Abhiraj's pov

Ivaan is sitting in the living room drawing something on his notebook.

"Kiddo, come sleep with me today, we'll video call Ishika as well since you're done with your work." I offer, settling near him.

"Don't want to," he mumbled.

"What happened Ivaan?"

"I don't want to!" Ivaan raises his voice.

" Do not raise your voice Ivaan. We don't yell." I say sternly,

" But I don't want to talk to her and I don't wanna sleep with you." He has a permanent frown on his face, he crosses his arms across his small chest.

"And I don't wanna talk to anybody. Mumma is always busy, you're always busy and never with me!" Ivaan starts sobbing out of frustration.

I sigh, I think I have to deal this delicately. I did I not notice this before?

"Let's Calm down first, okay? There's no reason for you to yell. I'm right here and we talk without yelling, yeah?" He nods, rubbing his eyes.

I pull him closer to me.

" You fine now?"

" Yes."

" Why didn't you to talk to your mother when she called you?"

" I didn't want to."

" You know she might me hurt listening to you."

Ivaan's lower lip trembles, and he finally look up at me. His emerald eyes brimming with tears.

" I know, Mr.big, but I miss her so much." he whispers. " Is this how it's gonna be the whole time?"

" No it won't kiddo. And if we're feeling that way you should have talked to her right."

" Can I hug you?"

" Offcourse bub." I pull him to my chest, rubbing his back to calm him down.

" I thought," he continues, his words muffled into my chest, " if I don't talk to her, maybe she'll miss me too. And then...maybe she'll come back to us."

" Mumma misses you every single day. But not talking to her will not make her come faster, bud. It'll make her even sadder. All we can do is to talk to her and show her how much we lover her. Does that make sense?"

Ivaan nods slowly, wiping his nose with the back of his hand.
I pull him close again, running my hand through his hair.

" And about me, I'm sorry Ivaan. I'll make sure to play with you.I promise."

" That's okay. I'm sorry for yelling at you." He looks at me.

I smile, kissing his forehead.

I look at Ivaan, his eyes still shining with tears, and decide it's time to share some good news.

"Hey, buddy," I say, gently squeezing his shoulder.

" How would you like to go see Mumma?"Ivaan's eyes widen, a mix of disbelief and hope crossing his face.

"Really?" he whispers.I nod, smiling.

"Really. We're going to visit Mumma, and we can stay with her as long as you want. How does that sound?" The change in Ivaan is instantaneous. His face lights up, a broad smile replacing the frown he's been wearing.

He jumps up, throwing his arms around my neck.

"When? When are we going?" he asks excitedly, his words tumbling out in a rush. I laugh, hugging him back.

"Tomorrow. We'll have to pack our bags today, okay?"Ivaan pulls back, his emerald eyes now sparkling with joy instead of tears.

"Why don't we do that right now?"As Ivaan rushes to his room, I can't help but feel relieved.

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THE Day

(Ishika's pov)

"God damn!Why the hell did I do it?" I screech in pain.

My body hurts like hell. And this is just the start.

Soon I'll be burning like a furnace. After few hours, I'll start sneezing, accompanied by a throbbing throat and ofcourse the surprise guest: droopy nose.

It's a whole fucking package.

" Ah...ouch," I groan. My back is killing me.

I attempt to massage my aching muscles failing miserably.

I pick up my phone, declining another call from Abhiraj.

I don't have the energy to talk to him or anybody right now. That requires a mood, and being sick definitely isn't one.

I quickly dial Chloe's number, hopefully she's coming back to the dorm today.

"Heyyy, Ishika what's up?" Her cheerful voice answers.

Thank God.

"Hey, Chloe..." I croak, my voice clogged and raspy. "I'm so sorry to trouble you, but I kind of needed a favour from you, if you wouldn't mind..."

"Are you alright?" Concern creeps into her tone.

I change the cloth on my forehead, replacing the warm one with a fresh, cold compress. Maybe it'll help with the fever.

"Not really," I admit, lying back on the ben and adjusting the hot water bag under my waist. "Are you coming back today?"

