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You may begin now.

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This chap is affectionately dedicated to -
prasannakumari70907🖤✨

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NOTE:-

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~~~

"Even if you can't see any proof right now, you must believe. Sometimes, you must believe first before you can see!...................."

An utterly exhausted sigh escaped from Shaurya's throat as soon as he dropped himself over the bed. It was such a long day.

His eyes aimlessly wandered around the room, the place looked alien to him, even though it was his room still it didn't feel like that it belonged to him.

In past 10 months, he had grown habitual to see her around himself there. Surely he used to leave his room on it's own for the sake of his training, but she never really left it. She made that room her place since the day she entered there. It felt like it was more of her room than his.

He felt awkward in his own room without her presence. After marriage if he was there in the room that meant she was in there too. But much to dismay, she wasn't there with him at then.

She was with her sister in the hospital. Adishri was put under observation for two days.

Not creating much crowd in the hospital, Mohan family decided to leave from there late at night. Ved was staying over with his wife but Manjiri wanted to stay there too. She wanted to stay through the night there. So on her persistent insistence, Ved eventually agreed. Though, he initially was against that idea. So now Ved and Manjiri were there in the hospital to look after Adishri.

Shaurya too wouldn't have left from there, but he had to drive back home to bring his family from the hospital.

Every time he tried to close his eyes to get some sleep, the image of Manjiri's face used come in line of his vision. The whole scenario at the hospital must have disturbed her, he was sure of that. He vaguely remembered her telling that she had started hating hospital visits since her grandmother's demise. He had seen her going restless when they left the marriage garden to reach the hospital. Her face had worry, a weird kind of fear. She kept on praying silent prayers in her heart until she didn't reach her sister. She literally was behaving very uncharacteristically. She was getting startled on every call to her.

He sat up instantly. He had begun to worry about her. Not just something but many things were troubling her, he could sense it. He really needed to talk to her. He wanted to be on her side, to comfort her. The last thing he wanted was to become one of things which were troubling her.

It was useless to keep tossing and turning on the bed when sleep was nowhere near him. So, he got up and walked towards the wardrobe.

_

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_

"Bhai." Shaurya placed his palm on Ved's shoulder who was seating on a metallic chair outside the private ward in which Adishri was present. He looked tired and distressed. "How's Bhabhi now?"

"She just had an ultrasound examination. There are some other tests too which are remaining."

"Don't worry. Tests are only because her doctor wants to make sure that the baby's health is ok."

Shaurya replied taking a seat beside Ved. His eyes desperately searching for his wife.

"Where's she?"

"Miru?" Ved asked. To which Shaurya just replied with a nod. "Shri is awake right now, so Miru is there with her inside."

They didn't exchange any words after that. Though everything was seemingly fine and under control, but those sudden events had left everyone disquieted, especially Ved. He almost had felt that he would lose everything in a blink of an eye, a few hours back.

"By the way, why are you here at this hour? Did you inform anyone at home?"

Ved questioned Shaurya.

"All knows I'm here. No one's able to sleep, all are awake." Hardly had Shaurya spoken those words when his phone started vibrating. It was a call from Mrs Dipti Mohan. "I just come."

"Shaurya, tell Maa that everything's fine here otherwise she won't be able to sleep. Avoid telling her about the tests."

Ved appealed. At that Shaurya just nodded and went outside to answer the call.

After a short while, when he returned he didn't find Ved sitting there but he did find Manjiri. She was still in that blue saree and with just a shawl covering her shoulders. She was sitting curled up staring at a big poster hanging on the opposite wall. The quote written on it was - 'God is eternal. God knows all. God can do no wrong. God is good'.

Shaurya first went back to his car and then came back with her jacket in one hand. Walking up to her, he sat on the seat next to her. She glanced at him with her eyes that clearly showed nothing. She felt numb.

"Put it on or you'll surely catch cold."

She heard him say that. He leaned in to make her wear that. She quietly let him make her wear that. All the while her eyes were pasted on his face.

"Manjiri! You ok?"

He asked, his tone was laced with concern.

"Perhaps." With a blurred vision, she added, "She's there inside attached with some machines just the way Dadi was."

He sighed inwardly looking at her. She didn't look fine. She appeared lost.

"She's ok. She'll start feeling good soon. You also try to feel good."

"Feel good?... Shaurya, I felt like a fish who had been forcibly pulled out of water. It was tormenting. I couldn't breath for a moment. These whites lights over our heads are similar to those lights where Dadi..."

