Chapter 43: chapter 43

The next day, Imara’s eyes slowly blinked open, and she tried to lift her hand to rub her eyes. To her surprise, she found her right hand mysteriously anchored down. Peeking through half opened eyes, she spotted Adhiraj sleeping next to her, sprawled on his stomach. His face was angled towards her, mouth slightly agape, hand clasping hers in a strong grip.This triggered her memory of the so-called dream she thought she was having, only to realise it wasn’t a dream after all. Her eyes widened as she glanced to her left and spotted medicines on the side table. Quickly redirecting her gaze to the right, she looked at Adhiraj once again and realised that the mumblings she believed were just in her dreams were legit. So, his responses were legit too. Which can only mean one thing—she had a fever. And that also meant he was genuinely there, taking care of her.Imara felt a stirring deep within her, as if an invisible force was pulling her towards an unknown sensation. It was a feeling she had never experienced before, one that both intrigued and frightened her. Desperate to break free, she tried to withdraw her hand from Adhiraj’s grasp, but his hold on her only tightened. With every ounce of strength she possessed, she made another attempt to pull away, but Adhiraj didn’t let go.She attempted to pry his fingers apart with her free hand, but when that failed, she became utterly peeved. Caught between her throbbing head, full bladder, and the urgent need to pee, she yanked her hand away with all her might, causing Adhiraj to finally wake up with a look of pure shock on his face.He bolted upright as soon as he noticed her fully awake and automatically reached out to touch her forehead. Letting out a breath of relief, he inquired, “Are you okay?”Imara sat up abruptly, causing him to pull back his hand, and replied, “Excuse me!” before rushing off to the bathroom.Adhiraj, not surprised by her reaction, climbed out of bed with a tired yawn. Using the intercom, he ordered breakfast to be delivered to their room, making sure to give specific instructions for Imara’s meal to be light and warm.Imara emerged from the washroom a few minutes later to find Adhiraj already prepared and waiting for her, with breakfast laid out on the table. Her gaze shifted between the food before her and the man before her, whose eyes held a tender gaze that made her heart flutter. “How are you feeling now?” he inquired with a tone of care.Imara settled into a chair across from him, sighed softly before replying, “Better!”She had to bite her lip as Adhiraj poured some bland daliya in a bowl. Her nose wrinkled in distaste, but before she could protest, the door swung open and Vandana entered the room. Without wasting a moment, she checked Imara’s temperature and asked, “How are you feeling?”Imara gave a soft smile, causing Adhiraj’s heart to skip a beat. It was the first time he had seen her lips curve into a smile, and he was captivated, to say the least.“I am feeling better,” Imara whispered, clutching the bowl of warm daliya that Vandana had handed her.“Make sure you finish this quickly so you can take your medication,” Vandana warned, her voice filled with concern. Turning to Adhiraj, she added, “It is your responsibility Raj. See to it that she takes her medicines in time, doesn’t step out in the cold, not even out of this room unless she has fully recovered.”Adhiraj slyly winked at his mother, but Imara was completely oblivious. Vandana skillfully suppressed her smile and turned to a confused Imara, saying, “The doctor said you need to stay in a warm environment until the fever is gone. I’ll make sure you have everything you need in the room, alright? ”“But I don’t have a fever...” Imara whispered.“Five days, Imara...” Adhiraj interrupted. “The doctor has given strict instructions for you to take medicine for five days and not leave the room.”Just as Imara shook her head to object, Vandana added, “Your parents are here. Just let me know when you’re finished with breakfast, and I’ll send them in.”Imara didn’t even get a word in before Vandana exited the room, leaving Adhiraj to enjoy his breakfast while relishing the utterly defiant look on his wife’s face.Imara glared at her breakfast suspiciously, mentally berating herself for being so foolish as to sit outside on the balcony on a freezing December night in Delhi. She knew she couldn’t handle the cold, yet she had to act like a complete idiot and find herself in this predicament. But no, she wasn’t going to stay cooped up in this room for five days, absolutely not! She was determined to defy all of this, including Vandana. However, thoughts of Vandana brought back memories of the previous night, instantly filling her with a sense of warmth.“Imara….,” Adhiraj’s voice broke her trance, causing her to look in his direction.Adhiraj got up and shuffled over to sit next to her, taking the now cold bowl of daliya and replacing it with a fresh, warm one. He teased, “If you want me to be your personal nurse for the next five days, I’m up for the job.”Imara’s eyes widened momentarily, but quickly narrowed in annoyance. She retorted, “I don’t need you hovering over me like a hawk. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. You can scurry back to your own room now.”Adhiraj quirked an eyebrow. Gesturing towards the breakfast, he quipped, “Did you somehow miss Mom’s words? As your husband, it’s my duty to ensure your well-being. So until I’m convinced you’re back on your feet, I won’t be budging from this room.”Imara’s nostrils flared, and she begrudgingly took a spoonful of the porridge, retorting, “I don’t want to share the bed with you!”“Like you have a choice?”“You…”“I’ll be right here until I see with my own eyes that you’re back in shape. So if you want to get rid of me, you better start listening, eating your food, and taking your meds on time.”Imara opened her mouth to fire back, but Adhiraj beat her to it, smirking, “It’s getting cold again!”She rolled her eyes and turned her head, refusing to even glance at that annoyingly self-satisfied expression on his face. She forcefully shovelled spoonful after spoonful of porridge into her mouth, determined to ignore him. Just as she finished her breakfast, Adhiraj appeared out of nowhere with a thermometer.In a fit of annoyance, she snatched the thermometer from him and stuck it under her armpit. Meanwhile, Adhiraj couldn’t resist checking her forehead. Imara was about to push his hand away, but he gave her a look that made her think twice. She pulled back, and Adhiraj lightly brushed her cheeks and nose with the back of his hand.Right at that moment, the thermometer beeped. Adhiraj quickly checked and saw that her temperature was slightly high, and to make matters worse, she was still cold. Ignoring any potential objections she might have, he swiftly scooped her up in his arms, catching her off guard.“What are you doing?” Imara hissed, her voice filled with frustration and annoyance.“Shut it, Imara,” Adhiraj scolded her, his tone laced with concern, as he gently settled her in bed and covered her with blankets. He couldn’t hide the fear he felt after what had happened last night. “You scared the shit out of us last night!”Imara held her breath, observing the worry etched on all over his face as he reached out for the medicines. Without hesitation, she took them from him and obediently swallowed them. Adhiraj wasted no time in calling his mother, stating, “She had had breakfast, Mom. You can let them come!”She closed her eyes and buried herself deeper into the warmth of the blankets as the shivers began to overtake her body. She dreaded this strange fever that always accompanied her colds. Her mother used to hold her tightly, providing comfort and warmth whenever she shivered like this. And the previous night, it felt as if she had been transported back in time, where she was held close, the soft words in her ear providing the love and affection she had craved for so long. But it wasn’t her mother! Before she could ponder on it further, the door swung open and her parents entered the room.