~Had it been so much easier said than done, I would have left it to God; I mean, who better than Him can handle the inevitable ~

Manjeet Lifecare Hospital

"Mruno!" Nandini's eyes widened on seeing her parents at the door of her hospital room, alongside Mrunal.

Mrunal rushed to sit beside Nandini, who already had Manik by her other side.

"I told them!" Nandini turned to look at Mrunal, and for the first time in life, she saw her best friend's forehead creased out of worry. "And you will calm down!" Mrunal rubbed at Nandini's back.

"Mruno! What the hell!" Nandini coughed after screeching so loud that Manik had to hold onto her hand tight.

"Shona!" And the only thing that calmed her was the hug from her mother who couldn't stop weeping. "I-I'm so sor-sorry, bacha. I didn't know. I-I didn't, bete. I couldn't." Nandini reciprocated to her hug, while clinging onto her mother.

"Ma! Bass kar na!" Nandini broke the hug and Shamishti cupped her cheeks. "Ek achi Ma banneka mauka bhi nahi diya Bhagwan ne mujhe. I couldn't even realize that you..." Shamishti broke into tears and Nandini wiped at her cheeks.

"Yaha patient Kaun, Ma? Me!! Lekin look at me consoling you. Tch, very bad Shekhar ki Mishti." Nandini held onto her mother's hands and smiled weakly. "I'm fine. Bas ek surgery tho Karni hai. I mean, you had too, to get this Shona out of your womb. C-section kaunsa chotu sa surgery hai."

"Yeah. Sab Kuch tho choti si baath hain." She looked at her right to see her father looking down at her. "You lied to Appa, Shona." Nandini bit onto her lips and held onto her ears. "Sorry, Appa. I didn't want you to find out about everything in this way. Mein Kya Karthi Appa. I love you so much."

And he hugged both his ladies close to his chest, who hugged him back. One was crying and one was smiling.

"I'll protect what's mine." Shekhar thought to himself while holding onto Nandini and Shamishti.

Manik and Mrunal stared on smilingly.

***

"She needs rest. We need to keep her here until and after the surgery. Thab thak make her feel easy and fit." Aadit instructed, and Shekhar listened keenly. "Thank you, Dr. I'll make sure she's fine."

Aadit smiled lightly and stepped aside to move further. "Doctor!" He turned around to face Shekhar, who looked scared. "Teek hojaegi na Meri bachi. Bas...ek hi hai Meri."

Shekhar blinked his tears away, and Aadit patted at his shoulders.

"Jis Nandini ko mein jantha Hun, wo selfless, confident, and strong hain. And you're her father. Just have trust in her and the Almighty. She'll fight back the hurdles...Uncle."

Shekhar smiled through his tears and folded his palms in gratitude, and Aadit held onto those hands before walking away.

"Wo...teek hojaegi, Raja..." Shekhar stood still on hearing the voice and that endearment. It was only used by two people in this world, one who's dead and one who doesn't bother about him anymore.

Shekhar turned around, scared and cautious, only to meet with the same pair of eyes he once looked up to. "Papa!" He mumbled under his breath.

Yashjeet stood with his eyes teary, who walked ahead to stand in front of his son.

"I was there. In her...cabin." Shekhar's eyebrows got furrowed a little. "I told her to go back. I told her that I still don't accept her or her mother." Shekhar's expression turned stoic, realization dawning upon him. "Mene kaha usse ki...mujhe wo achi nahi lagthi. Uski Ma ke tarah. And then, she spoke back to me. She told me only about her Ma and how hurtful my words are for her mother. Aur phir...wo..." Yashjeet looked down ashamed of himself, with his eyes full of tears.

Shekhar marched ahead, his hands in a fist, eyes red and angry, ready to burst at the person in front of him, forgetting that it's his own father.

Suddenly, his fisted hand was held by a person and he looked beside to see it was his wife.

"Mishti, no. Aaj nahi. Yeh aadmi..." Shekhar looked at his father accusingly yet hurt was visible in his eyes, and Yashjeet looked up at them with his palms folded but eyes cast down. "Exactly, Shekhar. Aaj nahi. Kyunki hamari bachi hain andhar apne jaan se ladthe hue. And that's more important." Shamishti sounded firm, and unlike her usual self, she looked angry as well.

"I'm...sorry." she looked at Yashjeet, with her eyes teary yet rage filled in them. "Ek beewi hoke mein apne sasur ko maaf kar paungi, Lekin ek Ma hoke? Kabhi nahi!"

And she left the place with Shekhar, who stared at Shamishti in astonishment.

While Yashjeet stood there helpless and guilty of his own doings.

***

"And what must be this?" Nandini looked towards her right to see a tower of tiffin box. She had her eyes widened and looked at it from top to bottom.

"Food, I call. How about you, Miss Murthy?" Sidharth chimed in before removing one tray from the top of the tiffin and opened it to find fruits. "Mango, Strawberry, banana, and apple. Mixed hain. Like fruit salad."

His eyes twinkled and forwarded towards Nandini. "Din mein dho Baar orange juice peethi Hun. That's not enough?" She looked at him expectantly, and he nodded.

"Very good, baby. Isiliye tho orange nahi hai usmein." And she looked down before starting to munch on the fruits. She knew arguing wasn't a good idea.

"Forget it." She mumbled and Sidharth bent to kiss her head. "Exactly, forget it. Mujhse Kaun jeethega."

And he moved to look at her left hand which had needle pierced in through which the IV fluid was entering her body. His eyes softened and he started to rub at the back of her palm.

"Dard ho raha hai?" He questioned without looking up at her, and she shrugged. "Doctor Hun main, Bhayyu. Ithni bhi fragile nahi."

