Coughing

1976:

"Where are you going?" She asked.

He had been sick with some cough yet busy in his own world since the last two days, remaining discreet and hardly even speaking to her during this time. Today, having called Tapesh and Lalmohanbabu directly, he answered;"I have some work in the city. Then we'll go to Siddhu Jyatha's place directly."

She frowned. "You aren't well."

"I'm well enough now-." He said coughing at the last word.

"See?!" 

"I am fine!... Topshe, Cholo (come on)" He said getting up from the sofa. Tapesh and Lalmohanbabu also got up without a word. They had been quiet all along sensing something wasn't right with Sindhuja & him since the morning.

"No one is going anywhere." Her voice came astonishingly strong.

He turned around slightly surprised too.

She made herself more clear. "You are not well, and I will not let you roam around in the monsoon rains in this state. You are not going anywhere until you've completely recovered. Lalmohanbabu, Tapesh, sit down." They obeyed her without a word too.

"I'll decide if I'm recovered enough or not. You shouldn't be interrupting in my work." He said with a coldness lined by anger.

"You aren't deciding on the right thing, which is why I need to interrupt here."

"I did not ask for your advice or  your decision." He said somewhat irritated.

She paused. He really did have some ego-boost over these years of success & fame. 

"But I will give both my advice and my decision nonetheless. You are staying home, in bed." She said continuing the strong voice.

A few more sharp remarks and their argument had already heated up a lot.

"Sindhu I don't want to argue over this in the morning."

"Neither do I. Better just stay in bed and rest."

"Are you looking to control me!?"

"I don't need to."

"If you aren't, stop getting in the way of my work!" His voice had risen up.

There was a stunned silence. Lalmohanbabu shifted in his place.

She tried to sound calm with great efforts. "I just asked you to stay home ONE time because of your own health. If that's getting in the way of your work, then..."

He looked at her. "Then?"

"Then you may call it whatever you like. I'm still sticking to it!"

He didn't care to hide his anger now. "Come inside." Grabbing her elbow, he took her into the kitchen. Tapesh looked over at Lalmohanbabu."It's fine, don't worry. I've seen them have worse fights than this." That was years ago, he thought to himself.

They heard more raised voices from inside and his coughing occasionally. 

The matters were settled and he had to stay home when Kaaki intervened. Still fuming, he stormed into their room to the bed and pulled the blanket on. She too, decided not to go and coax him this time.

Later he woke up dizzy and looked around. Turning to the alarm clock he realised it was almost evening. I slept the whole afternoon?!

She came in the room five minutes later with a glass. She held it carefully in front of him to hand it.

He eyed the glass without taking it. "What's that?"

"Kaadha (Herbal potion)." She replied curtly. 

"Take that back." He matched her coldness.

"Yes, after you drink it."

"I don't need it."

"I never asked you." Without waiting for any reply, she kept the glass aside and took hold of her saree's Pallu. Next, she took his hands and tied them up in the Pallu.

He coughed. "What nonsense is this!"

"I'm done with your nonsensical mood swings today. Now you will have to obey me."

"Madame, I haven't gone out today just as you wanted; what else is there to obey?!"

"Drinking this." She said lifting the glass.

He sighed. "You're too stubborn."

"As if you aren't. Come on now..."

She held the glass and he sipped on the hot liquid. His throat felt much warmer as the drink seared through, and his mind much clearer. After having finished it, she untied his hands from the Pallu, took the glass and turned back to leave.

"Sindhu..." His voice came out a bit hoarse.

"Hm?"

"Can you stay for some time?... Please?"

Sighing, she sat down besides him. He waited for her to break the silence, but she did not say anything. Finally he took her hand and held it. "I was unnecessarily angry. Sorry."

"I'm glad you realised it." She said looking the other way.

"You haven't forgiven me?"

She turned to him this time. "When have I ever managed to stay mad at you for long?"

He grinned and kissed her hand. 

She continued. "But I did not like how irrationally you behaved today; and the way you talked with me. I know you have so much work going on, but it is my responsibility to make sure you aren't harming yourself in it."

He rubbed his temples. "I know, it was very unthoughtful. And I would have been worse by the evening with such a weakness... Thank you for saving me once again from drowning myself in work in a bad way."

She gave out a small laugh. "That is the very mission god sent me to earth behind you for isn't it; to make sure Mr. Trouble makes it through all his troublesome work without loosing an arm or leg somewhere!"

"Well, you can't do anything when I'm away to some other city or state for a case!"

"I can. I safeguard you from taking self-harming actions by my powers of influencing your mogojastra (brain-weapon)... I'm kinda magical you know...." She moved her hands around in imaginary magic to give a serious effect to her speech.

He coughed while starting to chortle. "Of course you are! That's why my brain incredibly slows down sometimes while analyzing some case; Your magical influence of disorganizing even well kept stuff..."

She inhaled a sharp breath before returning his jibe."Nah, your brain slows down just because you're getting old now... You'll be getting forty in a year or two after all."

He arched his eyebrows. "Excuse me? I am fit as a fiddle, not old by a minute than what I was fifteen years ago. It's in fact you who needs to worry about age, you're getting quite old now..."

"Mister Mitter, let me remind you that you have a young wife, almost nine years younger than you... We're becoming the typical couple of an uncle and a young maiden half his age, you know..."

"Worry makes you grow old quickly. Those who don't think, don't need to worry either. That, in my opinion, is the secret to such youth..." He said curling his lips up.

"Are you saying I don't think, like I'm stupid?"

He coughed before answering. "No, of course not! See, you exactly understood what I meant with that remark, that does need a little bit of thinking!" His triumphant smile at the end annoyed her.

"Alright," She frowned while standing up from the bed. "if you've decided to pass the rest of your evening by picking on me, I'll send in Tapesh to laugh at your unfunny jokes."

However, he pulled her back and she almost fell on him. "Picking on you is my way of loving you, okay? It means I know you too well... But For such a remark about my otherwise amazing sense of humour, I think I'll have to punish you..."

"Wha-"

He locked arms around her waist and smiled his cunning smile as his eyes mingled on her lips. "And as punishment, you'll be catching some cough from me..." 

"Oh come on! You always find the most weird circumstances possible for kissing don't you?"

"It's a track record I have sincerely maintained since our first kiss." He shrugged playfully.

Two minutes later, she exclaimed, "Mitter Babu! You smoked while being sick with cough!? That's it; all those Charminars are going in the trash today!."

He coughed again while trying to refocus on what she said instead of her soft plumped lips and red-tinted face that he just had devoured upon. 

"Huh?! I'm- sorry..."