“You’re very bossy.”
“You’re very stubborn.” he smiles and shrugs.
I try to glare at him but the effort feels exhausting. Neel climbs onto the bed beside me and places his palm on my forehead with exaggerated seriousness.
“Diagnosis confirmed.”
“You’re both dramatic. And you,” I point at Neel, "need to stay away from me."
Aditya hands me a glass of water and a paracetamol. “Take these.”
“I don’t need medicine.”
“You have a fever.”
“I know. It will subside eventually.”
“You nearly fainted. You held onto a counter like it was the last stable object on earth.”
Neel nods solemnly. “That was concerning.”
I sigh.
“Fine.”
I swallow the medicine just to stop the interrogation. Aditya disappears for a while after that.
I hear him moving around downstairs. The faint clatter of the keys. The sound of the shutter closing.
For a few seconds the house is quiet except for Neel shuffling beside me on the bed and the dull throb behind my eyes that refuses to go away.
I stare at the ceiling, breathing slowly, trying to ignore how heavy my body feels. The blanket suddenly feels too warm and the pillow too stiff, and my throat aches the way it does when a fever decides to settle in like an unwanted guest.
A minute later footsteps climb the stairs again. Aditya appears in the doorway carrying Neel’s school bag in one hand and Neel’s half-zipped jacket in the other. Neel trots behind him like an overly responsible assistant, clearly enjoying his new role in this medical emergency.
“You,” Aditya says, pointing the jacket at him, “have exactly five minutes before your auto comes.”
Neel turns toward me immediately. “But didi is very sick.” He looks at me, concerned.
“Yes,” Aditya replies patiently, kneeling down to pull the jacket properly over Neel’s shoulders, “She will get better soon, after you come home you will take care of her, like we decided?”
Neel frowns as if this is deeply inconvenient. “Okay.” He whispers.
Aditya zips the jacket up while Neel keeps glancing at me like I might suddenly disappear if he looks away too long. Neel walks over to the bed and climbs beside me again, very serious about his responsibilities.
“Didi,” he says, lowering his voice like he’s about to give a military briefing, “do not miss me too much.”
I snort weakly. “That will be very difficult.”
He nods gravely. “I know, but try.” Then he points a finger at Aditya. “You,” he says, “must take care of her properly.”
Aditya raises his hands like he’s surrendering. “Yes, sir.”
Neel narrows his eyes suspiciously. “I am serious.”
“So am I.”
“If you don’t take care of my sister,” Neel continues, lowering his voice dramatically, “I will kick you.”
