||~~The Brewer's Girl~~||

👼Friendship👼

☺Chapter - 35☺

❤Dedicated to asifiqbalsh . Happy Birthday Bhaijaan 💞 May you have many more❤

Kabir.

I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing. With my eyes still closed I let my hand wander beneath my body. A groan escapes my mouth as I feel the stiffness in my shoulders and back muscles from sleeping in the same position on the couch the entire night.

I sigh as I finally find my cell phone. Opening my eyes, I sit up and let the grogginess pass. It is dad calling and my eyes shoot towards the clock. It is still early morning here but back in India it must be the lunch time and dad would be helping mom in the kitchen. Now fully awake I pick up the phone and greet them. Talking to them is a fresh start to my Sunday morning. I happily listen to them bicker on the phone, each trying to talk to me at the same time. Sometimes parents can be so animated. I chuckle affectionately at them.

"let me talk now" mom says to dad, smile evident in her voice. I can hear her take a moment to speak next as she might have walked out of the kitchen. My ears perk up in attention as I hear her sighing softly in the phone.

"Kabir how is Aarohi?" she asks and I reply on reflex, "she is fine mom"

"she didn't sound so well this morning when she called me." mom tells me and my mind reel back to last night and all our yelling comes back to me. oh no!

"wh...what did she say?" I inquire, dreading a little.

"she told me you were sleeping and she felt like talking to somebody so she called me. I had just woken up then, it must be very early there. she is probably missing us and her family."

I let out a sigh of relief that she didn't let our issues reach my parents. "mom but it is not the first time she is away from her family."

"I know but she sounded so off and she never did in the past months she had lived with us." My mom worries so much.

"don't worry mom. I am here for her." my hands push the hair back from my forehead as I stand on my feet. My eyes notice the blanket falling from my half naked body.

"take care of her son. I just want you two to stay happy."

"I will mom. Say bye to dad too. Love you!"

Take care of her? instead, she was taking care of me! I certainly didn't bring the blanket with me.

I let out a breath and walk to the bedroom. Pushing open the door I call out to her. "Aarohi"

She was still laying on the bed. I hear her sniffing. What is wrong? I worriedly step closer to her side.

"what is this condition Aarohi?" I stare at her with wide eyes. her hair spread on the pillow, full face covered with sweat and the tip of her nose red. I immediately sit beside her and press my palm to her forehead and neck. God she is burning! She again sniffs and her eyes then meet mine. they were barely open, wet and tired. Has she been crying? I feel a pang of guilt inside my chest.

She shakes her head and tries to get up.

"don't you're sick." "it's fine" she says.I help her rest back on the pillows. "mom told me you were off but I didn't think you'd be like this"

"I was fine until last night don't know might be because of the climate change." She sniffs and gathers up her unruly hair into a bun. I drop my eyes at the mention of last night. How has she taken the fact that I used to live with Aashna in the same house. I certainly don't want to dive into that part. I clear my throat.

"hang on, I will get you some warm water." Without meeting her eyes I step out of the room. Damn I feel so bad! I know it is not my fault that she got sick but it just is so unsettling. Instead of my mom telling me she wasn't well I should have been the one knowing so and taking care of her.

She has been so sweet to me all this while. I better take care of her. what's becoming of me?

I set the water boiling and then look for something in the refrigerator to prepare the breakfast.

"Damn!" I shut the door. I had totally forgotten I need to do some grocery shopping.

"It is so unfair!" I jump around at the sound of her voice.

She smirks, her mouth opening in a single laugh. "I startled you right?"

I frown at her and then it dawns upon me how she has spoken behind me last night and I had jumped around the same way and said that she startled me. she has washed her face but the temperature isn't down yet I can tell. It is this sick heat emanating out of her and I don't like to see her like that.

"what are you doing here, I was bringing you there" I give her a small smile but she sees the worry lying under my lashes.

"That's okay. I can't stay in whole day."

"do you have the meds?" I ask as I fill her a glass of hot water.

She readily takes a sip, gulping down the water. I wish it does her any good. "hmm" she nods.

I stare at her as she tiredly let her left arm fall at her side and stretches her top.

