Niharika

She woke up panting. She was drenched in sweat. She looked around her room to make sure no one is there. After confirming no one’s presence she sighed. It’s the same nightmare. It’s been two years; still she is tied with the past. Will she ever get over her past?

She looked at her phone, it is quarter past 6. She got down from the bed and walked into the bathroom. She splashed water on her face. Looking at the mirror she said to her reflection “it’s over Harika. You are free now.”

After talking bath she wore the bath robe and came out. She walked to her closet and started drying her wet hair by sitting in front of the dressing table. Hearing her phone ringing she came out and sat on her bed and looked at the screen. It was her mother. Creases forms between her eyebrows. It was so unusual of her mother.

With uneasiness she picked the call. It was silence in the other side of the phone. “Hello, mom, you there?” she asked. Then she heard sobs. "Mom, what happened? Why are you crying?” She asked again.

“It’s your dad. He is admitted in the hospital. He had a stroke.” Her mom said while crying.

“What? Mom don’t worry everything will be fine, ok. I’m on my way.”

She immediately changed into a kurti and pyjama, took her purse, phone and car keys. She ran to the lift after locking her room. She reached the parking lot and got inside her car and drove off to the hospital.

After reaching hospital, she rushed to the ICU. She saw her mother and sister sitting on the chairs in front of the ICU. She went near them and sat on her knees in front of her mother. Her mother looked at her with teary eyes. Then she hugged and cried saying “They said he went into a coma”.

She have to be strong for them. She can't freak out at a time like this. She convinced herself. “What happened to him suddenly? He was okay when we met three days ago at his office”. She asked as a whisper.

“I don’t know exactly. Something happened in the hotel. He was very disturbed for past two days. And yesterday night he came home drunk and slept even without changing his clothes. In the morning he woke me up and said he is not feeling well and needs some water. I was about to go and get water suddenly he collapsed on the ground. We immediately brought him here. They informed it was a stroke. But now they are saying he is in coma.” Her mother finished telling.

The doctor came out of ICU and looked at them. He asked Niharika to have a talk. She went inside his office with him.

“Doctor, how is he?” she asked.

“Ms. Niharika, we were able to make him stable now but due to the stroke or interrupted blood supply to the brain, caused by blocked arteries or a burst blood vessel, resulted in a coma. Comas can last from days to weeks while some severe cases have lasted several years. Recovery from a coma depends, to a considerable extent, so the only thing we can do now is pray for his recovery. And we will shift him to room by afternoon.” The doctor said.

She nodded and came out. It was 8 in the morning. She was on leave for three days from the hotel. She had her therapy sections with her doctor. So she was unaware what happened in the hotel. She went to her mother and asked her sister to take her to the room they allotted for dad. She told them that they will shift father to the room by evening and she has to go to the hotel and see what happened.

On her drive to the hotel she was wondering what happened in three days. She is working as the General Manager in Golden Tulip for the past two years. Even though she is excellent in her work many of the employees think that she just got it because of her father. But the truth is, her father was never very fond of her. Even though she tried hard to get his affection he never gave her any. It was always her sister. She doesn’t know why he behaved so cold to her. After her divorce from her abusive husband he became more distant and cold. That’s why she moved out of their family house to an apartment of her own.

Getting into the elevator she called her father’s secretary and asked him to meet her in her office. She was in deep thought that she dragged herself out without really looking when the elevator doors opened until she bumped into a hard wall. The force made her lose a step and was about to fall when suddenly two strong hands that held both of her arms to steady her.

“I am so sorry.” she practically yelled in panic. She tried composing herself and stepped back from the person. She looked up and saw those black eyes looking at her in amusement.

She heard him chuckle and said”You should watch where you are going and maybe try to relax. You look dishevelled.”

“I’m sorry sir. I wasn’t paying attention to where i was going.” She said nervously.

“It’s Okay, next time pay attention.” He said and went inside the elevator.

She nervously looked at him while the elevator closing.

Ding.

The sound took her back to reality.

“What’s wrong with you Harika. Go do your work.” She walked into her office scolding herself.