"Yeah I am. But I won't get there untill the afternoon. What wrong?"

"Oh that's great. I think I can manage till then. Could you please buy some Tylenol, cough syrup and maybe vitamin C tablets... on your way back? I've got a fever."

I hang up the call, relieved that Chloe is going to bring the medicine. But that relief is short lived as another wave of pain crashes through my body.

The room feels like spinning, and I squeeze my eyes shut to fight off the dizziness.

My phone buzzes again. It's Abhiraj. Again. I stare at his name guilt mixing with irritation.
I know he's probably worried, but I just can't talk right now.

And even if I tell him I'm sick, there will no use. It's not that he'll be able to help me.

I toss the phone aside and curl up on my side, pulling the blanket tighter around me.

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Abhiraj's pov

 Ivaan is fast asleep beside me, exhausted from the long journey. 

"We're here, buddy," I whisper, a sleepy smile spreading across his face.

 I pull out my phone and dial Arjun's number. He picks up on the third ring.

"Bhai! You've landed?" Arjun's voice comes through.

"Yeah, in the car. Is everything set at the penthouse?" I ask, keeping an eye on Ivaan who's still sleeping.

"All ready for you guys. I've made sure it's stocked and cleaned. The caretaker's there too," Arjun confirms.

"Great, thanks. When are you getting back from Colorado. " 

"I'll be back in Seattle in two days. How long are you staying?"

"Not sure yet. We'll catch up when you're back. Thanks again, Arjun."

The jet lag is hitting Ivaan hard, and his eyes are barely open as I lead him to his room.

"But I want to see Mumma," he protests weakly as I tuck him into bed.

"Soon, buddy. Let's get some rest first, okay?" I smooth his hair back, and he's asleep before I even finish speaking.

I step out of the room and find Mrs. Rodriguez, the caretaker, waiting in the hallway.

"Mrs. Rodriguez, could you please keep an eye on Ivaan? I need to go out for a while," I request.

"Of course, sir."

I nod and And leave to look for My wife. God knows what she's upto.

I pull into the university parking lot, my knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel too tightly.

The entire drive here, my anger has been simmering, threatening to boil over. I've been trying to reach Ishika all day, and her silence is beyond infuriating.

As I stride across campus, my jaw clenched and fists balled at my sides, I barely notice the students around. I reach her dorm building and buzz the intercom for her room. No answer. I buzz again, holding the button down longer, my irritation growing exponentially. Still nothing.

A group of students exits the building, and I catch the door before it closes. I take the stairs two at a time, my footsteps echoing my rising temper.

I reach her floor and march to her door.

I knock hard, the sound reverberating through the hallway.

Silence.

I knock again, even harder. "Ishika, open the door."

I'm about to pound on the door again when I hear a faint sound from inside. It does little to quell my anger.

"Ishika!" I shout, my patience completely gone. "If you don't open this door right now, I swear I'll-"

The door opens slightly, and I see Ishika's face peering out. My angry tirade dies on my lips as I take in her appearance. She looks terrible - pale, red eyes, sweating, her hair a mess.

"Abhiraj?" she croaks, her voice barely above a whisper. "What are you doing here?"

My anger flares again, but now it's mixed with concern. "What am I doing here? I've been trying to reach you all day!

Ivaan and I flew across the country to meet you immediately after that tantrum of yours, Why were you not picking the call?"

Ishika winces at my raised voice, and I notice she's leaning heavily against the doorframe. "I'm sorry," she mumbles. "I've been sick... I didn't want to worry you by telling you especially when it's  out of your control ."

I push the door open wider, my frustration still evident in my movements. "Didn't want to worry me? Do you have any idea how worried we've been? You were not taking calls Ishika?"

As I step into the room, the state of it gives me pause. A bowl full of water kept near the bed, medicine bottles litter the nightstand, and there's a hot water bag on the mattress.

Ishika stumbles back to her bed, wrapping herself in a blanket despite the warm weather. "It's not just a cold," she says weakly. "I've had a high fever... everything hurts..."

