"Arnavji...''
He turned the light on & glanced at bed.Khushi was lying on bed under duvet.Her eyes were puffy & heavy & had dark circles arround it.He panicked & threw his laptop bag somewhere near recliner & reached her in nano seconds.His voice was mixture of panic,concern & helplessness.
"Khushi,what happen?Why are you lying here??''
"Hume bukhar hai Arnavji.''She said in an sad voice.Arnav felt an pang of pain hearing her voice & watching her in that state.He felt why she has to suffer,why he hadn't had fever instead of her.He could bear all the pain for her but couldn't see her going through pain.He grabbed his phone & started punching some numbers on it.
"I'm calling doctor.''
"No Arnavji.I'm fine.Don't call doctor.''
"Yeah right.Dikh raha hai.''
"Sach Arnavji.I'm fine.And I don't want to have those bitter medicines.Hume injection se bhi dar lagta hai.Please.''She said half crying & half pleading.He was going through pain tenfold than her seeing her like that.He came near her & placed his palm on her forehead to check the temperature.It was burning.He cupped her face & asked her with an annoyed tone.
"What is the reason behind this fever Khushi?Sach sach batao.''
"Wo...hum...humne icecream khai thi,barish mey bhigne ke baad.''She said avoiding looking at him.Her lips had the cutest pout in the world right now.He felt like just hug her & soothe her pain.
"Why I don't know about this Khushi?''
"Humne socha ek icecream se kya hoga aur phir Jeeji ne bhi toh icecream khai thi.Jeejaji ne toh unhe nahi danta.Aap bhi hume nahi dantenge na???''She said looking at him innocently.His heart melted on this.His heart flooded with the love for her.
"You didn't told about this to Di or Payal,did you?''He asked suspiciously.She just nodded negatively.
"Why?''
"I didn't wanted to bother them because of me.''She said guiltily.She knew what his reaction will be after that.He literally bursted on her.
"What kind of sister & sister-in-law are they.Can't they check on you if you are allright or not.I won't spare both of them.He stood angrily to go out of room when she held his arm to stop him.
"Please Arnavji,Isme unki galti nahi hai.Aur hum kaunsa roz roz bimar padte hain jo sab humpe nazar rakhenge.''
"But Khushi look at yourself dammit.You know I can't see you like this.Why didn't you told anyone?''
"Hum thik hain Arnavji.Dekhiye.''She flashed an weak smile at him.He knew that she was in pain.He just brushed his palm over her cheeks & went to closet to fetch first aid box.He came back to her with thermometer to check her temperature.His doubt was right.She had 102 'C fever.Suddenly She kept his palm on her forehead & gestured him to press it.She was having an headache.He started pressing her forehead to ease her pain.Two teardrops escaped her closed eyes.He panicked again & cupped her cheeks.
"What happened Khushi?Is it hurting so much??I'm calling doctor,right now.''
"No Arnavji.I miss Amma.Whenever I had fever Amma used to tend me & press my head & legs.I miss her so much Arnavji.''
"I can understand Khushi.Had you called her?''
"No Arnavji,if I had called her she had immediatly came to know that I'm unwell & she had came rushing to me.Hum nahi chahte ki humari vajah se unhe takleef ho.''
"Shhh Khushi,now no more crying or talking.I'm coming in just 2 minutes.Have you had your dinner?''
"Haan humne thode aaloo aur poori khaye they.''
"Good,I'm coming.''
"Arnavji,aapne toh abhi tak khana nahi khaya."She tried to get up from bed when he warned her.
"Don't you dare leave that bed.I had my dinner in office,so don't worry about me.Now quietly lay on bed & don't move till I come back.Samjhi tum!"She nodded at him & he left the room.Her whole body & each & every part was aching.She went down the memory lane to find some solace.
*Flashback*
"Bahut dard ho raha hai Jeeji.''
"Chup Khushi,can't you shut up for just 2 minutes?I'm checking your temperature.''Payal scolded her.She knew her younger sister was drama queen but with fever she was difficult to handle.
"But Jeeji...''
"Shh Khushi.Now you utter another word & I'll make sure you won't have Jalebis for an week.Understood?''Payal threatened her & it worked as expected.She opened her mouth just to have food & medicine the whole day.Her Jeeji knew her weak points very well.