Sidharth smiled and looked up at her. "Yeah! Out strong tigress." He caressed her cheeks, and she held onto his hand on her cheek. "Bhayyu! Remember the promise I made? That I'm gonna stick with you forever? So why are you worried? Nandini Murthy doesn't break promises."

Sidharth nodded. "Yeah! She doesn't. Actually, she shouldn't." His eyes pleaded for her to fight this disease and she smiled at him. "That's like my Bhayyu. Ab baaki sab bhi andhar aao. I know they're at the door listening to our conversation."

And she looked at the door to see a few parts of a few heads, as they were all trying to peep through the glass.

"Invitation chillaake dhun ab, Murthys?" She called out, and all her brothers entered one by one.

"Kya Bhayyu? Act like big boys na? Bache paida karne ka umar hai ab, and they're still childish." Nandini rolled her eyes while muttering out loud and the rest glared at her playfully. "Yeh hui na mere bhayyus wale baath."

She smiled gleefully and they sat around her talking and making her laugh, while Nandini looked content that her brothers were acting themselves.

***

It has been three days since the day Nandini has been in the hospital. Her situation wasn't that good, but she was okay, and that was the only thing keeping others sane even though they haven't received any calls from any hospitals about any emergency cases that didn't make it.

"Grumpy coffee! I told you, right? I'm fine. So just let it be." Nandini told Manik, who was busy in making calls and sending messages on his phone.

He nodded at her, while holding onto her hand. His hold on her hands tightens every time he makes a call to someone.

"Lilliput, I know, okay. I know. Just stay calm,please?" Manik glanced at her while smiling before getting back to his phone.

Nandini let out a sigh, before her gaze went up to the dark circles under his eyes. He had just come to see her, meaning he's taken a bath and ate from home, yet he looked so dull and blank. The Manik Malhotra she knew used to bring joy while he talks. Her goody-good Malhotra looks tired.

"Idhar aa." Nandini commanded, in a firm tone. "Lill-" he looked up to ask her to relax when he noticed her hand forwarded to him. She was asking him to be by her side, to which he could never say a No.

Moving towards her, he sat by her side.

"Teek se beit." She made him to lean backwards on the bed, while pointing at his legs, asking him to keep them up. "Ye patients ke bed hai, Lilliput. If someone sees me here, then they're going to throw me out."

"And you think Nandini Murthy is gonna stay calm and let them do whatever the hell they want? Arey Asad Murthy ki behen Hun mein. And you do know how khadus my AI is,yeah?"

Manik chuckled before laying properly, like she wants him to be. "Khush?" He asked, and she bent to rest her head on his chest, right beside his heart. "Khush for now."

He smiled, though he was surprised that she initiated to hug him. Nevertheless, her actions have only surprised him lately.

"Ek din teek hojaungi mein." She broke the silence while holding onto his left hand. "I'll be weak for a few months after the transplant, though. Phir mein the usual fit, beautiful and badass Nandini Murthy ban jaungi. And I want my sanskari coffee to be as healthy as how he used to be until he met Nandini Murthy. Milega Kya?" She looked up at him, and he knew she noticed the lines on his forehead.

"Samjha nahi? Arey Budhe ki beewi nahi banna mujhe, Grumpy coffee." She rolled her eyes at him, and he glared at her. "I'm still the handsome Malhotra."

And she caressed at his face, while nodding.

"Zyada worry karoge tho handsome se bas some beauty rahega aap mein, Malhotra." He let out a sigh, before holding her close to him. "I'm just trying everything I could do, Lilliput. Lekin phir bhi Kuch bhi nahi ho raha hai. Kehne keliye Malhotra hain, tho Kya mein tereliye ithna bhi nahi kar paa raha Hun? How else can I protect you? Mein Kya karun? Aur Kuch bhi karun tho badle mein Kuch mil bhi nahi paa raha hain. Samaj Rahi hai na Lilliput?"

"Nahi. Kyunki aapko samajna insaan ke bas mein tho nahi." She shrugged and he twitched his face before looking away. "Mr. Coffee Wala." Taking his face in her palms, she planted a kiss on his forehead, taking him by surprise.

Another surprise for the day!

"I know thoda mushy hai,but let me make it clear to you. Mere Liye Tum Kuch bhi karo, it's more than what I always wanted for myself. Kyunki you handle everything in here. My parents, Mruno, my brothers, and the hospital requirements. Sab Kuch. Jab ki I thought I would be doing all these things alone until I get ready for the transplant. Aur ye sabke baad mere baathein sun ke poore raath mere hath pakadke beitthe hai yaha pe. Aur kithna maangu mein apne God se? Tum se? Bolne se pehle tho sab Kuch Tum karthe ho. Aur kithna Saath doge Tum? Aur kithna karoge Tum mere Liye, Grumpy coffee?"

She had a sweet smile on her lips, and that was all he wanted to see. She knew she was lucky to have him.

"Hamesha keliye." Manik replied, smiling at her and she looked away smilingly. "Bina wajah Rona aathi nahi mujhe, Grumpy coffee. Lekin ab wajah hai, phir bhi rona nahi aa rahi hain."

She complained and he let out a laugh before hugging her, and this time a tear did slip out of her eye.

She was content in his arms and she just prayed that she stayed alive to live with this man. Forever!

TRING TRING!

Breaking the hug, Manik answered the call while still holding onto her.

"What?" Manik looked down at her with his heart beating to it's highest. "Really? From where?" Manik nodded before hanging up.

"It's time?" She asked, and he looked at her. He should have been happy, for this has been the thing they were waiting to hear. "Yes! Somebody didn't make it."

And she knew she has to be ready to keep that heart alive. In her!

***
Hey guys!

How was the chapter?

With love,
Affu.