was a mocking bird. For more than thirty minutes, he sang through his repertoire of songs. He was loud; his singing perfect. He didn't have a song of his own. He mocked the songs of other birds, pieced them together, and created a concert for her enjoyment.

The mocking bird continued to sing, ignoring the hammering from down the street, where workers were building a house. Particularly one old man, a carpenter, used skills, learned as a young man. Over time, the carpenter learned more. He added his personal touch to his work. He took the basics he learned from those before him and made it a creation of his own.

Chapter 169

Amazingly he remembered its geography, and he continued saying that it was at the intersection of Park Road, and York Street, Portman Square. She turned around with an amazing look in her eyes, wondering how he remembers all these streets. He seemed to have lost track of where he was and it seemed as if he was in London at that movement and he continued talking about Baker Street and its history.

She let him talk and got lost in her memories, good time they had together, she realized the best times that he had in London, were the ones when she was with him, after he had come into her life, no matter how things were, when she was with him, they seemed far, as if they were someone’s troubles and not hers. She felt the same right at that moment strolling along the sidewalk with him and reliving those wonderful memories.

Carissa Landri, no matter how famous she was, how gorgeous she was, appearing on the cover of most international and fashion magazines, was married to the brilliant designer of all times; women wishing to look like her, men wanting to be with her, one who had lived her dreams, who had started from the bottom rock with mental agony from childhood and made to be the top most model with contracts she couldn’t even remember, will all that, all she really enjoyed was this movement, this walk, a walk through the memory lane with the man, the only man she ever loved!

Chapter 168

Time passed by, Akshar knew Carissa was not going to open up, he sensed that she was contemplating weather to talk to him about it or not, at the same time she wanted to open up to him, knowing her background, all about her life, he decided not to push it and let her take her time, realizing that she might want to feel at ease, after all it has been a while since they saw each other.

He suggested that they could go out for a stroll and she acknowledged, remembering the old times how they used to stroll in the streets of London, mainly Baker Street, hand in hand, taking the tube train and how long they spent the Madame Tussauds wax museum.

As if reading her mind, he asked her if she remembered the Baker Street, one in the City of Westminster. He loved the fictions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle who is most famous for his fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, who lived at 221B Baker Street, an address that does not actually exist.

Chapter 167

They heard voices outside, the doctor stepped in followed by his family and they were interrupted and the doctor assured everyone that he was doing fine and he explained what he and his team will be doing today and he asked the nurse to bring in the team and he wanted to introduce the surgical team to the family to make them feel at ease.

He added, he has high prospects for Pryag and that everything should turn out fine and considering his age, he should recover quickly and asked if they had any questions. It was five minutes past nine when a nurse came in and gave the signal that they are ready. Everyone hugged Pryag, his sister and his mother shed tears unable to control them.

Pryag asked his brother in law to stay with the family since they were quiet upset and Diya asked the nurse if she could walk over with them until, where ever that is that she is allowed to. Pryag took her hand while she walked beside the stretcher along with a nurse and an assistant.

At the end Pryag turned around and said, “All I need to know is how you feel about me and that’s all I need to bring me back to you. I know how you feel or at least I thing I do”. Before he could finish, she leaned towards him and kissed him fiercely on his worn out, exhausted lips, while a couple of tear droplets kissed his cheeks.

She let his hand go and said that she will right there waiting for him.

Chapter 166

He asked her to sit next to him and she helped him get to a comfortable sitting position. He took her hand and thanked her for being there and for being supportive of him and her family. He stopped her when she tried to interrupt by placing his right index finger on her soft and silky lips and nodded his head indicating that he will do the talking.

He told her that she means a lot to him, more than she really knew and how much he loved her and it had taken this much time, well such an illness for him to break all the barriers and open up and pronounce his love for her. He could sense that his talks were making her feel as if he was not coming back and noticed a small tear forming in the corner of her left eye.

Ignoring the nurse who just walked in, he continued. What you mean to me and how much you mean to me is something that will take a whole life time to show you; I know how I feel about me and our chemistry or whatever you want to call it, there is something that can’t be explained but only felt.

Chapter 165

Somehow at eight in the morning there were too many people in the hospital cafeteria and it was taking too long to get a couple of sandwiches and some coffee. Finally when it was her turn she placed the order and moved to the pickup line it was already eight twenty and she knew that everyone will be with Pryag now.

By the time she got there, Pryag had been moved to the preparation room and the nurse was saying that the doctor will be with them in just a few minutes. Pryag was delighted to see her. She placed the coffee and the sandwiches on the table next to him and the nurse indicated that they can’t bring food in there.

His brother in law volunteered and took them outside and asked everyone to step outside and have their coffee before it turns cold, indirectly indicating that they should leave Diya and Pryag alone. Taking the hint, his wife nudged her parents to step out leaving Pryag and Diya all to themselves.

Chapter 164

They were all ready by 7.30 AM and they were all a little tense and no one was interested in having breakfast since today was the big day. His friend and his wife were very courteous and understood the tension they were all in. By 7.40 AM they were on their way to the hospital which was just ten minutes away from there.

