What Dreams Are Made Of: Episode 47
▶ #Episode_47
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He was the only one who called her by that name, all others using her pet name, Chrissy. She herself liked to be called Chrissy as she felt Christina was very archaic. But the sound of her name at that moment was like elixir to her. She had never imagined Nikloi would come as her saviour. Hell! she hadn’t imagined anyone to come and save her, because no one knew she had gone with Jake Tilly. But seeing him standing there calling out her name was enough to make her love her name. She loved it, because he was the one calling for her.
“Nikloi!”
Both the girls called out his name together but for very different reasons.
It took him few seconds to adjust to the darkness inside but he quickly scanned the three figures in the room. He saw Chrissy down on her knees in the centre of the room with Susan standing next to her, her revolver aimed at Chrissy’s head. Jake Tilly was standing behind them on the other side of the room. His heart squeezed at the sight of Chrissy’s vulnerabilities but he didn’t want to take any rash decision that may endanger her further.
Susan’s blood had frozen on finding Nikloi there. She was shocked to see him but there was no time to think how he could find her. She had to quickly find an excuse on what she was going to explain to him. She hurriedly came close to him and said, “I am glad you are here, Nikloi. This man had us hostage her”, she said pointing towards Jake.
“What are you saying?” Jake shouted.
“Don’t listen to him. He is a crook. He got us both fooled into coming here”, Susan continued shakenly.
Chrissy was amazed at the way Susan turned the whole scene. Nikloi didn’t say a word but his sharp eyes were analysing all their movement.
Jake jumped towards Susan with anger. “Stop lying, you bitch!”
Susan was afraid of what he might do and further stick up to Nikloi like a damsel in distress, saying “Nikloi, stop him”.
“Yes, I trust you Susan.”
In spite of all that had happened to her, Chrissy could feel the green flames emanating from her heart when she saw Susan pushing herself into Nikloi. But Nikloi’s words were too much for her to bear. He trusted her.
Of course, he did! He was about to marry her. He would trust her fiancée more than Jake Tilly or her. Definitely more than her. She had done nothing but break his trust.
She lowered her eyes, not wanting to see their physical display of love.
Hearing his words, Susan warmed up to Nikloi even more. “Oh Nikloi, you are so sweet.”
“Give me the gun, Susan”
“Oh yes, this is Jake’s. Take it”, she gave the gun to Nikloi.
Nikloi took the gun and unloaded all its rounds. Once he had it safely unloaded, he immediately rushed to Chrissy and pulled her in his arms. “Christina, are you alright?” he asked surveying her face closely. His own face covered with immense fear and anxiety.
As his eyes saw the streak of now almost dried blood at the side of her face, his veins stretched strongly across his forehead. She could see a nerve twitching at his temples. She had seen many sides of his personality but this was unimaginable for her.
This was a scared Nikloi.
When she didn’t answer him, his hands went across her body checking her for injuries or pain. While she winced at several touches, he couldn’t see any wound
making him fear about internal injuries. “What did they do to you?” Tell me, Chrissy”, he asked her again.
“Christina..” she said weakly.
“What?
“Call me Christina”, she repeated.
A wave of relief washed over him. She needed medical attention but she was still ordering him to do what she wanted. That only meant she was alright after all! He wasn’t too late!
She was the only person in this world who didn’t follow his instructions immediately, instead, had the audacity to order him. Although she didn’t know it herself the power she yielded.
Susan hovered behind them. “Yes, yes. She is ok. Jake hadn’t done anything much”, she said impatiently. In spite of her faking being on Chrissy’s side, she couldn’t control the regret spilling out of
her words.
Just then Jake Tilly decided Susan was playing him away. He wouldn’t let her do that. “You can’t pin the entire blame on me, bitch. You forget I know all of our dark secrets.”
“Stop spinning your lies. Nikloi said he trusts me. He is not going to believe your nonsense” Susan said it with confidence.
“You double faced wench! Deserting me the moment you find you are caught. But I won’t let it be. Mr Swaroski, this was all Susan’s plan. She was the one who wanted Ms Smith dead. She promised me money so I helped her. And this is not the first time. She had tried to kill her earlier also. You don’t know b…”
“Shut up, you dog. Stop spewing your filth”, Susan shouted loudly to stop him from saying any further.
But Nikloi was not interested in listening to either of their bull shit. He suddenly turned around and pulled Jake from his collar and held him against the wall. “Jake, your greed has taken you too far this time. You have messed with me and what is mine.
You will regret getting on the wrong side of me”, though he appeared absolutely calm, his each word was dripped with rage and menace.
“You are a dirty piece of shit. I will make you wish you weren’t even born”, with that he landed a hard blow across Jake’s face. Jake groaned loudly and fell on the ground. Nikloi was just about to pick him up and land another fateful blow when Steve rushed in with police officers. There was a medical ambulance also in tow.
Steve quickly went to Chrissy to see if all was okay with her. Seeing she was hurt, he called out to Nikloi and told him to hurry her to the hospital. The paramedic guys checked Chrissy and asked if she could walk. Chrissy tried walking but Nikloi was immediately by side, holding her, providing the support by taking her weight on him.
The police officers arrested Jake and Susan on the spot. Susan was horrified at being arrested. She cried, “No, there seems to be a misunderstanding. I am not coming. Nikloi! Tell them”, she urged him.
Holding Chrissy by her side, Nikloi turned towards Susan and said, “It’s over, Susan. You knew I never loved you but I never hated you either. But you have proved with your actions, you that you are nothing but a fraud, immoral, worthless burden on this earth. Had you not been a woman, I would have dealt with you differently. But you are not even worth that!”