I run a hand through my hair, trying to calm myself. I'm still angry at the lack of communication, but seeing her like this...I can't even scold her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I demand, my voice still harsh but with an undercurrent of worry.

"I would have come sooner. I could have helped."

Ishika looks up at me, her eyes glassy with fever.

"I didn't want to be a burden. You have Ivaan to take care of, and your work... I thought I could handle it on my own. It's just fever."

Her words deflate some of my anger, but I'm not ready to let go of it entirely.

"That's not your decision to make, Ishika. We're a family. You don't get to decide when we worry about you or when we help."

I sit on the edge of her bed, feeling her forehead. She's burning up. Despite my lingering frustration, I can't help but soften my tone. "You're really sick, aren't you?"

Ishika nods, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry, for not answering you calls." she whispers. "

I sigh heavily, my anger finally giving way to concern. "You should have told me. No more of this 'handling it on your own' nonsense, understand?"

She nods again, a tear slipping down her cheek. I wipe it away gently.

"Alright, that's it. We're getting you out of here," I say decisively. "Can you walk?"

Ishika tries to stand but sways dangerously. Without hesitation, I scoop her up in my arms, blanket and all. She feels too light, too fragile.

"Abhiraj, I can-" she starts to protest weakly.

"No arguments," I cut her off, my tone brooking no arguments.

"We're going to the penthouse where I can take care of you properly."

I carry her out of the room, pausing only to grab her phone and a few essentials. As we make our way through the dorm and to my car, I can feel her burning up through the blanket.

My earlier anger has completely transformed into worry and a fierce protectiveness.

I settle her into the passenger seat, buckling her in carefully. As I slide into the driver's seat, I glance over at her. She's curled up against the door, eyes closed, looking small and vulnerable.

"Ishika," I say softly as I start the car, "no more keeping things from me, okay? We're in this together."

She nods weakly, her eyes still closed. As I pull out of the parking lot, heading towards the penthouse, She starts shivering.

I reach over and take her hand in mine. It's clammy and hot, but I hold on tight, it might help her calm down.

The drive to the penthouse is quiet, filled only with the soft sound of Ishika's labored breathing.

My mind races, planning the next steps - getting her comfortable, calling a doctor, preparing her something warm and healthy.

I concentrate on the road, relief creeping in. No matter how angry I was, and how frustrated I still am, being here, it's peace. Surprisingly, my mind is more calm.

As we near the penthouse, I squeeze her hand gently. "We're almost home, Ishika. Everything's going to be okay now. I've got you."

And I mean it.

She may not know the best things for her but I'm here to tell her that.

I carefully lift Ishika from the car, her feverish body warm against me. As I carry her into the penthouse, I can feel her shallow breaths against my neck. The elevator ride is quiet, with Ishika's head resting limply on my shoulder.

I gently lay her on the bed, the crisp sheets crinkling under her weight. She lets out a soft moan, her eyes fluttering but not opening. I pull the comforter over her, tucking it around her trembling form. The thick, soft fabric engulfs her, making her seem even smaller and more vulnerable.

"Hang on, Tinkerbell," I murmur, retrieving the thermometer from the nightstand drawer. "Let me check your temperature."

I brush a strand of hair from her forehead, my hand lingering for on her burning skin. Gently, I place the thermometer in her mouth, and wait for the reading.

When the thermometer finally beeps again, I pull it away, squinting at the digital display. The numbers make me tense- 103.2°F. It's higher than I expected, and worry claws at my chest.

I reach for my phone to call the doctor.

As I wait for the doctor to answer, I silently look at her, she's gotten so weak and fragile.

There's a soft knock on the door. Mrs. Rodriguez peeks in, her face etched with concern.

"Mr. Abhiraj, the doctor is here," she says quietly.

I nod, giving Ishika's hand one last squeeze before standing up. "Thank you, Mrs. Rodriguez. Please show him in."

Dr. Patel enters the room. He greets me with a nod before moving to Ishika's bedside.

"How long has she been like this?" he asks, opening his medical bag.

"I'm not sure," I admit.

