I shook awake hearing a series of knocks on the door, not realizing when I fell asleep. I moved away slow enough to not wake him and opened the door only to see Riyan,Riyan and Raunak standing outside with handfuls of treats that I knew where for their Mamu. I'd always loved the relationship he had with his sisters and even their kids. I gestured them to be quiet letting them run inside otherwise. I sat Raunak in my lap preventing her from jumping onto Sidharth. I softly wake him not trying to startle him by any means. He groaned opening his eyes smiling the moment he saw the 3 children sitting around him. I got up placing Raunak in the chair I sat in before helping him sit up. He started immediately joking around with them as I meeting both his sisters and stepping in to the kitchen to help Maa.
SIM - "Bacha tu rehne de, main kr lungi"
"Maa aap ko pta hai main zyada der nhi Velhi nhi baithungi. Aap Sidharth ke pas jau main krti hu yeh" I mumble walking her out of the kitchen noticing the stress lines on her face. She argues for a bit but agrees, scolding me for being adamant as she entered the room. I give her a soft giggle going back to finishing up all the work. Khushal moves into the kitchen a few minutes later, jumping on to the empty counter.
Kh - "Abhi main isse kya samjhu? Bahu duty back on ya fir distraction?"
S - "pata nhi... jo bhi hai acha lag raha hai"
Kh - "Tu sochne kab se lggi? Hmm? Dil se kaam krti thi tu humesha. Gussa jayaz hai tera. Jitna krna hai kr, Main saath bhi dunga tera pr aise anjaan mat bnn uske liye. Do teen thapar lgga room mein jaate hi. "
"Already Itni chot lggi hai usse thapar kyun lgaungi?" I question smacking his arm.
Kh - "Haan tabhi woh swim trip pe aane se tune uske infection hone ki wajah se itna daanta tha. Yaad hai Abhi bhi mujhe"
I chuckle remembering the same. I'd definitely outdone myself and my anger. Well I couldn't blame myself either, he'd been stupid enough to go exactly where he knew he'd get hurt or infected,Both by the foods and the setting. "Woh alag tha" I murmur passing him the bowl he kept reaching for. He chuckled downing the halwa almost instantly. We moved down towards his room with trays full of food and drinks. I serve everyone just like I once used to, the familiarity not eating me up this time but bringing me life.
Riyaz - "Maami aap khilau na humein aur Mamu ko jaise Pehle khilata the?"
I hesitate but move back to the chair I'd put beside his bed before pulling Riyaz to sit in my lap as the two others seemed to be to engrossed in their food. "Aapko khila du? Raunak aur Riyan toh already kha rahein hai" I chime putting a morsel in to his mouth.
Riyaz - "haan toh mujhe aur Mamu ko main apko khilaunga"
I chuckle softly taking the small bite of the food. I leaned forward helping Sidharth with his soup,Riyaz seemed to have made what I wanted easier. I'd been hesitant to do so in presence of his whole family but neither of them seemed to mind, devouring their own plates of food while the discussion about his injury carried on. They left after a short while, the kids whining to stay longer exactly how they used to before. It brought a smile to my face at the same time as the small feeling of guilt. I'd detached myself from them too. At least to a degree I did. Something none of them deserved. I moved back to the room sitting at the edge of the bed by Maa.
SIM - "Bacha tu samaan upar rakh aa. Aaram kr tu bhi jaa ke"
S - "Woh Maa main soch rahi thi ki... main mtlb living room mein hi so jaungi raat mein. Kuch zaroorat padi toh turant aa jaungi"
Si - "Room mein hi ruk jaa..."
"Nahi, hum dono bahar ruk jayenge. Tere
Room mein kyun rahegi woh?" Maa questioned winking at me to not react. She'd been telling me about his sudden needing and private behaviour ever since all the shit happened. The events not helping the sinking feeling I had. He'd been through just as much as myself, possibly even more because of the guilt.
Si - "woh... sofe pe mtlb ache se neend nhi ayegi na- toh aur mujhe baat krni hai usse"
S - "Baat Abhi kr le na? Raat mein kyun?"
