Laptop Se Inki Tum Kardo Sagai

Khushi’s face fell as she listened to Payal explain that they couldn’t go shopping because Arnavji was ill and Anjaliji refused to leave him behind for the day. Most of her dismay was because she had been looking forward to the now-aborted outing but there was a very small corner inside her that niggled at the thought of Arnavji being ill. She didn’t know how to ask for more details without making her sister suspicious and so she reluctantly began to say her goodbyes before Payal stopped her.

“Khushi, do you think you could still come to Shantivan though? If you bring some of Buaji’s special kadha maybe that will help Arnavji’s sore throat and fever.”

Khushi almost sighed in relief audibly. So that Laad Governor only had a fever, and here she had been panicking that it was something to do with his diabetes. She agreed instantly, running into the kitchen to find the jars she would need.

Just over an hour later she stood hesitating outside Arnavji’s door holding a tray with the cup of kadha and a glass of water. Arnavji on an ordinary day was an unpredictable beast, Arnavji with the additional stresses of an illness might genuinely bite her head off. Only when she heard Anjaliji’s voice did she push the already ajar door open further and step in.

Arnavji was sat up in bed, his face a sallow yellow colour, bags under his eyes with his laptop open and various files scattered across the bed while Anjali sat on the green sofa with some knitting in her lap.

Anjali looked up and smiled when she saw who had come through the door. “Namaste Khushiji, did you bring Buaji's kadha?”

Arnav who had been eyeing Khushi with narrowed eyes and pursed lips turned back to Anjali, “Di, I told you I’m fine, you don’t need to sit and watch me all day and I don't need to drink whatever that is.”

His raspy voice reminded Khushi of why she’d come to the room, and she stepped forward presenting the tray towards Arnav who instantly looked at her with distaste when the smell must have hit his nose.

“What the… What is that smell Khushi?”

Arnav protested and insisted he would rather die than drink the smell he was currently experiencing. And yet two minutes later he found himself choking on the thick black mess that had been presented to him since there was no denying his sister.

Khushi who had been trying to hide a smile during the siblings’ exchange rushed to rub his back instinctively while Anjali replaced the cup in his hand with the glass of water and urged him to drink.

He finished the glass and leant back to relieve the burning in his throat trapping Khushi’s hand between him and the headboard. Their eyes met and the burning now moved from his throat to a place much lower as Khushi snatched her hand back and stood up. Anjali had been distracted with putting the cup on the table and hadn’t noticed the exchange.

“I’ve even drunk Buaji’s disgusting drink, so please now will you stop hovering over me Di,” Arnav said as he pulled his laptop towards him.

Khushi pouted and muttered “Laad Governor kahike, doesn't appreciate anything.”

“Chotte you need to rest, not work all day. How else will you get better?”

“I’ll be fine Di.”

“Come on Anjaliji, let’s go. We can still have a girly day at home with Jeeji, maybe Nani and Mami can join us too.”

She was still smarting about his ‘disgusting drink’ comment so when they had reached the door, she looked back at Arnav and said in a stage whisper, “I think you should forget about a sister-in-law and get Arnavji engaged to his laptop.”

His affronted expression was exactly the reaction she had been wanting and she smiled in satisfaction as they left the room.

 ***

It had been a couple of hours and Khushi stood again hesitating outside Arnav’s door. It was all quiet inside, no clacking of furious keys or huffing and sighing from a disgruntled man. Ostensibly she’d been to visit the bathroom but thought she could be helpful and collect the empty cup and glass from Arnav’s room on her way down.

She poked her head around the door and felt as if someone was squeezing her heart. Arnav was asleep, his colour much improved and one hand beneath  a still slightly flushed cheek and his mouth slightly open. The laptop was still open, but the screen was dark from neglect on the floor beside him and some papers still on the blanket around his legs.

Khushi gasped and almost dropped the laptop she was placing on the bedside table when she felt a hand grip her wrist.

“You shouldn’t go around touching people’s wives without permission Khushi.” His voice was no longer as raspy as it had been earlier but was now rough and husky with sleep.

Khushi swallowed heavily, trying to twist her arm away from his firm grasp, seeing no way to resolve the situation except by running away. “I… Erm…”

 Arnav used the leverage of her arm to pull himself up to a sitting position. “I don’t think a computer would make a very good wife though, there’s lots of things they can’t do. For example, I don’t think it would make medicine especially for me, without any sugar or honey.”

Khushi’s arm was released, and she stood stock still for a moment while Arnav picked his laptop up and pulled it back towards his lap. He watched her with a grin as she rushed out of the room.