Kabir woke up with a banging headache and shivers. The whole room was freezing and he was shaking. He had slept on the couch with the AC turned on high and the television left on. His whole body was in pain and felt hot even though he was shaking and feeling cold. His face was drawn with exhaustion, and his eyes struggled to stay open. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead as he clutched his chest, gasping for breath.
Kabir stole a glance at the clock on the wall. It was 8:45 a.m. and Zaya wasn't back yet. He knew it and could feel that her presence wasn't inside the house. Kabir sat upright, switched off the AC and television as he rubbed his temples. He felt weak.
He loathed Zaya but at the moment he needed her to take care of him even though he didn't want to admit it.
Zaya's taxi arrived, and she got in the car, driving off. She pondered on what just happened in Zafar's house a while ago and what Kabir might be doing at home all through the ride.
She arrived a few minutes later at the entrance, opened the gates from her phone and got in. She headed for the front door and once she got there she stopped outside, unable to go in. She took a few breaths in and out. She was afraid of what would happen next once she got in. Would Kabir even be at home? What if he had called Lara over to spend the night? She thought.
Zaya took deep breaths repeatedly and once she was ready, she inputted the pin to the door, ready to go in.
Kabir, on the other hand, felt thirsty and needed a glass of water, so he decided to go get it. As he headed for the kitchen, his walking steps were haphazard and he was slowly losing his balance.
He was beginning to experience dizziness and lightheadedness. Kabir felt like he was about to faint, accompanied by a sensation of spinning and unsteadiness. Kabir felt nauseous and queasy like he might vomit. His heart rate increased significantly, leading to a weak, thready pulse.
His breathing was becoming shallow, irregular, and rapid, making it difficult for him to get enough air. His visions were becoming blurred, and he could only see a narrow "tunnel" of clarity. Profuse sweating, accompanied by a cold, clammy feeling, occurred as Kabir's body began to react to the impending loss of consciousness.
Kabir was increasingly becoming confused, disoriented, and having difficulty concentrating on his goal of going to get a glass of water. His muscles felt weak, as he struggled to maintain balance and coordination.
Kabir stood for a minute on a spot to regain himself as his sight was deceiving him. The feeling of wanting to faint was growing stronger as his sights were becoming even more blurry. He was losing control of himself.
Just as Kabir's legs gave out, and he began to topple over, Zaya returned from her night out. As she opened the front door, her eyes widened in shock at the sight of her husband about to fall.
Panic surged within Zaya as she called out, "Kabir!" Her voice quivered with a mixture of fear and concern.
Without hesitation, she rushed forward, her heart pounding, and caught him just in time, preventing him from hitting the floor.
Kabir's head turned slowly in her direction, his gaze unfocused and wavering. He weakly mumbled her name, his voice barely audible, as if trying to reassure her despite his own perilous condition.
With all the strength she could muster, she cradled him in her arms, tears welling up in her eyes. The room filled with the sound of his shallow breathing and the palpable relief of Zaya, who whispered soothing words, promising to help him through this difficult moment.
"Kabir! Kabir, stay with me! What happened to you? Can you tell me what happened? Why is your body so hot? Kabir!" Zaya called out in worry with Kabir's body on her.
"Zaya…" Kabir called for the last time before he lost consciousness.
"Kabir! Kabir! Don't worry, I'll get help!" Zaya assured him even though he couldn't hear her.
She reached for her phone in her bag and put a call through to the family doctor. As the call rang, Zaya's patience seemed to decrease. It got even worse after the call ended without the doctor picking up. Zaya proceeded to dial the number again, muttering the words "Pick up! Pick up! Doctor, I need you!" in frustration.
Zaya was scared. She didn't know what to do. It was the first time she had seen Kabir unconscious and it worried her. She wished she hadn't gone on the date. Maybe all this wouldn't have happened, and she might have actually been there to cater for him.
After the third line and what seemed like an eternity to Zaya, the doctor finally picked up.