"Theek hai.. theek hai. Aap dono jao. Abhi bhi kya krna hai yaha?" He mumbled exasperated. I laughed genuinely holding back the tendency to get up and give him a hug. Maa left after a bit deciding to do dinner preparations specifically making me stay out of it. She seemed much calmer after the whole lunch affair. I walked outside as Khushal helped Sidharth into the living room, only because of the innumerable times he'd already asked. I help arranging the seat outside before taking one beside him looking over the bandages he had wrapped over his ankle. They'd need to be redone soon enough, the cloth seemingly wearing away. "Shehnaaz?" He called a moment after I got up to grab the box they'd given yesterday. "Sone se pehle to aa skti hai na thodi der?" He questioned eyeing the bag I was sure he knew well enough to recognize.
S - "Mazaak kr rhe the main aur Maa, room mein hi ruk jaungi. At least Abhi k liye. Baat toh Abhi bhi kr skte hai"
Si - "Agar Nhi ruk na hai toh theek hai. Sch mein.. Khushal ko-"
S - "Woh ghar jaa raha hai dinner ke baad. Aur mera khud ka decision hai na. Chal Abhi pair aagey kr, yeh Dobara bandh na parega"
He nodded, letting me pull his leg into my lap to redo the bandage. I winced seeing the swelling, it was so much worse than any of the injuries I'd seen him get ever before. "Tera dimag jab chlana chahiye tab kyun nhi chlata tu? Abhi agar itna nhi lgga hota toh pakka-..." I pause realizing I'd began going off on him subconsciously, clearly letting my heart take a toll on my mind once again.
Si - "Sorry baby. It wont happen again I promise. aur vaise daant skti hai tu. Mujhe acha lgta hai.."
I restrained from smiling myself looking at the pleasured smile spread across his face. I took the small gel like tube putting the cooling substance around the swelled area. He winced fisting my forearm in gesture to make me stop. "Zyada dard hai?" I question not liking the look on his face. He shook his head laying back, my arm free of his hold. I go back to applying, much softer than before. The wincing seemed to die down a tad bit but the presence of it was still there. I wrapped up the ankle a little tighter than it was done before to ensure it lasted longer. Packing the box back up, I handed him the last of his medicine for today. His face fell acknowledging the taste. "Halwa milega iske baad" I chimed knowing it was the only way he'd swallow the pill faster.
A few hours later we sat back in his room, empty plates from dinner gathered at the table beside his bed. "Tu kal se normal hone ki koshish kyun kr raha hai? Neither of us are like that Sidharth. Subah bhi Baaz wali baat bolte bolte kat di tune" I question helping him with the last of his water.
Si - "Main tujhe firse naaraz nhi krna chahta. Im facing the consequences of doing it once already."
S - "Woh toh face krna parega na? Aise ek dum mein theek ho jaun aise nhi ho skta. "
Si - "Hmm.. lekin abhi main manane k liye kuch kr bhi nhi skta. Mtlb Id planned so many things pr abhi-"
"Yeh bhi toh tune khud ne kiya na? Choti se baat pe itna gussa nhi banta. That was a shoot... agar us din woh sab sunke main aise krti? Tu toh khud naraaz ho ke baith jaata us pe bhi" I mumble moving to take the plates outside. I come back after helping Maa finish up cleaning the kitchen and assuring her that Id be fine downstairs. He sat back now on his phone, an occurence that happened almost only once in a whole year.
Si - "woh bag wohi hai na jo tune summer fair pe liya tha? "
"Haan, Maahi se lad kr" I chuckle remembering the entire scene by heart. It was one of the first times Maahi and I had fought. That too over a bag we could easily both buy one of. I stepped over setting up the sofa I was going to sleep on before grabbing my night suit to change into. He seemed engrossed in a thought I couldn't quite decipher from the look on his face. I walk over to washroom tieing my open hair into a bun, on the way. I also made sure to grab a jug of wager I knew hed require later tonight or tomorrow morning.
S - "Kya soch raha hai?"
Si - "Hmm? Woh bas aise hi. Kal.. movie dekhein saath mein? Your choice.. "
