Riva's eyes were burning, an effect of her high fever. The second she opened it, there were tears coming out her eyes. The pain she was feeling was indescribable right now. She saw a worried mother sitting next to her placing cold towels on her forehead and her legs trying to bring her fever down.
r - "Mom what happened?"
j - "Your fever got way to high and you fainted. And you threw up in the bathroom also"
r - "Mom"
j - "yeah"
r - "I don't feel good"
j - "I know baby. Here I've been waiting for you to get up so I can give you your antibiotics"
r - "How did you bring me home?"
j - "Someone helped you out the bathroom and was going around asking if anyone had a sick daughter. He saw me and realized you must have been mine and then we ran towards you. You were already down on the chair"
r - "And then?"
j - "Then he helped me get you in the taxi and carried you to our room"
r - "I don't even remember his face"
j - "Its okay, you don't need to. Right now you need to go back to sleep"
r - "This is like the worst day ever. You finally have a day off and we can't do anything"
j - "It's okay, things happen right? We have the whole weekend together to spend time. You were crazy thinking you'd be able to go to school today"
r - "Yeah I like to push myself"
j - "Why?"
r - "Because I have a role-model who does the exact same. She barely sleeps or eats or does anything besides work and take care of someone special"
j - "Oh really?
r - "Yes" she said smiling.
j - "I'm not your role-model, in fact you are mine. Seeing you always pushing yourself makes me guilty and feel like I'm older and I should be able to do more than you"
r - "Liar"
j - "Your a liar. Ok tell me what you feel like eating. Pharmicist said you have to eat before taking the meds"
r - "Anything I eat eventually comes out, so it doesn't matter"
j - "Is there something you feel like eating in specific' Its your golden chance, I'm cooking for you today."
Riva smiled at her mom' she always loved it when her mom made meals for the two of them to eat but she never forced her knowing how tired she got after work.
r - "Anything you make for me is good"
j - "Okay love" she said kissing her forehead. "I'll go make something and you just sit here and relax"
r - "Mom" she called out before Jeevika left the room.
j - "Yeah"
r - "Movie?"
j - "Which one?"
r - "The Last Song"
j - "Okay" she said smiling'
Riva connected the laptop with the TV playing the movie, but put it on pause waiting for her mom to come. Jeevika in the meantime was cooking for her daughter, something she wished she had more time to do. She knew how much Riva loved it when she cooked and fed her with her own hands, but time was always a factor. Only if time could be stopped or even reversed' a lot would be different.
Jeevika walked back to the room with a tray in her hands and two bowls of chicken noodle soup. Riva smiled at her as she sat down on the bed. Sle carefully placed the tray on the side table and sat down on the bed first. Riva started the movie, while Jeevika took the bowl and started feeding Riva slowly.
j - "Is the soup good?"
r - "Duhhh"
j - "😆"
r - "Do you know what this movie is about?"
j - "Yeah I had read the book awhile back"
r - "I wonder what it would be like if '" she said not completing the sentence
Jeevika gulped down a terror in her body. She knew what was coming next.
j - "What?"
r - "Nothing" she said not wanting to get her mom worried again.
Jeevika knew exactly what she meant. Riva wanted to know how her life would have been different if her dad was even present in her life. Maybe if her dad was here she would get the love and affection of two people equally. Even if her parents didn't get along, Riva would be able to bear it thinking she was getting the love from both. But the feelings, and love her mom had for her was something she felt guilty of questioning.
r - "Mom can you pass me my phone please?"
j - "Yeah sure" she said bragging her iPhone from the side table.
Riva was looking through her emails as her mom kept on feeding her.
r - "Mom I have to go to school tomorrow"
j - "Tomorrow is Saturday Riva"
r - "I know"
j - "Then do you care to explain why you have to go?"
r - "Well I have a mock competition tomorrow morning"
j - "Mock competition for what?"
r - "Speech and Debate"
j - "When did you join that?"
r - "It's an after school program that my teacher forced me to join"
j - "Why forced?"
r - "Cause she thinks I'm good at it. Weird right?"
Jeevika just laughed at Riva who would never admit how intelligent she actually was. Whether her teacher told her, her mom, or even her principal she never did acknowledge that.
j - "How long do you have to be there for? Not more than an hour or two or I'm not letting you go"
r - "It shouldn't be that long. I just have to open the debate and also give my introduction speech"
j - "Okay then I'll drop you tomorrow whatever time you have to go"
r - "I can go by myself"
j - "Uhmmm let me think about that'. NO"
r - "Goodness gracious"
j - "Why don't you sleep now?"
r - "Why don't you sleep now?"
j - "Because I'm not tired nor am I sick"
r - "Yeah and I'm the sickest person in the world"
j - "Well you're the sickest person in this house"
r - "Mom lets get a puppy"
j - "Well that was random"
r - "Not random. Look I saved these numbers of these breeders who have these cute little puppies and its like half the price you'd get at a store"
j - "Riva whose going to take care of it. You are busy with school till the afternoon and I don't come home till night"
r - "I'll handle everything"
j - "We'll talk about this later. First you lay down and go to sleep"
r - "I'm not sleepy"
j - "Close your eyes for five minutes and I guarantee you will fall asleep"
r - "What if I don't?"
j - "I'll get you a puppy?"
r - "Eeekkks' Okay!" she said getting up from the bed
j - "Where you going?"
r - "To get more comfortable"
j - "go fast"
Riva came back smiling and shaking a little. Jeevika quickly got her tucked inside her bed. Riva took her iPhone and plugged in her earphones listening to her music and slowly falling asleep, just like her mother predicted!
comment:
p_commentcount