(Continued from previous part…)

Aniket and Ritvik, both were asleep.

Aniket woke up when Ritvik moved away Aniket’s hand resting on his belly. Aniket was always extra-sensitive to Ritvik’s touch. Ritvik was trying to get up from the bed, but it was evident that he was having difficulty in doing that. It was not easy for him even to sit, probably because of pain, so he lied down again after first unsuccessful attempt and then tried again by changing to side pose and then slowly got up. Ritvik hardly could stand and lost his balance, but before he could have fallen, he felt Aniket’s arms around him. Aniket held him in his arms and prevented him from getting hurt.

Ritvik was all nude. After they reached home, Aniket had just changed the bed sheet in which he got Ritvik wrapped and used a clean washed sheet to cover him again after they reached home. It was easier this way to get him examined by doctor and he did not intend to disturb him or cause more inconvenience to him by asking him to move again and again. He had seen him walking with a great difficulty. Ritvik was hardly bearing his body weight. It was all Aniket who supported Ritvik all the time to stand or walk till they got back home.

Aniket was holding Ritvik for support, when he noticed, Ritvik leaned back slowly and pulled the sheet from the bed to cover himself. Aniket helped Ritvik cover his body.

Ritvik started moving towards toilet slowly. He could hardly put a couple of steps forward. His pain was excruciating and because of medicine given he was half sleep, so his steps were zig-zagged. He was struggling to walk and keep his eyes open. After a few steps of walk, Ritvik felt being lifted up. He opened his eyes and saw Aniket carrying him in his arms.

Aniket carried Ritvik carefully inside the toilet cum bathroom and put him down. He was still standing by him to support him. Ritvik probably wanted to pee. Ritvik looked back at Aniket who was still holding Ritvik and looking at his face. He understood that Ritvik was not feeling good to get naked in front of him. He guessed Ritvik’s hesitation correctly. After all, he was Aniket, and his love for Ritvik had given him capability to read Ritvik’s thoughts precisely. Aniket turned on his back but still kept Ritvik holding strongly. He did not leave a chance for him to fall and get hurt. After Ritvik was done. Aniket turned back to Ritvik, carried him once again in his arm to the bed.

Aniket came back to lie down next to Ritvik from other side of bed. He again, embraced Ritvik in similar pose so that he gets notified of any movements or needs of Ritvik with slightest movement of Ritvik’s body, if he fell asleep. Ritvik did not react to Aniket’s embracing. Aniket closed his eyes but his mind was puzzled and restless. He was unable to find an answer to why Ritvik picked up the sheet to cover his body? Did he not trust him now?  Today itself, he saved Ritvik and brought him back home. Ritvik was all nude in front of his eyes. He was worried and unable to find a clue why his love of life, Ritvik, could not trust him and opted for a veil to cover his body. He was worried, if Ritvik counts him in the same category of people like Rizwan and others.

The veil was not just separating Ritvik’s body, it was also threatening with the existence of a strong invisible wall between Ritvik and the Aniket’s love for him. It was putting on a  question mark on his feelings and love for Ritvik.

It was more than a  28 hours now since Aniket had only one aim of his life, and it was Ritvik. Now, when the Ritvik’s condition improved a little, Aniket also reminded of his body which was giving alerts for food and energy. He had not taken any food since he reached at Rizwan’s apartment in Gurgaon to rescue Ritvik. Now when he felt a little isolated, abandoned by Ritvik, he felt a need for food. He opened his eyes, looked back at Ritvik’s face and asked, “Sweet heart ! What would you like to have, tea or coffee with a sandwich?” There was no response from Ritvik. He was probably back to sleep. Aniket moved close to Ritvik’s face, gently kissed on his cheek, and then moved his index finger on sidelines of his face, moving back his hair on his forehead. It was an attempt to wake him up. With this tickling movement, there was quick movement in Ritvik’s closed eyes. Aniket repeated his question, “Sweetie ! …  would you like to have tea or coffee with Sandwich?”

Ritvik replied in a feeble voice, “Ummm…. no..thin.g. ” His eyes remained closed. Aniket kept looking at his face for a moment. He himself was feeling like crying since he felt Ritvik distancing himself from Aniket. He felt lonely, sad and broken heart. Aniket then gently pulled out his arm resting under Ritvik’s head, kissed on his forehead and got off the bed.

Aniket had no interest to take food, but it was the only distraction which could work for him now. He prepared a sandwich and a cup of coffee. He added extra sugar in Coffee. Whenever he felt tensed, he felt an urge to consume something sweet. He finished his sandwich and coffee while thinking again and again on the burning question popping in his mind “Why?” but was unable to find a satisfactory answer. After sometime of churning out various if’s and but’s, he concluded, probably it was the traumatic experience that might have made Ritvik behave this way. He might have done same thing probably, if he was in place of Ritvik. An innocent baby, unaware of any ups and downs of life had suddenly faced the worst possible experiences of life. It would scatter anyone’s beliefs, but when it comes to a sensitive soul like Ritvik, there were no doubts now in Aniket’s mind that it could have left deeper scars to turn all his worldly beliefs upside down.

This explanation was a little consoling to Aniket. He felt a little relieved as there was still a hope for survival. He now came back and lied down next to Ritvik, embracing him with his one hand and his head resting close to Ritvik’s face.