Her words stopped coming out as an ugly sob came out of her. Hospitals used to make her sick. They reminded her of those days which she hated the most. The typical smell of hospitals always used to zip her into a nostalgic coma. Those bitter and hurtful memories of seeing her grandmother struggling for her every single breath were painful.

"It's ok. Just a matter of 2 days, then we all will be back home."

Shaurya placed his arm around her shuddering shoulders and made her lean her head against his shoulder. He knew what she was fearing deep inside. She didn't vocalise it, but her state was telling everything. She feared losing her sister just the way she lost her grandmother. It broke him to look at her like that.

Manjiri sniffed staring into the space, to that same quote on the opposite wall. From last two days, she was constantly complaining a lot to God. She was blaming Him for every damn thing going wrong in her life.

She at then felt wrong for doing that. She shouldn't have done that. She herself should have bear the burden of her shortcomings. She was the who was responsible and not God.

And maybe Adishri was there inside just because God was punishing her for that mistake. It was just a warning from God and that was why Adishri was safe at then.

"Don't think about anything. This way you will get sick. Then how will you take care of your sister?" Shaurya spoke up pulling Manjiri out of her trance. "Everything is going to be fine. Be at peace. Close your eyes for a while."

_

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_

"I think you should take her home."

Ved's faint voice reached Manjiri's ears. She had caught up a disturbed sleep of hardly an hour on that metallic chair. She instantly opened her eyes and found Ved speaking that to Shaurya. Both were standing a little away from her.

"I'm not going anywhere."

She got up muttering in a groggy tone. Her head felt heavy. She could see through the window that it was almost morning. Very faint morning light was marking it's presence outside.

"Miru, go with him. Take some rest at home and then come afterwards."

Ved spoke up taking a few steps at her. To which she shook her head in a stubborn manner.

"No, Jiju. I don't want to go home. Please!"

"Miru, go to home for a while. You're too tired. Stop being so stubborn. It's very cold."

Ved stressed, his voice came out as stern. He too was disturbed with everything.

Manjiri didn't mind his words cause she knew what all he must be going through. However, she feared to repeat the history. She couldn't take a chance.

"Jiju, please don't force me. You had sent me at Dadi's time too. I won't go now."

Taking a huff, Ved walked away. Nobody was listening to him. Nothing was favouring him. He was tensed. Adishri's reports were to come in some time. He just hoped God favoured him there.

Shaurya walked towards Manjiri. And she voiced her answer way before he could speak anything to her.

"No. Shaurya, I won't go without taking Dii."

"Look, I'm going home now to bring Maa and Badi Maa. They will be here in some time. Shri Bhabhi won't be alone. That's why I think you should..."

Shaurya tried to persuade her but she seemed to be in no mood to hear him out.

"Listen, you go and take some rest. Also, bring me a dress of mine when you come back."

"Ok. Do call me immediately if you require anything more."

At last Shaurya gave up. He knew at then nothing would work on her. If she could unlisten Ved on something then she could unlisten everyone out there. Though, her next words made him stare at her for a few long moments.

"Who else will I call if not you?"

"Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everyone I've ever known......................"

_

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_

"We are constantly exhausted because we are constantly trying to swim against the tide, and soar against the current......................"

Adishri was brought back home the next day. She had spent two nights in the hospital. Her condition was comparatively better than before. Her reports were normal, only a few deficiencies were there in her which were to be taken care of.

It was half past eleven in the morning when Manjiri returned to her room after making sure that Adishri was comfortable.

She was awfully tired. She hadn't slept properly from past two days. She had stopped pondering over a few things, her all focus was her sister and her baby's health. Nothing else held much significance as they did.

However, she wouldn't lie in telling that something within her was telling her that she was wrong to doubt him and their relation. Priyal was no one to him. Even he was no one to Priyal.

But what about the ache which she had gone through because of them?

She was still somewhere unable to confine her that ache, her those insecurities and her those confused emotions. She was unable to confine that all.

She could mistake everything but not the looks by which Priyal used to look at Shaurya. Her looks contained something which was definitely more than just friendship. What was it really?

Manjiri didn't know and now she didn't even want to know. All she knew that she had her husband who cared for her. Past two days were enough to lead her to that conclusion and prove her that. She was wrong in doubting him.

His care and attention which had become her biggest dilemmas, were no longer existing in her mind. The rational part of her mind and heart convinced her to believe that they belonged to each other. But still something was there which was not settling within her, and she didn't know what was that.

