Dear Husband, yours only [on hold]

✥ 22 | Hurt

Sanjh took a deep breath. It didn't make sense. The part one of the audio had ended by Minal saying that Sidharth rejected her. It wasn't adding up. What happened in between that changed Sidharth's mind? 

She navigated to the file explorer to open the other audio. But before she could press enter on the keypad her phone beeped. She glanced at the screen and was surprised to find it was a notification from Sidharth. She quickly picked up her phone unlocked it and read the message he had sent.

Can I call you?

Sanjh didn't reply. Instead she called him. Fear gripping her heart. It was an unusual message.

"Hello, Sidharth?"

"Hey. Um, Raunak is running a fever. Can you text me the name of the medicine that the doctor had prescribed the last time he was sick. I couldn't remember the name."

"Did you measure it?"

"Yes, hundred and one."

Sanjh panicked. "Does he have a cold or cough? Is he complaining of toothache, stomach pain or headache? Is he crying?"

"He didn't complain of any pain. But he was crying and a bit irritated. Took a while to get him to watch the cartoon. He is distracted for now. Just message the name of the medicine. Sachin has already left for the medical store."

"Okay," she said. She accidentally cut the call while trying to navigate to the message app. She typed the name quickly and sent it to him. She waited for a minute and then called him back.

"I got the message and I have sent it to Sachin."

"Did he eat anything?" She asked. Raunak could be a stubborn kid when he was sick. 

"The cook made some khichdi. He ate. Not as much as he usually eats. But he ate."

Sanjh took a deep breath of relief. Raunak usually had  almost no appetite when he was sick. It was hard to get him to eat something.

"Sanjh, I will take care of him. Don't worry." He reassured. 

"Hmm,"

"I will go join him."

"Keep in loop, please." She requested quickly before he could end the call.

"I will." With his reply the call ended.

Sanjh closed her eyes. Every time Raunak fell ill, she would be consumed by a strange restlessness. She shut the laptop and grabbed her sketch book and pencil. Sketching had become a way to de-stress and distract herself from thoughts.

An hour later she called Sidharth again. She was worried about her son.

"Sanjh," he said recieving the call.

"How is he now?"

"Just slept some time back. I gave him the medicine."

"Can I come over?"

"Sanjh, I can take care of him."Sanjh squeezed her eyes shut. Why did he always misunderstand her?

"Sidharth, I know. I just feel very restless. I want to seem him. Please."

"He's better. Just five minutes back I checked, his fever was hundred point eight. It's going away, slowly. "

"Please," she almost whispered. It had been more than fifty hours since she had last seen her son. Now that she knew he was unwell, she couldn't stop thinking about him.

"How are you planning to come? It's quite late." He spoke up after a thoughtful pause.