She wasn't sure what woke her but the moment she began coming to she realized that something was wrong, the hand between hers was unusually warm. Her concerns were solidified when she heard a soft, but pained, moan from beside her. Opening her eyes quickly the sight that awaited her was startling. Droplets of sweat were beaded along RK's brow and his complexion was pale. Releasing his hand she brought her own to his face to confirm what her eyes were already telling her, he was running a fever. Sitting up quickly she reached for the light switch.
"RK," she called, moving him gently so as not to distress his wounded shoulder. His only response was a low groan and a wince of pain. She should have been more insistent when he said he wasn't going to stay at the hospital.
Unsure of what to do she reached for the phone and called the first person she could think of.
"Bittuji, you need to get the doctor here, quick!" she said into the receiver and ended the call without waiting for a response.
Quickly snapping into action Madhu removed the pillows that were nestled against his side and the blanket that had somehow found its way on top of him during the night. She moved him onto his back, murmuring words of comfort when he made a noise in protest. Not wanting to but deciding she had no choice she left him alone to get supplies from the bathroom. She found some face towels in the cupboard under the sink and grabbed the decorative bowl from the counter, for lack of anything else appropriate to use, filling it with cold water before heading back to RK.
"The doctor should be here any minute," she said softly as she wiped his brow with a dry towel before applying the cold wet towel to the area. She wasn't sure if he heard her or not but the coolness the towel offered seemed to soothe him a little.
He didn't appear to be shivering, she wasn't an expert but she hoped that was a good sign.
Madhu continued to apply cold towels to his exposed skin, using the water in the bowl she had brought to keep them cool. She was contemplating heading back to the bathroom to change out the water when Bittuji came running in, followed closely by RK's doctor.
"Is everything okay bhabiji?" the assistant asked concern not only etched across his face but evident in his voice.
Getting up from the bed Madhu explained RK's condition to both the doctor and Bittuji. Moving aside to let the doctor examine him, Madhu stood at the foot of the bed with Bittuji, hands clasped in front of her, watching, trying not to show how worried she was inside.
After what seemed like an endless amount of time, but was probably closer to ten minutes, the doctor finished his examination of RK and stood up. He pulled out a prescription pad and started scribbling on it as he explained what he had discovered.
"He definitely has a fever," he began, stating the obvious. "However, it's not very serious. Keep doing what you've been doing, the cool towels will help bring his body temperature down. Make sure that he's getting plenty of fluids, water or juice, it will prevent dehydration. Other than that, he just needs to rest. I am going to change the medication he was taking for the injury to his shoulder, I think that might have had something to do with the fever. I'm also adding another medication to help with the fever." Glancing at his watch as he finished writing he turned to look at Bittuji. "I don't know of a pharmacy that will be open this early, I've got some samples in my bag to tide him over until you can arrange for the medication."
"Doctor..." Madhu began, stepping forward as the doctor started rifling in his bag for the samples. "You're sure he'll be okay?"
"Yes, he should be fine. The wound doesn't appear to be festering, just keep an eye on that. Apply the ointment and change the bandages regularly, and with this change in his medication you should see his condition improving throughout the day. The fever should break by tonight at the latest," he told her handing over the samples.
Taking the samples with a grateful smile, she gave the man a nod in acknowledgement.
"Bhabiji, I'll take the doctor down and look into getting the new medicine," Bittuji said from by the entrance to the room. "Is there anything else I can get for you or chief?"
"No Bittuji. Someone should tell ma. I would go down to her but I don't want to leave RK right now. Would you..."
"Of course bhabiji," he replied without waiting for her to finish. "I'll tell Munna to drop by regularly as well in case there is anything you do need." With one last look at his boss he turned to the doctor and motioned for him to lead the way out.
Madhu looked over at RK on the bed, he appeared troubled and restless. She walked over to him and brushed the hair off his forehead letting her hand linger a moment, nestled in his hair.
