Love and Music

Just Stay Beside Me

It was 5:00 PM when they reached Arshi's house. Arshi headed to the washroom to freshen up while Rahul waited for her in her room. She changed her clothes and went to the kitchen to make coffee for the two of them. The house help was also there and she informed her that she would also be having Rahul for dinner and also gave her the instructions on what to cook. She asked her to make Rogan josh(a type of mutton curry) and Naan (Indian flatbread). Arshi made two cups of coffee and carried it to her room where Rahul was sitting. Rahul had also freshened up and was waiting for the coffee.

Rahul was sitting on the bed with his back leaning on the wooden backrest of the bed and his leg stretched out. He was visibly tired. Arshi handed him the coffee mug and went to the other side of the bed to sit beside Rahul. She noticed his tiredness and asked him, "Rahul, Are you okay? You seem tired." Rahul answered, " No ,I'm okay. It is just a headache and coffee is enough to help me get rid of that. I just need you by my side to be fine.." Arshi was still worried about him. In order to comfort him, she went closer to him and held his hand. Her fingers threaded him, and she saw an instant smile on his face. She felt the lines on his soft hand and that is when she felt that his hands were terribly hot. She screamed, "Rahul, your body is hot! You are down with fever. Wait let me get the thermometer. Lie down." She was worried. He answered worriedly, "I am okay. Don't you worry. Just stay beside me."Arshi said, "Just shut up, Rahul. Listen to me and lie down." and went on to get the thermometer. He just kept quiet and lied down on the bed. She rushed to Rahul and checked his temperature. His body was actually hot and the temperature was 104-degree. She was worried and told Rahul, " You are down with a high fever, Rahul. Rest. I will be back in sometime." Arshi went to the kitchen and got a bowl of cold water and a cotton cloth to sponge his forehead. She placed the bowl on the side table and sat on the bed beside him and dampened the towel and placed it on his forehead. She was genuinely worried about him. He tried to calm her down as she was in a panic. She did not leave his side for hours and hours together . After about an hour of sponging his fever did not reduce at all. Arshi went out to the kitchen to prepare a bowl of soup for him. By that time he had already fallen asleep. Arshi sat there feeding him a bowl of soup and sponging his forehead. She checked his temperature every hour but there was not a lot of change. Rahul slept after he was done with his soup and woke up at 9:45 PM. He seemed very weak. Arshi was in the verge of tears seeing Rahul in that state. She spoke,"Rahul, why don't you take care of yourself? You are down with such high fever and it isn't reducing at all." Rahul held her hand to reaffirm her that he was okay and said,"You are there with me. There is nothing else that I need. I will be okay. Stop worrying so much. I am hungry." Arshi had nothing to say. She went to the kitchen and prepared some Dal ki Khichadi. She served it in a plate and took it for Rahul. Arshi had lost her appetite. Rahul was hoping for some Rogan Josh and was sad to see Khichadi. He pleaded Arshi for Rogan Josh but Arshi strictly refused and promised to make it for him tomorrow. Arshi straightened his pillow to support his back and made him sit at the edge of the bed and fed him the food. Rahul just smiled seeing someone care so much for him. Rahul asked,"What about you? Will you not eat anything?" She answered," I am not hungry. I will eat later." Rahul very well knew that she had lost her appetite and said,"Arshi , you know that you can't fool me, Right? Have something please. I understand you are worried but not eating is no solution." Arshi continued to feed him in silence and promised to have something later.

She dropped the plate in the kitchen and went back to Rahul. He was awake and was seemingly tired. She sat with and spoke to him. Rahul said,"Thank you so much, Arshi. I think that I should leave. It is already very late and I have to reach home on time." Arshi answered,"First thing is you need not thank me at all. I love you and this is the least I can do for you. It is already 11:30 PM and you are not going anywhere at this time. Come on, I can't let you drive alone at this hour especially when you are unwell." Arshi pressed for it and finally Rahul gave in to her request. Rahul said,"I can't refuse anything that you say after all." Arshi checked his temperature again. It had reduced but not completely gone. She wished she could do something and that is when she got an idea. She went to the kitchen and warmed some oil in a small bowl and added some garlic and pepper to it and took it to her room where Rahul was asleep.
She placed the bowl on a coaster in the bedside table and went to the washroom to take a towel and steamed it in the oven. She sat parallel to Rahul's feet and took a small amount of warm oil in her cupped hands and rubbed it on his feet. She knew that oil massage would help get rid of the fever as that was what her mother used to do when she was down with fever. Rahul got up as soon as he felt a touch in his feet. He nearly jumped up, unable to guess who it was. Arshi was not expecting such response. She calmed him down,"It is me. Don't you worry." Rahul retaliated feeling slightly shy," Hey! You need not do it. I am really okay. You really don't need to do it. " Arshi said,"I don't need to do it but I want to do it. I know you are okay but the oil massage will help you relax and will also bring the fever down. I am speaking of experience. Please now, listen to me and lay down on the bed and just relax. Chill." She continued rubbing his feet and calves and then went on to massage his hands and subsequently his forehead and head. She was very careful while massaging his head as she knew that Rahul would not like to have oil in his hair without being asked. She really wanted him to calm down and relax and also hoped that the fever would reduce somehow. She continued for hours, checking the temperature and then massaging him, then sponging his head, till 2:00 AM and when she checked the temperature again. It had finally reduced to 101 degrees from 104 degrees. Arshi sat there and sponged his head for some more time. Arshi fell asleep there only sitting beside Rahul.
Rahul finally got up at about 6:30 AM to find Arshi asleep near him holding his hand. Rahul was feeling much better now. Arshi got up after sometime to find Rahul staring at him. She said,"I am so sorry I fell asleep. I didn't mean to sleep." Rahul said,"Thank you so much for yesterday. I wish I could thank you enough to have taken such great care of me. I feel so relaxed now. And it's all because of you." Arshi said blushing,"I will again repeat that you need not thank me. I have the minimum right as a girlfriend to at least take care of you especially when you are unwell. I was very sure that you would have never taken care of yourself if I would have let you go. Ma was also not there and that would have meant that you would've not taken rest at all." Rahul smiled hearing the word Ma referring to his mother being used by Arshi. Arshi noticed that smile and asked,"What was that smile for?" Rahul replied," You understand me so well as if you know me for ages. The smile is actually for something else though. Did you realise that you said Ma?" Arshi had really not realised it and said thinking that he did not like her call his mother as ma ,"I did not intend to. It was just a slip of tongue." Rahul said," it's okay. You need not worry and you can call her Ma."

Rahul really hoped that she would be able to introduce Arshi to his family soon. He was very sure of Arshi being his life partner and was also sure that his parents would accept her whole heartedly. Rahul was waiting for his parents to return so that he could introduce Arshi to everyone.

Arshi on the other hand was sure to inform her parents as soon as she would meet Rahul's parents.

PS- Spoiler alert!!! Leap coming soon.