"what is so unfair?" I ask her referring to what she said when she walked in on me.

Her eyes fill with interest at this. "It is so unfair that you're the one who stays without any clothes on and I am the one falling ill." Her lips break into a smile and I return one to her.

"get well soon"

"thanks"

I walk her into the living room and she sits on the couch. Both our eyes rest on the blanket. She takes hold of it and starts to fold it.

" Thank you for covering me with the blanket last night" I meet her gaze and let her know that I mean it. She smiles at me.

I move away from her and open all the windows to let the sunlight come in. It is a wonder if the sun shows up in this cold month.

"will you be good for sometime? I am going down to the grocery store." I tell her while tying the curtains.

"But you said you'll take me too" she leans her head to one side as I look at her. "not like this" my eyes fleet down her body as I tell her.

"oh ofcourse I will go get changed and then..." "I mean not in this condition Aarohi. you stay home I will come back and make a healthy soup for you." I cut her off and switch on the flat screen for her to keep company while I go take a shower.

She hasn't yet spoken anything about last night and I wish to keep it this way if she can get over it.

Aarohi.

There's this thing about getting sick and having a bad cold that you get irritated with almost everything around you. So when Kabir left me alone in the house and went down to the grocery store, I shut the television off and tried warming up. His blanket wrapped around me is doing the trick pretty well. I close my eyes soaking in his scent and wishing if only this very blanket can turn into Kabir. Because I badly need someone to hug me and the only one I have is him. But I know that day is far because Kabir and are not even friends. I thought that even if nothing can be between us, he would consider me as a friend atleast. I have given my all to be a good friend and a good wife to him but what do I get in return!

I open my eyes and heave a sigh. His yelling face from last night hovers down on my memory. Why is he like that? Sweet for a moment and recoiling back to being distant the other? When he is like this, I can't help but feel I am a failure to not let our relation bloom. But how long can I make it work single handedly! I can't force him to love me. ofcourse he had a love life in the very house that I am going to live in and if it bugs me that's not his fault. It is a part of his past and I have to accept it. It's my problem.

But he needs to learn how to deal with me. he has no idea what he is upto and that is his problem. I see him struggling against his own heart everyday and I understand him but afterall I am a human and I have feelings as well. I am a married woman and sure my married life is not what a girl dreams of but I need his trust and friendship. I know he has a soft corner for me but his inhibitions are just so stronger than his good feelings for me.

He was so sweet this morning and I like when he is caring. But I am always afraid that he would blow up again and I won't be able to keep silent. I don't want us to fight. I want us to become each other's support and just be together through every thick and thin.

I sniff hard trying to calm the itch developing in my nose.

"ah!" damn this cold!

I hear the front door being locked and seconds later Kabir appears with some grocery bags in his hand. "hey you okay?"

"mm hmm" I purse my lips and nod at him. to be honest it is an amusing sight to see him walk into the kitchen with all the bags. Looks like Mr. husband is on service. I stifle a giggle and call out to him. "Kabir"

"yeah?" he asks me from the kitchen itself and I wipe my eyes. they keep watering when I have cold. "Can I have a ginger tea first?"

I wait for his reply for a minute but when I decide it is not going to come I look over my shoulder to peep at him. He is standing facing the stove and his hands are rubbing the back of his head.

"did you hear me Kabir?"

He shoots out of his trance and his eyes focus on me in embarrassment. "uh...yeah actually I haven't ever made it"

"don't tell me!" I enjoy at his expense. Someone should show him a mirror. It is okay to not know how to make a ginger tea. How would he, he always drinks a coffee. But the expression on his face makes it look like he has forgotten basic English alphabets and I asked to recite them all of a sudden.

He shrugs and I turn my head away hiding my smile. "you can always try. I will tell you from here, you just follow my instructions okay?"

"I can cook a good healthy soup for you." I want to so laugh out at him but then I take control.

"Ginger tea!" I decide.

"okay!" I hear him say. Great!

I smirk to myself. I should have some entertainment while I battle this cold. This should be fun now. Pay off Kabir Malhotra!

Kabir.

Well what's in a ginger tea! I pat at my back mentally as I walk to the living room with a tray in my hand.

