AASHIKA
I felt two little hands wrapping around my legs as I entered the kitchen. It was my mischievous little one, lucky that I was the first one there. The kitchen and its floor had good work with ice cream. They hadn't cleaned up the mess properly.
"Where's dad, Mumma?" Aryan asked, pouting.
"He's at the hospital," I replied bluntly.
"And where's your sister?"
"She's sleeping, mumma. My head hurts," he said, wiping his nose with the back of his hand.
I picked him up and washed his hands immediately.
"Don't do that," I scolded, carrying him to their room. I could feel his fever rising. Eating ice cream at night was a bad idea.
In Ayushi's room, she was sleeping on her stomach.
"I'm putting you down. If you move, I'll tell your dad. Got it?" I warned, placing him on the bed. He whined, but I ignored it and checked Ayushi's temperature.
I'd wake her up later. First, I needed to make some herbal tea for them. How am I going to send them to school today?
"Aryan, will you stay with your sister?" I asked. He nodded, opening his arms.
Carrying him back to the kitchen, I plucked some tulsi leaves and boiled them with ginger. I let it simmer on high heat.
"Go ahead and cry while drinking it, I don't mind," I muttered to myself.
After a few minutes, I turned off the flame and tasted the tea. It was awful. But I would drink it without honey, just like I made it for my kids. Aryan never added honey for me.
Let's head to your room. I go back to the room and gently shake Ayushi.
"Time to wake up, baccha."
She opens her eyes slightly, then shifts her head onto my lap and closes her eyes again.
"Wait here, I'll go get the thermometer." I try to get up, but she holds me tightly.
"I'm coming, sona ," I mutter, and quickly return with the thermometer in hand.
I place it under Ayushi's arm and wait for a few minutes.
"It's not too high, that's good. I have fever medicine, but Ayaan doesn't let me give it to you two on my own... Forget it, Aryan, let me check your temperature."
He comes to me obediently and hugs me, resting his head on my chest.
"You're just same like your sister. Ayushi, finish this herbal drink," I say, holding up Aryan's glass because I have to coax him. He won't drink it willingly.
"Just a little, okay, sweetheart," I say, restraining him, which makes him cry out loud. He doesn't like it. I know, I don't like this herbal drink either.
"Mommy is sorry, darling."
I start pouring it into his mouth little by little. After a lot of sweet-talking, some crying, and even some cursing. Thank God he doesn't do it in front of Ayaan.
"Ayushi, did you finish it?" I look back and see Ayushi glaring at the glass.
"Do I have to make you finish it too?" I ask, putting my hand on my hips. She shakes her head.
"I'll drink it, you can go," she says innocently, but sweetheart, I'm your mother, don't try this trick with me.
"Drink it in front of me," I say in a slightly stern tone. She shakes her head.
