"How is she?" Sanskar asked with unsurety.

They both were sitting in front of doctor. The moment they entered inside hospital after having brief look at unconscious Granny from ICCU's glass door, they visited her doctor.

"Mrs. Maheshwari is slipping in brain dead situation. She will be on and off from coma for now but slowly and steadily her every organ will stop functioning." He carefully worded.

Swara held Sanskar's hand in her's. His grip over their intertwined hands got tightened.

"How much time she has?" Sanskar gulped audibly.

"In this case, patient can stay for one day, one week or sometimes one month. But it's life on a machine. We would be keeping her on ventilator. It's painful for them."

Sanskar closed his eyes and tear dropped over his cheeks.

"Is there anything we can do doctor?" Swara asked helplessly. "Please."

"Looking at her age, she won't be able to take the treatment. I would suggest we should pray for her peaceful departure."

After long discussion with doctors, they came back to ICCU where Granny was sleeping.

Looking at her fragile figure attached with numerous medical equipment's gave scratch to their souls.

They sat there not moving their eyes from her face.

"Sanskar coffee" It was middle of the night when Swara brought coffee for both from hospital cafeteria.

From afternoon they have not eaten even a single morsel of food.

He nodded his head in denial not moving his eyes from Granny's face.

"Sanskar please." Swara sat beside him.

She forcefully passed coffee mug to him.

"Will she open her eyes to see to me at least once? Will she go without even talking to me?"

"Granny is listening to you. She is watching you now also."

"Granny please don't leave me." inner child of Sanskar begged.

Soon, it became morning, Nurses and doctors kept monitoring Granny's health every now and then.

Swara and Sanskar did not move from their places, nor they moved their eyes from the person, they loved the most.

Granny slightly moved her fingers which captured their eyes increasing their hopes.

"Granny" Sanskar moved near her.

"Granny can you hear us? We are here Granny."

"Open your eyes Granny. See it's me and Sanskar." Swara saw Granny's efforts to open her eyelids.

"Doctor, please come here. Looks like Granny is gaining consciousness." Sanskar called over intercom. His heart was filled with hope.

They both kept on calling her.

Doctors came and checked her.

"Mr. Maheshwari, this is expected. As I mentioned yesterday, she is on and off from coma."

"That means there is some chance for her to be ..." Swara became optimistic.

"I don't think so looking at her current reports." His words shattered their hopes once again.

Meanwhile, Granny briefly opened eyes with lot of efforts which brought bright grin on their faces.

With a slight blink of an eye, she asked them to come near her.

Sanskar bent towards her face.

"San...Sanskar..." she breathed heavily.

"Granny" he became miserable. He sat on bed beside her.

"Swara" her pale voice brought fresh tears in her eyes.

Swara held her hand carefully.

Granny stared at them as they were her most precious possessions for long time.

"Be happy. Stay together. Take care of each other. May Kanhaji bless you with every happiness." She blessed them with small smile. Her voice was pale, but her eyes were filled with peace and face was perfect example of sheer satisfaction.

"Granny, please don't leave me. I will be all alone again" Sanskar broke down.

"You have Swara now."

She turned her eyes to Swara, "Take care of him."

It was hard for Granny to keep her eyes open.

Swara nodded her head crying bitterly. She kept hand on Sanskar's shoulder.

Feeling her soothing touch, he swiftly turned to hug her. He buried his face in her stomach crying bitterly, whereas Swara kept on caressing his hairs shedding tears.

Her eyes were fixed on Granny's relieved face.

Scene in front of her filled Granny's heart with peace. 'They will be for each other. They will be each other's strength.' Thought brought small smile on her face and she closed her eyes.

Doctors declared Granny to slipped in coma state again.

"Sanskar please calm down" Swara held his face in her palms making him look at her.

"Granny is listening to us. She will be hurt to see you like this."

Swara kept on saying soothing words, but they were hitting deaf ears.

It was late evening but there was no change in Granny's health in fact by passing every hour her condition was worsening.

"As per her latest reports, her liver is completely damaged. Also, kidney has stopped functioning." Doctors declared after their check-up.

"Sanskar you need to be strong. Granny would never like to see you like this. She has always seen you as strong and composed man."

"Sanskar, Granny is in pain. You heard what doctors said. This is becoming painful for her by each passing second. She is holding herself because of you only. Don't make it more painful for her. Let her be free." She wiped his tears.

"Assure her that you will be ok. You will be fine. You will be happy."

Sanskar took deep breath when his mind registered her words. He tightly closed his eyes to settle his mind and heart.

He got up from couch and went to Granny's bed. He sat beside her touching her knuckles.

"Granny, I am sure you would be eager to meet Grandpa. He is going to be so happy to see you there with him. And your's and his happiness means a world to me. I will be fine Granny. I will take care of myself. Don't worry about me."

'I will take care of Swara as well. I will protect her. I will never let any harm to her.' He knew his Granny in and out.

'Don't worry Granny, I will take care of him.' Swara made unsaid promise.

It was late night when doctors declared Granny was no more.

Sanskar became silent suddenly. He was holding Granny's hand without moving his eyes from her face.

There were no tears in his eyes, they turned blank, cold, empty.

Swara along with Roger completed all hospital formalities.

