At 12:00 am, sidharth woke up feeling something extremely warm becomes astonish to witness her body trembling due to high fever getting panic he immediately, pulls her into his embrace, rubs her body to generate heat as she was freezing "fuck, I hope her fever drops down, what do I do ?" when it doesn't work, made her lay down, rushes to get blanket from store room hopefully there will be a small quilt or anything better to cover as they use to come here with family for picnics.
After going through the dusty items finally found warm quilts nicely packed inside a cover to make sure none get dirty, smiles learning only his mom could do this quickly took them upstairs covering her up with as much as possible "sidha .. sidharth mere ko bohut thand lag rahe hai" teeth's chatter, sitting beside her assured not to worry.
"I will just be back !" she weakly, nods.
"I hope I have medicine in my car ?!" gets to two Panadol tablets kept over the dash board "gosh I shouldn't have come here the hospital is also far hopefully by morning her fever reduces" talks to himself while pouring warm milk.
He helps her in getting up "yeh kya hai ?" points out the tablets in his hands "muh kholo !" order, strictly eyeing her to take just like he did during their old times, back then, used to confuse her a random excuse of him being extremely caring is what usually clicked her mind "doodh nahi na, I need water" she demands, annoying him.
Ignoring her brings in front of her lips giving no choice of throwing tantrum "aap bohut bure ho" she somehow gulps it down "hmm .." she grasps his wrist on seeing him getting up "kahan ?" she asks feeling scared "I will bring woods to lighten up fire till then, my dear wifey calm down, if you will act so clingy how will I control myself ?" she instantly, left his arm, smiling ran down to bring woods, matchstick & lights up fire in their room.
He pulls his hoodie off making her nervous damn his body is freaking tempting "like what you see ? arey relax it's all yours !" he winks, before getting inside the blanket and squatting closer "sidharth, durr rahiye please aapko bhi hojayega" she could not sleep peacefully beside a half naked husband.
"It's okay, come closer meri jaan my body will be helping you in getting warm !" he pulls her close, she gasps as her lips brush against his chest "I'm fine you know this ain't required" she assured.
"We will definitely know that during morning ab aankhein bandh karke sone ka kya loge ?" snorts making him chuckle soon she drifts back to deep sleep after taking medicines and feeling warmth.
He stays awake to make sure the temperature of her body doesn't rise up or if god forbid any sort of emergency situation arises, she is his life even while she was growing up he use to be very strict which she intended to take as protectiveness, for his family members including her .. little did she know, it was specifically out of affection towards his wife not a cousin who his parent took care as a guardian, very soon her body temperature had returned back to normal.
Planting kiss, dragged himself down to cook for her some delicious breakfast "hello ammi, kaise hain aap .. g hum theek hain bass kal raat aapke laadle ko fever hogaya tha woh toh shukar hai u kept few blankets nicely packed in the store else living here would have been impossible .. maine aap ko phone na chicken soup ke recipe jaane ki liye kiya hai biwi bimaar hai socha khaatir daari he karle jaaye now please guide me !" zahra ji, is shock to hear that her son is willing to cook.
"Are you sure, should I send through driver ?" it came out as concern tho she was happy he want to do things for shehnaaz "nahi, aap bataye uski khaatir itna toh kar he sakta hoon na, waise I've seen her trying hard to learn cooking for me aur maine apne gusse mein .. na taste kiya aur na he appreciate which I will always regret !!" she asks him to mend those mistakes "galatiyaan insaano se hojate hain lekin bohut kum log seekh ke aage badte hain .. khushi horahe hai to know you both have survived the night with-out murdering each other" zahra ji laughs, sidharth rolls eyes.
"Acha maar liya taunt ab batayein bhi is se pehle ke madam uth jaaye aur mera surprise kharab hi hojaye" zahra ji instructs, he follows but at times messes it up then finally ends up burning his left hand's finger "sambhal ke sidharth" his mom, on video call scolds him for being in a hurry "isliye I was suggesting you home delivery !" she sees the tear forming in the back of his eyes melting poor heart down "beta, meri duaa hai aap dono khush hokar saath rehne ke umeed se wapis ghar ayein, jis tarah aap mehnat kar rahe haina, I am feeling proud of you warna kal ke baad se toh baat karne ka bhi mann nahi kar raha tha" he apologised.
"I will forgive you when I see both of you happy ! Take care, reach out whenever possible" he ends the call, pouring the soup inside the bowl.
He notices beautiful roses grown outside quickly plucking one went upstairs near their balcony, it has a breath taking view along sunlight warming up their cottage "shehnaaz, babe uth breakfast is ready !" she woke up to view him beside her "did you cook ?" couldn't help, but eagerly question if true would be so romantic "yes mrs khan at your service" curling her lips into a beautiful smile, as one would happily die for, realising her stupidity she hurriedly, plasters annoyance, disappointing him, freshening up walks out to an impressive as well as thoughtful preparation.
