Chapter 17: Just a little bit
"...Hmm?"
When Priyanka opened her eyes a warm sensation was behind her head.
It was soft with a fragrant smell of lavender.
'I slept?'
Priyanka's mind started to work again.
She was still wearing work clothes.
'Am I in the hospital?'
Her thoughts were fuzzy and drowsy.
Priyanka hadn't slept even once in three days working hard because of the girl's safety.
'The girl...'
She remembered she was there to talk about the adoption.
Priyanka drowsily stared at the owner of the warm sensation.
A cute little girl was sitting with her eyes closed breathing steadily.
Her little fingers were touching the top of her head.
"!"
Suddenly she realized the position she was in right now.
Priyanka received a lap pillow from the girl.
Red filled her face for a brief moment.
What kind of example was she giving in the workplace?
Priyanka quickly tried to get up but little hands pressed her face again.
Green eyes like a broken jewel stared directly at her face.
[Sleep.]
Wrote the girl in a small notebook.
Coff- Coff-
Priyanka held the little hands of the girl and got up.
The girl hadn't applied much strength so it wasn't hard for her to get up if she wanted.
[I slept enough]
[Lie]
What the girl said was true. They both had just a short nap, which wasn't enough to rest Priyanka's body.
[Instead, I have something important to say.]
As Priyanka knew she couldn't convince the girl she naturally changed topics.
The girl tried to write something but suddenly stopped.
She was waiting for the woman's words.
[Do you want to become my daughter?]
'What...?'
This was the only thing Peridot could think.
Priyanka seemed to be in her thirties, but would she adopt a man in his twenties?
The mental image she had of herself just made the situation ridiculous.
The serious woman just stared at her face with a slightly anxious face.
'Come back to your senses, idiot!'
Peridot started to think about her situation analytically.
It wasn't a bad idea to be adopted by Priyanka.
Priyanka was a doctor and shouldn't struggle with financial expenses.
She had a good personality and relationship.
And she wasn't related to the original.
Moreover, Peridot would have a lot of time to spend alone.
She could peacefully practice her powers this way and maybe have a little entertainment after a long time.
The best was that she didn't need to fight for money.
[Yes.]
Peridot decided to accept, instead she couldn't deny it anymore.
If her senses weren't restricted, stars would probably be exploding from her eyes.
'My lazy life is coming!'
That was the only thing she could think.
A wide smile appeared on Priyanka's face.
She picked up a paper from a bag and showed it to her.
[Asha Maheswaran, born on April 1, 20XX, 9 years old, gender Female...]
It was an adoption paper...
Peridot thought Priyanka would consider and pass through some process, but had she already been adopted?
Something seemed wrong. Was it possible to do this without her consent?
'Maybe it's because this is a cartoon world? Some things seem very clumsy...'
Peridot was sincerely worried about the world she would live in from now on.
'The government doesn't seem very trustworthy.'
[Do you like your name?]
At Priyanka's words, Peridot realized the details of the adoption paper.
'Asha? A female name...'
Peridot felt conflicted inside. It was as if someone was playing a joke on her.
The name wasn't bad, but it didn't suit her. At least, it didn't match what she considered "her".
However, Priyanka didn't need to know about that.
[Yes]
She also should accept her own identity.
She didn't pretend to live as a girl from the beginning, even having an androgynous appearance as a gem.
This happened because the circumstances were inevitable.
If she hadn't analyzed Priyanka when she was found the situation wouldn't end as well as now.
It didn't mean she would date a man anyway.
'Asha, this is my new name.'
Peridot, now Asha, decided to accept her new identity.
If there was one thing she didn't like, it was that it would be hard to make her dream a reality.
She wanted to build a family, date a proactive wife, and have a cute daughter.
This was something she had idealized since the abandoned world when she saw her face for the first time.
But who would date someone who seemed like a child?
No, maybe she could overcome it with her skills if she wanted.
There was another problem she wasn't thinking about.
Asha stared at the serious woman in front of her.
'Aren't gems immortal?'
If gems weren't immortal she would at least live more than any living being on this planet.
Asha extended her hand in the direction of the serious woman's face.
'Is it a good idea to go with you?'
Asha was always thinking about the future beyond her.
For good or for bad.
Priyanka touched her hand tenderly and smiled with a tired face.
'There is no reason to suffer before the time comes.'
The woman in front of her was someone she could rely on.
And it was her decision to live among humans.
[Tomorrow we will come home together.]
'Home...?'
It was a strange word.
She liked it.
*
Sniff.
Asha's field of view was obstructed by a chatty nurse hugging her body.
She hugged her as if they would never see each other again.
'So dramatic...'
Even if she moved in with Priyanka, it didn't mean she wouldn't return to the hospital.
