Arnav's Plight [ArShi] ✔

4 : Care of Love

This morning when I woke up I wasn't in a position to see the face of my wife and smile and cuddle. The way my head was pounding made me groan and roll off the other side, in the process waking up Khushi too. Damn! This feels like a bloody hangover.

"Arnav-ji," Khushi's groggy voice hit my ears making the pain in my head even more severe.

"Arnav-ji, what happened?" Khushi now sounded worried as she tried peeling my face off the pillow. Her hands immediately went to my head kneading it with her deft fingers. To be honest, it felt reliving. No, the pain is not in any way going to go away so soon. But I am at least able to think properly.

"Why is it paining so suddenly, Arnav-ji?" Khushi wondered anxiously but her fingers did their job miraculously.

"Khushi, bring me a coffee please?" I asked my eyes closed tightly. Maybe that would relieve me a little right now.

"Ha, just in sometime." saying Khushi got down the bed after giving me a caring kiss on the forehead and left the room. I threw a glance at the clock to see that the time is 7:30.

It was way past my usual wake up time. I guess finally my work and the lack of food is getting to my head. Grrr...what would I not give to clear the headache this very instant? My hands went to my head trying to lessen the pain. But I guess my head is as stubborn as I.

Khushi...coffee!!

I groaned again as I felt the severe pain of headache shoot through my head... again. Hope Khushi comes with the coffee soon. What the hell is taking her so long to get me a coffee? A single coffee...aah!

That's when I heard the noise from the door of my room and also heard it crack open. I sighed audibly. Finally! But when I looked up I was only to be left disappointed seeing Di and Nani beside the bed. Oh, now why have they come here?

I'm sure and clear that my thread of patience is so low this time, when I'm in pain. And even a single ounce of pestering will break that fine thread and I'll be shouting. I don't want to do that. Because that will later prove bad for my head and very bad for my family. I tried masking my pain for a while. And I don't know to what extent I was successful in that.

"Chotte, kya hua? Tabiyyat toh theek hain na tumhari?" (Chotte what happened? Is your health alright?) Di asked anxiously already checking my forehead as if to see my temperature. Why does it always have to be a fever if one is not feeling up for a day? I'll never understand.

"Nothing Di, just a small headache." I replied hoping the words would calm her down. No offence, I like Di caring for me, but it also gets a bit irritating when she gets all concerned. Her over-protectiveness is not positive with me.

"What small? See how in pain you look." Nani scolded from behind who till now stood silent. What's with these both today? And now I know I wasn't successful in masking my pain. What a shame? But to my defence, it isn't any minute one. It feels like thousands of cars are honking right beside my ear at a time and I want to so bang my head somewhere to relieve the pain.

"Why are you both here Di?" I asked steering the conversation trying to bring down their concern about me. "I'm sure this is not what you've come here for?" Khushi wouldn't have told anyone about my headache right? Right, as if she wouldn't. I should at least stop humouring myself and state facts. At the least to self if not to others.

I looked on as Di and Nani kept exchanging looks as if playing a 'you-first-I-first' game silently. They are apprehensive to talk. Seriously... What the hell?