HAPPY DIWALI!
Lots of love to my friends and fellow IPKKND-lovers all over the world.
Part 37
His head was pounding, and the room felt very cold. His entire body ached. He looked at Akash, NK, and the other managers sitting around the conference table, listening to the presentation by the marketing manager.
Khushi..., was his first thought. Khushi was at Omkar. She wouldn't be expecting him today for lunch.
If he called her and told her that he was sick, she would leave everything and come rushing to his office to take him home. He smiled. But today was Simi's birthday. And Khushi had music classes till evening.
Arnav saw the marketing manager sit down, and before the discussion could start, Arnav leaned towards Akash, and whispered in his ear, "I am going home."
"Kya hua, Bhai?", Akash paled.
"Fever." He turned to NK. "NK, can you drop me home? I am not feeling well."
"Sure, Nannav, mere Bhai."
NK rang the bell, and HP opened the door. As they were about to go to Arnav's bedroom, NK carrying his bag, Anjali, Nani, & Mami, sitting in the living room, saw him.
Arnav at home during office hours?
Mami in shock, slurped too much tea from her saucer, and burnt her mouth.
"Chotey, kya hua?", Anjali limped towards him. "Something is wrong, isn't it?"
"Nothing, Di. Just a headache and fever."
Anjali, Mami, and Nani surrounded him, touching his forehead, holding his arm, trying to lead him up.
"Nannav, I will call Khushi Bhabi."
"No. No, don't disturb her. Today is Simi's birthday."
"Chotey, Khushi Bitiyaa has to be told.", Nani tried to persuade him.
"No, Nani. She will worry."
"Borry to karegi na.", said Mami reasonably. "She is your bife! It is her duty to borry!"
"NK, do me a favour?"
"Anything, Nannav."
"Call Khushi and tell her that I am busy and won't be able to pick her up in the evening. Ask her to call you when she wants to come home. And just bring her home, please."
"No problem, Nannav."
"And don't tell her that I'm sick."
"OK."
Khushi finished making laddoo, jalebi, and kheer, and binned them neatly for the children to have in the evening. She cleaned the kitchen, and went up to Baba.
He was reading the newspaper. She kept his cup of tea on the small table by his side, and sat at his feet. She lifted his feet onto her lap, and began pressing them, taking comfort from his presence.
It started drizzling. She looked out of the window. It was noon, but the sky was getting dark. Thank God, the children did not have school today, she thought. Baba was here. Arnavji, Akash, and NK Bhai were at the office. Nani, Mami, & Di were at home. All safe and sound. Then why did she feel as though something was wrong?
"Kya hua, Taarva?", asked Baba, softly.
"I don't know, Baba. I...I am feeling very...very restless, scared...", she confessed softly to the man who had seen her and been with her through the worst days of her life.
"Didn't Arnav come for lunch today?"
"No, Baba. He said today morning that he wouldn't. NK Bhai phoned to say that Arnavji is very busy today, and that when I wanted to go to RM, I should inform NK Bhai."
"Hhmmm..."
"Pata nahi kyon, Baba, I feel that something is wrong..."
Baba looked at the worried face turned up to him, and hid a smile.
"Why don't you go his office?", Baba asked. "Take him lunch."
Khushi blushed.
"I will go home, Baba. I will take a rickshaw and..."
"NK asked you to call him, didn't he?"
"Haan, but... Baba, he is learning the business. He was so excited to be attending some important meeting today. How can I...?"
"Looks like it is going to rain heavily.", Baba said casually.
"I will get home before that, Baba. But my classes..."
"I will take care of them. Call me when you get home." Baba ran his fingers gently over Khushi's head.
The doctor examined Arnav, and prescribed medicines for him. HP raced to a nearby medical store to get them as NK showed the doctor to his car. NK was about to turn away when he saw a rickshaw come to a stop at the gate, and his Khushi Bhabi alight, all drenched and shivering.
"Khushi Bhabi!", he ran to her. "Why? How...?"
"What is wrong, NK Bhai?" Her face was pale, but composed.
"Nothing, Bhabi. Please don't worry. It is just that Nannav has fever. He returned home early. The doctor has seen him. He will be OK."
Khushi nodded, walking towards the house with NK, her face not revealing her anxiety.
"Nannav said that we should not call you because today is Simi's birthday..."
Khushi smiled slightly, and walked into the house.
"Akash is at the office. He has called me five times already to ask after Nannav."
Khushi nodded, and called Baba as she walked up to their bedroom.
The relief on the faces of Mami, Di, and Nani as Khushi walked into Arnav's bedroom was laughable.
