Raavi's heart leapt out of her chest when Shiva collapsed. He was burning up head-to-toe and shivering with cold. Worried sick, she hugged him tight and tried to wake him up. She instinctively started to call for help but realized that if Prafulla found out, she would do anything to send Shiva back and Raavi didn't want that. She went to the bathroom and got some water to splash on him. When he gained a little consciousness, she made him lie down properly on the bed and covered him with the blanket. She rubbed his hands and took his temperature. He had 103 F (39.4 C) degree fever. She started panicking when he dozed off again. She quietly went to the kitchen and got a bowl full of water and ice. She sat next to Shiva on the bed, gently caressed his face and forehead, and started putting cold wipes on his forehead to break the fever.
Shiva didn't know how Raavi would react seeing him and he didn't care either. He needed to see her and so he climbed up the ladder that led to her room. As soon as he saw her he couldn't stop himself and hugged her. He could finally breathe when she wrapped her arms around him just as tightly as if she needed him just as much as he needed her. She was his home, his life. When she caressed his face and forehead, her touch soothed his pain. He closed his eyes and lost himself in her embrace. When he opened his eyes again, they were on the bed and she was holding him in her arms. He felt her gently helping him lie down on the bed and tucking him in in a blanket. She was rubbing his hands and put a thermometer in his mouth to take his temperature. The last thing he remembered was her whispering his name!
The cool breeze ruffled the curtains of the room! Shiva stirred and pulled the blanket to cover his arms. He felt a nice soft pressure on his forehead and opened his eyes to see Raavi sleeping sitting up next to him. Her other hand was on his heart. She had a wipe under her hand on his forehead and he realized that she stayed up all night taking care of him. He couldn't contain the love that flooded his heart. He gently removed her hand and sat up next to her. Still sleeping, she rested her head on his shoulder. Her right hand was still on his heart as he inhaled the beautiful and delicate scent of her flowery shampoo and wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in. He tucked away her silky hair and gently caressed her beautiful face. Still holding her in his arms, Shiva slid down the bed taking her with him and lied down with her head on his chest. Shiva pulled the blanket over both of them and Raavi adjusted herself and nestled in his arms. In that moment, Shiva's life was complete; he was complete. He kissed her forehead and saw a faint smile appear on her face. He smiled and closed his eyes again savoring the moment.
Raavi stirred with a smile on her face. This was the best sleep she had gotten in a long while. She opened her eyes. Her room was filled with light as she looked to her side to look at Shiva but he wasn't there. Shocked, she sat up and looked around her room but there was no sign of him. She got up and checked the bathroom but he wasn't there either. She went out to the balcony and saw the ladder on the side. She realized that he left; he left without a word just like always. The peace that she woke up with was shattered once again as her anger and pain returned. Disheartened, she came back inside and sat on her bed. She had stayed up late looking after him. Every time he shivered with cold, she gently rubbed her hand on his chest to keep him warm. She didn't know when she had fallen asleep but sometime during the course of the night, she had felt Shiva's shoulder under her head and his arms around her. She didn't know if it was a dream or not but she remembered Shiva taking her in his arms and lying down with her head on his chest and kissing her as she snuggled close. And then he left leaving her behind, just like always; breaking her heart all over again!
Continued on pg 6