Upto Chance

Part 11

There was a different set of chaos in the Rajvansh house that morning. Anditha Rajvansh, when she came downstairs, found the house unusually calm. It was 8 am, and by this time there was always some movement, either in the kitchen or in some corner of the house.

She moved to the kitchen to find Ragini, but not finding her there surprised and worried her. She asked the servants, who mentioned they hadn't seen Ragini. Deciding to check on her, Anditha headed towards Karanveer and Ragini's room.

She was stopped in her tracks by a voice. "Bhabi, my protein shake," Arjun slumped on the hallway sofa, his eyes closed. He called her again, "Bhabi," and, getting no response, he opened his eyes and found his mother looking at him.

"Where is Bhabi?" he asked.

"Going to check on her. Neelu, get a protein shake for Arjun," Anditha instructed, moving towards Karanveer and Ragini's room. She knocked a few times, and Karanveer opened the door.

"Where is Ragini?" she asked. Karanveer motioned towards inside, and, confused, she walked in and found Ragini curled up on the bed.

"What happened to her?" she touched Ragini's forehead. "Oh my goodness, she's burning up! Why didn't you call anyone earlier?" She scolded Karanveer.

"I just woke up and noticed her fever," Karanveer explained, his voice filled with worry. "I was about to call the doctor."

Anditha sighed, a mix of concern and frustration evident on her face. "Alright, let's focus on getting her better. I'll call the doctor right away. In the meantime, we need to bring her fever down. Neelu!" she called out, and a servant appeared promptly.

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"Bring some cold water and a cloth"

As Neelu brought the cold water and cloth, Anditha gently wiped Ragini's forehead.

"I'll do it," Karanveer said.

Anditha nodded and walked out to call the doctor.

Finishing her call she turned back to them. "The doctor will be here soon. In the meantime, let's keep her comfortable."

Everyone was worried for Ragini. It was the second time they were seeing her this sick; the first time had been a few months after their marriage, and now it was happening again. Ragini had become an indispensable part of the household, someone everyone depended on in some way.

Karanveer felt a mix of helplessness and determination. He didn't know what to say or do other than to just take care of her.

—-----

Ragini slowly opened her eyes, her head felt heavy and her throat itchy. She looked around and found Karanveer seated on the bed near her, working on his laptop. Initially confused, she regained her composure and tried to sit up.

Karanveer noticed her movement and quickly closed his laptop to help her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, but Ragini's mind was still hazy.

She recalled a fragment of memory where she had confronted him, her words echoing in her mind, 'Where were you all the time? You know how difficult it was for me.' Confused, she held her head.

"Water," she whispered.

Karanveer quickly helped her with a glass of water. Taking small sips, she felt a bit better but still felt irritated by her current state. She felt sweaty yet cold and desperately wanted to freshen up. Deciding so, she tried to stand up.

"What are you up to?" Karanveer asked as she stepped down from the bed.

"Washroom," she replied.

He nodded, watching her leave. Minutes passed, and soon it was 30 minutes with no sign of her coming out. Karanveer started getting worried. What if she felt dizzy or something worse happened to her?