"Manik!" Nandini snapped, pulling back as his teeth dug in her nipple painfully while feeding. He whined in irritation as she sat up, arranging back her kurti while saying, "Bas bohot hain. Subah se kuch nahi khaya aapne. Dadi ne bataya mujhe ki aapne kitna pareshan kiya unhe. Aapki dawai ka bhi time ho gaya."

"Nayi," Manik grumbled, his hand fisting her dupatta and she unintentionally ignored him while looking around for her slippers. She was awake since early morning since she had joined her teaching job from today and after coming back, tired out of her wits, Manik had been really troubling her. She signed as he cried out, "Mumma ni jana!"

(*No. **Mumma, don't go!"

"Guddu thodi der main aati huna. Kyu itna tang kar rahe ho? Meri puttu ko bhook nahi lagi?" Nandini asked softly and he stared at her silently but instead of replying, Nandini was shocked when he started crying. She immediately laid down, pulling him towards her and softly asked, "Kya ho gaya?"

(*Baby I'll come back in some time. Why are you throwing a tantrum today? Don't you feel hungry? **What happened?!)

"Nai jaana kahin," Manik sobbed while his arm wrapped around her waist tightly. She pressed a kiss on his head and assured, "Kahi nahi jaari. Yahi hu aapke paas. Ab mere ko batoge kyu itna irritate ho?"

(*Don't go! **I'm not going anywhere. I'm here. Now tell me why are you so irritated?)

Manik just hummed while nuzzling on her chest and tightly hugging her while she was concerned when he refused to reply. He let out a contented sigh, his eyes drooping in sleep as Nandini gently massaged his head with her fingers. When he fell back asleep, she pecked his forehead before carefully removing his arm and pulling away, getting up to finish off her chores.

•••••

"Manik," Nandini gritted out sternly for the upteeth time when he turned away his face, refusing to eat as she held a piece of morsel in front of his mouth.

"Ni khaana," Manik muttered stubbornly. Nandini tried to coax him for the last time before she felt her patience running thin and lost her control over anger, making Manik flinch as she yelled in frustration, "Kya nahi khaana nahi khaana laga rakha hain?! Subah se zidd kar rahe ho. Chup chap muh kholo aur isse finish karo varna mujhse bura koi nahi hoga. Samajh main aaya?"

(*I don't want to eat. **What is this, Manik? Why have you been troubling me since morning? Open your mouth and eat this quietly! I want you to finish it. Do you understand?)

Manik startled at her raised voice and nodded frantically in fear. Nandini's anger gradually diminished as Manik stared at his fidgeting hands, refusing to look at her and opened his mouth as she fed him food, one of his teardrops falling on her hand. She sighed and kept the plate aside but he continued to stare down before calling out, "Manik."

"Nanni Mumma ki jaan. Meri taraf nahi dekhoge?" Nandini asked softly and he shook his head, a sob escaping from his mouth, making her sigh as she explained, "Nanni Mumma sorry hain. Main thak gayi thi aur frustration main sab gussa aap pe nikal gaya." He looked at her with his eyes filled up with unshed tears as she held her ears and made puppy eyes while murmuring, "Please mujhe maaf kardo."

(Manik, my baby. Won't you look towards me? **Nanni Mumma is sorry. I was tired and the frustration came out on you. **I'm sorry.)

"Aap mere pai cheekhe," Manik complained before his waterworks opened and he started to cry loudly.

(*You screamed at me.)

"Arrey mera bacha," Nandini said while pulling him towards her and wrapping her arms around his shoulders while he rested his head on her chest as he cried while she consoled him by pressing numerous kisses on his head and muttering, "Bas itna ni rote. Bimar ho jauge."

(*Oh my sweetheart. **Shh, don't cry so much. You'll fall sick.)

After a few minutes of pampering, Manik quieted down. Nandini stared at him, her heart filling with trepidation. She couldn't pinpoint it but something felt wrong. So wrong. His smiles and giggles, which were full of life, weren't so full anymore. His eyes, brightened even in darkness, felt dull and void. He looked tired. Tired of life. And the moment that thought entered in her mind, Nandini felt her throat closing as she sent her heartfelt prayers to whatever supreme power was listening while picking up her phone to book an appointment with Manik's doctor in the evening.

•••••

Nandini tried to stifle her laughter though a smile slipped away as Manik sat near the aquarium, glaring at the doctor with a frown, occasionally staring at the red mark on his arm where the doctor injected him for some tests. While the doctor eyed him in trepidation before focusing back on the reports in her hand, Nandini found him adorable.

"Mrs. Malhotra," Nandini looked back at the Dr. Shweta, as Manik diverted his attention to the aquarium, her smile fading as she felt the world slip away from her feet as the doctor looked at her with seriousness and shook her head in disappointment before proving her every fear true by saying, "His health, I'm sorry, but it isn't recovering. The medicines aren't working anymore and the blood circulation in his brain has started to slow down. I can't comment on his health anymore. We can only keep a constant check on his health and try to prolong his life as much as we can."

Nandini's throat closed up as she felt her heart thundering against her chest as her breath deepened in fear. Fear of losing him. Her eyes watered yet she fisted her shaking hands in her lap as she inquired, "What are the symptoms? He was crying a lot in the morning."

"He may feel nauseated, irritated due to constant headaches, dizziness, trouble thinking and may even face memory loss. As the health deteriorates, these symptoms may increase," Doctor Shweta answered, her eyes softening as she stared at the young woman wiping a lone tear away while trying to have a grip on her emotions.

"Is there–" Nandini tried to speak, her voice choking before she cleared her throat and repeated, her voice turning to a whisper by the end of the sentence, "Is there a way to lower down his symptoms so that he can just peacefully–you know. I don't want him to suffer any sort of pain anymore."

"I will write down some medicines but we can't be sure if they will work," the doctor replied and Nandini nodded. After taking over his file, Nandini called out to Manik and held his hand firmly before they walked out of the hospital.

•••••

In the darkness of the night, as his breath deepened and he fell asleep, Nandini placed a kiss on his forehead, her smile that she tried to keep up with, slipping away and head rested against his. The tears, which she had tried to hold on, finally slipped away silently while she held onto him tightly as if he would vanish away.

Despite her efforts to not make a sound, a treacherous sob escaped past her lips. And then there was no stopping, feeling the full hurricane of her pain. She immediately turned away, placing her hand on her mouth as her shoulders shook under her disheveled emotions as her unfortunate fate once again took her to the painful path.

As if the soul could bleed an ocean through the eyes, that was the enormity of her sobbing. Because this time she knew. She knew the pain would wreck her. Never again would she be able to piece back those broken pieces if she lost him too.

With the question of why always her lingering in her mind, her tearful eyes closed on their own accord in tiredness, lulling her to sleep even though the heaviness in her heart remained.

A heaviness that may never go away, now.

Hey! I know it's been a very long time. So, thank you for reading and showering it with your support. Every one of your comment and vote is highly appreciated by me 🥹❤️

How was this sad unexpected turn in the story? Will Nandini lose him?💔

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