Discordance

Chapter Forty-Nine

She had never felt panic like what she was currently feeling, watching the love of her life pass out in her arms had to be the worst thing that could ever happen to her and Akshara felt herself spiraling. Abhimanyu was the one who always handled everything, her strong, dependable husband and now she felt like she was going to pass out next to him.

"Abhimanyu, please wake up" she whispered through choked sobs as she shook his limp body but he refused to open his eyes. It took a few long seconds of him remaining in that state for her to realize that she was all he had, and it would be up to her to get him the help he needed. "I'm going to make you better, ok? Nothing will happen to you." She whispered as she wiped her eyes before getting up to get the supplies she needed.

She should have called his parents, but they would worry and crowd his space and Abhimanyu would have hated it. He would have wanted her to take care of him and more than that, she wanted to do it. She ran to the kitchen to get some ice water and napkins she could place on his forehead before taking the stairs two at a time and rushing over to check if he was still alright and didn't have difficulty breathing. This was the first time since they had been married where Akshara felt alone and directionless, she just needed him to be okay and to stop suffering.

The moment she placed the damp washcloth on his forehead he mumbled something incoherently before falling back into deep slumber and Akshara felt a little bit of her panic ease. Slowly she unbuttoned his shirt and wiped his body with another damp towel hoping it would bring some of his soaring temperature down.

He looked like a young boy, his nose red and his breathing choppy as he sniffled in his sleep and her heart clenched. Removing his unruly hair always flopping over his forehead, she stroked his cheek willing him to get better because watching Abhimanyu like this was sheer torture. She kept switching the washcloths out every time they got slightly tepid and constantly checked his temperature even when she knew it wouldn't go down that easily.

Every time he coughed or tried to breathe through his nose, his sleep was broken and Akshara felt like she was the one having difficulty in breathing. She cooed and coddled him, rubbing some balm on his nose and chest as gently as she could not wanting to wake him up every 30 minutes or so and it seemed like some of it was working because Abhimanyu's color was gradually returning along with Akshara's relief.

After hours of letting him sleep, when dawn was breaking out Akshara took his temperature and tears immediately began to fall from her eyes, he was okay, his temperature was going down. The relief she felt was so immense but the one person who would understand was still sleeping fitfully, with his mouth slightly open and his face still tired and haggard.

"Wake up Sona, you have to take your medicine" she whispered softly stroking his hair and trying not to jostle him too much. He turned his head away trying to go back to sleep and it was so out of character for him that Akshara smiled amidst her tears, before kissing his forehead, her heart bursting with love.

"5 minutes please Sona, just take the medicine, drink some water and I'll let you go back to sleep I promise." she bargained with her grumpy husband who refused to budge. Finally, Akshara had to push him up with all her might into a sitting position which somehow drained all her energy, god how was he this heavy? Once he was fit and fine she was going to have a long talk with him about cutting down on the weightlifting because this simply would not do.

"Monkey please" he said gulping painfully, his voice harsh probably due to his inflamed throat.

For good measure, Akshara poured a capful of the cough syrup and inched the cap near his mouth but Abhimanyu had already gone back to sleep. "c'mon please, do it for me" she pleaded and immediately blushed when even in his dream like state he dutifully opened his mouth slightly for her to deposit the contents into his mouth.