"Sana, it's 7 a.m. already, please go home and take Maa as well. Get some rest. I will stay back with Papa", suggests Sidharth.

"I am surprised Sidharth. You didn't say we shall hire a nurse to look after him. Anyways, you will have to go to work as well, I am anyways jobless so I will stay back. If it's not too much to ask, can you please drop Maa home on your way?", Said Sana.

"Hmmm..", he mockingly smirks for his past behaviours which had made her say those words. He had learnt it a hard way, after loosing his love of life, that people need their loved ones more at their low then anyone.

About the work, he hadn't been able to work since past 13 days. 13 days were passed, that means there were just 2 days away to end their relationship. When he initially agreed to give 15 hours to her, it was to make sure here life was better when they seperated.

At Geeta's clinic, he was guilty for losing his unborn child which he had learnt only that day. He still is but over the period, he witnessed depression, nightmares, anger, anxiety, possessiveness and jealousy. All those which came due to the fear of losing Sana.

Sana, his wife, his love and his life. Which he realised when he still got that feeling of tingling sensation when she gave him the hug just like the time when they newly fell in love. The feelings which never died, but he had failed to notice and ignored it since he assumed that she would be just there where he had left her.

He had taken her for granted not understanding that even if you own a beautiful garden of love, you still need to take time to water it, provide nutrition and remove weeds else it will wither over time.

"Bye Maa.. grab some rest and don't worry. Papa will be fine. Here is your food.", Said Sidharth as he pulled the car infront of her house.

"Sidharth, can we speak for a while?", Asked his mother-in-law.

"Sure Maa.", Said Sidharth. They both go in.

"Tea?", She asked.

"No, you shouldn't strain yourself.", Said Sidharth.

"But I want to have some tea. Do you know how to make one?", She asked.

Sidharth nodded in denial feeling embarrassed and Mrs. Saxena chuckled.

"You can instruct me.", Suggests Sidharth. She agrees and he pulls a chair into the kitchen and the mother-in-law & son-in-law duo team up to prepare tea.

"You know my son, Mitesh and I are married for 33 years. Unlike yours, ours was an arranged marriage. I married a total stranger. When we learnt Sana was in love with you, the first thing we did was to ponder as to when Mitesh and I fell in love.", She chuckled while Sidharth smiled listening attentively to her.

"Instead of thinking of Sana's decision to marry you, I complained to Mitesh that he never proposed me. The day you proposed Sana on your knees, Mitesh too went down on his knees that night, though privately infront of me and I couldn't keep myself from melting and blushing.", She smiled reminiscing the moment which Sidharth quietly observed reminiscing his proposal yet again.

"Thank you son! Your love gave us that special moment. But now it breaks my heart to think that you two are taking the decision to break that love.", She said in a heavy tone. The beautiful smile on her face was replaced with pain. His face mirrored her emotions.

"Mitesh and I have been thinking about her eversince she took the decision. We were hoping for some miracle to happen when we learnt that you both would get 15 hours to spend together. But the past 5 days crushed all our hopes because y'all just didn't want to meet each other. Perhaps among the two of us, Mitesh's heart seems to be too weak to handle this. That stupid bugger loves his daughter more than his wife I guess. How would I have stayed without him if something had happened to him? I am not as strong as you and Sana, to stay without him. I love him.", She choked as a stream of tears kept flowing from her eyes.

"I can't stay without her either Maa.. I love her.. How can I set things right? How can I mend our broken hearts?", Sidharth said kneeling in front of her and placing his hand over her hand.

"Complete your 15 hours, son. 15 hours to stay in love. Give her the time she needs with you. Listen to your heart.", Said his mother-in-law.

"I will Maa.", He nods as she caresses his head gently.

"Before that shave that unkempt beard and groom yourself.. you look as if you've escaped from some prison.", Teased his mother-in-law and he chuckled before nodding his head.

.
.
.

The hospital room door clucked and Mitesh desperately looked into the direction. In came Sidharth with a sweet smiling face and a bouquet of White lilies.

"Hey Papa..", he wished.

"Oh!! Sidharth.. it's you?", Said Mitesh.

"Disappointed? You must have been expecting someone dear, right?", Asked Sidharth.

Though over 60 years old, Mitesh's face blushed like a nineteen year old young lover boy.

"N.. no.. nothing like that.", he denied in a fumbling voice.

"Oh!! So you weren't missing her?", Asked Sidharth.

"Aaa... Aaa.. Why are you standing there, come in.", Said Mitesh still blushing.

"Why are you avoiding his question, you old man? You really weren't missing me, huh?", Asked Mrs. Saxena.

