~He was lonely, she was lively.
He was scared of love, she was scared to love.
But they met, and life changed, for both of them~

The next day started again as usual with a chirpy 'Good morning' but a not so enthusiastic and a very low reply. Nandini looked at him from head to toe and worry easily could be seen in her doe shaped eyes.

" What's wrong?", she asked concerned.

"Nothing, just a mild headache", Manik looked up at her with a faint smile.

It didn't convince Nandini but she stayed mum for the time being. They continued with the work and Manik checked the files he had on his table. It was an hour to lunch when Nandini reminded him about his lunch meeting with some foreign delegates. Manik nodded and took the file in his hand and got up from his seat engrossed in reading the file. Nandini was still sitting in her chair when she heard a sound, something like a file falling and she looked up to find Manik holding the side of table to hold himself from collapsing.

Running towards him, she held him by shoulders and made him sit. She gave him a glass of water and accidentally her hand rubbed over his which was when she felt the warmth spreading. Astonished, she touched his forehead to find him burning.

Nandini went pale seeing him in so much discomfort. Now it was clear to her why his voice was that low and face pale. She just looked at him with rage evident on her face. Giving him a glass of water, she called for his car.

A little later when Manik felt strong enough to walk to the conference room, he stood up, took the file and asked Nandini to follow him. Nandini was literally befuddled at his ignorance of his health.

"Excuse me, where do you think you are going?", Nandini questioned with her arms folded across her chest.

Manik turned and looked at her. He was surprised to see the worry clearly evident on her face and yet her struggle to show herself arrogant.

"We have a meeting?", Manik frowned at her.

"No we don't. I cancelled it. You are heading home ", Nandini said with such an expression that Manik could not reply her. By then the chauffeur said car was ready. She just held his hand and draaged him to the car, not even thinking about what her colleagues would say or think. She setteled with him in the back seat, while the driver rode the car towards the mansion.

Meanwhile Manik felt numb. Not only because he had high fever but also because it was really a long time after which someone was claiming right over him and caring for him. Nandini enetered with him and called for Kaka to escort him to his room. She entered the kitchen to make some soup for him. It was her mother's cardinal recipe. By the time she went to his room with the soup, she found him drowsy and shivering a little. She ran towards him and covered him with the duvet. Soon the doctor came and checked him up. He prescribed few medicines and an injection to drop the fever fast.

"See, it's just a mild fever. I have given the medicines and he will be fine soon. But I think, there is some high degree of weakness physically. Doesn't he eat required food and have his sleep?", The doctor questioned and Nandini didn't have an answer. Tears welled up in her eyes when the doctor left.

It had been difficult for Nandini, always, to see the people she cared for in such pain. She just sat by his side and patted his forehead. It was still very warm. So she brought ice cubes and water from the kitchen and dipped her hankey in the cold water to keep on his forehead. After about an hour Manik opened his eyes to find Nandini still sitting at his bedside with cold water dips. He was so overwhelmed with the flowing emotions that he could not even thank her. When Nandini saw him awake, all her worries and fear dropped in form of hot tears.

" I understand that you want attention, but like this?", Nandini couldn't control the tears that poured out of her eyes uncontrollably.

"Who ignores his health like this Manik? Do you know how I much I was worried? Especially when you were shivering like that?", She threw questions at him and he accepted everything with silence, for he seriously Could not fathom what to say.

Till day, people had sometimes sympathesized with him, felt sorry for him, sometimes even cursed him for mistakes he never did but none ever had shed tears for him. No one ever cried for him being worried for him. He was seriously numb. He just went forward and hugged her tightly and she reciprocated with equal favor. Both stayed like that for some time when Nandini remembered he needed proper healthy food. So she broke the hug and went for kitchen. She made some light vegetable soup for him and brought to his room.

"Have it, now!", she said forwarding the bowl of soup.

Manik looked at it, with a horrified face swallowing the lump. He was skeptical to deny her but he hated such bland food.

"It's so bland", he said like a kid and Nandini started laughing seeing his expressions.

"Maybe but you don't have any option", Nandini gave him a sweet smile that meant no excuses will be entertained.

When he still didn't seem like he would really eat it, she sat beside him on the bed and forwarded a spoon of it to him.

" You know what, when I was really small, my mother used to feed me like this", she spoke as she fed him, and continued with her silly story, until he finished it all. A smile graced her face.