Pryag was getting ready for the surgery, all the preparations were going on, and he had three nurses attending to him, or at least was in and out of his room. The nurse suggested that it would take another five to ten minutes before they could see him. The doctor was in his office with the anesthesiologist and a couple of more assistants going through the procedures, X-Rays, MRI’s.

Diya suggested that they can grab some coffee and some sandwiches in the meantime and Chari instantly refused to have anything. Diya volunteered that she will get something for all of them while they wait there. She knew Chari’s could use some coffee to calm himself down and considering he was diabetic she was determined to get him to eat something.

Chapter 163

She had never thought about where she going to stay that night, thank god to Chari’s friend who welcomed her into his house. Thanks to Chari, who had always considered her as a part of his family and his friend, whom had never met, also happened to be an acquaintance of her father, turned out to be better than she had expected.

They had finished their dinner in the hospital cafeteria before they go to their house and after an hours chit chat they all retired to bed. Chari and his wife shared a sleeping pill and gave one to her, just in case she needs it. She didn’t want to take any medicine unnecessarily, and considering the fact she was tired, she just slipped it onto her bag and went to bed.

Her mind lingered over the exchange of smiles between Pryag and his brother-in-law; she was curious to know what that was, but she knew there was no way to find out. She found herself smiling about her curiosity and not worrying about Pryag’s surgery. She had seen hope in his eyes, some kind of determination and confidence, guaranteeing that he will do just fine. That was what had driven her worries away and she closed her eyelids while her hands slid in-between her pillow and her cheek and her lips adorned a smile.

Chapter 162

She walked out with a puzzled look, thinking about what she had just seen, that really didn’t make any sense. She couldn’t think of anything that would take away the fear, agony and bring a satisfying smile on Pryag’s face. She wondered what had happened earlier and what was going on between him and his brother-in-law.

The two were not the thickest friends but they do get along pretty well. But from the look on his face, it felt as if he had completed the most important task on his behalf; He looked as if he had something to look forward to now in his life, a ray of hope was clearly visible on his face when she left. She walked over to her car with a puzzled look.

She was happy that there was something that had happened to bring such a change in him, especially before the surgery; His hope was contagious and she was starting to feel the same even though she was quiet curious to find out what had given him hope, the smile, the smile of satisfaction in his face!

Chapter 161

After an hour of waiting and will all the paper work and formalities taken care of, Diya accompanied by Chari and his wife spent some time with Pryag. She was not sure why, even Chari seemed relaxed, and so was his wife, Maybe she missed something that had happened earlier when they were discussing with the doctor while she was waiting.

Either way the environment and the nurses working there made them feel at ease, in spite of the ordeal that was expected. Chari and his wife had already made some arrangements to stay at a friends place nearby and it was almost eight and it was time for them to be out of there and the nurse indicated that he will do fine and they can be here as early as six in the morning since he will be undergoing surgery.

Pryag asked if he could have a word alone with Diya and every one else said their good byes and stepped out. He asked her if she will be there tomorrow and she nodded that she will be there, reached out to his hand and reassured him. He smiled with a satisfaction and his brother-in-law peeked in and gave him thumbs up and they exchanged a smile and he disappeared that she couldn’t comprehend.

Chapter 160

After an hour of waiting and will all the paper work and formalities taken care of, Diya accompanied by Chari and his wife spent some time with Pryag. She was not sure why, even Chari seemed relaxed, and so was his wife, Maybe she missed something that had happened earlier when they were discussing with the doctor while she was waiting.

Either way the environment and the nurses working there made them feel at ease, in spite of the ordeal that was expected. Chari and his wife had already made some arrangements to stay at a friends place nearby and it was almost eight and it was time for them to be out of there and the nurse indicated that he will do fine and they can be here as early as six in the morning since he will be undergoing surgery.

Pryag asked if he could have a word alone with Diya and every else said their good byes and stepped out. He asked her if she will be there tomorrow and she nodded that she will be there, reached out to his hand and reassured him. He smiled with a satisfaction and his brother-in-law peeked in and gave him thumbs up and they exchanged a smile and he disappeared that she couldn’t comprehend.

Chapter 159

Visiting hours for inpatient rooms are 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily. Ambulatory patients may also visit with guests in the waiting rooms located on each floor, in the cafeteria or the lobby areas. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied at all times by someone over 18 years of age.

She must have read it a zillion times and by this time she knew it by heart. It was written in a navy blue print and was framed in a golden trim that popped out of the wall. No one sitting there could miss it, well that was their point. If one would walk closer, can read the letter in the fine print which was in red and in italics that read “The purpose of this policy is to create a safe, private environment for all patients, visitors, and employees….”

She waited outside in the lobby while the nurse and Pryag’s family went through the paper work and all other formalities. She was much calmer than she was compared to the last time she was there. She was not sure why, but she was confident that everything would turn out to be fine.