"Old man? I am just 2 years older than you. Are you calling yourself old?", Said Mitesh with an enthusiastic voice having got a glimpse of his wife.

"Yeah.. but I am young at heart unlike you whose old heart needs a jump start.", She smirked.

"You forgot that my heart isn't with me, sweetheart. So the one that needed jump start was technically yours.", Said Mitesh. Sidharth was in awe of the loving old couple. Listening to their conversation, he chuckled.

"Am I not right Sidharth?", Asked Mitesh. Sidharth nodded with a smile.

"Hmm.. How are you feeling papa?", Sidharth asked.

"I am fine Sidharth. How are you?", Asked Mitesh trying to sit.

"Stay put! What's the formality, papa?", Asked Sidharth.

"No, I've been sleeping here the whole day. I wanted to sit.", Said Mitesh.

"Let me help you.", Said Sidharth inclining the bed to his comfort. Mitesh thanked him and looked at his wife sitting on the chair.

"Why are you sitting on that chair? Where will Sidharth sit?", Asked Mitesh to his wife.

"No maa.. I am fine", said Sidharth finding his mother-in-law get up from the chair.

"Huh! Don't get fooled by this old man's hospitality. He just wants me to sit beside him that's why he is asking me to give you the chair", said his mother-in-law and sat on the bed beside her husband.

"Ohh!!", Chuckled Sidharth occupying the chair now.

"Did you grab some sleep dear? You look tired.", Asked Mitesh to his wife while holding her hand.

"Huh!! Do you think I will sacrifice my beauty sleep on you old man? I slept like a baby spreading my arms since I had the whole bed just for myself.", She smirked causing her husband to laugh. It was evident by her baggy eyes that she didn't sleep at all. Sidharth shook his head laughing at their banters. How much loving were they, even after 3 decades of marriage. They never let their spark die.

Sana opened the door and entered the room.

"Hey Sexyna", says Sidharth turning towards the door to look at her. Mitesh and Sana look up at him with widened eyes.

"Hi Sidharth", she said trying to sound as normal as possible. She observed his clean shaven glowing face. He was dressed smartly and looked dashing.

"For you!", He walked over to her and offered the bouquet with a smile.

"I thought those were for me.", Said Mitesh which made Sidharth look at him in a dilemma.

"What made you think that my son-in-law will give those lillies to you?", Asked Sana's mother.

While the old couples continued their banter, Sidharth turned around to look back at Sana who was taken aback on his gesture. He snaps at her and she returns back from her trance.

"I got these for you.", He said.

She nodded her head and took the flowers.

"Than..nk.. You…", she stuttered as little did she expect yet another gesture from him which would cause her shiver when he held her hand and kissed her knuckles gently. Her eyes held many questions as their eyes stared into each others.

Mitesh looked at them in surprise wondering whether he was dreaming. Sana's mother coughed.

"Can you both give us some privacy please?", Requests her mother.

Sana and Sidharth nod and leave the room.

"Did you speak to the doctor? When are they going to discharge papa?", Asked Sidharth as they walked in the corridor.

"Nakul is in the surgery. Once out, he will be able to tell. I have been waiting for him.", She said.

"Hmmm.. Tea?", Asked Sidharth.

She nods to agree and they go to the cafe in the hospital. On their way, she notices a nurse ogle at Sidharth. He orders a tea and she orders a sandwich as she is famished. As they sit opposite each other, she notices the same nurse occupy seat close to them. Her eyes were scanning Sidharth.

"You must have taken quite some time to get ready today, didn't you?", Asks Sana.

"Is it a compliment or a complaint?", He asked knowing that she had noticed the nurse who was letching over him.

"Does any of it matter now?", She asks.

"It very much does!", He says.

"Huh!!", She smirked nodding her head in disbelief.

There was an extended silence for some minutes. His gaze didn't leave her face even for a moment while her frustration level was rising due to the ogling nurse.

She got up from her seat with a sudden jerk slamming her palm on the table. Her glaring eyes burnt a hole in nurse's eyes.

"Excuse me? I have been observing you for quite sometime, you are continuously staring at him. Don't you really have any patients to attend?", Sana seethed in anger.

"What's your problem Miss?", Asked the nurse.

"Mrs.!! His Mrs.!!", Said Sana.

The nurse leaves and Sana occupies her seat. Sidharth couldn't hold his contentment as she still feels the same amount of possessiveness for him as it did years back. He finds a ray of hope which he had been looking for ever since he came to the hospital.

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To be continued.. ❤️❤️