Everyone reached hospital. Ragini was the first one to reach Laksh's room. Nyonika and Raj left to freshen up. Laksh was still sleeping due to heavy dose of medicine. A smile played on Ragini's lips seeing him. He looked so peaceful while sleeping but the rays of sun were disturbing his beauty sleep so ragini went to the window and closed the curtains looking at laksh. She then came to laksh and caressed his forehead wishing her morning to begin looking at this beautiful face daily. He slowly opened his eyes waking up to a beautiful smile on Ragini's face which brought a smile on his face however he soon realized that he had to maintain distance from her and composed himself. He tried getting up but failed so Ragini helped him however he showed his hand and stopped her. She was taken aback by the change in his behaviour however ignored it thinking he might by in pain and frustrated by it.
Nandini and Manik entered the room with a few bags in their hands.
Nandini - Good Morning Laksh
Laksh - Good Morning Bhabhi
Manik - kaisa feel kar raha hai ab? (he sat beside him and said checking him) weakness wagera toh nahi hai naa? And teri eyes itni red kyu ho rahi hai? raatko theek se soya nahi kya? Chehra bhi utar gaya hai tera.......
Doctor - (interrupting manik) woh issliye Mr. Malhotra kyuki unki dosage kaafi heavy hai. (he checked laksh) dont worry he is doing good
Manik - doctor ab yeh theek hai toh isska dose thoda kam kar dijiye naa aise toh yeh bohat kamzor ho jaaega
Doctor - Mr. Malhotra i know you are concerned about your brother but you have to trust us. We are giving him the best treatment possible and by the way mujhe nurse ne bataya aapne unhe kitna pareshaan kiya hai......
Manik was embarressed while nandini burst out laughing and ragini was confused while laksh had a hint of what his brother might have done as he knew him well but wasn't sure.
Laksh - kya kiya bhai ne?
Nandini narrated him the incident embarrasing Manik more, he was nervously scratching the back of his neck while ragini went aww at manik's concern for his brother and laksh face palmed himself.
Laksh - bhai aapka kuch nahi ho sakta. Aap aajse yahi rukna warna naa khud sooge naa kissi aur ko sone doge
nandini pulled manik's cheeks
Nandini -you are so cute
she looked here and there and saw both RagLak were looking somewhere else so she quickly gave a peck on manik's cheek making him smile.
Manik – chalo main tumhari medicines lekr aata hoon.
Laksh – okay bhai… (manik left) bhabhi I think bhai ko aapki zaroorat padegi
Nandini – I think tumko meri zaroorat padegi kyuki main tumhara breakfast lekr aayi hoon (she started arranging the plate)
Laksh – uska aap tension mat lijiye main khud kha lunga and kuch zaroorat padi toh ragini toh hai hi naa yaha par
Ragini – haa di aap jaao
Nandini – okay….
Ragini – di jijuu zyaada duur jaae use pehle plz go now….
Nandini left.
@raglak
Ragini – sooo……
Laksh – so?
Ragini – main khila doon?
Laksh – nahi not needed I will manage
(he started having food)
Ragini – mujhe help karnedo naa…
Laksh – ragini mere legs mein paralysis hua hai haatho mein nahi…
Ragini – (upset) toh maine kab kaha keh main issiliye khila rahi hoon main toh bs…… (she didn’t complete her sentence as she realized he wasn’t listening anymore he was more busy with his food)
She looked at him for sometime with mixed emotions of anger, concern and sadness. She was definitely upset by his behaviour so she decided to leave that place. She got up and moved towards the door. Laksh finally looked towards her with apologetic face but again composed himself and looked towards his food when she stopped and turned back towards him angrily. She angrily came and sat beside him and spoke after taking a deep breath.
Ragini – laksh aise nahi chalega…
Laksh had a question mark on his face
Ragini – haa toh… log kehte hai ke jab tumhari love life purani ho jaati hai toh who boring hone lagti hai usme saari excitement chali jaati hai aur humara toh start hi aise ho raha hai toh baadmein jaakr kya hoga?
Laksh – kya start aise ho raha hai?
Ragini- obviously relationship…. Tum toh starting mein hi itna boring behave kar rahe ho
Laksh- (shocked) kiski relationship, kaunsi relationship?
Ragini – laksh stop joking, this isn’t funny.
Laksh – madam mein aapko clear kardu ke hum dono koi relationship mein nahi hai toh please apni yeh galat fehmi dur kardo
Ragini – (hurt by his statement) laksh tumne mujhe propose kiya tha…..
Laksh – haa toh who proposal aapne reject kardiya tha
Ragini – haa par kal maine kaha naa ke I feel the same way for you
Laksh – haa par maine thodi kuch reply kiya uska. Maine kab kaha ke I still love you?
Ragini – haa but……
Ragini – (hurt) so you don’t love me?
Laksh – (without making eye contact as his eyes had become moist)(low tone) I do….. but..
Ragini – (angrily)but kya laksh? You love me, I love you fir problem kya hai?
Laksh – (same tone as of ragini) problem yeh hai ragini that I cant walk and I have no idea ke main kabhi life mein fir chal bhi paaunga yaa nahi and I don’t want to be a road block in your life….
Ragini – ohhhh toh yeh bhra hai tumhare dimaag mein (looked away in disbelief)
A drop of tear left laksh’s eye which he wiped quickly. Ragini took a deep breath and sat beside him. She looked at him but he was looking at the other side. She held his hand and he finally looked at her.
Ragini – agar tumhari jagah main hoti toh bhi kya tum mujhse dur chale jaate?
He had no answers. She continued with same calmness.