"Khushiji! Thank God!"
"Khushi Bitiyaa!"
"Hello Hi Bye Bye!"
"Khushi, what are you doing here? Simi...", said Arnav.
Khushi just smiled at all of them, saying nothing.
"Khushi, your clothes are all wet. Khushi, change them. You will fall sick...", Arnav croaked.
"How are you, Arnavji?", she asked quietly.
"HP has gone to get the medicines."
She nodded, and went to change her clothes.
When she returned, Arnav asked, "How did you come home, Khushi?"
"By rickshaw."
"Khushi!"
"NK Bhai called me, and told me whatever you asked him to say."
"Khushi, then?"
HP returned with the medicines at that very moment.
Anjali said, "I will warm up the soup.", and turned to leave the room.
"And we will help her.", said Nani as she left, dragging Mami and NK with her.
"How many people does it take to warram (warm) one baul (bowl) of soup, Saasumma?, asked Mami as she left the room.
"Khushi!", Arnav said, urgently.
She sat down by him, and touched his forehead with a gentle hand, caressing the strands of hair falling on it.
"I felt something was wrong.", she said, looking into his eyes.
He caught her hand, and kissed her fingers. "Khushi!"
(Arunimasingh, thanx!)
She cupped his face., "Does your head hurt?"
He nodded.
She left him and returned with a cloth and a bowl of water. She wiped his face and neck.
Anjali, Nani, and Mami came with the soup, and watched Khushi as she spooned it into Arnav's mouth. He drank it obediently, like a child.
Anjali swallowed. "Thank God for Khushiji!", she whispered. Mami & Nani nodded their heads.
Anjali gave him the pills, and he swallowed them before falling asleep.
"Khushi Bitiyaa...", Nani whispered. "I will sit by him. You lie down on the recliner and get some sleep."
"No, Naniji. You need your sleep. I will stay with Arnavji."
"Khushi Bitiyaa, you sleep. Why phear when Mami ijj here? I bill give him his medicines at night."
"No, Mamiji. Please let me stay with him."
Anjali sighed, and said, hugging Khushi, "If you need anything, Khushiji, please call. We will all be awake anyway."
Khushi smiled and nodded.
Akash said, "We will be using the guestroom next to your bedroom, Khushi Bhabi. Call any time." NK nodded.
Khushi smiled her thanks.
Khushi sat up all night, looking at the pale face of her husband, and touching his forehead to check if the fever was coming down.
He opened his eyes at night to see her looking at him.
"Khushi, why didn't you sleep?", he croaked.
(Arunimasingh, thanx!)
She smiled. "Do you want to use the bathroom?"
"Haan."
She helped him into the bathroom.
"Please don't lock the door, Arnavji. And call me if you feel weak.", she said seriously.
Arnav smiled slightly, and went into the bathroom.
When he came out, she was ready to help him into the bed. She gave him his medication for fever, and wiped him down. And sat watching him sleep.
It took two days for Arnav to throw the fever off. He sat on the recliner, watching Khushi change his sheets as she did daily. He was much better, but Khushi looked drained. No sleep. And if his guess was correct, she hadn't eaten much for three days.
She hadn't gone to Omkar. Baba had come to see him three times, sitting by his bed and chanting the Mrityunjaya mantra as Arnav had dozed off. Chotu and Vivek had come to see him. And NK, Akash, Mami, Nani, and Di were always around, ready to help.
Khushi finished making the bed, and turned around to smile at him.
"Will you sleep now, Arnavji?"
He nodded.
She came to him, and helped him into bed, pulling the blanket up to his neck. He pulled at her hand gently to make her sit by him.
"Do you feel better?", she asked, lovingly running her fingers down his cheek.
"Hhmmm..."
He lifted the blanket and gently tugged at Khushi. She got into bed with him, curling up inside his blanket so that she was lying with her head on his heart.
He gently ran his fingers over her hair and back, caressing her, comforting her.
"I will never leave you, Khushi.", he murmured after a while.
Khushi stiffened for a moment, and then relaxed.
"We are going to have a very long and happy life. Happy not because we won't have our share of problems, but because we will always face them together. Happy because we will always be together."
She nodded, and tightened her arms around his waist, snuggling closer to him, her slow tears of relief wetting his T-shirt. He kissed her hair, running his hands over her back, caressing her.
Anjali, Nani, Mami, NK, and Akash entered the room to see Arnav and Khushi sleeping, Khushi's arms around him, her face buried in his chest. There was a sweet smile on Arnav's face.
Part 38: https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/fan-fictions/3273158/ss-keeping-khushi-th-4-part-41-on-pg-131
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