Sid had always been a strong man, both mentally and physically. But lately, the pain had started to get the better of him. The doctor had delivered some worrying news during his last checkup—his osteoporosis had worsened, causing two fractures in his spine. One was in the thoracic region and the other in the lumbar region. These fractures had increased his pain significantly, and the fact that he wasn’t getting enough rest wasn’t helping matters. He’d been missing his weekly injections, the ones he needed to help manage his condition, and now, he was paying the price.
Today had been particularly tough. The pain had become unbearable, and it was accompanied by a fever that left him feeling weak and exhausted. Sid had managed to come home early from work, but as soon as he arrived, he collapsed into bed. The heat therapy pad was doing its best to soothe his aching back, but it only provided temporary relief.
As evening approached, he heard the familiar sound of his kids entering the house. Their voices were full of excitement, a stark contrast to the pain that weighed him down. “Dad! Holidays have started!” Miu shouted, her voice full of enthusiasm.
Sid heard them moving around the house, and soon, they appeared in his room. Rey was the first to notice something was wrong. He walked over to Sid’s bed and placed a hand on his forehead. “Dad, aapko phirse bukhar aagaya?”
Sid groggily opened his eyes, his vision slightly blurred. He nodded weakly, “Haan, beta... thoda sa hai.” His voice was raspy, showing just how tired he really was.
Miu, who was standing beside Rey, spoke up. “Dad, Vansh aaj raat ko aa raha hai. Woh humare saath kuch din rukega, holidays jo start ho gaye hain.”
Sid sighed, knowing what that meant. Vansh, his nephew, was around the same age as Rey and Miu, and whenever the three of them got together, the house was filled with energy, noise, and a fair share of mischief. Although he loved having Vansh around, Sid wasn’t sure he could handle the chaos in his current state.
He looked at his kids with concern. “Vansh aa sakta hai, lekin mujhe shor bilkul nahi chahiye. Tum logon ko sambhal ke rehna padega. Main pehle se hi itna thak gaya hoon.”
Rey and Miu exchanged glances, nodding in agreement. “Ji, Dad. Hum dhyaan rakhenge,” Miu said, her voice more serious now.
Sid, knowing how much they wanted to enjoy their holidays, added, “Aaj kuch bahar se order kar lo, tum log meri card le lo. Lekin mere liye thoda khichdi bana dena, mujhe dawai leni hai.”
The kids nodded and covered Sid properly with the blanket before heading to the kitchen. They knew their father needed rest, and the least they could do was ensure he was comfortable.
As they started preparing the khichdi, the doorbell rang, signaling Vansh’s arrival. Miu rushed to open the door, her face lighting up as soon as she saw her cousin. “Vansh!” she exclaimed, hugging him tightly.
Vansh, equally excited, hugged her back. “Miu! Finally, holidays! We’re going to have so much fun!” he said with a grin.
Miu led Vansh inside, where he immediately spotted Rey in the kitchen. “Arre, Rey! Khichdi? Aaj dinner mein yehi milega kya?” Vansh joked, laughing as he saw the plain meal they were preparing.
Rey chuckled, shaking his head. “Nahi yaar, yeh Dad ke liye hai. Unhe bukhar hai.”
Vansh’s smile faded slightly as concern replaced his earlier excitement. “Bukhar? Main unse milne jaaun?”
Miu quickly stopped him. “Nahi, Vansh. Dad abhi rest kar rahe hain, tum baad main mil lena unse. Unki tabiyat bohot kharab hai, isliye hum zyada shor nahi kar sakte. Aur masti karne ke plans thode delay karne padenge, lekin baad mein hum pura masti karenge jab Dad thoda better feel karenge.”
Vansh nodded understandingly. “Arey, chill yaar. Mamu theek ho jaye pehle, phir hum log mast karenge. Abhi toh holidays shuru hi hue hain, time toh bohot hai.”
Miu smiled, relieved that Vansh understood. She led him to the gaming room while Rey finished preparing the khichdi. Once it was ready, Rey carried the bowl to his father’s room.
“Dad,” Rey said softly, giving his shoulder a gentle shake to wake him up.
Sid groggily opened his eyes again, blinking against the dim light of the room. He attempted to sit up, but the pain in his back stopped him. Rey quickly moved to help, placing pillows behind Sid to prop him up.
“Vansh aaya?” Sid asked, his voice weak as he took the bowl of khichdi from Rey.
“Haan, Dad. Miu usko gaming room le gayi,” Rey replied, watching as his father slowly ate.
Sid managed only a few spoonfuls before handing the bowl back. “Mujhse aur khaya nahi jaayega, beta,” he said, his hand trembling slightly from the effort.
Rey frowned, concerned. “Dad, thoda aur kha lo na, please. Aapko dawai bhi toh leni hai.”
Sid shook his head gently. “Nahi, bas itna hi. Dawaai le loonga, tu chinta mat kar.”
Rey sighed but didn’t push further. He handed Sid his medication, watching as his father swallowed it with visible difficulty. After taking the medicine, Sid tried to lie back down, but the pain in his back made him groan. “Aah, Rey… meri pith aur kamar....bohot dard ho raha hai. Thoda madad kar de.”
Hearing his father’s pain, Rey immediately rushed to his side, carefully helping him to lie down. He adjusted the heat pads beneath Sid’s back, one under the thoracic region and the other under the lumbar region, where the fractures were. Rey then covered Sid with the duvet, ensuring he was comfortable before switching off the lights.
“Dad, aap rest karo. Main, Miu aur Vansh abhi apna khana order karte hain. Kuch chahiye toh bas humein awaaz de dena,” Rey said, his voice full of concern.
Sid nodded slightly, too tired to speak. He closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of the heat pads starting to work, but the pain was still there, lurking just beneath the surface.
Rey left the room quietly and joined Miu and Vansh in the gaming room. Miu was busy scrolling through her phone, looking at menus. “Vansh, kya order karein? Dad ne bola tha hum bahar se kuch le lein,” she asked, glancing up at him.
Vansh, still thinking about Sid’s condition, shrugged. “Kuch bhi yaar. Jo tum log ko pasand ho, wohi le lo. Bas jaldi order kar lo, bhook lag rahi hai.”
Rey, trying to lighten the mood, added, “Miu, Vansh ko apni purani favourite cheese burst pizza khilaye?”
Miu grinned, nodding enthusiastically. “Haan, wahi order karte hain. Lekin humein yaad rakhna hai ki zyada shor nahi machana. Dad kaafi weak lag rahe the.”
Vansh, who was usually the life of any gathering, agreed without hesitation. “Bilkul, Mamu ka rest karna zaroori hai. Abhi toh hum bas khana khate hain aur aaram se baithte hain. Mamu ke better hone ke baad fir masti karenge.”
Miu placed the order, and the three of them settled into the gaming room, their voices lowered as they discussed their holiday plans. Despite the subdued atmosphere, they were glad to be together, supporting each other—and their dad—through this tough time.
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