She looked around. Everything was same, everything was at it's right place just as always. His belongings on his desk all neatly stacked, her belongings very haphazardly placed not very far from his, the photograph of his on the wall in front, the curtains, the bed... Everything around was as it was supposed to be but then still, nothing fely alright. It appeared tasteless. Nothing was exciting her.

She couldn't tell what was wrong. Was it she or something that she was thinking of at the back of her mind? Worst part was that she herself wasn't aware of what that was. She had no clue of what was still troubling her. With every passing minute, she couldn't control anything but feeling more paranoid.

There was so much rush around. Everything was moving forward but she was just as stuck as she was before. Panic tightened its bands around her chest.

As soon as she stepped out of the washroom after taking a long shower, she watched Shaurya entering the room and shutting the door quietly behind him.

Her heart dropped the instant he glanced up and when he saw her, he smiled a real Shaurya smile, eyes holding hers as he closed the distance between them.

"Hey!"

She scrutinized his mouth form the word - Hey. She stared up at him, wordless, as his fingertips brushed against her cheek and then got slipped into her hair.

Gently wrapping his other hand around her back and guiding her in, away from the washroom's door, he softly asked, "What is it?"

She slightly shook her head, still staring at him. He stared back, his hand still in her hair.

"Are you all right?"

Manjiri's breath caught in her throat, a watery hitch that meant tears were coming. "I'm not sure, Shaurya."

"What's the matter?"

The concern etched in his expression made her hit her panic mode even worse.

"I..."

Her eyes blurred with tears. He instantly pulled her against him. That was she needed the most. Him, his warm hard hug. He couldn't know how badly she required that. His strong arms wrapped around her, one hand cradling her head. Gently, his fingers slip through her hair, a comforting touch that made her first tears spill over and wet his shirt.

"What do you need?" He asked, his voice low and warm next to her ear. "Want to go near your sister?" She shook her head, locking her arms around his waist. Sighing, she whispered against his chest, "Need just this."

It took time but she slowly melted against him. She felt lighter. Sticking against him she literally stopped thinking about everything. She felt so much drained that she clung to him tightly for God knows how much time.

On the other hand, he was quite. Very unusually quite. In those moments, he didn't wish to hear anything from her. He just wanted her to take some rest. He knew she was greatly disturbed. Recent sudden events had left her severely frightened. He knew she feared people leaving her alone.

He walked her to the bed. She needed some sleep and he knew it.

"Try to sleep, Silly Head".

Shaurya voiced softly pulling a blanket over her. She wrapped her fingers around his hand, asking, "You're here?"

He took the silent plea of her into consideration and slipped in the same blanket least bothered that he still was in work clothes.

"Yes, I'm here."

She closed her eyes after resting her head on his shoulders and arm around his torso. She just want to hold on to peace. Hugging him closely she was drowned into deep slumber in minutes.

_

_

_

Manjiri woke up to a vacant side beside her. She sat up running a hand through her hair.

She turned towards the night stand to grab her phone. The time displaying on the screen was 16:08 which directly indicated that she had snoozed for too long. Her phone had been switched to airplane mode, and there she took no time in guessing out who could have done that.

No sooner did she disable the airplane mode than her phone repeatedly started beeping with numerous notifications. Ignoring all other texts except his, she immediately pressed her finger on his name.

Before I forget and you get a chance to complain again, I must tell you that I'd to leave for some important work.

Going to be very late tonight.

Got some emergency surgeries to assist.

Take care. And don't wait for me.

☮️

She sighed reading the texts once again. She was about to exit that texting app, and that was when her finger paused viewing seven texts from an unknown number. She couldn't stop herself from opening them cause the display picture of those texts' owner was more than familiar to her.

It was of course Priyal. She had managed to get Manjiri's phone number in Arsh's wedding party that night. But who was the man with her in that picture. She with him looked happy. They both looked happy.

Manjiri clicked and an e-invitation unfurled in front of her eyes. It was an engagement invitation.

Priyal was getting engaged the very next day with a guy named Dr Vinay Jadhav.

There ware a few texts from Priyal too.

Hey Manjiri! ♥️

It's me Priyal.

Do download the file above. 👆

And please be there along with Shaurya.

I would eagerly await your presence, with gifts of course.

Hehe... Just joking.🤭

"Oh God!"

Manjiri exhaled sharply with a tone that made her throat tighten with emotion. She looked down suddenly feeling terrible of all the things she thought, said and did senselessly. She doubted him. How could she? How sick was her mentality?