She needed to get him to take the medication. Pouring some water into a glass from the pitcher she had brought into the room earlier in the night she tried to gently shake him awake. There was no way she'd be able to move him into a sitting position on her own.
"RK, open your eyes," she said softly. "RK!"
His eyes began to flutter open, they were glassy and glazed over. He was looking at her but didn't appear to be seeing her.
"I need you to sit up just slightly, long enough to take this new medicine the doctor left for you. It'll make you feel better," she told him but he didn't move, just continued to look at her.
Moving around the bed she climbed up onto it and took hold of his good arm.
"I understand that you're not feeling well right now, but the least you could do is help me out a little here," she said to him.
He was looking at her again, a small smile playing on his lips.
"And why are you smiling?" She asked him sitting back on her knees, hands on her hips.
"You smell good biwi," he replied with a loopy smile before he started humming a song she couldn't quite make out.
Madhu looked at him with surprise. The fever was making him delirious!
"RK, you need to sit up. Please help me out here, you're too big for me to move on my own," she said putting her hands back on his good arm. Her pleading worked this time as he started to move and somehow between the two of them they got him into a position where he was half sitting and half laying down on the bed. It was good enough for now.
Reaching across him to the nightstand she grabbed the glass of water and the new pills the doctor had left.
"Here take this," she said urging him to open his mouth and put two pills on his tongue, bringing the glass of water to his lips she tilted it until she was sure he had downed the pills.
'Please God, let these pills work,' she thought to herself as she started to get up from the bed but he caught her arm.
"Where are you going?" he asked with a petulant look, nose scrunched and lips pouting. Madhu couldn't stop herself from melting just a little at how adorable he looked.
"I need to go refill the bowl with cold water," she said gently pointing to the object next to him.
"Stay," he said trying to pull her down next to him.
"RK, stop." She pulled her arm out of his grasp and walked around the bed and picked up the bowl before heading to the bathroom. She returned to find him slumped over in an awkward position, eyes closed. She had just set the bowl down and was trying to shift him into a more comfortable position when she heard footsteps. Looking up she saw her mother in law standing at the entrance of the room, a worried look on her face.
"Rishabh... Is he okay?" she asked stepping forward to help her daughter in law move her son.
"He'll be okay ma, just a little fever. We have some new medications for it now, he'll be better before you know it," she assured the other woman with a confidence that she herself had been lacking just moments ago. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you, I just thought you should know," she said walking over to console her.
"What can I do?" she asked looking over at the bed.
"Nothing ma, the doctor said he just needs rest now. I'm handling everything in here, you should go back to your room. Don't worry. Everything will be all right," Madhu reassured giving Radhaji a hug.
"Madhu..."
"Ma, please, let me handle this. I'll let you know when I need some help. There's nothing to be done now anyways. I've just given him his medication, he should be out for a while now."
The older woman hesitated before reaching out to her son. She looked at the child she had loved so much over the years but did not understand. He had to be okay. She bent down and gave him a kiss on his forehead before turning back to Madhu, with a light reassuring squeeze to her arm and a weak smile she left the room.
She sat down on the bed and began to cool some more towels for him. She noticed a slight smile played on his lips.
'Hmm,' she wondered. 'I wonder what that's about."
Some time later the smile was replaced, his lips turned down at the corners and he began to thrash around on the bed.
"RK!" she called out trying to calm him down. Putting a hand to his arm to prevent him from injuring his shoulder any more she voiced some more soothing words to him, reassuring him that everything was fine and would be fine.
"Madhu!" he started opening his eyes taking her off guard.
"It's okay, everything is okay," she reassured him again looking into his eyes her hands framing his face.
Seeing her through his glassy gaze he closed his eyes again, reaching up he found her hand and wrapped his own around it.
"Don't leave me Madhu," he murmured so softly that she was afraid that she may have misheard him.
"I'm here RK. I'm here," she replied in a whisper, perplexed, looking at this enigma of man that confused her so.
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