For a man with such a rough tough exterior as him, he could be a really small kid at times.

She then handed him the medicines that he swallowed without a fuss, and then made him lay down, covering him with the duvet. He looked at her but didn't say anything. Nandini felt disappointed watching him still fight with himself to express his thoughts. But she didn't let it show on her face, as she sat beside him, running her hands through his hairs until he actually fell asleep. Later, she took the plate and came to kitchen to do the dishes.

" Betaji", Kaka said to her,"Thank you for caring for him that much", he said with tears in his eyes.

Nandini smiled at him and nodded her head. Later she again went to his room for she was afraid that his nightmares might haunt him. So she spent the entire evening sitting at his bedside holding his hand in her hand.

The whole night passed with Nandini sitting by his bedside holding Manik's hand. But since he was under the affect of heavy antibiotics he slept smoothly.

The morning sun brightened the earth along with his room. He was the first to wake up and smiled seeing the sight in front of him. Nandini was sleeping cutely with her head on the bed, their hands entwined. He smiled at her and tried to move out of her grip without disturbing her sleep. But as soon as he moved, Nandini sat up afraid that he again had those haunting nightmares but relaxed seeing him going towards the washroom. He freshened up and came back only to find Nandini waiting with coffee and healthy breakfast of scrambled eggs and juice.

" Nandini, I think I am fine now", Manik said looking elsewhere trying his best to dodge the food.

"That I am going to dceide. Have this for now, and yes, no office today!", She declared crossing her hands on her chest.

Manik did not even remember the last time he had skipped office like this. He frowned at her.

"Really? I am the boss and I am going", he declared too with arms folded across his chest. Both gave angry glares to each other.

"You are not"

"Yes i am. Watch me"

"No"

" yes "

"No"

"Yes"

" Nooo"

"Yess"

"Fine go, and then don't talk to me after that" , Nandini said with a angry pout and she looked so adorable that Manik burst out laughing.

"Okay I am not going. You will talk now", Manik surrendered as he walked towards her and tucked a loose strand of her messy braid begins her ear. Nandini grinned ear to ear and made him sit on the bed and properly have his breakfast. Then she left for office to see no work remain unattended.

A week passed in a jiffy with Nandini properly taking care of Manik and office together, alongwith his meals and medications and ensured that he had proper rest.

Manik did not tell it to her but he was really touched by her concern. At times he could not help but judge her concern. He was afraid that may be she was so worried and helpful for all of her friends. After a long time he had experienced care and warmth in his life which he did not want to loose at any cost.

On the other hand Nandini was terribly confused because of the lack of grip on her own self. Why was she so worried about him? Why did tears fell from her eyes when he was suffering? Why was she so desperate to bring back happiness in his life? She had no answers or may be she had but did not want to acknowledge.

Next day in office, Manik was in the conference room for a meeting. The meeting went really long and by the time he was free he was really tired. He just took a cup of coffee from the canteen and went towards his cabin. As he opened the door, he found the place pitch dark. For a moment he was scared but then he collected himself and went for the switch. As he switched on the lights, a shower of glitter with flower petals welcomed him. He was awestruck with the decoration. A big banner of BEST BOSS IN THE WORLD was hanged on the wall behind his chair. A big cake with a small miniature Manik sitting on his chair, was waiting for him in the desk. The whole room was decorated and all his employees were standing with a big smile on their faces.

"Come inside sir, we are waiting for you to cut the delicious cake", Kavita ji dragged him in. He cut the cake and everyone fed peices to each other.

"We know sir you are confused with this sudden celebration. But we all thought you do so much for all of us, hence we wanted to make you happy too", one of the senior employee said and Manik hugged him in reflex.

"Whatever I am, it's all because of all of you", he smiled at them and everyone enjoyed the small party hosted.

Manik was really very happy. This was enough of a sweet gesture for him to understand that there are people whom he affects, people who will stand with him in his good or bad not only because he is their boss but because they actually respect him and love him. The happiness was evident through the glow on his face.

Nandini was also happy seeing him happy. It was her who had actually taken the pain to organize all these decor just to witness this serene peace on his face.

Sometimes all we want is that special person be happy, everything we do is keeping in mind that special person's reaction. We do not even realise how someone becomes such important part of our life but then life is all about unexpected events in unexpected way and love is all about falling for the most unexpected person in most unexpected way, isn't it?