The nurse fixed Rey up with a bandage. Fortunately, it was a scalpel, and he needed only minor stitches. Sengupta and others had arrived to meet her after getting the word from Rajiv, but they couldn't. Due to her mental health issues, she was not to meet anyone. After what happened, even Reyansh was asked to stay away. He was sitting in the corridor with a blank face. Everyone else was standing around quietly. They couldn't imagine what she had been feeling all those days, being tortured and strapped up to a chair. Although she made significant progress, her mental condition was not getting any better. Rey was tensed. He used to be the safest person for her, and now she couldn't even recognise him. Maybe somehow her heart really knew what he did these few months.
"Well, at least she woke up. She will be better in a few days. We shouldn't expect too much." Roy's words broke the silence. "I think we'll take our leave, Mr. Roychowdhury. Keep us posted."
Rey nodded, and they left. He was staring blankly at the ceiling. He couldn't get over what happened awhile ago. Shyra did not recognise him. Not his voice, not his touch, nothing. The doctor scolded him for what happened. Vikram was loafing around. He sat down beside him. A few minutes later, he said, "Sir?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you think you want to go through the recordings?"
"What recordings?"
"Sengupta and his team apparently have some footage of the incident."
Vikram need not say anything anymore. Rey's expression had already turned dark. He sprinted off to the exit. But the doctors stopped him. "Do not leave the corridor premises. Your wife is in critical condition. We may need to contact you at any time. It's best to stay here."
Rey's bloodshot eyes made them step back a little, but Vikram was quick to handle the situation. "Well, sir, I think they are right. If Ma'am wakes up and you are not here, then it could upset her."
Vikram didn't need to say anything more. Rey silently sank back to her seat. He thought the most devastating thing for him was to see her in that condition, but the incident that took place awhile ago left him more broken than anything else.
How could she not recognise him? How could she get so scared of him? He would never do anything to hurt her! He would never lay a finger on her, even if all hell broke loose! Yet, to his surprise, she was in fact extremely scared of him. So much so that she stabbed him deep enough to need stitches with a mere scalpel! That wasn't even the worst thing; the worst thing was that he couldn't see her anymore. Right now, he wanted to stay by her side more than anything!
------------------
"Just when we thought things were getting better..." Arjun sounded depressed.
"We can't expect a lot right now," Roy sighed. "Be happy that she at least woke up. Now at least there's a little more hope that she might recover from this."
"Recover? You two haven't seen any of the footage. You think anyone can recover from something like this?" Rohan scorned. "Physically, she might recover enough to gain back the strength to walk; mentally, she might never recover. I couldn't even look at the footage, and she lived it!"
Arjun clutched his head with his hands. It was a major mishap. They weren't even thinking about all of it. They only wanted her to wake up. They thought everything would be fine the moment she became conscious. Now that they had a little glimpse of her mental condition, they realised it was beyond hope to even think about it. Yet he hoped against hope that everything would be fine at some point. If it is not fine, it will be better.
To Rohan, it was a nightmare that would haunt him till his death. Only if it were a nightmare could he at least wake up from it. The little things they were expecting seemed like far-fetched dreams now.
Rajiv was surprisingly quiet and organised. He wasn't speaking to anyone. He sat at his desk, working and doing nothing else. He would not pay any attention to any other talk, not even talks regarding Sharmishtha. Sengupta was busy with the court and the families of the victims. The whole incident obviously attracted his superiors, who put him under scrutiny. It was considered a breach of his duty and protocols. He called in between his extremely hectic schedule to check up on Sharmishtha.
------------------
"Sir?" Vikram called. "Sir, we need you to sign this for the publishing branch. Sir?"
Vikram's words were not reaching Rey, for he was deep inside his own dreams. He was searching for his beloved Shyra in his sweet memories now that he couldn't see her in person.
"Rey? I can call you Rey, right?" The lady seemed nervous.
"Well...ye-yes you can." Rey wasn't doing any better. He felt his heart would pound out of his chest at any moment. He didn't like this feeling. He was not sure what it was, but the presence of this lady shot up his heartbeat. He felt a tug on his chest.