"Why do think I will taste what you cooked when you never bothered instead walked over my hand cooked meals, preferred others food over mine, u taunt me for being irresponsible a useless wife ?" she couldn't help but recall their past moments it was hurtful to be ignored and not appreciated.
He didn't have anything to say no excuses would easily help to recover the damages "I won't force you, I cooked to make you feel special but you're right why would you taste mine when I've shown no interest to yours, let it be .." she could notice a flash of remorse due to which stopped him.
"No, you have made it with so much of love, how can I let it be .. come .. sorry I didn't mean" she's confuse her emotions are all over the place cause he's being too loving, and caring which cannot be over looked "you don't have to say sorry it should be me apologising to you" she held his hand to go ahead but then he winces pulling her attention.
"What's wrong ?" she asks, studying him.
"Nothing" watching him trying to hide his pain is even more stressful.
He tries to loose up from her hold "shit, did you .. fuck .. why did you cook .. aap bhi na kya har dafa apne karna zaroori hai ?" her eyes well up as soon as she took a careful glimpse of his fingers.
"Of course, hum tehre ziddi couple !" cracks joke, to lighten up her mood, rolling eyes asked him to drive to some nearest medical store "baap re, ruk jao, pehle breakfast karlein phir isko bhi dekh he lainge waise tumhara bukhaar kaisa hai ?" why is he so stubborn, doesn't even look after himself.
"Main bilkul theek hoon !" she says, taking a seat opposite to him over a cute dining table.
She tastes getting impressed by his cooking skills
"bohut acha bana huwa hai" smiles at him "really dikhao ?" directs the spoon to his mouth loving it unable to believe his hidden talent.
"Hmm, actually I didn't know mere andar khana banane ka bhi talent hai !" she shakes head clear throat feeling anxious on how to thank him after his selfless care last night.
"Since when, have you started thinking so much before talking ?" sidharth questions, astonishing her as how does he manages to understand her ?
He does it so well that one would never trust the equation we had always shared "aap ko kis tarah pata chal jata hai ke main baat karne se hickicha rahe hoon ?" she asks in amusement.
"Your facial expressions bachpan se padna sikha hai take it as another talent" he smiles "anyways tell me what's bothering you ?" holding her little finger, drawing circles at the back of her hand.
"Thanks, aap ne mera khayal rakha raat bhaar is darr se ki kahin mera fever high na hojaye subah utha kar soup banaya .. na karein .. itna sab kuch gande adat par jaane hai" she sadly, utters has no idea what their lies in their future.
"Main shohar hoon tumhara thanks kis baat ka I am sure agar meri halat kharab hote tum bhi yeh he karte jaise thore dair pehle pareshaan hogaye, mera haath dekh kar" she silently, pulls her palm out of his grip causing him disappointment.
"I can accept ur thanks, if you accept this flower" excitedly, she half heartedly accepts making him smile these babe steps will help them resolve the problems acting as a barrier between them.
"Hum ghar wapis kab jarahe hain ?" she asks, he doesn't answer simply taking the bowl down "uff yeh ladki bhi na kaat raha hoon main joh madam ko saath rehne mein bhi takleef horahe hai" she's not going to let him escape hence followed.
"Sidharth" shehnaaz called out running after him who avoids interacting by washing dishes "aap se baat kar rahe hoon deewaraun se nahi sidharth u cannot avoid me .. aap kyun doh rahe ho chodiye main kar lunge your fingers are burnt !" she tries to snatch he pulls from other side due to which a wince escaped worrying her "sorry, dikhaye" she delicately, strokes the redness.
"Let's go to the medical store !" he resists, taking it out of her grip but she passes him death glare.
"I am fine babe .." he notices her eyes tearing up, not to push her more, agreed.
"Stop crying, look at me .. I am fine for your sake will go theek hai, chalein ?" cupping face, he asks lovingly, she nodded.
After washing the left over dishes shehnaaz took him to the nearest store, buying medicine gently applied "next time aap kitchen ka koi kaam nahi karoge sidharth dekho kaise bubble bann gaya.." she sternly, says "aapka hukum sarr ankhaun pe meri jaan" making her furrows eyebrows "hain ? agar aise baat hai toh ghar chalein na kyun mujh ko jungle mein bandh kar rahe hain ?"
"See .. your avoiding me .. sidharth ?" she yelled earning no response, tiredly looks away.
"You think, we will resolve our issues by staying together ?" he nods "I do, we need to know each other spend time that's how our scars will heal I want nothing but patience from you"
"My semester is going to start I need to be there sidharth" she gave excuse "oh please you hardly ever showed interest" she smacks him.
"You are so mean !" she twists lip, he chuckled.
"No, darling I am brutally honest !" she mimics, he halts the car beside a shop to buy few clothes for her but she refuses to buy any, rejecting idea of staying here for as long as he wishes "soch lo, mere kapde pehan ke kaam chalana padega" on his insistence, she finally agreed.
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Done ❤️ keep loving my work :)
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