Grains Of Sand_Chapter 4

After the surgery when Mini regained her consciousness, she looked pale and sad but her energy didn’t go down. She had cried a lot. Her nose and eyes had reddened due to the crying. She was calm and serene in the midst of such a big loss. And that was something he admired about her.

Mini did not want to face Ankit, and so she did not see him for the first two days. The third day Ankit forced into her room with a bouquet of fresh roses and get-well-soon card. The redness had reduced and she smiled at him.

‘Why would you not allow me to see you? Don’t worry. I won’t be teaching kissing here.’

Ankit said with a wink, and Mini smiled. Her first smile in the last three days.

‘That’s my girl.’ He held her pale hand, and tears ran down like streams from her eyes.

‘You should not have said that you know.’ Ankit said.

‘What?’ She asked with a sniffle.

The very next moment she understood what Ankit was referring to. She smiled and said, ‘If that is the case, I am glad to offer my leg. So can you now be peaceful that you do not have to fight another war.’

These words made Ankit very emotional, and he placed his hand on her head. He kissed her forehead pulling close to her. Two tears fell on her hair.

He said, ‘I am sorry.’

She did not say anything. Ankit continued to speak, ‘I hate this situation. I had a dream. I was walking by your side on the beach. I clasped some sand in my fist. It just slipped through my fingers. I was left with nothing. I was scared for you when you were being operated.’

Mini listened to all that but did not speak. He loved her though, till date, he did not return her I LOVE YOU. She closed her eyes and rested her head against his heart.

Ankit then joked, ‘Looks like I have to lift you, all my life.’

Mini cried and laughed, both at the same time.

‘Sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I would be happy to do that.’

And then she calmly said, ‘I understand now what you meant. The fear of all of it coming back.’

‘Oh. No. On the contrary, I understand that if we have fought one war, we can fight many.’

‘And your girlfriend is crippled.’ She said with a low tone. She was fighting to accept that fact from past two days, and now suddenly the words came out of her mouth.

‘Yeah. Right. But look at the brighter side. I have a half woman, half robot. A metallic left leg. I think let us add some great paint or a hook or a punch that will come out if students don’t listen to. Maybe flying boots – the options are limitless. And how sexy is that.’

She started laughing, and they both explored different possibilities. Some were wild, some were silly. Whatever those ideas were, she was beginning to accept the loss of her leg.

And when she came to practice with her prosthetic leg, she cut her hair short and coloured her hair with a reddish tinge.

Ankit complimented her on the new look. After the mild first practice session, she said to Ankit, ‘I understand what your dream meant – sand slipping through the fingers. I gave a lot of thought at the hospital and when we went for the therapies, at night and day. Let the sand roll through your fingers. There will be still some grains left in your palm. Let us hold on to those grains of sand together, never letting them to slip.’