*Flashback end*
A small smile crept on her lips at this memory when Arnav came back with an bowl & cloth.He kept it on side table & sat besides her on bed.He soaked the cloth into fridge cold water in bowl & kept it on her forehead slightly pressing it.The cold touch on her burning skin felt so good & soothing to her.She closed her eyes & sighed a lil bit.Arnav had allready covered her in an extra duvet & switched off the AC.She felt the heat decreasing slowly & a warm sensation enveloped her to drift her to the sleep.Arnav resumed his task till he was sure that she had slept.Then he wiped her exposed body with water soaked cloth in order to decrease her temperature.She was adamant at times.He knew.But now he came to know that she was difficult to handle when unwell.He gazed at her face which looked relaxed than earlier & angelic.He placed an kiss on her forehead & patted her cheek lovingly.An smile of content adorned his lips.He changed into his nightwear & slipped carefully on bed besides her.She was sleeping peacefully.He sneaked his arm under her neck & on her waist to pull her towards him.She wriggled in sleep & dashed softly towards him.He raised his hands with a tint of surprise & smiled looking down at her.She murmured his name & burried her face into his chest & clutched his shirt tightly.He felt an surge of pride,possessiveness & protectiveness towards her.He loved her more than anything in his life.She was still warm but less than sometimes back.He had kept a dry & clean towel ready to wipe the sweat off her.He was wide awake still holding her close to his heart.After an hour her temperature faded & sweat appeared on her forehead & face.He carefully wiped all the sweat off her without disturbing her.He spent the night checking her forehead & occasionaly drifting to the sleep & again waking up to check if she had temperature.He finally slept peacefully after midnight after being assured about her.Both slept entangled in each other into the bliss of sweet dreams.
Arnav woke up first in the morning with chirping of birds.Khushi was still sleeping sound.She looked angelic while she was asleep but this morning sleeping beauty was mesmerising.Arnav felt like lost in her.He tucked an loose strand behind her ear & leaned forward to peck her cheek.As soon he reached close she stirred in sleep & turned her face to recieve his kiss on her lips.He was lucky enough to get his morning kiss.He brushed his nose on her cheek to see her reaction.She slowly opened her eyes to see what was tickeling her face.She saw her Laad Governor smiling down at her with those equally smiling molten caramel orbs.She smiled back at him.She was feeling much better.She tried to sit but was unable because their bodies were still in the position as night.He freed himself from her & made her sit on bed with 4 pillows behind her.She chuckled on the memory of something similar to this very incident.He asked the reason of her chuckle with raised eyebrow,to which she nodded 'nothing'.
"Tum thik ho?''He asked her with all the concern in world & love in his heart while keeping back of his palm on her forehead.
"Hum thik hain Arnavji.''She smiled & this time her smile was almost bright.
"Now you promise me that aage se aisa nahi karogi.Whenever you feel like unwell you'll tell either me or any of the family member.You very well know that I can't see you in pain.Ok?''He said like he was elaborating to an 9 year old.But alas his wife had allready refused to grow beyond 9 years.She nodded understandingly as she didn't wanted to give him more pain or hurt because of her.She pushed the duvet aside & was ready to go to the bathroom to get fresh when she heard his husky voice calling for her.
"Khooshee.''
She looked into his eyes & asked what was the matter.He simply pulled her to him & hugged her with all the love.She was taken aback by his action but nonetheless hugged him back.He pulled back from hug to cup her face & pecked her cheek.He looked deep into her eyes & again hugged her.She was surely his prized possession.He whispered huskily in her ear.
"I love...''
"Hum bhi aapse bahut pyaar karte hain Arnavji.''
Khushi said interrupting him & pulling back from hug.He smiled whole heartedly when he heard her saying this.He knew she loved him.Even before he started loving her.He just never let her make her mind to expess herself.He was afraid of love.He was afraid of loosing loved one's.He simply loathed the love which was trying to bloom in his own heart & deep within him.But today he was free from that fear.Today he lived for love.Today he knew only love.Today love was the essential chapter in his ownself.Today he was Incomplete Without Love.Today love filled that space in his being.Arnav Singh Raizada was truely ready to face the world with his love,his Khushi by his side.
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Ignore the mistakes please.😳
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