"Don't ever believe when a woman says she is fine"
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17. Taking Care Of Her
Aarav's Pov
I WOKE UP to the sound of the alarm buzzing. I groaned and switched it off. Reluctantly, I opened my eyes and turned to my right to see Shreya was still asleep.
Weird. She never sleeps this long.
I glanced at the clock it was nine in the morning. I pulled the duvet away from my body and decided to shower. After fifteen minutes as I walked outside the washroom, I found Shreya still sleeping.
I quickly changed into a fresh pair jeans and t-shirt since Shreya had insisted on going for shopping today. I walked towards the bed and decided to wake her up. As soon as I touched her hand, I realised she was shivering. I touched her forehead hoping it was not what I was thinking but it seemed I was right.
She had fever. High fever.
I quickly called our family doctor but his phone was out of coverage.
Simply great!
I heard Shreya groaning so I quickly went by her side.
"Aarav...", Shreya called out.
"Yeah hon, I'm right here", I said holding her small hand in my large ones.
"Water", she said.
I screwed the lid open of the bottle and filled the glass with water.
"You need to sit, Shrey", I said.
Arranging the pillows behind her back, I helped her sit. Taking the glass from the bedside table, I handed her the glass. She drank the water slowly as I watched her.
"Should I turn off the air conditioner?", I asked.
She nodded in response.
I quickly turned off the air conditioner and tried to call the doctor again but still the same response.
"Shrey, I think we should go to the doctor", I said as she handed me the glass back.
"No, I'm fine", she said.
"Look at yourself, Shrey! You're no where near fine", I said placing the glass on the table.
"I am"
"No, you're not"
"I am"
"Not"
"I *coughs* am *coughs* fine"
"If you're fine you wouldn't be coughing right now", I said trying to put some sense in her thick headed skull.
"What is the date today?", she asked pulling the duvet over her body.
"3rd September, why?", I asked sitting beside her on the bed.
"Call Niyu", she said softly.
"Niyu?", I asked confused.
"Saloni. Call her", she said.
This girl was impossible. She's sick and she wants to talk to her sister right now.
Reluctantly, I grabbed my phone from the bedside table and dialled Saloni's number. After two rings she finally picked up the call.
"Hello Jij! Aaj hamari yaad kaise aayi?", [ How did you remember me today?] Saloni asked in a teasing tone.
"Well! Your sis wants to talk you so hold on", I said as I handed the phone to Shreya.
Shreya took the phone and placed it on her ear.
"Niyu, happy birthday kiddo", she said coughing.
God, when was she going to stop being stubborn?
"Yeah yeah your jij is right here", she said.
Suddenly, I remembered something which I should have thought long back. Shaurya too was a doctor. He could help me and maybe put some sense in his senseless sister.
"Talk to your jij and don't worry I will be fine", she said.
I rolled my eyes at that. Really? How on the earth was she going to be fine when she didn't wanted to eat medicines? Were the fairies or God himself was going to come down on earth and cure her fever?
She gave me the phone back. I placed it on my ear as she snuggled in the comfort of the duvet.
"Jij? What is wrong with Di?", Saloni asked her voice laced with worry.
"I won't say she's fine because she's not. Your sister is one stubborn woman", I said glancing at Shreya who was scowling at me.
Like I'm scared of her!
"She's coughing and has fever yet Madam is like I'm fine", I said glaring at my lovely wife who by the way wasn't looking lovely at the moment.
"That's my Di for you. Her I'm fine never ends. She will be drowning in ocean and yet she will say I'm fine but don't listen to her. Call a doctor and get her checked", Saloni said.
"I wish it was possible", I said sighing.
"Why? What happened?"
"It's raining pretty heavy here and doc's phone is out of coverage area", I explained.
"Shit! That's bad", Saloni said.
"Yeah by the way is Shaurya home?", I asked.
"Yeah, do you want to talk to him?", she enquired.
"Yeah please"
"Okay, wait a sec jij", she said.
After two minutes, I heard Shaurya's voice.
"Hey bro! Saloni said Shrey is sick"
"Yeah she has fever", I said.
"Niyu told me your doctor isn't available", Shaurya said.
"Yeah... Shaurya you're a doctor too. Can you help your sister?", I asked.
"Well I can but first you need to check her temperature", he said.
"Okay hold on", I said and placed the phone on the table.
