Vikram’s POV
(In Mumbai)
I return home after an exhausting day to see my wife sound asleep on the couch. I shake my head, rolling my eyes. I had mentioned I would be late and specifically asked her to go to bed.
The last time she fell asleep on the couch, she had a strained neck for three days, and she has a bad cold.
I swallow back my irritation, taking gentle steps to check on my children before I freshened up.
My lips tilt up automatically, relaxation coursing through my veins as I see my flesh sleeping peacefully. The father in me couldn’t resist as I tip-toed into their room, placing a kiss on my seven year and four year olds’ foreheads.
“Go to sleep Rahil”, I murmured when I saw him move in his sleep, patting his chest. He was always a light sleeper.
I glance at my daughter, smiling when I see her lower lip jutted out, her hands over her head as she slept beautifully. Aarna hates being touched in her sleep.
I gently shut the door, making way to my room.
“When did you come home?”, I hear my wife ask when I held her in my arms, taking her to bed.
I tighten my hold on her when I hear her wince, twisting her neck.
She must have seen something on my face, as she wrapped her arms around my neck, hiding her face in my chest.
“I’ve told you multiple times not to sleep on the couch. Why do you?”
“I didn’t think I’d fall asleep. I was just waiting for you, and using my mobile.”
I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard that statement in the last few years.
“I told you I’ll be late. And it’s not like you have to open the door for me. I seriously don’t get your point”, I say, placing her on the bed.
She only huffs, appearing fully awake,”Have you eaten?”
I raise an eyebrow, she knows I ate. But still I humor her,”I haven’t. I’m hungry actually.”
“But didn’t you say you were going to eat?”, she rotates her neck, pressing the side of it.
I roll my eyes,”Why do you ask then?”
She only stared at me,”Bad day?”, she asked me cautiously, as if I’d suddenly start yelling at her.
She’s not wrong.
“It pisses me off when you get sick waiting for me”, I tell her honestly.
She gives me a full blown pout, very similar to the miniature version I’ve seen a few minutes ago,”I don’t mind waiting for you.”
“That’s not the poi-”
I’m interrupted by an over exaggerated yawn.
“I’m so sleepy Vikram. My eyelids are drooping”, she flutters her eyes,”What were you saying?”
That does it, as I let out a loud laugh, shaking my head.
Keerthi smiles in victory as she scoots over, giving me space, my arms going around her shoulder as she rubs her nose in the crook of my neck. I place a kiss on her hair, frowning when I found her warm.
I slide my hand to her neck, then to her stomach, checking the temperature.
She yawns again, lying down, her top riding up in the process, which only gives me better access.
“Do you have a fever?”
“Body temperature usually seems a bit raised during cold. It’s not fever”, she mumbles, placing her hand on top of mine, just below her bra.
“Why are your hands cold then?”
She rolls her eyes, turning to the other side, rolling her shirt down, my hand still in place.
I start to worry when she shivers a bit, folding onto herself as she presses her legs to her chest, folding her arms in the front.
“Are you okay?”
“I just feel co-“, she doesn’t finish, as she starts sneezing.
I turn her around carefully, not to hurt her neck, as I press her head, running my fingers through her hair.
She sighs, curling around me, her limbs wrapped around me,”How do you know I have a headache?”
“Any idiot with cold has a headache.”
She mumbles something inaudible, moving her head.
“What?”
“I have a cold. Turn to the other side. You’ll get one too otherwise.”
“I don’t mind”, I roll my eyes, turning to the side, my hand going around her mid.
Keerthi opens her eyes,”I don’t mind a strained neck waiting for you”, she says softly.
I glance at her,”That’s different.”
“Is it?”
I brush her fringe away, tucking it behind her ear.”Go to sleep”, I kiss her forehead.
She closes her eyes, resting her head below my chin, our limbs tangled under the sheets.
“Vikram?”
“Yeah?”
“Can you unhook my bra?”
I sigh, unhooking her bra, knowing she didn’t like to sleep with a hooked bra, snorting at her laziness to do it herself.
I gaze at my sleeping beauty, as she lets out soft snores in no time, the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest lulling me to sleep when I jerk awake.
“Mumma”, my four year old pushes our bedroom door open, a teddy bear in her hand.
I crane my neck upwards, placing a finger on my lips, signalling my daughter to keep it low.
“I gently untangle myself from my wife as I turn to my daughter walking towards me.
“What happened beta?”
“I’m scared Papa. And Bhaiya is not waking up”, she climbs on the bed, settling herself on my chest, her face tilted to the side, arms and legs hanging down my chest.
I frown. Rahil is a light sleeper. He woke up even to the least audible sounds.
“Really?”
“I want to sleep with you and Mumma today”, she mumbles, moving her head on my chest, trying to find a comfortable position.
“And you decided that in the middle of the night?”, I couldn’t help question my daughter. Her actions amuse me sometimes.
“I’m sleepy Papa. Why are you asking so many questions?”, she mumbles, voice lowering in the end as she drifts to sleep.
I pat her back, putting her to sleep, sleep pulling me in… when I hear my wife sneeze again, jerking awake our daughter again.
I sigh. This was going to be a long night.