As Dr. Patel examines Ishika, I stand nearby, concern etched on my face. He checks her temperature and listens to her breathing before addressing her.

"Ishika, can you tell me when these symptoms started?" he asks gently.

Ishika's voice is weak as she responds, "Since... last night."

The doctor nods, making a note. "And what symptoms are you experiencing?"

"High fever," Ishika mumbles, her eyes half-closed. "Chills... body aches... and a terrible headache."

I watch as she shifts uncomfortably under the blanket, wincing slightly.

"Is there something else?" Dr. Patel prompts, noticing her discomfort.

Ishika nods weakly. "My skin... it's itching. And I think I have some rashes."

This is news to me, my brows scrunch, a surge of worry enveloping me. Dr. Patel's eyebrows raise slightly at this information.

"May I take a look?" he asks, and Ishika nods her consent.

As the doctor gently examines her, I can see red patches on various parts of her body - her arms, neck, and from what I can glimpse, under her collarbone as well.

"The rash seems quite widespread," Dr. Patel observes. "How long have you had this?"

"I noticed it this morning," Ishika replies softly. "It's been getting worse."

The doctor hums thoughtfully, then asks, "Have you done anything unusual in the past 24 hours that might have triggered this?"

Ishika is quiet for a moment, "I... I went swimming," she says. "In the lake near campus. Last night."

I feel my eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

"You went swimming? Last night? Ishika, it was freezing outside!"

She nods weakly, avoiding my gaze. "I know... I just... I needed to clear my head."

Dr. Patel looks thoughtful. "Did you shower or rinse off with clean water after swimming?"

Ishika's brow furrows as she thinks. "I... I don't think I did. I was so cold when I got back, I just changed and went to bed."

The doctor nods, "And how long were you in the water?"

"I don't exactly remeber," Ishika mumbles.

"Well, it seems we have a clear picture of what's happened here.

Ishika, you're suffering from a severe chill, likely brought on by swimming in very cold water and then not warming up properly afterwards.

The sudden temperature change has shocked your system, leading to this fever and cold symptoms."

I feel a mix of relief at having an explanation and frustration at Ishika's recklessness.

The doctor continues, "As for the rash, it's likely a reaction to something in the lake water - perhaps algae or other microorganisms.

Not showering afterwards allowed these irritants to remain on your skin, leading to this widespread rash."

"Is it serious?" I ask, worry clear in my voice.

Dr. Patel shakes his head. "While uncomfortable, it's not serious. The fever is the main concern right now, but with proper care, it should come down soon."

He turns back to Ishika. "I'm going to prescribe some antipyretics for the fever, as well as a topical antihistamine cream for the rash and itching. Make sure to apply it to all affected areas."

Ishika nods weakly, and I make a mental note to help her with this later.

"The most important things now are rest and hydration," the doctor emphasizes.

"Drink plenty of fluids, and try to keep cool to help bring down the fever. If the fever doesn't reduce in 24 hours, or if you develop any new symptoms, you'll need to go to the hospital for further tests."

As Dr. Patel writes out the prescriptions, he adds, "And no more swimming in cold lakes at night, alright? Especially not without showering afterwards."

I nod firmly. "Don't worry, Doctor. That won't be happening again."

As the doctor prepares to leave, I glance at Ishika. She's avoiding my gaze, a mix of embarrassment and discomfort on her face.

We'll definitely be having a conversation about this later, but for now, my priority is getting her well again.

Once Dr. Patel has left, I sit on the edge of the bed. "Ishika," I say softly, "what were you thinking, swimming in weather like that?"

She looks at me, her eyes glassy with fever but also filled with a sadness that catches me off guard. "I just... I just wanted to do something. Anything."

" But you can't just put your health at stake like this, right." I whisper, and she looks at me like she could cry any time.

I get away, to fetch her the prescribed medicines.

"Where are you going?" She mumbles, looking at me leaving the room.

"Going to get you the medicines. Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

Twenty minutes later...

As I return, Ishika was already drifting off.