She literally didn't deserve to be with him. A feeling of self-despair crept within her.

Manjiri felt extremely sorry of who she was. She was sorry of who she had become. Tears of guilt pooled up in her eyes at the unexpected reality.

"We are captives of what we love, what we desire, and what we are....................."

_

_

_

"Maybe it was easier for me to lose my heart than to lose you. & so, I kept losing it all over again................"

It was unknown at what time did Shaurya return. It was only when the other side of the bed got gently pushed down, Manjiri realised his presence close to her.

Before he could slip his arm underneath her to scoop her up in the crook of his arm, just like always, Manjiri turned around surprising him. Their faces were so close, just a few centimetres away. He thought that she was sleeping but she wasn't.

"How are you feeling?"

He breathed against her face very softly. She drew in a breath, "Fine."

She didn't know what urge instantly took over her, too hungry to stop herself. Her thumb immediately got drifted to his jawline, then to the soft skin of his mouth. His body tensed up at that.

"Just fine? You know that's not good enough."

Barely had he muttered such things when she leaned in to brush her mouth against his. It was so gentle that he almost doubted if her lips were there.

That was brisk, her action got over in a couple of seconds, but it felt awkwardly intimate to Shaurya that instantly made his heart flutter. Pressing his forehead against hers, his hands went to her back underneath the blanket.

"I just wanna make sure that you're feeling good. That's all. You had scared me at few instances when..."

Stopping his words with an another soft peck against his mouth, she murmured. Her breath taking him in.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's ok."

He smiled with yet another surprise. His smile whispered on the skin of her cheek as he tucked her tightly against him so that their bodies could closely touch, thus making her aware of every inch of his.

As she swept her fingertips across the planes of his face, he couldn't help but drift his hands higher on her back until his touch didn't slip beneath her top. Hence, making her swallow roughly at that contact. His hands were chilly.

"Wow, you're being so warm as opposed to me who is freezing in this cold."

"Take more."

She meekly offered him the other end of the blanket so that he could cover himself properly. Instead of the blanket he held her hand.

"It won't help much." No sooner did he drawl out that then he yanked her onto him. Her weight anchored him against the cushions instantly. She couldn't even get a chance to think over of what just happened until he wrapped his arms around her back, mumbling against her shoulder, "Now, this seems ok."

Framing his shoulders with her elbows, she pulled back just enough to meet his eyes and cover both of them properly.

"I'm sorry, Shaurya."

"How many times? You just said that."

"I shouldn't have treated and talked to you like that. I really feel bad about it. I can't sleep with this fact that I..."

She couldn't complete her say after that. She couldn't tell him that she doubted him. She would prefer dying than to confess to him that. Her facial expressions changed in an instant causing him to tug her his way.

"That you?" He asked and inadvertently tears pricked the corner of her eyes. "It's perfectly fine. Moreover, I'd become habitual of your rudeness now. It didn't affect me that much now."

Shaurya sighed at the heat of her body so close to his, or over his. He slid his arm around her waist and sat up whilst hoisting her with himself. She looked at him confused as he unzipped his hoodie with one hand and threw it aside. His other hand was on her waist, thus keeping her in place.

Wasn't he freezing a little while ago?

A breathy gasp jumped out of her as he launched himself back against the cushions with her over him. His hands drifted from her waist to her hands.

Slowly, watching her, he took her hands underneath his t-shirt. He guided them all the way up, relishing the comforting warmth of her soft palms whilst whiffing her hair's faint fragrance.

The greeting of his mouth and her throat made her hands curl beneath the fabric of his tshirt.

She tipped her head, examining him closely as he examined her. He really meant a lot to her. And she wanted to tell him that. She slowly leaned in to press chaste pecks all over his face. Eyes, temple, nose, cheeks, stubble everywhere. Somewhere even twice. Very smoothly and unhurriedly.

A sound of satisfaction, a happy hum left his throat as he registered her administrations in his consciousness. He was pleasantly surprised. The girl whom he loved was doing that to him.

He too repeated her gestures by pecking at exactly all those places where she had left her impressions on his face.

It wasn't a repay but his love. And he just hoped that she would understand and accept that.

As he did that, a sudden shade of guilt ran across her face. She was so wrong to question him and what they both had in between them.

She squeezed him hard, burying her face in his neck, hiding those new abruptly forming tears. Tears of guilt. Tears of relief. Happy tears. Distressed tears. It was a deluge of feelings that instantly made her weak and limp against him.