Asha should return to rehabilitation and additional exams.
As Priyanka worked in this hospital it wasn't like they wouldn't see each other.
Sniff. Sniff.
But the woman's tears continued to fall, leaving Asha with a complex feeling.
She was a frustrating woman, but not a bad person.
Lately, she hadn't been that clingy either...
Sigh.
'It's the first and last time I do it.'
Little arms enveloped the body of the young woman.
The tears seemed to stop, replaced by a blank face.
The woman seemed to open and close her mouth like a baby bird.
Squeeze...!
The woman's arms hugged her more tightly, and a new dose of tears fell from her face.
'I did a good job not studying medicine in college...'
What was she supposed to do if she had to deal with so many emotional people?
Well, she couldn't generalize, Priyanka wasn't so emotional.
Asha convinced herself that the woman in front of her was just eccentric.
After an uncomfortable fight of hugs, Priyanka finally appeared.
Today was the day she would leave this hospital.
Kiss.
'Eh?'
The nurse suddenly kissed both of her cheeks leaving Asha speechless.
She hadn't problems with hugs, but she was a bit weak with kisses.
Fortunately, her senses were restricted to hide her red face.
Is it because she saw herself as a girl? Is it normal for girls to kiss the checks of themselves?
Asha imagined Maria kissing Priyanka's cheek.
'...'
It didn't seem normal at all.
The nurse was called away by someone and, with reluctance, separated from her body.
Seeing her like that, Asha felt as if she might be reported for abandoning a dog.
Priyanka approached with a thoughtful face and opened a notebook.
[Do you like Maria?]
With "Maria" Priyanka was probably talking about the chatty nurse.
Why was she curious about that?
[Don't dislike]
Her answer showed the current state of the woman in her mind.
It wasn't at a point where she could say she liked her, but at least she could tolerate her at some point.
Internally, Asha would criticize the woman but knew she had good intentions.
She just was... strange.
Priyanka stared at her words for a while and pushed her wheelchair.
Both walked together until they saw a car with police sirens.
There a man with glasses stood up with a nervous face.
Stare...
The man seemed to stare at her fixedly not even blinking his eyes.
Priyanka seemed to say something, and the man finally stopped staring at her oddly.
Was this man Priyanka's husband?
They seemed a bit alike.
'For some reason, it's uncomfortable.'
Seeing Priyanka and Doug side by side some memories seemed to be triggered in her mind.
It was strange, she had never seen the man, he should be familiar just because he resembled Priyanka.
She convinced herself. A small light appeared from her gem.
The man opened the door and tried to catch her.
Asha's hands trembled a little.
She was surprised by a stranger trying to touch her body.
'Why am I reacting this way?'
Asha couldn't understand herself.
It was the same with the black-suited man and now with Priyanka's husband.
'Was there a remaining trauma from the abandoned world?'
Asha had struggled with pain for a long time, but she didn't seem to show any abnormalities mentally.
But when a stranger approached her body seemed to react.
When she was a man it didn't happen.
Asha started to feel anxious.
She couldn't understand herself and the unknown situation about what was previously a fact gave her "fear" after a long time.
An even stronger energy appeared in her gem again.
Priyanka, with her sharp eyes, quickly pushed Doug away.
Her arms held her body and put her in the passenger seat.
In her arms, Asha's mind felt a little relieved.
'Again...'
When her mind calmed what she felt was embarrassment.
Priyanka sat by her side, instead of her husband's.
Asha wasn't stupid, she knew it was the woman's consideration for her.
'Sorry.'
She felt bad for Priyanka's husband, it wasn't his fault.
Even with these thoughts, she felt both touched and relieved to have Priyanka next to her.
However, she knew she shouldn't rely on her forever.
When she had time she promised to understand all her collateral effects and deal with them face to face.
But until there...
Asha held Priyanka's hand.
There weren't any sensations, but the mental stability she gave replaced them.
The gem stabilized showing just a pale shade like before.
Just until she feels confident.
It wouldn't be bad to rely on Priyanka a little.
But just a little bit.
*
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We will have a break of two weeks. We will come back on 05/09 - 2 PM (GMT-4). This is not a drop.
SORRY, I FORGOT THE COLLEGE (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻; SomeRandomReader asked me today, "What is your schedule?" I analyzed it and noticed the college vacations had finished, my Gmail was red and the deadline was near and had already been extended!! At the same time I hurt my finger in the door, imagine me writing it with a purple finger and cracked nail XDDD.
I canceled everything to finish it. My cellphone also will stay turned off. I'm really sorry guys, is urgent (┬┬﹏┬┬). Sorry for the grammar in this chapter too, I'm not in the mood to check it.
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