"Well, we are already here," she said again.
"Hmm?" He seemed a little confused.
"We are already at my place, Rey. I will be leaving then." She was extremely polite.
"Oh yes. Surely," Rey replied softly. His eyes seemed tantalised at her direction. He couldn't avert them from her as he watched her vanish into the lobby. As he stood as baffled as a deer in headlights, a rough hand jerked his shoulder. "What is this, Rey? Explain yourself!" Rajiv yelled as usual.
"Huh?" He didn't understand what he wanted him to explain.
"I got you a date with the scariest woman in my office, and you only barely chatted?"
"What else was I supposed to do?"
"Come on, don't play dumb. This is a major hit to your reputation with women you know!"
"How come?"
"Well, it looks like your handsome charm isn't working here," Rajiv said heartily.
"You just called her the scariest one yourself."
"Well, of course I can't blame you. That cold face really stops your heart, you know! But you begged me so much to get her on a date. And after the lengths I had to go, you only barely chatted? I must say I am very disappointed." Rajiv went on complaining as they walked out of the building towards a modest cafe.
Cold? Rey couldn't agree with it in the slightest! She was anything but cold. Scary? Yeah, he saw the scary lady at the dock a few years ago, but right at the moment she wasn't scary in the slightest. To his surprise, she turned out to be the warmest and kindest person he had ever met.
"I can't do this," he sighed.
"What?" Rajiv asked eagerly.
"I can't date her, Rajiv. She isn't my type." Rey sighed again.
"What? I am sorry, what? Isn't this the same person you were begging me to introduce you to?" Rajiv almost screamed in disbelief.
"Damn, you are loud. Quiet down, man, we are at a cafe for God's sake!" Rey looked around and spoke again: "And I am sorry. But I seriously can't do this."
"Oh, come on! So your charm didn't work on the first date! It will surely work the next time. Don't worry about it," Rajiv said as he gulped the coffee.
"It's not about that." Rey hesitated a little.
"Then?" Rajiv leaned in a little with curiosity.
"Uhhhh. It's hard to explain right now. But I can't do this."
"Listen!" Rajiv sighed. "She practically killed me with a pen knife for this. You understand where I am going with this?"
"Oh, how come you are still alive?" Rey smirked.
"Come on, it's no joke. Honestly, she will carve me up for this." Rajiv gestured with the knife in his hand.
"It would be rather entertaining." Rey took a sip of his coffee.
"Get serious," he scolded.
"I am serious. Your face is rather boring," Rey said again.
"Listen. I am seriously distressed right now. I went through so much trouble to get you this date, and you won't even try her out?"
"Excuse me?" Rey seemed offended. "Try her out? What is she? Chocolate?" He scoffed.
"W-ell. I mean, it's not very different from your view of women. Come on now, are you really going to play dumb?"
"I am sorry, but that's lecherous and even perverted."
"I thought that's who you were!" Rajiv smirked as he took a bit of the cake.
"It must be your influence!" Rey smirked back.
"Oi oi oi...where did you learn to talk like that? Besides, it's not like I am suggesting anything out of character," Rajiv said.
"Well, based on this conversation, I am not sure which one of us is out of character right now," Rey said, scrutinising Rajiv.
"What's with the look?" Rajiv asked in annoyance.
"You're seriously talking in such way about your friend?" Rey asked seriously.
"Well, to be honest, I was hoping she would fix you up a little! I mean, I can already see the improvement!" Rajiv smiled wide.
"What if I break her instead?" Rey asked hopelessly.
"You can't." Rajiv smiled again.
"What if I do?" Rey was serious.
"Well, if you do, I will help her hide your body; besides, you can't," Rajiv stated profusely.
"How are you so sure?"
"Because you are in love."
"Oh, come on!" Rey exclaimed as he prepared to leave. "I am sorry, but she is too good for me. I am not in love. She is just too pure for me to ruin." Rey started walking away.
"Oi, where are you going? Come back, you little leech!" Rajiv screamed after him, but Rey walked on. "Are you hiding your red-flushed face? Oi, pervert, come back. Be a man, you scum. Accept it."