CHAPTER 28
"Yes. But I want toe back." Dua said from her new phone.
"Sorry dua ma''am. We already hired an substitute." Said the voice over phone.
"Substitute. I thought you were arranging a proxy teacher." Dua said stirring the pot that had butter
chicken in it.
"Yes. We were but every teacher was busy with the portions. And also we had international olympiad
exam for two weeks continously. So had to arrange a substitute for a month." The voice over phone
said in exining tone.
"Okay. Then let me know when can I continue." Dua asked being frustrated.
"Oh. It''s difficult this month and from next month the exams are held. We''ll see if need anyone for
supervising. Then we will sure call. If not then you might have toe after exam as examiner, to
check papers." The voice on the phone said.
"Okay. Thankyou." Dua said and ended the conversation.
''I have no work to do now. Seems like every thing is against me'' dua said a bit loud and turned the
me off.
"Madam. I have cleaned sahab and your room." There maid whose name is anandi said.
"Okay. I was wondering if you could clean up thewn or ask kaka sham to. The grass has grown too
long." She said.
"Okay Madam I will." The maid said and left. Dua looked up at the clock it''s already 5 past 35 minutes.
Still armaan wasn''t home yet. It was making dua a worry little.
''Should I call him. No. I don''t care about him. Your being rude dua. It''s all because he made me... no
don''t even go on that topic. I''ll just text him. Or something. Dua was fighting with her own voice in the
head.
Dua climbed up the stairs and went to her room.
It had been a week since they shifted. Every day was fixed. Dua after fajar would prepare his breakfast.
After that armaan would go for a jog. Would return and leave for work.
Though dua was still mad at him, she couldn''t help but take care of him. She even started packing
lunch for him every day. Iron his outfits when he was busy in shower and cook for him dinner.
Dua was confused about what she should text him. She typed and retype the message many time.
When she was finally satisfied with it she sent it.
***
Dua: Are you gonna bete.
***
Dua thought he would return her reply the secondter it was sent. But she didn''t knew that armaan
was busy in a meeting that he didn''t even see her message.
''Huh. Like he would care for your text dua. Are you for real'' she said to herself in her empty room. She
attached her phone to a charger and kept it on a coffee table.
A smile lit up on dua''s face when she heard her phone ringing. She looked on the screen with
disappointment. It wasn''t armaan it was ammi.
"Assmu Aykum ammi. How are you." Dua asked mrs.rizvi.
"Wikum Sam beta. Allhamdullh I am fine. How are you and armaan" mrs.rizvi asked.
"Allhamdullh. We both are good. Ammi I tried calling you but I didn''t had my phone." Dua said in
exining tone.
"No. It''s alright beta. You know shehnaaz amma who was sick." Asked mrs.rizvi.
"Yes.ammi." dua said along with nodding her head.
" it''s like you know she doesn''t seems to get well soon." mrs.rizvi said.
"Oh. Okay" dua said and continued " should I and armaane and give hew a visit."
"No. Not really. But You might have to soon. Let''s see. Where is armaan." Mrs.rizvi asked dua.
"Ah. He isn''t home yet. He might be busy with work. I call to check upon him. You don''t worry ammi."
Dua said.
"No dua I don''t worry about him. Now that you are with him." mrs.rizvi saidughing lightly.
Dua was feeling shy. Both of them talked for a while before hanging up.
Dua''s fingers were aching to call him. But her brain didn''t wanted to.
She went downstairs in thewn to check the work of sham kaka.
"Madam sahab''s here" the maid said to dua who was busy examining a bonsai in the pot.
She made her way to the hall. She was going to give armaan his peace of mind. But when she saw
how tired his eyes and face was looking she didn''t.
"Assmu Aykum." She said to him.
"Wikum Sam." He replied rubbing his face with his hands.
"Why don''t you go to your room and freshen up. I''ll bring you coffee" dua said to which armaan nodded
and left.
Dua went to his room along with coffee and a sandwich. Armaan was in the washroom.
"I''ve kept your coffee and snacks." She yelled and left.
Something was wrong and dua was sensing it.
Armaan didn''t left the room. Dua was going crazy about his behavior. He didn''t came down like his
usual for dinner. That''s why dua went to check upon him.
Armaan was sleeping on his bed with sheet up to his chest. Dua went closer to him. His forehead was
covered with sweat. She touched his forehead which was warm. He was having a fever. She grabbed a
tissue and began to wipe the sweat from his forehead. She went out of the room. After a while she
returned with a tray which had sour soup along with water and medicine.
She kept the tray on the coffee table she began to call armaan. But he didn''t even bulge a little. She
began to shake him. After a few attempts he began to wake up. Dua helped him sit and fixed the pillow
behind him. Dua would be lying if the approximate wasn''t bothering her.
Armaan was frustrated and was feeling weak.
"You want me to call the doctor." She asked armaan.
"No need. Just give me some rest I''ll be fine." He said.
"Okay. Then I''ll be calling a doctor. Give me the number I''ll give him a call." She said getting his phone
from the coat which was thrown on the couch.
"Here" dua said handing him the phone.
"I said just give me a rest. I''ll be fine." He said with a hint of tiredness in his voice which melted dua.
"Okay then but if you don''t. We are going to the hospital and you won''t argue." She said. Armaan just
nodded at her.
"Fine you have to have something. You can''t have medicine on an empty stomach." She said. And
brought the tray to hisp.
She spread a cloth so that his clothes won''t get clicked by the soup.
Armaan was bringing the spoon to his mouth but he missed it and itnded on the spread cloth.
Dua signed and took the spoon from his hand. Armaan was too weak.
She sat beside him on the bed and began feeding him.
"Here. Drink the water." She said bringing a ss to his mouth. Armaan gulped it down quickly.
"Now just rx and sleep ." Dua said as she made himy back.
"Dua thankyou." Armaan said timidly looking directly in her eyes.
Dua didn''t reply. She just stared at him back. Both of them missed looking in each other''s eyes for long.
This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.
No one wanting to break it.
"Don''t go" armaan said still not breaking the stare. But dua did. She left a breath and said " I won''t I''ll
be here in your room. On the couch okay. Call me whenever you if your hungry or feeling not okay.
Okay." She said.
"At least stay on the bed until I fall asleep." Armaan asked her. She nodded.
Armaanced there hands together and closed his eyes.
It must be fever or the pills that are making armaan say so. Dua thought. She kept looking at their
hands until armaan slept. So badly she wanted to get away from him. But when she began to move
armaan shot his eyes wide open.
She wasn''t left with choices. She didn''t wanted toy beside him. So see just closed her eyes there
while sitting.