"Naira!" Kartik Called her! And stood up from the sofa he was sitting at. He walked to grab his stick which was behind the door. His steps slow and his posture bended.

"Boliye Kartik!" She came but her foots were again paining.

"Ahh!" She shrieked which made Kartik to come to her as quick as possible for him. He made her sit on the sofa behind her.

"Aaj waapis dard ho gya?" He asked concerned.

"Dard..to .. humesha hota h.. Kartik..aaj zyada ho rha h." She told shrieking in pain.

"Tumhari ghutno pr lagane ki tube Kahan h?" He asked.

"Uss drawer m h" she said pointing at the drawer. Kartik stood up from beside her with the support of his stick and then moved to the drawer with the help of his stick.

He bent,but his back pained because of bending but still He didn't let the shriek of pain to release from his mouth, because he doesn't want Naira to be guilty. He soon found the tube and stood up with very difficulty and walked up to her,his weight all on the stick as he was tired from bending.

He came to Naira and sat beside her on sofa with a sigh.

"Laao dikhao" he said her to upper her saaree which was covering her foot.

"Rehne dijiye,mai khud kr lungi" She refused him.

"Kyu kya hua?" He said. His lips forming a smirk.

"Kuch nhi" she blushed. As they remembered their young days.

While she was busy blushing and trying hard not to gaze in his eyes. He took hold of her saree..and uncover it from her foot to apply the gel. She gasped at the sudden movement.

"Kartik,aap kya kr rhe h..chodhiye..m khud kr lungi.." she was reluctant.

"Chup ho jao ! Naira..krne do mujhe..aur tum chup chap baithi rho" he added sternly yet softly as his voice held concern for her.

She let him do. He took gel in his forefingers and started applying on her foot with utter care. She looked up at him with adoration and love. It's been 60 years of their Marriage but still the love and understanding never  decreased instead it increased day by day! His gestures now also make her heart beat at tremendous rate! Even after spending her more than half life with him. Still she can't get used to him. He makes her fall for him even now.

"Ho gya!" He said contented. "Ab theek hua?" He asked. And she chuckled." Tube k lagate hi thodi na aaram ho jayega, thode time m thik ho jayega!"

"Chlo,thik h tum ..aaram kr lo..hum kl park chale jayenge..aaj rehne dete h." He said after thinking.

"Nhi,mere pair thik hai..waise bhi ab tube laga li h..to thodi der m thik ho jayega.. please aaj chalte hai park..bhut dino se nhi gye." She requested.

"Nhi,Naira..tum aaram kro..mere liye tumhari health sabse zyada important.." he started coughing in between.

"Aap theek to h?" She rubbed his back. She tried to stand up but he held her hand stopping her from standing.

"Tum mat utho! Tumhare ghutno m dard haina!" He said after his cough got stopped. She melted with his concern and love for her. She took his ragged hands and kissed them. He smiled widely and her heart skipped a beat seeing that wide grin on his face.

"Aaj chalte h park! Mujhe ghutan ho rhi h..ghar m reh reh kr... please." She requested making puppy face.

"Waise sach batau to mujhe bhi!" He said cutely like a child who has just admitted that he has eaten the chocolates which her mother has refused him to eat!

"Dekha! Phir chalte h Na!" She again requested.

"Hmm..tum baat maanne to wali ho nhi.. to chalo chalte h..pr agar tum mujhse ek wada krogi toh!" He explained her!

"Kaise waada?" She asked bewildered.

" waada ye ki agar tumhe waapis dard hua toh tum udhar chup chap baith jaogi..jyada chalne ki zid nhi krogi." He told her and she made a grumpy face but still corner of her lips curved slightly.

"Thik h! Kiya waada..ab chalein?" She asked. He chuckled at her excitement.

"Haan chalo!" He said and grabbed his stick from his one hand and from other hand,he made her stand and entangled their fingers. They smiled at each other and slowly made their way to the park.

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They slowly walked in the park with their hands entangled and talking.

Kartik Chuckled out of nowhere! Naira looked at him confused.

"Aap hasse kyu?" She asked curiously.

"Aise hi!" He replied not sharing the reason of his chuckle.

"Bataiye na!" She requested.

"Nhi batata.."he teased her.

"Hmpph..thik h mat bataiye..mai aapse baat hi nhi krti.."she looked otherside with a pout on her face.

"Arrey..aise na kho..tum mujhse baat nhi krogi ..toh mai jee nhi paunga!" He said genuinely.

She immediately shushed him by keeping her hand on his mouth.

"Aisa mat boliye..mai aapke bina jee nhi paungi..m toh ganga maiya se bhi bolti hu ki agar hum dono m se kisi ko pehle apne paas bulana ho..to mujhe bulana..aapko apne saamne mujhse dur jaate hue m nhi dekh paungi " she poured her heart out.

"To kya mai dekh paunga tumhe mujhse dur jaate hue?" He asked being emotional. Telling her that he also can't see her leaving him.

"Acha,chodhiye iss baat ko! Ab bataiye aap has kyu rhe the?" She changed the topic wiping her tears with the edge of her pallu.

He chuckled again. "Wo mujhe yaad aa gya tha ki shaadi k baad hum kitna ladte the na?" He told her and she chuckled too reminiscing those memories.

They sat on the bench as Naira's foot again started paining and they were out of breath already.

"Yaad h mujhe,humari arranged marriage hui thi..aur hum ek dusre ko bilkul bhi nhi jaante the.. har roz choti choti baaton pr ladte the.!" She smiled going down the memory lane.

"Ladti toh tum thi! M toh bas shi baat krta tha!!" He teased her.

"Haww! Jhuthe..kitne jhutei ho.. ..aapko to bahana chahiye hota tha..ladne ka" she hit his arm with her withered hands. He caught her hand and pulled her close to him while she laid her head on his shoulder.

"Lekin phir humne ek dusre ko samjha.humne ek dusre ko jana.. aur ab dekho kitne saalon se h ek dusre k saath." He told her positive thing in their relationship. She looked at his face for sometime and he gazed back. They had pure eyelock filled with love, adoration and concern for each other. Then she broke the eyelock and simply laid her head on his chest and he engulfed her in a side hug. While she felt contented listening to his heartbeat. It felt like it was beating for her! And she felt ecstatic thinking this.

"Haan..pta h..ki budhape m hum bahut bimariyon se pareshan ho chuke h..tumhare ghutno ka dard...or mera Tb..aur sugar... par ek baat m tumhe bata dena chahta hu..ki jab bhi m in bimariyon se..yaa iss budhape se pareshan ho jata hu na..toh tumhari muskurahat dekh leta hu..aur meri saari pareshani dur ho jati..h ..ek nyi himmat aa jati h..ki m inn sab se lad skta hu..agar tum saath ho!" He confessed gazing in her eyes and kissed her forehead. Her eyes sparkled with tears as she was overwhelmed.

"I love you Kartik!" She confessed after adoring him for long!

And those words melted him. "I love you too Naira!!" And they sat there looking at the sky, talking about their past, their present and their future but only with each. Together!

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I felt so good writing it. I am eagerly waiting for your views on it. Tell me guys..did you like it??

And do follow shailjamanya05  and do read her beautiful stories guys.

Bhumi♥️