Just Friends [√]

Chapter 22 :" Future Without Him "

Few months later .

Arun woke up to see the familiar figure slouched on his couch half asleep , he didn't have it in him to wake her even if she would be thrilled to know his fever has gone down .

He wasn't fully sick yet but the signs have started to show , his immunity is down that he gets sick often and each time the recovery takes longer than before ,last night it had been fever .

And the sound from her cell phone woke her instead , she saw he was up and rushed to his side first with worry.

" I am fine Gauri ,the fever is gone for now , relax,  " he assured her,  because he can't say it is gone forever because most likely it would make a come back sometime this week .

But when he was feeling better he tend to forget about such events , as his gaze found the cell phone in her hand and noticed the caller id was from his mother ,he asked her to respond .

Arun was sure that Gauri must have told her parents last night and they were calling for a update ,otherwise it was too early for a regular call . He didn't like that he was keeping her parents awake in worry as well but Gauri father had told him once that family worries about each other and Arun need to accept them fawning over him .

" Mom , " Gauri responded back,  to the call and then froze as if she stopped breathing , he had seen her terrified and afraid so many times ,he had seen her terror filled face after a nightmare and he had seen her when she was close to a panic attack .

But this one was different ,it was as if she simply stopped breathing for a moment and then her knees gave in as Arun reached to hold her from falling down.

He took the phone from her because she was not responding to her mother back but simply looked vacant. And before he could respond to her mother ,he over heard her concerned voice on the other line.

" Gauri ,talk to me please. Your dad wanted us to wait but I know you would want to know first. Talk to me please ,is Arun beside you ?" her mother voice was troubled,  and so he spoke up assuring her ,he was right by her side and he will make sure she was fine .

Even then he didn't know  what news got her so wrecked as she continued to sit in the bed beside him without making a sound . Her face was paler than ever before then the first drop of tear made its way down her cheeks followed by heart wrenching sobs .

Arun may not know what bothered her but he know enough of his wife to realize what ever that got her this upset must be something big or someone important in her life ,he didn't think he would have answer from her now but he held her still in his arms as she continued to cry her heart out offering the only comfort he can for her .

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" Are you ready tell me what bothering you,  " Arun asked her ,it has been over two hours since the phone call but she still couldn't say a word to him.

After her initial outburst ,she pushed away those pain and locked it away as she turned away from his embrace with a empty words that said she was fine now .

And then she went on her routine, waking up her son and feeding him breakfast as if her mind wasn't already occupied by someone .

But Arun was waiting for her an outburst from her because Shilpa arrived on her day off Sunday to take care of Rahul few minutes ago.

Which meant she doesn't have the excuse of her son to hold on the silence as minutes ago,  Shilpa disappeared with Rahul to his room leaving both of them alone.

" Have you taken your pills , and you need to be on bed , " She answered back , instead trying valiantly to divert the topic but failed miserably when he refused to move an inch ,she knew he will wait it out till she answered him back .