Rummaging through all the drawers, I finally found the thermometer. I took the thermometer and placed it in Shreya's mouth.
It was a good thing that she was still awake.
I removed the thermometer from her mouth and I felt like giving her a piece of my mind.
She had 104° fever and she was saying I'm fine! What was I going to do with her?
"Stop glaring at that thermometer like you want to kill it", Shreya mumbled breaking my trance.
"You're going to be the death of me", I mumbled as I picked up the phone.
"Hello Shaurya?"
"Yeah bro"
"Its 104", I said glaring at Shreya who was now hiding her face inside the duvet.
"Okay I will write medicines and whatsapp you. Give them to Shrey she will be fine", he said.
"Thank you so much, bro!", I said sighing in relief.
"Thank you? Seriously? She's my sister, dude I would do anything for her and I'm giving the phone back to Saloni", he said.
"Jij?", Saloni said.
"Yeah and happy birthday!", I said as I remembered the exact reason of the call.
"Bahot jaldi wish kia aap ne", [ You wished pretty early ] Saloni said sarcastically.
"You know when someone wishes you happy birthday you're suppose to say thank you, my dear SIL", I said.
"Okay okay thank you Jij but I'm angry on you", she said.
"Angry on me? Why?", I asked confused.
"Because you took Di to Pune", she answered.
Aren't both the sisters drama queens? But wait! How did Saloni know we're in Pune?
"How do you know we're in Pune?", I asked intrigued.
"Ohh... that well... uhhh... Rishi might have told me", she said stuttering.
Rishi? What the hell was going on between both of them? I need to talk to him before something unexpected happens. Knowing Shreya's family, her father will not like anything more than a friend.
"Jij, are you there?"
"Yeah..."
"You know this is my first birthday without Di", she said with a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Well this is your first and last birthday without your Di. Next year she will be with you and its a promise", I said.
"Jij, you're the best!", she said cheerfully.
"Okay I will catch you later. Ask Shaurya to whatsapp me the medicines", I said.
"Yeah Bhai already did it"
"Okay thanks a lot! Take care which reminds me how's Uncle and Auntie?", I asked.
Yeah I had stuck on calling them Uncle and Auntie because I couldn't bring myself to call them anything near Mom and Dad.
"Uhh... they're fine.."
I so wanted to ask if they missed Shreya but I couldn't bring myself to ask because Shreya was awake and she was pretty much hearing whatever I was speaking.
It seemed that Saloni had just read my thoughts as her next words were the answer to my unasked question.
"They don't miss Di. After Di's wedding not once have they removed her topic. Her room is locked now. They behave like Di never existed....", Saloni trailed as her voice broke in the end.
How could her parents behave like this? For god's sake she was their daughter, their blood and their own flesh yet they behave so cruelly with her!
I closed my eyes trying to control the anger which was creating a storm inside me. I reminded myself that Shreya was my first priority and her parents hatred towards her didn't matter right now.
Taking one deep breath, I opened my eyes only to find Shreya peeking at me from her duvet and own its accord a smile made its way on my lips. She smiled back at me and pulled the duvet over her head.
How she makes me forget everything was still something I couldn't wrap my head around. Her small gestures always made me forget all the worries in the world and maybe that's the magic of love.
"Saloni, I will talk to your later. Bye", I said.
"Take care of Di and yourself Jij. Bye.", she said and ended the call.
I decided to give Shreya crocin which would help a little to subside her fever. Opening the drawer, I pulled out the tablets but then I remembered she hadn't eaten anything. I sighed and went outside the room and straight to the kitchen.
Instead of cooking something I decided to feed her fruits. Picking up two apples from the fruits basket, I cut them into pieces and placed them in a place. Picking up two oranges, I chopped them and put them in the grinder. After five minutes, the orange juice was ready. Pouring the juice in a glass, I placed the plate and glass in a tray and made my way back to the room.
Placing the tray on the bedside table, I sat on the bed beside Shreya and woke her up.
"Let me sleep", Shreya whined.
"You can sleep later first eat something", I said arranging the pillows behind her back.
"No, I don't want to eat", she said pouting.
"Enough with your stubborness, Shreya! If you don't eat I'm calling Mom this instance and then you will have to face her wrath", I warned.
"But I haven't brushed!"
"Your brushing can go to hell for a day. Right now eat", I said as I forwarded a piece of apple towards her.
"Eww! No! That's gross! I will brush my teeth first", she said scrunching her nose.
