April 2015 A to Z Blogging Challenge- Chapter 21- Up in the air/Up to speed

I'll Be There Beside You 

Chapter 21

Today’s Idiom – Up in the air

Meaning- If a matter is up in the air, no decision has been made and there is uncertainty about it

Up to speed

Meaning- If you bring someone up to speed, you update them on something.

I ran as fast as I could but Lalitha was familiar with the dark, narrow backstreets and within no time I had lost her. I stopped, short of breath, on a forked road and I couldn’t decide which path to take when I heard a blood curdling scream. I followed the voice and took a left and this was the scene that was unfolding a little distance ahead of me.

Two men had surrounded Lalitha and had grasped her hand while she was struggling to be freed. But even from that distance I knew that the men were frightened by Lalitha. Her hair flying in all directions, she was spewing profanities and trying to kick them with her legs. She looked delirious and wild. As her leg flew forwards, her kick connected with one of the man’s groin and he fell down. The other man loosened his grip and Lalitha frantically picked up a large rock and looked ready to smash it into the man’s head.

“Lalitha” I cried loud and she stood paralyzed. Making use of this opportunity, her attackers beat a hasty retreat. I approached Lalitha warily but her eyes were glazed over. There were no signs of recognition on her face and the rock remained steadfastly gripped in her hands.

“Lalitha it’s me, Sudhir. You are safe now. Let me take you home. You do trust me, don’t you?” But Lalitha kept staring at me, unyielding and ignoring my attempts to soothe her.

I believed I knew the truth about Lalitha and with this knowledge I had another revelation. Until then my decision about my marriage to Lalitha was seemingly up in the air, but in that few seconds I knew my true feelings. This made me confident and I slowly took hold of Lalitha’s hands and held her gently.

Lalitha’s body sagged against mine as she fell unconscious in my arms. I picked her up and rushed towards my house. She felt light as a feather and with every step of mine, my resolution strengthened.

As soon as I reached home, I brought my mother up to speed and admitted my suspicions. I asked her to inform the Shastris’ and proceeded outside to call my childhood friend, Dr. Vishnu Suvarna. Although I did not regularly keep in touch with him, I knew that he had made a good name in the field of psychology and was now working in the department of psychiatry in NIMHANS, Bangalore.

You can read the previous chapters here-

Chapter 1                                     Chapter 8                             Chapter 15

Chapter 2                                     Chapter 9                             Chapter 16

Chapter 3                                     Chapter 10                           Chapter 17

Chapter 4                                     Chapter 11                           Chapter 18

Chapter 5                                     Chapter 12                           Chapter 19

Chapter 6                                     Chapter 13                           Chapter 20

Chapter 7                                     Chapter 14