I had followed the instructions Aarohi told me and managed to make the tea in her style as she said. I had no idea what the hell I was doing because I have never made a tea or had any ever. I am skeptical of what I'd done but I will let her decide how did it come up.

I place the tray at the table and she shifts to make space for me. I watch her as she picks up the cup with a soft smile on her lips. I wonder how she manages to be like she is. To do herself after all that I put her through. She always has this well controlled soft smile. But today I sense something different as if she is really happy or amused about something.

But it's a delight to see her like this unlike this morning when she was all burning and bothered.

"Thanks" she murmurs to me. She brings the cup to her lips, her to eyes shutting.

Then she stops and purse her lips. "I don't feel like drinking it"

"What?" I frown at her.

She just shrugs and keeps the cup away. I stare at her incredulously.

"You made me prepare that for you now you have to drink it plus you said it will do good to you."

"I know but I have never drunk a ginger tea alone. It is always my friends or my family with whom I drink it."

She says and this moment I am taken aback by the innocence her eyes brim with.

"But I , I don't drink this" my eyes focus on the tea.

"I know right. That's why I ain't drinking it too" she sniffs and wipes her nose at a tissue.

"C'mon Aarohi. You need to drink this. Look I am here sat next to you."

"It's not the same without family." She grimaces

Well if this is the case. I sigh and pick up her cup.

My eyes shoot to hers as she watches me in anticipation.

"I am your family." I tell her clearly. Her eyes widens in a mixture of surprise and delight. She points at the cup and says, "that's my cup".

By the time she speaks I have already taken two sips right away. My eyes are shut as I let my tongue taste it but it is some weird spicy mixture with a bit too much ginger in it. Because it is a ginger tea I thought she is right when she told me to add this much amount. The liquid burns up on my tongue and I spit it out, choking on it.

Aarohi rubs my back as I cough and open my eyes. Whatever the hell that ginger tea tastes like. I know it doesn't tastes like how she made me do it.

Resting back on the couch I narrow my eyes at her and she seems to be having a hard time not bursting out in laughter.

She raises her eyebrows at me. "How was your first time?"

I have an urge to roll my eyes but all I do is lift my lips in a wry smile. "Sugarless" I speak nonchalantly.

That finally does break her resolve as she throws her head back and laugh. She is elegant in everything she does and I like this womanly aura about her.

I shake my head at her when she looks at me amusedly with her eyes shining. "Why did you do that?"

"I wanted us to lighten up?" She says it like it is a question that she is asking.

"This is your idea of playing light?" I cock my eyebrows at her and she has the grace to look embarrassed.

I let out a small smile when she peeks at me from under her lashes.

"What if I would have not taken a sip?"

"I trust you" she does this gentle thing again with me. "In a lot of ways Kabir, you need me and I need you. We both are together and to build a friendship we need to trust each other."

I just stare in her eyes which sees right through me. I always feel so exposed to her. It is like she knows everything and I am unused to these moments. I need my space sometimes.

I stand up and grab a tissue to clean what I spit. Do I need her? Yes. But in ways I needed Aashna? No.

"I am just asking for your friendship Kabir." She speaks gently and I feel myself falling weak.

"You're already a friend Aarohi" I reply dryly, facing my back to her as I put away the used tissues.

"well then make it good friends.I mean no fights, no misunderstandings, no judgements and Just true friendship." she is trying to convince me or what? I look over my shoulders at her. She drops her gaze and coughs.

"I think you need a Ginger tea, correctly done this time."

She looks up at me with a grin. "Soup will do I guess"

"Cool" I wink at her and then head towards the kitchen. Drinking a full glass of water I frown in the direction of Aarohi. The water washes away the terrible taste of the damn ginger tea.

She is crazy in her own good way.

A little smile plays on my lips as I chop some vegetables for the soup. She is browsing through her phone, occasionally looking up at me. Her condition is not at all better but I like how she is keeping herself engaged and happy so the sickness would be less bothersome.

I have noticed she had switched off the TV.

"You're not much into that idiot box right?" I ask her loudly so that she can hear me from the kitchen.

She glance up at me and then at the flat screen. "Never got enough time to waste on it."