" Not yet, Ishika," I speak softly,  "Have these first and then you can go to sleep."

I help her sit up, her body warm and pliant against my supporting arm. I can feel the heat of her fever through her thin shirt.

"Here," I say softly, holding the glass to her dry, cracked lips. "Small sips."

Once she's taken the medicine, I ease her back against the pillows.

"The doctor prescribed this cream for your rashes," I say, holding up the tube. "Do you think you can apply it yourself?"

Ishika's arm trembles as she reaches for the tube, but it falls limply back to the bed with a soft thud. Her body is too weak.

"I'll do it for you. Can you tell me where the rashes are?"

She hesitates for a moment,"They're... they're on my back, thighs, chest, neck, and arms," she mumbles. "And... under my breasts."

I take a deep breath, okay. She's too weak to take care of it, Abhiraj.

Pushing aside any awkwardness, I focus on the task at hand. Ishika needs my help, and that's all that matters right now.

"Alright," I say, trying to keep my voice steady.

"I'm going to need to move the blanket and your clothes a bit to apply the cream. Is that okay?"

Ishika nods, her eyes fluttering closed.

As I pull back the blanket, the cooler air of the room raises goosebumps on her skin.

The rashes looks like angry red patches against pale skin. They look painful, the edges slightly raised and inflamed.

"Ishika," I say gently, "these rashes look pretty inflamed. I think we should clean them with some cool water first before applying the cream. It might help soothe your skin a bit."

She nods again, barely opening her eyes. "Okay," she whispers, her voice rough and weak.

In the bathroom, I wet a soft washcloth with cool water, and return back to room.

"I'll have to move your shirt to clean the skin. If at any point you feel uncomfortable, tell me. Okay."

" Hmm."

Settling on the bed, I decide to start with her arms, gently dabbing the damp cloth over the rashes.

Ishika flinches slightly at first, a small gasp escaping her lips, but then she relaxes as the cool water seems to provide some relief.

I move to her neck and chest. I gently clean the rashes and dab softly on the chest.

I can see how the rashes have spread, angry and red against her pale skin.

"I'm going to need to lift your shirt a bit to get to your back," I tell her. "Is that alright?"

Ishika murmurs her assent, the sound barely audible. I gently ease her forward, supporting her weight on my chest as I lift her shirt.

The fabric clings slightly to her damp skin as I raise it. The rashes on her back look painful, spreading across her shoulder blades and down her spine.

I clean them as gently as I can, feeling her shiver slightly under my touch.

The process takes a while, but I want to be thorough. Once I'm done, I pat her skin dry with a soft towel, her body now clean and a bit more relaxed.

I reach for the cream. I squeeze some onto my fingers. "I'm going to apply the cream now," I explain. "It might feel a bit cold at first."

I start with her arms again, carefully spreading the cream over the affected areas. As I work, I can feel some of the tension leaving Ishika's body, her muscles relaxing slightly under my touch.

When I reach her chest and the areas under her breasts, I hesitate.

I gently lift her shirt a little, her body trembling coming in contact with the cold air. I bundle up the shirt till her breast, and see the extent of the rashes. They are red and angry, spreading across her delicate skin. 

"These look painful," I murmur, more to myself than to her. I squeeze some cream onto my fingers, as I gently apply the cream, she whimpers slightly in pain, but doesn't say anything. I move my hands carefully, trying to be as gentle as possible.

Finally, I finish applying the cream to all the affected areas. Ishika looks exhausted but slightly more comfortable, some of the tension having left her face.

"There," I say, pulling her shirt back down and tucking the blanket around her. The soft rustle of fabric fills the quiet room. "How does that feel?"

"Better," she murmurs, her eyes already drifting closed. Her lashes flutter against her cheeks,  "Thank you."

"That's all right baby." I softly kiss her forehead.

" Now go to sleep, I'm right here beside you. Alright."

            To be continued...

Heyy Reader's...

So how's the chapter?

Abhiraj is here in seattle and Ishika is sick.

We'll not worries about that Abhiraj will take care of her.

Next update soon

Till then don't forget to 👇