ShubDaSara

The One where Shub is not Well

June 2020
India

The lockdown wasn't lifted yet but exemptions on the essentials were granted. Travel was allowed but still had restrictions. That is when Shub thought of visiting Mumbai and giving Sara a surprise visit. 2020 had been a year of actually knowing each other. They had literally explored all the online games there could be. If ever given a chance to party hard or to play games indoor, both of them, without any doubt would pick the later. Shub had never liked parties that much. Obviously because of the career he was into, but generally also he was not a fan of parties. On the other hand, Sara had been in London for so many years but even she wasn't very fond of parties. She was very basic when it came to these and that is exactly why lockdown was going great for both of them.

Shub started planning. He asked his very good friend Agni Chopra, if he could stay at his place in Mumbai for a week. Agni was out of India at that time and his parents were also in Delhi, he happily agreed to lend the house to Shub. They had played cricket together earlier. Shub reached Mumbai and asked Sara if she could come to Agni's house. Agni and Sara had gone to same school together so she knew him too. When she asked the reason he said, "Mom & Dad are in Mumbai, they want to see you!"

Sara was not ready for this. She was not a typical girl who would feel shy when asked to meet a guy's parents but suddenly she started feeling she was not looking her best, because of lockdown she had literally stayed in her pajamas for months. She couldn't believe herself, from which era these questions were coming to her mind, but she couldn't help. It was a natural instinct. With all these thoughts, she got ready to visit Agni's house. She wore a very simple and pretty blue chikankari kurti with mojris and big jhumkas. She was looking like a doll. In her mind it was the 1st time she was going to meet Shub's parents. She was excited but somewhere she was nervous too.

Sara reached Agni's house. The guards opened the gate and she went inside. She sent a text to Shub saying, "I have reached. Getting inside the house now."
As soon as she entered, Shub was standing there, waiting for her. She saw him and almost flew to him for the hug. After few minutes she realised what if his parents were around, she asked Shub, "Where's Uncle Aunty?"
Shub: "It's only Us today."
Sara: "You lied to me.?"
Shub: "Yeah and see you are looking so sundar today. If I would have said I am coming Aap Jeans-Tee pehen ke aa jaati."
Sara: "Shut up!"

They both had lunch together. Shub had got Sara's favorite dishes. Sara and Shub both were thinking of inviting their friends over for dinner that night. Sara was almost going to call up everyone when Shub started complaining that he wasn't feeling welll.

Sara started asking as to what is he feeling exactly? He said that he was feeling feverish. Sara was taken a back. It obviously can be the covid. It was all over. The first thing she did was she called home and informed about it all. She told them that as she was already in contact with Shub, she would be staying with him and taking care of him. It was an empty house. She called for her family doc, swiftly co-ordinared with the medical shop and asked them to send all the necessities. Meanwhile, Shub was not doing well, his fever was not going down. Sara thought of calling her Mom, as she was a doctor. Anjali was also very swift, she actually asked Sara if she should come and pay them a visit. Sara denied, their family doctor was already on his way, she quickly did Shub's rapid test which surprisingly came out to be negative. Shub kept on insisting Sara to stay away from him.
But do we all think Sara was going to listen anything right now ?????
Obviously NOOOOOOOO. She continued staying with him, feeding him, noting his body temperature every hour. The doctor came at this point, he did the covid test but ofcourse the result would take 24 hours to come. Symptoms were there but the doctor said it might be a normal flu too. Only the result of the test could confirm. Sara had asked both the househelps to go home as it would be risky for them too there, at the end it was a deadly virus. She asked Shub what does he feel like having for dinner? Shub said, "Khichdi that my Mom makes."

Sara: "How does she make it ?"
Shub: "I don't know."
Sara: "Okay, I will figure it out."
(Saying this, she went to the kitchen. Shub could feel she was literally having a tough time in the kitchen. She was a princess, she had never done all this, may be. After some good 10 minutes, she returned back.)

Sara: "I need you to call your Mom, I need to speak to her."
Shub: "Regarding ?"
Sara: "The Khichdi, obviously."
Shub: "Okay, but, if it's that trouble, let it be na, I will have something else."
Sara: "No, I will make it for you. Call her and give it to me."
Shub: "Accha Okay."

Shub facetimed his Mom and as soon as she picked it, he told her the entire episode of him having fever. He also mentioned that Sara was there with him and she wanted to know the khichdi recipe that she cooks for him. Shub's Mom asked him to give the call to Sara.)

Sara took over the phone

Sara: "Namaste Aunty!"
Shub's Mom: "Namaste Beta, kaise ho ?"
Sara: "Main theek hoon, aunty. Vo mujhe thoda doubt tha recipe me, waise toh I was going to youtube it, but Shub kept saying aapki wali Khichdi khaani hai use, toh maine socha main seekh hi leti hoon."
Shub's Mom: "Haan beta bilkul, puri life ab aap dono ko hi ek dusre ko khilaana pilaana hai. Main bataati hoon."

(Shub's Mom kept guiding Sara on how to make the Khichdi. Sara was so focused like a dedicated student. She even asked her for the Kadha recipe, Shub's Mom was really happy, she could feel the care Sara was having for her son. She warned her of Shub being extremely careless about taking his medicines on time. Sara registered everything in her mind very carefully. At the end she thanked Shub's Mom for all the help.)

Shub's Mom: "Beta, isme help kee kya baat hai. Dono hi hamare bacche ho. Dhyaan rakho, tum apna bhi. Uske piche hi mat reh jaana pure time."
Sara: "Jee Aunty, Namaste."

Sara served the khichdi to Shub, infact she actually fed him. Shub liked it, but as he had fever, he couldn't finish it. Sara gave him all the prescribed medicines on time. She even gave him hot milk because she knew he would want it. Shub's Mom had already told her about it. At this point Shub was not having fever so she asked him to try to sleep. She decided to lay next to him and put her hand on his head, making it a little more comfortable for him to sleep.

After a while, Shub was almost asleep but Sara was unable to. She wanted to stay up because what if he needed anything at night. The night went on like this only. Next morning Shub was feeling little better but Sara was like we have to wait for the test results. She helped him freshen up, made the Kadha that his Mom had taught her last evening on the call. She was thinking what to cook for the breakfast is when Shub called for her.

She ran to him.

Shub: "The Doctor has shared my reports, it's negative. The covid test."
Sara: "That's good. But then why were you getting fever yesterday?"
Shub: "It is some usual flu or may be due to exertion of travel and all. Today I am feeling much better, anyways! I think I will be fine soon."
Sara: "YOU ARE NOT GETTING UP FROM HERE TILL THE TIME YOU ARE TOTALLY FINE. Do you get me ?"
Shub: "Very well, ma'am. Very well."

In the coming days, Sara made sure all the prescribed doses were taken. Then only Shub was allowed to leave Mumbai and travel back. For sure, it hadn't been the kind of trip he had planned for, but yes it certainly was one of the most special visits. The way Sara handled everything, he was nothing less but grateful.