"Good morning, Mrs. Asad," the doctor greeted.
"Doctor, you need to come over now. I don't know what's wrong with Kabir, he just fainted! I was out yesterday and when I returned I saw him about to faint and I immediately rushed up to him and caught him! I don't know if he is dead. Is he dead? He isn't saying anything and his body is so hot, but the house is cold. I don't know what to do. I can't lose my husband!" Zaya spammed the doctor with her words as she began to sob.
"Mrs. Asad, you need to calm down. I'll be there soon, but I need you to do something for me first," the doctor said.
"What is it, doctor? I'll do anything just to save Kabir." Zaya voiced with tears in her eyes.
"I need you to check his pulse for me." the doctor said calmly.
"I don't know how to do that, doctor. How do I do it? What should I do?" Zaya said frantically.
"Don't worry, calm down, Mrs. Asad. I'll teach you how to do it." the doctor told her.
"Okay," Zaya said as she breathed in and out.
"The most common pulse points are on the wrist, so, Mrs. Asad, reach for Kabir's wrist." The doctor gave out instructions and Zaya went about to do them.
She dropped the phone on the floor and put it on the speakerphone before she reached for his wrist and told the doctor that she had done it.
"Now, position yourself. Make sure that Kabir is comfortably seated or lying down." the doctor gave out again.
"Doctor, Kabir is lying on the floor, precisely a bit on my body." Zaya disclosed.
"Does it look like a comfortable position to you?" the doctor asked.
"Yes, sir," Zaya answered.
"Good then. Are you in a comfortable position?" the doctor asked again.
"Yes, sir." Zaya responded.
"Good. Now, use your fingers. Gently place your index and middle fingers, not your thumb, as it has its own pulse on Kabir's wrist." The doctor gave out another set of instructions and again Zaya carried them out.
"It is done, doctor. What next?" Zaya asked.
"Apply light pressure. Press your fingers lightly but firmly against the skin until you can feel the pulsations." The doctor said.
"Note the rhythm and strength. Pay attention to the regularity and strength of the pulse. It should feel steady and have a consistent rhythm." the doctor added.
Zaya did as she was told and checked the pulse of Kabir. After a minute or two, she replied to the doctor.
"Doctor, it feels slow. Sometimes, there isn't a pulse at all. Am I doing it wrong?" Zaya asked.
"No, dear. Kabir's got an irregular pulse rate. Can you describe his symptoms to me?" the doctor asked.
"His body temperature is so hot. We have a thermometer in the house, but I can't leave Kabir to go get it. The room is still a bit cold and his head and neck feels much hotter than the rest of his body." Zaya disclosed with her hands on Kabir's head, touching it.
"Hmm. He probably has a fever that has not been managed well, but don't worry, I'll be over soon. I also need you to do something for me. Move him to a couch if you can. Get a bowl of water and a clean cloth or towel. Use that to clean his head, neck and hands while I get there. Take off his shirt and also use the cloth to clean him. I'll be there soon." The doctor said.
"Okay, doctor. I'll do as you said," Zaya said as the call came to an end.
Zaya mustered up the little strength that she could and proceeded to move Kabir's body from the floor to the couch. She went to the kitchen and got a bowl of water and a clean towel. She arrived back at where Kabir was. She proceeded to take off his shirt and couldn't help but admire his upper body parts.
His upper body exudes a captivating strength, with well-defined muscles that ripple gracefully beneath his toned skin. His chest boasts a sculpted, powerful allure, while broad shoulders and a tapered waistline create a commanding silhouette. The way his physique was, was both confident and alluring, inviting admiration even as he laid unconscious there.
Zaya didn't have the time to greatly admire him because of the situation at hand, so she shoved the thought aside and got to work.
"Kabir, I love you. Please, don't die on me. If you get well, I'll never go on a date with Zafar again. I'll be all yours! I'll end this stupid plan!" Zaya said out loud to an unconscious Kabir.