Alright. . . I haven't given much of a thought to this update. . .
And this is dedicated to my darling friend, Hershi.
And Tina. . . And all my lovely readers, as well. . .
Hope I didn't disappoint you!! And. . . Well, here goes. . .
Part 7:
Nobody even noticed when she entered the living room, and even after sat down. . .
"Di. . . Umm. . . What's wrong??" Khushi asked.
"Oh. . . Khushi. . . Wo. . . Chotey. . ." Anjali started.
The tone in which she said it, made Khushi stand up immediately. She felt awfully afraid. What had happened to him? Or had he done something? Had he finally refused their marriage proposal? Wasn't she the one who had asked for it? Then why the hell did she feel so heartbroken about it??!!
"What. . . . .??" she urged Anjali to continue.
"You better see it yourself. He's in his room. . ." Anjali said.
When Khushi entered his room, it was dark, what with all the curtains drawn close. She made out the form of sleeping Arnav. "Arnav. . ."she called out doubtfully, as she neared his bed.
Arnav had realized he had fell sick, and he felt awful, together with a jetlag. Though he hadn't caught a wink of sleep, even with that excuse! And that damned fight between him and Khushi had given him a very bad mood. Too bad, to be frank! He had refused to see any of his family members. Not wanting to answer their questions, as to why he was so restless, or why he was in such a bad mood.
He just slept there, when he heard someone enter his room. He was about to tell whoever had entered to just leave, when he heard her call him. This was the first time she had called him with his name, and he felt much better already. But, what was she doing here?
He sat up, and leaned against the headboard. "Khushi??" he said, he had a sore throat too, he realized.
Khushi sat next to him, and asked "Arnav, what's the matter??!!"
He cleared his throat once, before answering, "Nothing. I just don't feel alright. . ."
She touched his forehead, and he winced against her cool fingers.
"Hai Devi Maiyya. . . You have a high fever! Did you visit the doc?" she asked.
"No. ." he said defensively.
"Umm. . . Did you take any tablet?" she tried again.
"I don't want to!" he said, his voice growing irritated.
She almost laughed at that, but had the sensibility to stop her urge. And he called her a CHILD?! For a man swallowing tablets on a daily basis, because of his diabetes, he really was acting strange.
"You know Arnav, for such a grown up, you really are acting like a child. Why don't you just leave that CHILD part for me??" she asked, as she chuckled.
"Are you laughing at me??" he asked, as he turned on his bedside lamp, and glared. She immediately pursed her lips, and shook her head.
She noticed his face had grown sullen. He seemed to be exhausted. Her amusement completely left her, as she asked with a voice full of concern, "Did you sleep at all??"
Arnav stopped glowering at her, as he sighed and shook his head. She remembered his family members, who were very worried. May be it had something to do with the emergency. "Umm. . . You said there was an emergency. . . Were you able to solve it?" she asked, not sure if she wanted to remind him of the biff they had had, yesterday.
"Of course, I was able to solve it." He said. As if she shouldn't have had that doubt in the first place.
"Then what is worrying family members? They all look as if something dreadful has happened. . ." she said as she wondered what may have been wrong.
He groaned as he bent forward and rested his head on her shoulder, realizing that he had refused to talk to any of them, and now, here he was, blatantly talking to Khushi. He knew what his family would be thinking of him.
'Devi Maiyya, be merciful!! He is blistering hot!!' she thought, as she said, "Okay Arnav. That's it. I'm telling Di to call the doctor." She said in a stern voice, and he simply nodded against her shoulder.
"Umm. . . You'll have to let me go. . ." she said.
Arnav sat back, taking her hand in both of his, and looking down at it, as he asked, "And then. . . And then you'll leave?"
Khushi realized he didn't want her to leave. And what surprised her more, was that she didn't wnt to leaveShe thought of when things changed to this extent between them. "Not if you don't want me to. . . It is my holidays, after all. . ."
Arnav looked at her, smiling slightly. His smile turned into a frown, as he said, "Okay. Summon the Doctor!!!" he said in a sarcastic tone, making her smile as she came downstairs.
"Di. . . Have you called the doctor?" Khushi asked as she came to the living room.
"Kahaan Khushi? If Chotey listened to me that easily, I would have!! He refused to see anyone, let alone the doctor. It's surprising he even talked to you. . . Oh. . ." Anjali had started complaining about her brother. But she soon realized her brother had actually talked to Khushi! "Chotey talked to you, right?" she confirmed.
Khushi shrugged and said, "Yeah. . ."
Khushi could soon see the understanding smiles passed among them, though what they had understood, she couldn't make out. "Erm. . . If you haven't yet called the doctor, can you call him now? Arnav agreed to see him. And. . . Can I prepare some kaadha for him. He has a sore throat too. . ." Khushi said in a small voice.
Anjali raised her eyebrows, and nodded slowly, "Aahh. . . But, of course!!"
Khushi frowned as she prepared the strong liquid that her amma had given her yesterday, and took it up to his room.
Arnav looked at her frown and asked her what was wrong. "I'm not sure. . " Khushi answered, still frowning. He chuckled at that, and asked what's in her hand. She told it was for him.
"Ugh . . Don't tell me it's that kaadha thing!!" Arnav said.
She glared at him as she said in a reproachful voice, "It's good for your health! Do you see me sick? I got drenched yesterday, but didn't fall sick, because I drank this as soon as I reached home."
That brought the memories of their fight yesterday. Arnav went stiff, and Khushi looked at the glass in her hands, as she said, "Look. . . Erm. . .I'm sorry. I overreacted."
Arnav sighed once, and took the glass from her. He took a sip from it, making face as he took a sip from it, and said, "It's okay . . . and the next time, I'll inform you whenever I've to go. . ."
He had made a promise for the "NEXT" time, without even realizing it. Khushi smiled happily. He finished his drink, and she took the glass from his hand. She was about to rise, when he held her free hand and asked, "Why are you doing this?"
Khushi wasn't certain as to how she was expected to answer that, "Because you're sick??" she asked doubtfully. Arnav clicked his tongue in irritation, as he said "Khushi . . . Not that! Why are you doing this?? JayPrakash will do it!!"
She looked at the glass in her hand and then at him as she asked, "You want JayPrakash to do your kaadha for you??!"
Arnav rolled his eyes and was about to say something, when he felt her fingers at his throat. "Okay.. Okay.. Now don't strain your voice. . Take rest and I'll see whether the doc has come. . ."
"Doc schmock!!" He muttered as he lied down, and pulled up the duvet.
Khushi chuckled at that, and came down with a tender smile on her face, oblivious to the fact that, the whole Raizada was witnessing whole of this scene. By the time she came out of the kitchen, the doctor had arrived. Khushi took him to Arnav's room, and Anjali was about to go herself, when Shyaam held her arm, and shook his head, indicating her not to go.
The doctor said it was a simple flu, and gave a few medicines, telling Khushi that he should inhale some steam and drink hot water to ease his sore throat.
Khushi had stayed with him for the whole day, doing all the things what the doctor had instructed her to do, and Arnav complaining like a small kid, but finally doing whatever she asked him to. All the other Raizadas silently watching all this!
Anjali had gone to Arnav's room to call Khushi for lunch, and found Khushi studying something seriously, and Arnav sleeping next to her. Khushi's one hand held her book open, and the other was on Arnav's forehead, as she stroked it continuously. It had overwhelmed Anjali that she had succeeded to find someone who could take care of her Chotey like this. What made her happier was that her Chotey, who always told her not to fuss when she was concerned about him, actually didn't mind being taken care of, if the caretaker was Khushi!!
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