“One more thing. Not that you will ever have any opportunity to cause any harm to Christina, I will make sure of that, but if you so much as to dare to even think of harming one single hair of her, you will regret you ever knew me. Now, get the hell out of my sight before I change my mind and make you pay for your sleazes.”
Nikloi’s face was devoid any expression except the twitching of the nerve on his temples. Chrissy, who was being held by Nikloi by her waist, could feel him all tensed and rigid in all his muscles.
She was highly grateful to Nikloi for coming for her rescue. But much more than that she was grateful to him for the way he managed the situation. She had dreaded what Nikloi would do when he found out.
She had not known him to control his anger when aroused beyond his threshold. In fact, that had also been one of the reasons why she had decided never to tell him the truth because she didn’t want him to end up any harm to himself. Anger was detrimental to both. Upon whom it is unleashed as well for the one who unleashes it.
And in her own innocent way, she had always wanted to protect Nikloi by not telling him. But he had again proved how wrong she was in under-estimating his wisdom and his strength to manage such extremely unpleasant discoveries. She wanted to thank him for everything and let him know how grateful she was but there was hardly any strength left in her at that moment.
As her body went slack against him, she felt him turn his attention back to her. The last thing she remembered before everything went completely dark was that he gathered her up in his arms and walked towards the ambulance.
Chrissy woke up all foggy and disoriented. She was covered in bandages around her h
ead and left hand. When she tried to get up, she felt a pain across her back and dizzy again. She was too mixed-up to realize she was in a hospital room.
Lying back on bed, she closed her eyes and it all came back. She had gone to the deserted house with Jake Tilly. Susan and he had almost killed her Even while in the bed, she shuddered at the memory of the gun next to her head. But for Nikloi, she wouldn’t be alive. Nikloi had come at the right moment to save her.
She turned around helplessly looking for Nikloi, when the door opened and a nurse came in. Seeing her awake, she commented, “Oh dear, you are finally awake. How are you felling now?”
“I am okay. Bit dizzy”, Chrissy replied.
The nurse checked her and responded, “That may be the effect of the medicines. Plus you have been sleeping round the clock. Are you feeling any pain?”
“In my back, when I try to get up”, Chrissy said trying to get up again.
“Don’t worry, you must be still sore in some of your muscles. You were quite roughed up when you came in yesterday so it will take some time to fully recover but fortunately you hadn’t hurt any of your vital organs. Let me inform the doctor that you are awake”, she added turning away from her.
Before she left, Chrissy asked her, “Is mother around? I just want to know that she is okay. Does she know that I am here?”
“I don’t know about your mother, but your husband was here all the time. You surely are a lucky one, dear. He wouldn’t leave you even when I had to dress you up. Tough one I say, I had to literally push him out”, the nurse answered smilingly. “Other than that, he stayed right next to you all the time. Poor guy, didn’t even sleep thinking you might need something. Let me look out for him as well”, saying that she finally stepped out leaving a confused Chrissy behind.
Husband?
Within few minutes, the nurse came back with the doctor who checked her. He told her she was doing fine and would be much better soon. He asked her to follow some precautions for the next few days, when the door suddenly flung opened and Nikloi came in hurriedly. He came right next to Chrissy and asked, “How are you feeling?”
But Chrissy was shocked seeing him there. Even more surprising was his appearance. He looked dishevelled and scruffy. His clothes were a mess, his hair all tousled and unkempt. There was slight beard on his face and he looked extremely tired. She had never seen him like this.
When she kept staring at him, he came and picked up her hand in his hand, “What happened? Is everything alright?” His voice was full of concern. The moment he touched her hand, she felt the electricity run through her body. Trying to pull back her hand, she said, ‘uh.. yes..I..m.. I am fine”. But he didn’t let go of her hand.
Chrissy wanted to ask him why was he here but was extremely conscious of the doctor and nurse watching the two of them. Nikloi didn’t seem bother at all.
Turning his attention to the doctor, Nikloi asked how Chrissy was doing. Doctor explained it to both of them. He said Chrissy was fine and they should be discharging her in few hours but she should still take few days slow. Her body needs rest and she should be extremely careful about her head injury. If there was any dizziness, concussion or faintness, she should immediately come to the hospital.
Nikloi thanked the doctor and told him he will ensure Chrissy follows all the instructions. He went ahead to complete the discharge formalities. The nurse came back to help her change into her clothes. They were the same clothes she was wearing when she had met Susan. Where was Susan now? She wondered.
She was still combing her hairs when Nikloi walked in and stood behind him. She was again too conscious of him and could feel his eyes going all over her body. When she looked at him through the mirror, she saw him watching her intently. His eyes were filled with concern and… she couldn’t understand that other emotion.. was it fear..?
But she quickly lowered her eyes and turned away. The elderly nurse who had helped her said, “Now that your husband is here, I will
leave. Seeing him this past day, I am sure he will take good care of you. Get well soon, darling!”
Chrissy was dumbfounded with that husband comment again. She quickly tried to say, “No, its not.. there seems to be some misunderstanding. He is not…” but the nurse had already left by then.
Instead, Nikloi came to her and said, “What were you saying?
“She.. the nurse.. she seems to think you are..” Chrissy couldn’t bring her herself to complete when she saw his face.
“I am what?” He persisted while moving in closer to her.
“Nothing. L..let.. us go”, Chrissy stammered with her head bent down.
#Story_Continues