I sighed.
I could never win any argument with her.
"Okay, c'mon I will help you", I said standing up.
She pushed the duvets away from her body and tried to stand but failed miserably. I sighed as I scooped her in my arms Shreya gasped obviously she wasn't expecting me to do that.
I could feel her gaze on me and though I wanted to look at her I decided against it. Reaching the washroom, I slowly helped to stand on her feet. She brushed her teeth and rinsed her mouth after which I again picked her up in a bridal style and walked towards the bed. Placing her on the bed, I helped her sit up.
"Now everything is done so you better eat", I said forwarding the piece of apple towards her.
"You feed me otherwise I won't eat", she said pouting.
I guess my heart skipped a beat because I wasn't expecting it.
The next few minutes were spend in feeding her the pieces of apple. Every now and then she would make faces but still she finished the entire plate without any argument.
"Now eat the medicine", I said handing her the tablet.
"What? No! I don't want medicines they taste bitter", she said scrunching her nose.
"Shreya, they're medicines and they're meant to taste bitter so please eat", I said giving her the tablet.
She took it and frowned.
"But this is crocin", she said confused.
"Yeah the medicines Shaurya has prescribed I need to bring them from the pharmacy", I said passing her the glass of water.
"You're going out in rain?", she asked frowning.
"Yeah you eat this it will help in subsiding the fever a little", I said.
She sighed and ate the medicines reluctantly.
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I HAD BEEN driving for the past two hours and yet I hadn't found the medicines. Not that the medicines weren't available but all the pharmacies were closed and it was starting to flood.
Alas! I found a pharmacy.
Parking my car outside the pharmacy, I made my way inside. Showing him the photo of the prescription, he gave me the medicines.
"Excuse me, Uncle ji?"
"Yes beta ( son )"
"Yeh sab dukaan kyu bandh hai aaj?", [ Why are all the pharmacies closed today? ] I asked.
"Wo beta ji tv pe dikha rahe the ki aaj flood hone ki sambhavna hai. Islia sab ne dukaan bandh kar diye kyun ki agar ek baar pani bhar gaya toh ghar jane ke sab problem ho jayenge. Mein bhi abhi bandh kar raha tha tum time pe aaye islia tumhe medicines mile tumhare", he explained.
[Son, its been forecasted that there are chances that flood may arise so because of that all the shops, pharmacies are closed. Once the water gets accumulated then you will get stuck here only even I was closing my shop now good thing you came here on time so you got your medicines]
"Ohh thank you", I said as he handed me the medicines bag.
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AS SOON AS I reached home, I was worried about Shreya. First of all, I had left her home alone when she was sick but I had no option. At moments like this, I wish Mom was here so I knew she would take care of her.
Opening the door, I was surprised to see Shreya sitting on the couch watching cartoon. Yeah, you heard that right she was watching Shinchan. She laughed as Shinchan did something and I sighed.
I had told her to rest and she was here in the living room watching cartoon.
"Shreya, I told you to rest then what are you doing outside?", I asked.
"I was getting bored", she said pouting.
I knew it was going to be useless arguing with her.
So I just nodded in response. I went inside the room and decided to freshen up. After that I went into the kitchen and decided to cook khichdi for lunch.
After an hour the khichdi was finally prepared. I served it in a plate and walked towards the couch.
"Shreya, take this", I said as I forwarded the plate to her.
"You prepared?", she asked surprised.
"Yeah", I said confidently.
"Didn't know my hubby could cook", she teased.
I chuckled.
"But I don't like khichdi", she said pouting.
"Well I'm sorry to say wifey but you will have to eat this since you're sick", I said.
"Okay then you feed me"
And just like that I fed her food for the second time in a day. After that she ate her medicines without creating much fuss. Later she fell asleep on my lap. I picked her up in a bridal style and walked in our room.
Placing her on the bed, I pulled the duvets over her body and pecked her forehead lovingly. I was about to leave when she caught my hand.
"Aru, please don't leave. Stay with me", she mumbled in her sleep.
I smiled at her as I laid on the bed beside her as she snuggled in my warmth and I caressed her hair.
And just like that they snuggled in each other's embrace.
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So how was the chapter? Did you like Aarav's Pov? Let me know! Excuse me for grammatical errors. Vote and comment. Keep loving Aarya :) Happy reading!
Love ya
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-Rhea