Chapter 15 - Sleeping beauty and angry best friends (1/2)

|Eshan|

I let my fingers continue running through Innaya's hair, on her face just to assure myself it was over, she was fine. One moment I was holding her on the road, preventing her from stepping on that dog's tail and in next moment, I had felt her going stiff in my arms as that dog stared at us in anger and bewilderment.

That dog did not attack as I thought he would. Instead he lapped at the fallen ice-cream on the ground.

I had brought her to the car that was just a step away and sat in the backseat holding her. I had felt her body turning cold as I watched her eyes glossing repeatedly and felt her heartbeat racing as I hugged her to myself, rubbing her back. The very same condition I witnessed on the second day of our marriage.

I knew I did not want her to fall unconscious and that was why, I whispered words of comfort, encouragement in her ear. I had felt her struggle to breath steadily against my neck so, I pulled back a little.

Holding her face in my palms, I instructed her breathing exercise I had learnt from my Gym instructor. Her small fists had gripped my white shirt, crumpling it in the process as she did as told.

Eventually, her breathing had returned to normal, lifting the rock that had settled on my heart watching her so vulnerable and that had me sighing in a relief. I had patted her back until she had fallen asleep in my arms, her eyes had fluttered momentarily and I saw something similar to satisfaction of some kind float in those chocolaty eyes before she close them.

After assuring myself for around more than half an hour holding her sleeping figure closer, I adjusted her on backseat in laying position so that she wouldn't wake up while I drove.

Making sure, she was comfortable as much as she could in the confined space of backseat, I willed myself to drive towards our home. As much as I wanted to be near her, I would like her to be at confines of our home rather than outside in scorching heat in the car.

I manoeuvred the steering wheel through the familiar lanes of roads leading to our home, being careful enough not to disrupt her. Calling it, my home no longer felt right, my eyes went to the reason behind it that was sleeping peacefully in the backseat.

*

I opened the door of the car where Innaya's head was resting and picked her up, being attentive enough not to wake her from her slumber. She twitched a little in my arms, nestling her head in my neck before she settled.

I started climbing the white marble steps of our mansion and my hold tightened around her as her steady breath fanned my neck while her nose rubbed the skin there. I reached the top of four stairs and before I could dwell on how to ring the bell, I found the front door wide opened. Must be Amma, the caretaker, had kept it open waiting for us as I had informed her last night.

”Whoa... Look guys Eshan Singhania carrying a girl in his arms.” Barun was first to notice.

”Somebody please pinch me.” Arjun had to be his dramatic self.

”Shut up, Arjun.” Ayush, my best friend spoke for me.

”Here we thought you will be apologetic for not coming with us and— you are doing this.” Sameer grunted.

”Very beautiful reason for your consistent absence, I must say. But from when you started sleeping around, bro?” Arjun had to open his big mouth.

”Shut up,” I whispered yelled at my idiotic friends who apparently had to assume worst of the situation and jump onto the conclusion.

I glared angrily at them not for remarking the stupid comments but for daring to disturb her. I glanced at my wife in my arms that thankfully just squirmed a little and snuggled more into me but slept. 'She is a heavy sleeper when she wants to.' I smiled to myself at that thought but instantly the incident before came to my mind and that smile turned into the frown. Ignoring my friends who had baffled look on their faces except Ayush, I started towards our bedroom at the second floor.