The next morning when Ishita woke up in bed she rolled over to greet Raman who surprisingly enough was still sleeping.
Ishita stretched across to give him a good morning kiss…
As soon as she placed her lips on his kiss she could feel that he was burning up….
She instinctively felt his forehead; he had a fever and was clammy.
Ishita rushed out of bed to call Toshi to ask if she knew of any home remedies that she could use.
Ishita did Raman get wet last night in the rain, Toshi enquired.
Well Ishita started hesitantly…….
Toshi interrupted, Raman gets a cold very easily especially when he get wet in the rain.
Oh so that why he doesn’t like the rain she thought to herself.
She quickly walked back to the room.
Her caring motherly instincts kicked in and she went to the bathroom to get some hot water and a cloth to help the fever to subside.
She tended to Raman with so much love and care as she felt that she half responsible for his condition.
Ishita was lost in her thoughts……..thinking back to the night before and what Raman whispered whilst half asleep.
I hope I get a girl, Ishita.
She should look just like you…….
Ishita smiled thinking of what he said……
She on the other hand wanted it to be a boy.
A boy, who looks exactly like you, Raman.
Raman woke up a half an hour later ………
Slowly opened his eyes…..still feeling very groggy.
Ishita …….why am I still in bed.
What is the time…..Raman asked.
He opened his mouth to greet Ishita who was still engrossed with sponging him.
Seeing her like that melted his heart as he was never treated like that by her.
Raman ….
You got a cold and
You had a fever…
Last night ….she tried to explain stopping the sentence just as she was about to start.
I’m so sorry that I cause you to fall ill, Ishita said with tear-filled eyes.
No Ishita its fine he said……
I know you didn’t intentionally do it, and I also didn’t tell you that I easily get a cold like that.
But if I knew that you would take such good care of me….I would have stood in the rain myself, he said.
Oh I see you almost back to our old self, a relieved Ishita said.
Looking in her eyes he could see the worry that was slowly fading away.
A week passed since then and everything was going better than ever between Raman and Ishita.
It was just before lunch and Raman got a great idea.
Raman decided that he wanted to take Ishita out on a lunch date.
He didn’t want Ishita to drive with public transport anymore so he decided to get her at a place near the clinic.
Ishita was across town at the clinic and she was really hungry and was about to ask Sarika to order something from her favourite restaurant. Just then her phone went off it was Raman.
Hi Raman, Ishita answered her voice showed that she was happy to hear his voice
Hi Ishita.
Can you get away? You won’t regret it. He said.
Let’s meet at our favourite spot.
You know the one, right around the block from the clinic.
OK, fine she said.
She was anyway going to order from the same restaurant. I might as well go eat there she thought to herself.
At the restaurant
When she came, he was already there sitting at a corner table with a table of dishes he pre ordered.
Care to sit down? He said.
She looked at the table so find all her favourites there.
He took her hand and endearingly rubbed her hand as he held it.
Thanks Raman that’s so thoughtful of you to order for me…as I’m starving.
I don’t want you to hold back any longer, I know you purposely try not to eat as much you want to he said.
You are eating for two Ishita…….
And I know that you have been very self-conscious about your body lately.
It is bound to happen…….
Tonight I’m going to give you all the little things you have been waiting for.
I know you’ve been waiting for……he said.
Like what exactly. She asked.
Like giving you a pedicure, painting your toe nails and rubbing your feet. Raman explained his plans in detail to a very interested Ishita.
When he finished his explanation Ishita burst out laughing .
I like it when you laugh…….Ishita.
Listen to you Raman…She said as she pictured Raman painting her toes.
Whatever you want from me, Ishita I will do.
You own my heart, Ishita.
I will do anything and everything for you, he said.
After she finished her lunch, she thanked Raman and they made their way to the car outside.
Can you hear it? Raman asked
Hear what she replied unsure of what he was on about.
It’s your feet calling me…..to it, he said winking at her.
You will surely have fun Ishita.
Just stop fighting over something that you know is so inevitable, he confidently said.
I know you want the same thing.
And it’s easy for me to see……..
Raman……she said, but she knew that she wanted it as well and she embarrassingly flushed as red as a beetroot.
She didn’t have to answer Raman as the answered was written all over her face.
After their lunch Raman dropped Ishita at work and gave her a time of when the driver would pick her up after work.
Reaching the office Raman immediately started making his plans for tonight.
He phoned up Mihika to buy all the things he would need to do her pedicure.
Raman also listened to her tips as he didn’t want to look like someone who wasn’t prepared.
Raman was like a schoolboy going to do his first final exams…….
He really just wanted to do something special for her …
Ishita wasn’t someone who enjoyed going to beauty parlours and usually did her own pedicures but she was struggling to reach her toes.
Will she like it, he wondered.
Just don’t fail Raman he gave himself a pep talk and continued to arrange all the stuff he needed.