Sanskar was doing everything as he was told without uttering a single word closing himself in his shell.

Swara stood with Sanskar as his pillar support.

Next day at afternoon, they came back to Granny's home after cremation.

As soon as they entered Sanskar went and locked himself in Granny's room.

"He needs time" Julia caressed her hairs.

"hmm" she went behind him.

It became night still Sanskar was inside locked up room. Swara was waiting for him outside to come out.

"Sanskar please come out" this was for the hundredth time she had knocked on the door.

"Sanskar please talk to me." but there was no reply from inside.

"Sanskar please don't push yourself in shell. I am there for you. Please come out."

"Can you please ask him to come out? He has not eaten anything from last two days." Swara pleaded Julia.

"You also."

"How can I eat when he isn't?"

"I don't want to eat anything Julia Aunty. You please go and take rest. I will stay here."

Despite Julia's denial, Swara forced her to go to her room while she stayed back calling Sanskar from outside.

It became morning, Swara opened her eyes, she herself did not realise when sleep took over her charge.

She was sitting on floor waiting for insider to open the door.

"Sanskar open the door. It' morning now." Now she became panic.

"Else, I am calling guards to break it. Final warning please open the door." She finally threatened.

"What the hell you want Swara?" He opened the door finally bursting out on her.

He was back to his old shade.

"In fact, why the hell are you still here? Don't you know Granny is dead. I brought you here just for her. And now when she is not there you also don't need to be here. You are free to go."

"Sanskar" she called out disbelievingly.

His eyes were charcoal red. They were swollen which were telling her about his pain.

"Everything is finished. The deal we had... is done. You will be free from that bloody contract soon. Roger will drop you back to your apartment. So goodbye Ms. Mehra." Thud sound of door broke Swara's revere.

She kept on looking at closed door with blank look.

'He is closing himself again in shell. Please no Sanskar.' Her heart cried looking at vulnerable Sanskar.

"Mam, Sir asked me to drop you back" Roger's voice broke her trance and tear slipped from her eye.

She nodded her head.

She took a step towards closed door and caressed it.

'I have promised Granny to be with you. Please don't make me fail in this.'

'Whenever Sanskar closes himself in his shell, give him some time alone. Don't argue or fight for his attention. He will be back to you once he settles his mind. He is just like his grandpa.' She started leaving with heavy steps reminding Granny's words.

"Swara" Julia called her from back.

"Don't worry about Sanskar. I am here. This is for you" She hand overed one envelop to her.

"Mrs. Maheshwari had asked me to give this to you."

Swara took and opened envelop there was one handwritten letter.

'My Dear Swara,

I know if you are reading this letter that means I have said goodbye to this beautiful word. But I wanted to pass my blessings and gratitude to you.

Thank you Swara for coming in my Sanskar's life.

Thank you for taking care of him.

Thank you for being his sunshine.

If you ask me, I know there is something between you and him. You both don't look like normal married couple. I was old but my experienced eyes did not miss your awkwardness with each other.

Don't get shocked, I know my Sanskar. When he told me about his marriage with you, I was shocked. I knew, he would have never got married without my presence. But then, I went with the flow.

I don't know how he made you agree for this. But still, I owe to my Kanhaji to bring you in his life.

I was skeptical about you in initial days, but when he showed me your pic. I saw your eyes. They are exactly like Sanskar's. Mirror for your golden heart.

When I met you, I started knowing you, and then I realised you are the one for my Sanskar.

Over the days, I saw changes in him. He started smiling, he started sharing, he started teasing, he started living.

I don't know what relation you and he shared. But I know one thing, I feel soul to soul connection between you two. Cherish that connection, stay together.

If possible, please give one chance to your hearts to flow the way it wants. It will lead you to find your other half's.

May Kanhaji bless you both with every happiness.

Yours Loving,
Granny.

Granny's words kept haunting her from the moment she read them. Fresh tears started flowing over her chubby cheeks.

She took steps still engrossed in her thoughts.

Sanskar came to balcony to see one car speeding out of the main gate. She was going away from him piercing his heart and soul.

'I am sorry Swara to talk to you in harsh way. But this is what would have happened in future.'

'I cannot get habitual with you. I know, one day or the other you will leave me.'

'I had promised Granny to protect you. To shield you from any harm. I am cursed. I cannot drag you along with me to suffer'

'So, it's better to end this now itself.'

'I have to learn to live alone.'

Swara was in car's back seat. It was for 50th time, she read Granny's letter trying to understand the hidden meaning of it.

Her phone started ringing flashing 'Ma Calling'

She picked up the call but the voice from other side was the least expected for her.

"Hey Swara Congratulations. You did not tell me you got your Permanent Residency confirmation. That agent just called me to inform."

Swara kept her mum, she was still drowned in Sanskar's thoughts.

'What would be he doing?'

'Should I go back?'

'Hey Kanhaji please keep him safe.'

"So now book your tickets and come here. We are going to get married soon. Finally, our dream is fulfilled..." He kept on blabbering from other side.

Tears were rolling over her cheeks.

'Is this the end of our relation Sanskar?'

'It was contract. Just a deal.'

'Was it really?'

'When did it changed to relation?

'Can we even call it as relation?'

'If not, then what was it?'

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

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