Shadow Lives - Part 5

It was almost midnight. Kuhan leaned over and gently touched his mother’s cheek. Her eyes remained closed. The doctors had put her into an induced coma and now, only the beeping machines reassured him that she was alive, but just barely. He dropped his head into his trembling hands. Someone squeezed his shoulders. He glanced up. Sarala was beside him, gazing at their mother, her eyes puffy from crying. That worried him even more. She shouldn’t be stressing herself like this.

“Let me take you home, it’s really late.”

Kuhan saw the stubborn set of her jaw and knew it was useless. Just like Raj who had given up trying to pry her away from their mother’s bedside and took the children home instead.

“Have you eaten anything since this morning?”

Sarala shook her head.

“Ok, at least let me get you something to eat. You need to think of the baby.”

Sarala shook her head again and Kuhan began protesting but she cut him off. “No, I’ll go. I need to clear my head. You keep Appa company.” She nodded towards their father who was sleeping awkwardly in a stiff chair.

Kuhan relented. “Get me a Latte please.”

His phone buzzed as Sarala left. Deva had been continually texting him the whole day. As soon as Kuhan called him from the hospital, he had wanted to rush over but Kuhan had stalled him. Let’s handle one crisis at a time please, he had implored Deva. I don’t want the old man to see you and yell himself into a heart attack right now. Thank God Deva had listened to him.

But it wasn’t Deva. It was Jason.

I came as soon as I could. I’m outside. J

Kuhan jolted up in his chair. What? What?

He quickly checked to see that his father was still sleeping and noiselessly hurried out of the room, shutting the door quietly. True enough, Jason was there, pacing the empty hallway. As soon as he saw Kuhan, he flung his arms around him.

Shit!

“Are you ok honey? How’s your mom doing?”

Kuhan tried to extricate himself from Jason, his thoughts spinning wildly. How to get him out of here in the fastest way possible… without hurting his feelings?

“My mother’s stable. I…err…I didn’t expect you to come here.”

“Oh thank God! I’ve been so worried since I got your text. How could I stay away at a time like this? I came as soon as my shift ended.”

“Errr..thank you Jason.” Kuhan knew he sounded lame. But right now, he just needed Jason gone before his father woke up or Sarala came back. Idiot! He should have at least warned me that he was coming.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“No, no, nothing,” Kuhan replied quickly. He began to walk towards the lifts, forcing Jason to follow. “I really appreciate you coming but it’s late and I need to rest, and, I guess I’ll call you tomorrow?”

“Oh of course! I shouldn’t have come so late. I’m sorry!”

And now Kuhan felt bad. Jason deserved better. They stopped in front of the lifts.

“No I’m sorry,” Kuhan said awkwardly. “I’m just not my self right now.”

“It’s ok honey. I understand. If you need anything, call me ok?” Jason reached up and caressed Kuhan’s cheeks with his soft palms.

At that precise moment, the lift doors opened and Sarala stepped out. Kuhan jerked away from Jason as if his palms had turned into snakes. But it was too late. He could tell from the way Sarala looked electrocuted, that she knew. Kuhan was paralyzed, unsure of whether to pretend she hadn’t seen what she had or acknowledge it. Sarala decided for him. She dropped her shocked eyes to the floor and hurried past them, gripping his Latte.  

“Who…?”

“My sister.”

“Oh.”

“Good night Jason.”

After Jason had left, Kuhan steeled himself to return to their mother’s room. His father was still asleep. Sarala was standing beside their mother. She turned when he entered but didn’t meet his eyes, her face blank. Only her red ears betrayed any emotion.

“Raj is coming to pick me up. I’ll come back in the morning but call me at any time if anything changes.”

Kuhan nodded and waited silently until she left. Then he slumped into the stiff hospital chair, feeling even more dejected than he thought possible. Yes, he had intended to come out of the closet to his family eventually. But certainly not tonight and definitely not like this. 

Part 6