The Binding String

T H I R T Y - E I G H T

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Next Day when Ishita awake she was having a bad headache due to lack of sleep, she looked at her other side and saw Raman sleeping cuddling with Roohi. She checked the time and it was just seven of morning. She took out the thermometer from the bedside drawer and started to take Roohi temperature but in the process she ended up waking Raman. "I'm sorry Raman. You please sleep." Ishita tried to cover Raman who was looking tired.

"That's fine. What happened? Why're you taking Roohi temperature?"

"She had temperature last night." Raman sat aback and checked the thermometer which was showing normal temperature making young parent sigh with relief. "But we need to take her to doctor."

"We will take her together. I will fix appointment at Dr. Archana clinic."  Ishita nodded her head in affirmation and kissed Roohi's forehead, "you look tired. Take a leave if possible." Raman said later, trying to stiffen his yawns.

"No I have work at university. You take rest. I will drop Roohi to school." Ishita replied with the probable solution knowing well Raman had to go for site visit today. "Don't worry but I will try to return early." Ishita comforted her husband and asked him to take rest whereas she left to start her day. As Ishita said she dropped Roohi to school and asked her teacher not to let her play and exert herself physically more. She spend her remaining day in university, making sure not to stress her mind more. Around three of afternoon, she picked Roohi from school and the mother daughter duo reached at home. Roohi being lousy chose to cuddle with her Mumma as Ishita   gave her homemade snacks after reaching back to home.
"Hey Rooh would you like to go on a walk?" Ishita later asked seeing Roohi looking something into phone while lying down on her mother's lap.

"No Mumma. I dont want to." Roohi kept the phone aside and buried her face in her mother stomach making Ishita smile. She caressed her daughter hairs and picked newspaper supplements to read. Ishita wasn't liking her Roohi being lazy and silent but she can understand her daughter is little sick and children often becomes cranky. Ishita started to check her phone hoping Raman would arrive soon so that they can take Roohi to doctor. "Rooh let's go on walk, we will play with Pluto as well." Ishita nagged Roohi again with pleading eyes.

"I'm feeling sleepy Mumma. Can't we go tomorrow?"

"Are you still having pain in throat?" Ishita asked and Roohi nodded her head in affirmation. Ishita kissed her forehead and lured her to meet Pluto if they goes downstairs. Roohi love Pluto more than anyone and hence she agreed to go downstairs despite being sleepy. As Ishita expected Roohi instantly cheered up when Pluto came towards them wiggling his tail. Roohi started to play with Pluto, running behind Pluto ignoring her mother words. Somewhere her smiling face relieved Ishita but her relief was shortlived until she saw Roohi sitting on floor panting hard.

"Roohi." Ishita hugged Roohi frightened with her sudden deteriorating health. "Rooh bolo na beta. Kya hua." Ishita asked with scared voice seeing her little daughter who was finding hard to breath.

"Ishita kya hua?" She relieved finding her husband who came running towards her.

"Raman yeh dekho na Roohi ko, ekdum se kya ho gaya hai." Her voice refused to come out from her throat, making hard for her to reply.

"What was the need to bring her downstairs then? I was coming anyway." Ishita kept looking at her husband who took Roohi from her hands and started to walk towards car carrying Roohi in his arms leaving stunned Ishita behind. "Ishita do fast!!!!" Ishita composed herself and ran behind Raman. She sat on passenger seat and hugged Roohi who still was not looking better. The Child Care Private Clinic owned by Dr. Archana was hardly ten fifteen minutes away but the traffic almost took half an hour for them to reach. Through all the time Ishita kept rubbing Roohi's back and made her drink little water hoping it would make her feel better. As Raman parked his car in the parking, Ishita was the first one who ran inside clinic carrying Roohi along.

"We have an appointment for Ms. Roohi Bhalla."

"It's room no 3 mam." The receptionist replied and Ishita Raman walked towards the room which was in the lobby. Ishita expected to meet Dr. Archana but she frowned seeing a young male doctor sitting there, reading something. "Look like we came in wrong room." Ishita mumbled and about to go back when doctor stopped her.

"No mam you came in right room. Please have a seat." Raman Ishita sat on visitors seat still carrying Roohi in their arms.

"We want to meet Dr. Archana." Raman inquired growing impatient.

"Sir, Dr. Archana is not in town, I'm her assistant, Dr. Rajan Mehta. I had words with her about Dr. Archana when you told the receptionist that she treated Roohi earlier." The young man introduced himself with polite voice. Raman Ishita nodded their heads and make themselves comfortable on seats. Raman ran his gaze around the room, the room had white walls decorated with various cartoon characters stickers pasted on it, the room was divided into two sections, one visitor section and another one covered with partition for examination. The doctor was young hardly twenty six or twenty seven years old, he had thick eyebrows, black eyes and a sharp jawline with trimmed beard. He smiled at Raman Ishita and gestured them to make little lady sit on stool.

"Go baby." Ishita cooed her little baby and made her sit on the stool. He started to have casual chat with Roohi asking about her favourite cartoon while examining her pulse and eyes.

"I don't think if he know something. Look how he is chatting with Roohi." Raman nagged Ishita making her scowl.

"He is doing right thing. She is child, she might get scared." Ishita replied and signalled her husband to remain quite.

"Mam since when she is having cold and cough?"

"Since last weekend. She ate icecream on rainy evening it happened after that." Ishita replied with concern filled eyes. "She also had temperature last night." Dr. Rajan Mehta nodded his head and stated his examination procedure.

"Something else you noticed?"

"She often runs out of breath and she cannot do much physical exertion. Even today she started to pant aloud doing mere physical work." Ishita shared every detail about Roohi she observed in past months.

"Does she often runs out of breath?" Dr Rajan asked further.

"Yes it's happening from so many days. The mere physical work leaves her exhaust."

"She is having viral fever. It's quite common in kids especially in rainy days and from the other traits you shared, I feel your daughter is asthmatic." Dr. Rajan Mehta shared his opinion after examining Roohi, his words left the young parent worried and concerned for their little daughter. "But all of sudden? She never had such problems before." Raman questioned doctor this time, unsatisfied with doctor Rajan observation.

"Mr Bhalla there is nothing much to be worry about infact you should be happy as we discovered it in early age. Mostly this disease discovers in later stage as peoples are not aware about it. It can be genetic as well but and right medication can cure her, you just need to take her extra care. I'm writing prescription, start the medication from today and no icecream or cold drinks for young lady." Dr. Rajan smiled at Roohi and handed the  prescription paper to couple. "Mrs Bhalla make sure Roohi doesn't exert herself much." Ishita nodded her head in affirmation caressing Roohi's hairs.

"Dr. Archana will be here in few days. We will give you a call and you can consult to her as well." Ishita Raman nodded their heads and exited the cabin along Roohi. Ishita kept hugging Roohi through the entire way, making a promise to take a more care of her from now.