It is drizzling all along; roads are wet and slippery. She is not in the sight as yet. The sky is filled with the clouds. Last 15 minutes have been taxing. It is not that long but considering her punctuality, it’s quite late. Having followed her since last week has given me enough insight into her life.

Wind blows on my face and my face is wet with the raindrops. I remove handkerchief to wipe the raindrops and I see her opening the door in a hurry from the corner of my eyes. I see her slender figure rushing towards the familiar path. Road looks deserted and this retirement town is yet to wake up from their siesta on this rainy day.

She is late for the bus today; the next bus is due only 10 minutes later. She looks tensed. Her hazel eyes are fixed on the wristwatch. I follow her from a distance. She opens her umbrella - royal blue with colourful butterflies on them. She fiddles with the wind and adjusts umbrella to fight with the rain. Nothing helps her; the raindrops fall through her jet-black shoulder length hair.

As she reaches near the bus stop, she closes her umbrella to cross the road. The raindrops on her hair shimmer like pearls. I am blinded by the rays of sun covering my eyes.

A speeding vehicle runs on the pedestrian crossing and before anyone knows… the “Thud” sound stuns me.. “Oh no!!!” I cry in frustration…

Her body lies in the pool of blood on the road. Few retirees gather towards the scene. They are too old to lift her up and they look at me from distance with an anticipation. Instantly, I lift her up and put her in the vehicle to take her to the hospital. Next few hours go in completing the formalities. Doctors say I am free to go now… But, where? What about her? I walk pass the trauma section. The sight of people lying with broken hands, plastered body and disfigured face makes me sick. I light a cigarette and breathe the fresh air while raindrops fall on my body and wet me completely I don’t care.  My brain is overworking. Something has to be done.

****

I am marching towards the general ward with a small bouquet of tulips in my hand. She will love them. The tulip season has just begun and I should be the first one to tell her that.

I hand her a bunch of tulips, her pale hands barely hold them. She tries to smell the tulips. I laugh at her.

“Tulips are to be enjoyed for their external beauty and not to be felt for the eternal smell.” I exclaimed.

“What if tomorrow, they lose their external beauty?” She questions me instantly.

“I will chuck them and will bring another bunch of fresh seasoned flowers.” He smiles fixing his sleepy eyes on her.

****

Upset as she is, does not say a word. He is long gone with a bunch of Red, Yellow and Pink tulips lingering behind his memory. Those sleepy eyes with long eyelashes has smitten her away. She met him when she was visibly destroyed by a road accident, not to mention, few broken teeth and plastered knees. What an irony!!! He has been an angle in her life ever since the nightmare had happened. Doctor says that she needs to cooperate if she has to fully recover from this mishap. Had it not been for him, she had already lost any hope of being what she was- an enthusiast, fiery, young girl who stood for a cause.

****

He gets a bunch of Orchids. He is in a dilemma, to say or not say. It was a simple chase that he had started but as luck would have had it, simple things had gone complicated.

“You don’t get Orchids here, how did you manage them?”

“Don’t ask me how I managed them. I had to live up to my image of bringing the unexpected.”

“You don’t have to live up to something. It is a burden you have created for yourself.”

“Everything has a reason and a purpose.”

“So, what’s the reason? What is it that you want from me?”

“A Speedy recovery. I want to take you on a date to a better place. Dating in a hospital has it’s own disadvantages.”

She laughs wholeheartedly while winking at him.

****

The orchids in the flowerpot look misfit. I mean, they are rare to be seen in this place. How did he manage? Am I special for him? Why is he here? What for? What does he do for living?

I don’t know anything about him. It has been 2 months since he is visiting me. I have never asked him any personal questions. He has not given me an opportunity. 

****

“How are you my English Rose?” He said while presenting a bunch of red roses in her hand.

“As fresh as a rose petal.” She sounded confident.

“So, am I still living up to my image?” He enquired.

“Do you know what the red roses signify?” She asked him shyly.

“What do you think?” He asked her mischievously. 

“I think, you like my company. But, that’s not all. There is something else. Tell me Mr Charming, what brings you to this unromantic place called as hospital?”

He fixes his sleepy eyes straight into her eyes. That gaze makes her feel that he is looking through her. It weakens her. She knows that he knows it.

“I care for you and want to save you from the big fat pharma guys.”

“So, those big sugar daddies have sent you to stop me from being an animal right activist? To stop me from exposing the side effects of the new wonder drug for senior citizens? To stop me from what I stood for? To stop me from what I am? I was so busy looking at the rose petals that I never saw the thorns…” she said in one breath.

“Why people always pull down the pharma companies? So what, they test their products on animals? They have to test it on someone. If they test it on humans you say that it is a violation of human rights, when they test it on the animals you say it is an animal cruelty. This half baked attitude of yours is killing the research spirit.”

“You are taking their sides? For what? Because they pay you?”    

“Alright. Yeah! They paid me to stop you. Remember, if these products were not tested earlier, you would not have been saved from that horrendous accident. You want the benefits of those pills and then make the noise that they are tested on the animals. Is that logical?”

“I see a point there but you wanted to kill me for that?”

“Believe me, your accident was a coincidence. I only wanted to scare you but before that the mishap happened. I really care for you and that is why, I kept visiting you. Please, think over what I have said, you have to back out.”

"Take it as my word, I will not back out. No matter what. Already, I am living in a hell and now that I have seen the hell, I know, death may not be that horrific. Let them do what they want to do to me."

“See, it is more complicated than that. All I am saying is, the company is looking at giving the warning message on the bottle but not as yet. There are some commercial glitches to it. All I am saying to you is, to go little slow on that.” He said in a comforting tone.

“Thanks for your concern I don’t need it anymore. Those senior citizens need to be told the side effects of the drug before they consider it as a wonder drug. Isn’t that a minimum requirement? And yeah, take your bloody rosy poison with you.”

Tears roll down her eyes. She is exhausted to talk any further…

He does not retaliate. He leaves the place quietly. He is hurt, frustrated but not angry. He feels the rage of helplessness but compassion does not leave him. Neither does it to her.

****

I can’t return empty handed. Too much is at stake… I hate to take up such assignments where too many influential parties are involved. They want the job to be done at any cost. But, do they understand uncanny incidents can ruin the meticulous planning?

He is still not able to figure out what brought him closer to her?  Beauty-as if she has it anymore, sympathy- what for? There are many who meet with an accident. Was he keen to get the work done without harming her? Whatever it was, now he is linked to her with an unknown bond. It was never expressed yet felt, ever since he started living like her shadow. 

He called up the bosses informing them that the girl has been silenced. She should not be bothered again.

*************

What followed then was a dreamlike sequence… Loads of tears, promises and then a victory... The victory of Love.  She left the animal rights battle. The wonder drug for senior citizens hit the market with the warning signs on its label. She joined a pharma company to encourage Fair Clinical trials. He decided to start a new chapter in his life after quitting the secret service agency. It was a union of two opposites… that began on a strong foundation of Love, Understanding and a Compromise!!!