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10. Sweet Poison

One of the dreary consequences of being sick is that you have to sleep most of the times. It was surely dreary for someone like Ram who works round the clock. He was not habituated to sit quietly. Adi had strictly ordered him to rest and not to work. He felt stiff due to laying on the bed continually entire day.

He got out of bed and went on the terrace. He strolled there for a while. The evening was still warm. The wind blew frequently. The walk tired him as he was still weak.

He sat on the chair and rested his head back. He closed his eyes and felt the air touched his cheeks. His hair moved with the wind. It was a soothing. Particularly, after the tough night and day he had.

He couldn't recall the last time he felt this. The last time he spent doing nothing.

After sometime he headed back to his room. He stopped in the corridor when he heard the chaos downstairs. He stood there and peeped down in the hall. His family was checking the things Shubham got for them this Diwali. Mami excitedly flaunted the designer dress he got while Nandini praised him for selecting the best brands she liked.

People buy new things during festivals.

Whenever Ram went for shopping, he would buy things for his family. Irrespective of whether they had shopped or not, they need or not, he would get gifts for them. Particularly, on festivals.

But this time circumstances were different. He was unwell. He was hospitalized for a night. It was not possible for him to go so he asked Shubham to get things for the Family this year. Everyone was happy.

He was not speaking or eating yet he felt like he was choking. He smiled at them from far and went back into his room.

Some more time passed. Tarun arrived. He served him dinner. He asked him if he forgot anything or not but Tarun declined.

Not that he was unaware of how things are yet he felt that maybe Shubham got something for him too. Given that he was sick and unable to go out he would buy something new for himself on the occasion of Diwali, but like always he was forgotten.

Did he expect? No. Was he hurt? Deeply.

But thanks to the powerful medication that he fell asleep soon, saving himself from another long night of hurt and overthinking.

He woke up to a morning like a regular one or maybe even duller. It was festival of light but like they say those provide light to others often burn themselves. Ram was one of them.

His health was much better. After getting ready, he took his laptop and he was surfing shopping sites. So what if nobody got him anything, he had himself and he loved shopping too.

Food and shopping, his saviours.

He wanted the attire to be delivered today so he contacted few of the mall owners he knew. The good will he had that they readily agreed to the best clothes and even get it stitch, if he wants, within few hours for him. But they agreed on the catalogs.

He checked the catalogs they sent. After scratching his head for some time, he finally selected two of them — a suit and a traditional wear — because he liked to have options.

****

It was post afternoon. He was resting when someone knocked on his door. It was Shivina.

"Since when you need permission to enter my room?" he questioned as she entered.