As she was unable to keep her eyes open longer, she slowly drifted off to sleep. Viren couldn't stop staring at her, just trying to wonder what he could do to make her feel better. He hated admitting it, but he had a strong feeling that something major was wrong. The stuff happening was not normal, but he didn't know what it was nor what he could do to make this little angel feel better. He looked at Jeevika who just kept staring at Riva and perhaps even how her daughter was holding this strangers hand. Once Viren noticed her looking at that, he slowly moved his hand away trying to make it as less awkward as possible for her. Jeevika's phone started ringing and she quickly got up and went outside to take it while Viren just stayed inside the room looking at Riva. Her face looked calmer than before and she looked nothing less than an angel. He then heard a tune starting to play. He looked around trying to find where the noise was coming from so Riva wouldn't wake up. He got up and looked around and found a cell phone under the pillow. He put the phone on silence and then looked at the adorable photo on the wallpaper. It was Riva smiling as she was being kissed by her mother. Viren smiled as he could feel the strong mother daughter bond displayed in just one picture. He placed the phone on the end table and was about to sit down near Riva, until he heard Jeevika's loud voice coming from outside. Viren just tucked Riva in more securely, and left the room to make sure everything was okay. He saw Jeevika walking back and forth from the kitchen to the sitting area getting stressed and yelling at the phone. Viren just stood there trying to understand what was going on. He could just tell that she was talking to someone from the hospital which made him freak out a bit. He didn't know why or what, but all he wanted to do was see the Riva better. As soon as Jeevika got off the phone she looked up at Viren and wiped away a few tears she had.
v - "Is everything okay?"
j - "Yeah, I'm really sorry about today and all the trouble I've caused"
v - "There's nothing to be sorry about. Was that the hospital? Did something go wrong?" he asked curiously.
j - "My insurance isn't covering the payment for a few medical tests. Just don't know what to do. I need to go sort it out, but..."
v - "But what?"
j - "I just can't leave her alone. I'll just wait till she gets up and then take her along"
v - "If you like I could stay here, I mean these kinds of things should be taken care of right away"
j - "I've already asked for enough from you today. I'm sorry to have so much time"
v - "You didn't waste my time at all. Don't worry, I can sit here with Riva while you go fix things out"
j - "Are you sure?"
v - "Yeah"
j - "Okay, thank you so much. I'll be back as soon as I can"
v - "Take your time. Hope everything gets sorted"
Jeevika quickly left their apartment and Viren went back into the room and sat on the couch. He sat there catching glimpses of her every few minutes while checking his emails on his phone. As it got closer to the evening, it started becoming more dark outside and Viren was finding it hard to keep his eyes open. He fell asleep within a few more minutes taking a break from this stressful day. Viren woke up an hour later and saw a blanket on himself. He removed it and got up to see Riva not on the bed. He went outside and saw Riva trying to warm something up to eat in the kitchen. He quickly glanced over again to see if Jeevika was back, but there was no sight of her.
v - "Riva why are you here? Come on lets get you to bed"
r - "No... It..s... Okay..." she said shivering.
v - "No, you're clearly having a fever again. I'll get you something to eat"
r - "Do you know where my mom is?"
v - "Uhm she had to go do some work"
r - "Can you call her? I want her here"
v - "Yes I will but first you need to lay down. Please"
r - "Okay"
Riva walked near the room and Viren behind her holding her on her shoulders. He helped her lay back down and went to find another blanket to put on her as she was shivering. He then remembered the blanket on top of him. He went to the couch and picked up the blanket covering her with that. He realized that it must have been Riva who covered him up while he was asleep.
v - "Stay here and I'll get you something to eat"
r - "And my mom please"
v - "And your mom too" he said smiling to her
Viren went back outside to the kitchen and saw the stove on. He looked into the fridge and saw the canned soup. He took it out and put it to warm up while he went to go contact Jeevika. He then realized he didn't have her number, but as soon as he was going inside to ask Riva for the phone number the doorbell rang. He went to open it and saw Jeevika whose clothes were wet due to the heavy rain outside. She quickly came in and closed the door.
j - "Sorry it took too long"
v - "Thats okay. Did everything get sorted?"
Jeevika was about to answer when she heard Riva call her out from inside the room. Jeevika ran inside to see her daughter. She kneeled down near the bed and touched her face. Viren stood near the door just looking at the two of them.
j - "I'll go change and be back in two minutes okay" she said touching her face. Riva just nodded and wiped her tears away. Jeevika went to change and Viren went back outside to get the soup for Riva. As he walked back inside the room he saw Jeevika sitting on the bed with Riva hugging her tightly. Her eyes were closed, while Jeevika kept looking down at her daughter trying to keep her warm in her arms. Viren walked in with a bowl in his hands and he smiled sitting on the bed. Riva opened her eyes and saw Viren there with her soup.
v - "Some hot soup to get you feeling better"
r - "I don't feel like eating anymore. Mom please can you make me sleep in your lap"
j - "After you eat. Its almost time to take your medicines again"
r - "I'll take them tomorrow, I want to sleep right now" she said placing her head on her moms chest.
Jeevika looked at Viren not knowing what to do or how to convince her daughter to drink the soup. He gave her a look and Jeevika did as he told her without him having to say anything. She made Riva sit up on her lap and hugged her tight to make her feel warm while Viren moved closer to the two of them on the bed. He took the spoon and tried to cool the soup a little before making Riva drink it.
v - "You know Jeevika, we have to make Riva get better very very soon"
j - "Why?" she said going along with him
v - "Because she has a competition in two weeks and she needs to represent her school. I mean without her, her school has no chance of even winning at the Speech and Debate competition"
j - "Well then I guess, she needs to get better soon"
v - "But before she needs to finish this"
j - "She will. My daughter always listens to me you know"
r - "Mom please don't" she said starting to cry. She knew what the two of them were doing, but she had no control over her emotions right now. Jeevika just let her cry on herself and Viren just sat there pondering what he could do. All he wanted was one smile on her face, just one.
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