Enemy's Woman

Chapter 63 - Picking up broken pieces

Chitrangada awoke to the chirping of birds on the windowsill. She turned her head towards the lovely sound. She tried to sit up and her head swam again.

"You should not try to sit up" Shiv's voice called out from across the room.

Starting slightly, Chitra turned towards the source of his voice, instinctively pulling the sheets over her body as she caught sight of him. Shiv extricated himself from the chair, looking extremely stiff and haggard.

He sat down on the edge of the bed.

"How do you feel?" he asked, not looking her in the eye.

Chitra's lip trembled and tears welled in her eyes. How did she feel? She wished she could stop feeling! So many things were going through her mind, to pick even one emotion seemed an incredible task, she didn't even know what she was feeling. And why wouldn't he look at her?

"I.. I.." she began to say, her voice cracking slightly. She couldn't continue, it was too much to think, let alone talk about her feelings.

He reached out to rub her foot through the sheets but Chitra flinched at his touch and drew her knees up against her chest, wrapping her arms around them.

He withdrew his hand quickly. He stood up slowly, running his hand through his hair, in frustration? Confusion? She couldn't say.

"I'll send someone in with some breakfast, you should eat something."

Shiv crossed the room quickly and was gone before Chitra could blink.

Why didn't he look at her? because of how he came upon her and Vikram? Did he really think she was ruined and not fit to be his wife?

********

As soon as Kalavati heard of her recovery she went to her room and hugged her.

Chitra was relieved to see that her mother was alive.

"Father?" Chitra asked fearfully.

Her mother's face fell " he is injured, he has not woken up yet."

"And the rest? Did you escape? Poonam? Is she safe?"

"Everyone is safe thanks to you. Though Poonam lost her parents." Kalavati said sadly.

Chitra gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Where is she? I want to meet her. I want to see father as well."

"Not yet Chitra, you are still weak. Thanks to Lord Krishna, nothing horrible happened to you. How would I show my face to damadji(son in law)?"

Kalavati lamented.

Chitra looked down.

"The damage is already done. He saw Vikram with me," she thought.

She sniffed as tears we're ready to spill out of her eyes again. Kalavati continued...

"That brute! whoever tried to ruin you failed. I made sure with the healer." Kalavati smiled.

Chitra's eyes flew open in surprise.

"Mother! You did what?"

"I had to Chitra, the state you were in....Hey Krishna." Kalavati continued.

"Where were you Chitra? What happened?" Kalavati asked.

"Mother.....I...I don't want to talk about it please."

Kalavati looked worried.

"Please mother just leave me alone."

She felt bad for talking back to her mother like that but she didn't have a choice. She didn't know what to say.