"Must be boring" I tease.

She scrunches her eyebrows at me. "Not at all! Do you think I'm boring?"

"Yah sometimes" I admit honestly and enjoy the look on her face. She goes back to attend to her phone after a fake huff directed at me.

But I catch her smiling at last.

Aarohi.

Kabir sits beside me with two bowls of soup, one of which he hands me.

"You haven't played any tricks on me to pay me back have you?" I ask him seriously but he tries to act shocked.

"Ouch! I thought you trusted me."

I giggle and tell him, "ofcourse I do" I start having my soup and he follows my lead. I watch him as he tastes the soup.

The soup is hot and welcoming to my body. But it tastes like no healthy person would try it.

"I can have this alone, you don't have to accompany me." I say lightly as he makes a face after having another spoon.

"Remember? I am family." He shrugs and my heart does a happy dance. He is being such a sweetheart today and I can't help but thank my stars for even this sickness. With his positive attitude towards me , even the sickness is gradually decreasing.

When we are done with the soup I go back into the bedroom and take some meds. Kabir will be spending his Sunday watching his favourite travel show on TV and he has given me strict instructions to have a proper rest.

Tomorrow I have to show up at the hospital I am going to work in. After the formalities I will get a free week before I start working.

I lay down on my side of the bed and stare at the gorgeous view of the sprawling cliffs from the top. Just below the photograph is the sticky note which says - Cliffs of Mother, County Clare, Ireland.

I would love to be there. There is so much to explore here and I am going to tag along my photographer husband with me. I admire few more photographs of Crawfordsburn country park, Ring of Kerry, a stunning view of the River Liffey from the Samuel Beckett Bridge. My insides swell with excitement as I imagine seeing all those things in real with Kabir.

He is indeed a good photographer.

He was.

My ear to ear smile falters as it dawns on me that he is not only fighting himself to control his feelings, but also feeling lost when it comes to his career.

I can still hear the blaring noise of the Television from the living room.

And he says he wants me to rest! I roll my eyes and grab my phone.

Kabir turn down the volume :|

I hit send and turn to the other side. After a few seconds I can no more hear the sounds from the TV and I smile.
I don't really feel sick anymore but I am definitely in need of some rest. I close my eyes.

After a few couple of minutes when I am swinging between reality and dreams, sleep knocking at my door lightly, I feel a presence beside me.

And then I feel someone touch me. I feel his touch. He is holding my hand in his, his warmth sharing my burning skin.

"I have held this hand to walk ahead with you Aarohi and I am sorry I hurt you in anyway." His manly voice speaks with sincerity above me. "I am sorry for last night too."

I have a hard time keeping my eyes closed when I am awake and someone is watching me. I know Kabir is staring and as much as I try to not move, I can't keep still. My heart has taken a fast pace to beat against my chest.

God! I can't breathe through my blocked nose and I am afraid if I open my mouth, I might just breathe so hard that he'd be convinced I am not asleep.

Why is he like that? Why does he infuriates me and then make me love him more?

He places my hand on the side gently and leaves without making any noise. I breathe out a sigh of relief. My hands wipe the itch forming on my forehead. His apology touched my heart and I know I will have to make things work for us.

The way he is now, I can't help but fight with him to make him better. Not for me but for him. He has a talent and I have decided it would not go to waste. I will do anything but we'll work this out together. He will be known for his photography once again because I know he still can. Aashna not being in his life is just an excuse for having lost faith.

But I will be the one who will make him create his own world again and love it with all his heart.

There was a time in my life when I wanted to be as free as the bird. And now I would like to turn into a bird and live on his shoulders. A bird that is ready to give up flying. Just to be together.

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
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#Note : I know I should be updating this story more often to develop a reach but I have a life and this isn't the first priority right now. I love writing this story and I only write when I know I will do justice to me and my characters.
The coming month is going to be really crazy for me cuz it's the end of the semester and I have so much to do before the final exams. So I am sorry but May is a no update month.

But I had a good weekend as this month ends and I hope you guys too enjoyed reading this light update.
Tell me your thoughts in the comments and please do vote. It helps a lot❤

See you in june loves
Love always,
Sue💋