She tugged him closer, holding him in place as she untangled her thoughts. No, she couldn't let her insecurities, her guilt and her bitter feelings come in the way.

Slipping a finger beneath her chin, he tilted her face until her eyes meet his. As she glanced up, their noses brushed against each other. And before their mouths could, he carefully traced his thumb beneath her one eye.

"Are you crying?"

She didn't reply and then he didn't probe further. Instead he just tilted his face a little and took her mouth in his. And surprisingly she too equally participated.

Each brush of their mushes was deeper, hungrier than the last. Their eyes were shut. They took long, longer than their previous few times, it felt like they were designed to do that at then.

She poured everything in that contact she was too frightened to say. She attempted to tell him with her touch and her mouth and her each breathless sigh what all he always made her feel.

And how timorous, thrilled and wildly in love she was with him. The first and the last person she would have ever thought she would love or would love her back.

But the question was - did he love her too? Perhaps he does. But what if he doesn't?

Moments later, his abrupt query brought her out of her thoughts,

"By the way, what had happened to you before all the hospital scenario?"

"Don't make me answer that now, please."

She requested in a weak tone whilst snuggling against his chest. She feared that he might not like her if she let him know everything. What if he got disgusted by her?

She was so badly stuck in a weird phase of wanting to communicate but not being able to. And especially at then, she was literally lacking the right words to communicate to him.

"Ok!" He muttered with a slight disappointment. He wanted to know but he also respected her boundaries. Few seconds later, he probed which was more like a suggestion to her, "How about tomorrow?"

"Ok, tomorrow. But only on one condition? Please promise me that you'll not judge me."

She thought for some time and then put forward meekly. He blinked confused, although she wasn't looking at him. She had her head placed against his chest.

"Promise. But what did you do that you're saying like this?"

"Tomorrow, please."

She kind of begged closing her eyes, swallowing the lump of heavy emotions and guilt down her throat.

"Alright!"

He made a sound of quiet satisfaction, not prying much and burying his nose in her hair and breathing her in.

"Could you just hold me tighter?"

She demanded and clutched him close as she slid her palms up his chest. He obliged wholeheartedly. He was what all she needed. And she was what he was in need of. They kept clutching each other until they couldn't stay awake any longer.

_

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_

There was no one other than them. No other intruder and not even a single disturbance.

Their fingers were interlaced and eyes were locked. He was telling her about something and she was just adoring his serene eyes over the glasses of his black specs. They sat by the same river bank. Bank of River Sarda. Just like that day.

He wasn't letting her hand go free. Even though she wanted to fix her hair which was severely getting disturbed by the blowing wind. She requested but he didn't listen. He didn't have the intention to let her hand go. He kept on holding it tightly, like he was trying to hold on to her.

Anyhow, she managed to free her hand from his hold. And just then a storm came up making her eyes go close. The storm was cold and violent. In all, it was utterly monstrous.

She opened her eyes to chance a glance next to her. And much to her astonishment, he wasn't there. She anxiously looked around. He wasn't anywhere around.

She hurriedly got up in search of him. She looked everywhere. And long last, she saw his retreating figure very far from her. But why was he walking away from her?

She called out his name running behind him. He looked behind and smiled slightly but carried on walking away from her.

Did he find a way to go away from her forever?

Was he too quitting on her? No, she won't let him do that.

And suddenly somebody pushed her into the river, letting her to drown and die.

Manjiri woke up with a slight jolt and then double quickly turned to the other side. He was there, still sleeping next to her.

She took a sigh of relief as she sat up to drink some water. Her eyes travelled to view the time, it was almost five in the morning. Still evidently dark outside.

Dreams hardly used to visit her while sleeping, maybe once or twice in a month. And the dream she just saw was such a haunting dream.

Before the sip of water could move down her throat, something crossed her mind. She remembered her grandmother telling her that the dreams one has in the very early hours before one wakes up are fated to happen in real life.

She looked at Shaurya and then shook her head slightly. It was just a superstitious notion and nothing more. But what if...........

"It'd take hours to explain," I said................
"I'd listen to you for hours," he said.

~~~

Dear ones, do share your honest views on this chap and the story, as this is the only source of motivation which literally pushes me to pen down.
This can also help me in improving. So yes, eagerly waiting now.

I would really appreciate if each one of you will come and put forward your genuine reviews + expectations from me and
"JI HUZOORI".

~~~

This is it for now. Hope you liked it. I am sorry for the mistakes.

In case if you want to share your views or suggest something, you are more than welcome.

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Love ♥️✨