Page 88 of Strictly Solo

She practically ran to Neil’s room. As she closed the door behind her, she pressed a hand to her racing heart, knowing that despite her words, despite her determination to keep him at arm’s length, Ruhaan still had the power to make her walls crumble with just a touch, just a look. And that terrified her more than anything else.

*****************

The faint sound of Neil’s soft whimpering woke Naina from her light sleep. She instinctively placed her hand on his forehead and felt the heat radiating from him. Panic bubbled inside her. His fever was back. She got up quickly, tucking Neil in, and headed to the kitchen to prepare a bowl of cold saltwater and grab a cloth for compressing his forehead to lower the temperature.

She was just wringing out the cloth when she heard Ruhaan’s voice from behind her.

“What’s wrong? What are you doing in the kitchen at this hour?”

Startled, she turned around.

“Neil’s fever is back,” she said, “I need to get his temperature down.” Then, narrowing her eyes, she asked, “What are you doing awake?”

“Couldn’t sleep,” he shrugged, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “New place, I guess. Saw the kitchen light on and came to check.”

She bit her lip, her gaze drifting back to the cloth in her hands. She couldn’t shake off the anxious knot in her chest. Ruhaan sensed her worry and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Relax. The doctor said this might happen. By morning, he should be better. Let me help.”

Before she could protest, he gently took the bowl from her hands and walked toward Neil’s room. She hesitated for a moment, then followed, switching off the kitchen light as she went.

Ruhaan sat on the bed beside Neil, his face softening as he looked at the little boy. Naina moved to the other side of the bed, but when she reached for the cloth, Ruhaan shook his head.

“I’ll do it,” he said firmly, dipping the cloth in the cold water and wringing it out. Gently, he placed it on Neil’s forehead.

She watched as he tenderly repeated the process with care. The gentleness in his movements, the focused concern in his eyes as he tended to their son, yes,theirson, even if not biologically, brought tears to her eyes.

‘Why, Ruhaan?’ she wondered silently, her heart aching. ‘When you can do all this for Neil, for me... why can’t you take that one more step? Why can’t you commit to us completely?’The questions burned in her throat, unspoken, as she watched him continue his ministrations with utmost care.

Neither of them realized when exhaustion finally claimed them, their bodies gradually relaxing into sleep on either side of Neil, their protective hands resting on him even in slumber.

**************

The next morning, Neil stirred, feeling hot and trapped.

He wriggled under the weight of the duvet, grumbling softly. “So hot…”

Both Naina and Ruhaan woke at the same time, their eyes snapping open as they registered Neil’s movement.

“Neil, are you okay?” they both asked in unison with concern laced in their voices.

Neil let out an exaggerated sigh, wiping the sweat from his brow. “You two sandwiched me,” he complained. “I was sweating like crazy!”

Reality dawned on them slowly. They had spent the night together, all three of them, for the first time. The last time they had shared a bed had been in Delhi, but Neil hadn’t been with them then. A moment of awkwardness passed, but it quickly melted away as Naina leaned forward to touch Neil’s forehead. Relief washed over her when she found no trace of fever.

“Your fever’s gone,” she said softly, brushing his hair back. “That’s such a relief.”

Ruhaan leaned closer, examining Neil for himself. “How do you feel now?”

“I feel fine,” Neil replied, his voice still a bit groggy. Then, with a mischievous glint in his eye, he asked, “But what were you two doing here?”

Ruhaan’s lips curved into a mischievous smile, unable to resist the opportunity to tease Naina.

“Well, I couldn’t sleep because I was missing you, so I came to check on you...” He glanced at Naina, his eyes twinkling. “And your mom? She probably missed me, so she followed me here.”

“Shut up,” Naina snapped, her cheeks flushing as she glared at him. “Neil, don’t listen to him. He’s just being silly. We were here because you weren’t feeling well last night.”

Neil blinked at her, still not convinced, but he quickly shifted gears. “So, no school today, right?”