Ragini – bolo agar tumhari jagah main hoti toh kya main tumhari life kaa road block bann jaati?
Laksh was tongue tied as even he knew that she would never be a roadblock for him.
Laksh – but….
Ragini – laksh…. Listen to me… (cupped his cheek) tum theek hoge aur yeh hum dono saath mein milkr karenge infact hum sab saath mein milkr karenge
Laksh – aur nahi hua toh?
Ragini – toh kya laksh… hum uss mushkil ko bhi saath mein milkr suljha denge but saath milkr
Laksh – saari zindagi mujhe iss wheelchair par dekh paaogi?
Ragini – (a tear left her eye) tum itni negative baate kyu kar rahe ho? Dr. ne kaha hai ke tum theek ho jaaoge
Laksh – woh mera question nahi tha ragini
Ragini – (she took a deep breath and wiped her tears) agar tum mera saath doge toh main har mushkil se ladd sakti hoon. Bolo doge mera saath?
Laksh just looked at her for a few minutes. He felt so lucky to have her by his side and didn’t want to loose her at any cost. He held the back of her head by his other hand and brought her close and kissed her forehead while his one hand was in her hand. Ragini smiled while a tear dropped from her eyes.
Laksh wiped her tears and nodded in no.
Ragini – I Love You
Laksh – I love you too (kissing her hand which he was holding)
Ragini – so Mr. boyfriend ab main aapko breakfast khila sakti hoon?
Laksh – (smiling) sure but ek condition par
Ragini- kya?
Laksh – tum mujhe yeh Mr. boyfriend nahi bulaogi please it sounds so weird
Ragini – are who toh main check kar rahi thi ke kya hum boyfriend girlfriend hai yaa nahi
Laksh – so pta chal gaya?
Ragini – haa (feeding him)
Laksh – kya hum hai? (having a bite)
Ragini – of course, ab phir koi bomb mat phodna mere sir par
Both smiled
@Manan
Manik gave the prescription to the chemist and they were waiting for him to bring the medicines.
Manik – so Miss Kapoor or shall I say Mrs Malhotra?
Nandini – to be Mrs. Malhotra is better I guess
Manik – okay to be Mrs. Manik Malhotra kya aap mere saath coffee date par chalengi?
Nandini – abhi?
Manik – jii kyuki inhe time lagne waale hai so…
Nandini – (acting to think) well…. Abhi… toh I think main thoda busy hoon but….
Manik – aap itna time lagaengi toh date ke liye time hi nahi bachega
Nandini – okay ab aap itna force kar rahe hai toh aa jaati hoon
She said with attitude while he smiled with disbelief. They moved towards the nearby coffee shop and gave their respective orders.
He held her hand which was on the table and looked towards her trying to gather some strength.
His eyes conveyed everything. It held fear, fear that his brother might not be able to walk again, fear that because of this his brother might loose his confidence and happiness. He tried to concentrate on nandini as they were on date but his eyes couldn’t lie. Though his lips were silent but nandini understood what his eyes were shouting.
Nandini turned her hand which was in his hold and gave a gentle squeeze to his hand re assuring him that she is here with him.
Nandini – everything will be fine…. Just give it little time.
Manik – yeh mere liye ek battle ki tarah hai joh agar main haar gaya naa nandini toh I will loose everything
Nandini – humare liye
Manik – haa?
Nandini – yeh Humare liye battle hai joh hum jitenge woh bhi saath milkr.
Manik gave a small smile. He kissed her hand which was in his hold.
Manik- I am lucky to have you
Nandini – (smiling) I agree (wink)
Manik couldn’t help but smile at her antics
Manik – by the way did I tell you
Nandini – what?
Manik – that I Love You
Nandini blushed.
Waiter served them their coffees and left.
Nandini – so ganesh chaturti ke arrangements kaa sab kaise karna hai?
Manik – ohh haa woh toh saara kuch baaki hi hai ab tak.
Nandini – (taking a sip from the coffee) need any help?
Manik – yes definitely. Idol, dhol, food and all I will handle tum bas decoration handle kar dena
Nandini – ho jaaega
Manik – perfect
They both finished the coffee and left. They collected the medicines and were back to laksh. The day passed by.
@night
Manan were staying tonight with laksh. Laksh had already slept.
Nandini – manik its 12am abhi toh soo jaaiye
Manik – mujhe abhi neend nahi aa rahi. Main ek min laksh ko check karke aata hoon
He got up to go near laksh but nandini held his hand and stopped him
Nandini – laksh is sleeping and woh bilkul theek hai aap udhar jaakr use disturb mat karo
Manik – but…
Nandini – no buts chup chap sit here and sleep
Manik sat down making faces.
Nandini – manik 2 din se aap ek minute bhi nahi soye hai. Aise toh laksh ke theek hote hote aap bimaar padd jaaoge. Please thodi der ke liye soo jaao
Manik – par neend bhi toh aani chahiye naa
Nandini – I have a solution for that.
She folded her legs and eyed him to place his head on her lap. He obeyed. She then caressed his forehead with love and even he didn’t realize when he fell asleep. Her touch did wonders he forgot all his stress and sleep overtook him. Nandini was just admiring his face. She never stopped caressing his face until even she dosed off.
@morning
Everyone were back to the hospital and in an aww to see manan sleeping like that.
Nyonika blessed nandini in her heart as she knew that till laksh isn’t fine manik wouldn’t sleep but nandini changed that. She was proud of nandini. Ragini adored them. She then looked at laksh who was already looking at her.
Screen freezes
Precap-
Ganpati celebration
Sorry for the late update.
Will try to update sooner this time.
Hope you all are liking the story and enjoying it❤