Manik entered the room and was relieved seeing her awake. 

"Thank God you are up. You scared me." He said to her while moving towards one side of the bed as Abhi on the other side was checking her blood pressure. She faintly smiled at him and Manik looked at Abhi. 

"Is she fine? What happened to her?" Manik asked Abhi and he looked at Nandini who averted her gaze from both of them.

"Manik, Nanhi is fine for now but not really fine." Abhi said to Manik and he frowned on his statement. 

"What do you mean? I didn't get it." He asked him suspiciously. All the while Nandini was fidgeting with her fingers in nervousness, unsure of the reaction Manik will give after knowing the biggest truth of Nandini's life that she has kept hidden from him and everyone.   

"Manik, Nanhi wants to say something to you and I request you as her brother to let her say what she wants to and try to understand her. Please, it's a genuine request. " Abhi said in a pleading tone to him and Manik was confused. He looked at Nandini and found her staring her hands that were in her lap.

He came to the other side of the bed and stood in front of Abhi. "Abhi, why are saying all this? This request and all? I trust you guys, please don't say all this." Manik said to Abhi and he just nodded his head.

He looked at Nandini and then at Abhi. Both were fighting with their own emotions. 

"What's it guys, will anyone speak up. You both are scaring me." Manik spoke anxiously. Abhi looked at Manik who with eyes again asked him. Abhi turned towards Nandini and saw her taking deep breaths to avoid crying.

"Nanhi, speak up. Trust me. Just go ahead." Abhi assured her and she looked at him. He blinked his eyes in assurance and Nandini took a deep breath to gather courage.

She looked at Manik who was looking blanking at her.

"I want you to know something Manik. Something that is related to me which for sure will affect you too." She said looking at Manik and he just stood there trying to get the meaning of her words.

"Manik, you were right. There was a reason why I was pushing you away from me. The reason I didn't wanted you to come close to me was because I didn't wanted to hurt you." She stopped in between and Manik with confused expressions nodded his head to continue.

"Manik I am not well. My health conditions are not good and I have very less time left with me." She managed to say and Manik was speechless.

"What?" He was able to utter only a single word after minutes of silence and looked at Abhi and Nandini in shock.

She then narrated all the incidents starting from one year back when she met with an accident and came to know about her problem.

"On the day we were supposed to meet, I saw my reports at bhai's place which clearly indicated that I don't have much time left. Even less than what was known to me earlier and that this time surgery will also not help. I was shattered Manik. How would have I come to you knowing that I will be leaving you soon." Nandini ended up in tears and Manik was clueless how to react.

Abhi looked at Manik who was standing numb trying to register what Nandini revealed just now. 

"I didn't wanted her to know this. But she saw the file in my room." Abhi added and Manik looked at Abhi with teary eyes.  

Abhi patted his shoulder and left the room, sensing they need privacy to talk.

Manik felt short of breath hearing the dreadful news of his life. Tons of molten lava seemed to be poured on him. Just month back, he experienced the fear of loosing her and now he was about to loose her again. 

He had already gone through the pain and trauma of losing the love of life and yet again almighty was testing his patience.  

Nandini was crying badly recalling the tragedy of her life. How ironic it was that when she didn't wanted to get cured, she was living and now when she wanted to live life and live with the love of her life, she was slowly pacing towards her demise. 

Her sobs brought Manik out of his trance. He immediately sat in front of her and pulled her for a tight hug to which she responded instantly and snuggled into him and much as she could.

"shh.. quiet. quiet." He rubbed her back trying to stop her from crying, which by then had become vigorous, but he himself was in tears. 

After few minutes, he broke the hug, controlling his tears and wiped her face with his palm. He cupped her face and said while rubbing his thumb over her eyes, removing the tears that her eyes were still holding, "Don't cry bacha. So what if you don't have time, we will live every moment of the time we have with us. We will make every second a memorable one. Trust me."

She cried more listening to him and hugged him with all her force. She hid her face in his chest, drenching his shirt with her tears. He kissed her hair numerous time and rested his forehead on her head but couldn't stop himself from crying as well.   

*************

They remained like that for long, fighting with their own emotions and trying to support other. Manik knew he needed to be strong for her. He broke the hug slowly, and fetched water for her from the side table. He himself made her drink it holding the glass and sat beside her. 

She rested her head on his shoulder and held his hand firmly in between hers. He kissed her temple and she closed her eyes feeling it. Both sat there in silence, not knowing what to say to other. 

After minutes of silence, Manik titled his head to look at her and saw her shedding silent tears. 

He wiped the tears with his free hand and said in a stern tone, "That's it. No more crying and tears." She raised her head from his shoulder and composed herself not to cry more. 

"Come on now lie down and sleep for while." Manik said and she without any tantrums laid down and he patted her head to make her sleep. Due to intensive crying, she was asleep within minutes. 

Manik made sure that she is sleeping peacefully. He glanced her face and caressed her cheek with his thumb. Her words echoed in his mind and he again felt shattered but then composed himself and walked out of the room to talk to Abhi. 

***************

Abhi was in appointment with his patient and Manik entered his cabin. After few minutes, Abhi was free and Manik sat opposite to him. 

"Abhi, Nandini." Manik couldn't manage to say more and Abhi nodded in understanding what he wants to ask.

"Manik, Nandini's condition was already bad and after that fire accident it has worsened." Abhi informed him.

"But Abhi, there has to a way out right." Manik asked him lots of hope and Abhi sighed.

"Surgery. A surgery needs to be done but we are not sure. Where the chances of survival was 40% before, this time its merely 10%. There is a huge, really huge risk involved." Abhi informed him and Manik closed his eyes to gulp down the lump formed in his throat listening to him.

"Why did she fell unconscious?" Manik asked after the silence of few minutes.

"That was because of stress. She was advised earlier also that she should not take any sort of stress or it will effect her health but guess she didn't took it seriously." Abhi informed him and Manik cursed himself for making her cry by his rude  behaviour all the while.

They both continued to talk about her health and Manik made sure to know every single detail related to her health.

After an hour, Nandini was awake and after getting few tests done was discharged, from where Manik took her home.

******

Manik drove towards Nandini's home in her car but didn't talked further to her regarding her health. He tried his best to divert her mind by talking about random things and was successful in it.

They reached at her place and Manik made sure that she does stress herself more thinking about it so he involved her with himself in cooking.

They together prepared lunch for themselves with lots of fun fights and teasings. Both for that moment forgot about the dreadful reality they faced today.

They had their lunch together as after a long time they both were normal to each other, unlike the past days when they deliberately tried to avoid each other.

Post lunch, Manik saw her taking medicines and took a full account of her course. He carefully read her medical fine that contained details about her medicines and diet.

Manik convinced Nandini to take a nap and himself slept while making her sleep.

*********

In the evening, Nandini opened her eyes and found herself alone on bed. She searched for him in the entire house but he was no where, when suddenly her eyes fell on a note stuck on the mirror of her dressing table.

Sorry for leaving like this but had a really really important work and you were sleeping so didn't woke you up. I am locking the house from my set of keys. Take care and proper rest and please don't stress yourself. Will call you once I get free.

Manik.

She smiled seeing the note and kept it safely. Few hours passed by watching TV and on net, when it was time for Navya to return.

Navya came back from work and Nandini decided not to tell her about today's incident right now.

**********

A/N - just a piece of advice. DO NOT MISS THE NEXT UPDATE... 😋😋.... Enjoy!