Destined ✓

44 - new profound feelings

Author's POV

"Does it hurt?" He asks, observing, slowly and steadily twisting her arm.

The stretch doesn't leave her with a stinging pain like initial days, nor does it make her wince like the previous week. The thought itself brings a smile to her face, and she shakes her head.

"Now?" He presses into the flesh of the upper arm, studying her features for any discomfort.

She shakes her head again, this time, grinning from the recovery she had made.

"That's great, Miss Raichand. You're doing very well." The physiotherapist smiles, leaning over to the side to fetch his diary and write the progress down.

"You're doing those exercises before bed, right?" He asks for confirmation.

"Yes, Dr Shah. And I feel better now."

He looks up, smiling, "You seem delighted."

"Why not?!" Avni exclaims, too loud, only to click her tongue, grinning, "Sorry. I would really like to go back to work as soon as I can." And spend time with him...

He smiles again, "Of course, you are allowed to resume daily activities. However, I advise you to not get it in action, precisely, don't yank, don't carry anything heavy, especially don't move it too hastily. I hope you get my point." Avni nods. "And if there is a sting, doesn't matter how less painful, tell me as soon as possible."

Avni gets up to send him off, walking towards the entrance. He smiles again, this time faint. "Meet you next week, Miss Raichand. Have a great week!"

"Thank you. I will."

Last month when Avni got her cast removed, she had been trying everything to get her arm back to normal. Rehab was helpful, the last week showing more signs of progress than ever before.

🎬🎬🎬

"Heyyyy! You called me today? What's the occasion, baby?"

Avni smiles, shy. "Nothing, Maa. I just missed you."

She leans backwards, her back touching the headboard, anticipation coursing through her veins, as she recalls his last message.

♡ Neil ♡
Miss Raichand, I hope you miss me ;)
Don't forget our date today!
Dress comfortably. See ya!

You
I do.
I'll be waiting, heh.

There's no denying that something has happened. To Avni. Because her Mom can sense the way she has changed. The change is not drastic, it is steady. A change in which she can imagine the beautiful, genuine smile on her daughter's lips. A change in which her daughter seems to embrace the hesitation, even taking the first step to talk, to talk about her days, the therapy, and most importantly, being honest with her.

So far, Avni's Mom doesn't really remember that great of a time in which her daughter moved forward from that incident. The way she spoke, the way she got busy with her work, the way she kept jumping to other topics to avoid talking and then rarely at all. All these years, it had been just like that. It was almost like, she became a robot that had a specific task assigned to her.