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******

Manik's POV

Everything was blur. For me. Where to go? Where not to? I felt numb. I felt there was no earth beneath me when...

When doctor said my son... Our son has only fifty percent of survival.

Nandini was shattered. She hasn't uttered a word after that. And I? I was broken. I know I being a father I have to be strong to handle my wife, my son, my daughter and my family.

But am I capable of?

No... I am not. I am not strong enough to see my son... my son dying.

I know how serious is this. What did we ask for? Did we ask for more? No. We only asked a happily ever after but I forgot that happily ever after is always in Mahi's fairy tales and not in real life.

And this was real life.

How must my son would be feeling? His heart was weak. I wish to give him my heart if that is possible. But I want him to live. To see this beautiful world.

I leaned on the couch back and tears rolled down my eyes. Nandini has locked herself in our room with Neel. Mahi was at our neighbour's place playing. And I? I needed to gather myself for the coming storm.

But how? That was the question. How do I choose one option to save my kid? What should I choose which will lead our son back to us. If we at all lose him...

No... why even I am thinking this way. I shouldn't think negative. I should think positive.

"Manik..." I heard Bhaiya from beside me as he sat beside me. None of our family member knew what we conversed in the doctor's cabin. Not even Mom. Because the whole drive was silent and muzzy.

"Tu thik hai?" He asked and I shook my head looking down. Tears rand own my cheeks and I palmed my face. I sobbed silently in my palm. Can I ever... ever explain how does it felt to me? She was a mother... But I... I was a father too. I had a heart and seeing my son like that... It just breaks me.

"Manik sambhal khud ko..." He whispered caressing my back as I was a little bent down.

"How? How do I handle this?" I whispered and looked up to see everyone including Mom, Dad, Raj Chachu, Mira Chachi and Bhabhi standing there worriedly. Some had tears and some had worry on their face.

"Talk it out. Bata tou sahi aisi kya baat huyi doctor ke cabin main? Neel... wo thik hai na?" Mom spoke sitting exactly beside me. Everyone else too settled down around me waiting for me to spill the beans.

I sniffed and Mom wiped my tears rapidly "He's not fine... he's not healthy." I whispered and tears again ran down my eyes.

I heard few gasps from around me which made me cry even more.

"Neel is... suffering from VSD. He has a hole in his heart which is rapidly getting bigger and bigger. Agar jald hi kuch nahi kiya tou..." I spoke looking down tears rolling down my throat.

"Tou?" I heard a worried voice from in front of me. I looked up to see Bhabhi tearing up.

"Tou we might... we might lose him..." I whispered and sniffed. I was held in a tight hug from beside me and I knew who it was. Mom.

"Aisa lag raha hai sab khatam ho raha hai... sab hath se nikla jaa raha hai... Main Neel ko nahi kho sakta Mom... Main... Nandini ko bhi kho dunga..." I had a fear. If it's not him... we might not be the same Manik and Nandini. She will break and I will be in guilt that I couldn't save my kid.

"Use kuch nahi hoga Manik... Koi to solution hoga?" I heard Dad.

I nodded and pulled back from Mom's hug who was crying too. I wiped my tears.

"Hai... there are only two options..." I spoke.

"Which are?" Raj Chachu asked almost immediately.

"One is medication... They inject few medicines every week twice in him to close the hole. If it gets closed, then it's fine but if not... He'll not survive" I looked up.

"And dusra?" Bhabhi asked this time.

"Open heart surgery." I spoke and Mom almost jumped and gasped beside me.

"Open... Heart surgery?" She asked stunned.

I nodded and looked at her "Usme bhi... risk hai... Doctor said the hole is quite big... au raise situation main... Sirf fifty percent patients survive karte hai..."

I sighed sadly and looked down "I don't know... what to do... Dono hi rasto mein... Main sirf Neel ko khota huva dekh raha hun... Jo main nahi hone de sakta..." A knot was formed in my heart which was causing immense pain in my heart.

"Aisa kuch nahi hoga Manik..." Raj Chachu spoke and I sighed.

"I just wish aisa na ho Chachu.... I just hope ke mera beta.... Mera beta bach jaye..." I whispered and got up to have some alone time.

I needed to cry it out first so that I can go strong in front of Nandini and take care of her. Give her some strength. But first I need to gather some strength.

I looked at the God's idol in front of me and I joined my hands.

I am begging... begging to have some mercy on my kid. On us....

Please give me strength to be strong enough to handle my son, my daughter and my wife. Give me strength to fight with this battle with all I have.

"Manik..." I heard Dad from beside me and I turned myself towards him still my hands joined.

"Dad..." I cried out hard and he hugged me instantly.

"I don't know how I console Nandini..." I sobbed while he kept patting my back.

"Ro le jitna rona hai... Uske samne mat rona... Wo tut jayegi... Tujhe sambhalna hai ab..." He spoke while I broke the hug and nodded.

"Main kya faisla lun jisse main... main use bacha saku... I don't know... All I know is... I want my son... fit and fine... in front of me. Dad..." I cried.

"Main samjh sakta hun... Main bhi baap hun..." He spoke while I nodded.

Of course who will understand better than him.

"Thande dimag se soch. Kaunsa risk worth taking hai. Kaha thodi sib hi umeed hai... Thik hai. Au raise mat jana Nandu ke samne... Apne aap ko sambhal aur usse bhi thodi himmat do. Thik hai... Aur hum sab tou hai hi. Hum aise thodi na haar manenge. Aaj tak har mushibat main hum sab sath khade rahe hai. Aaj bhi rahenge. Aur saamna karenge isska. Mil ke... aur ek jood hoke." He spoke while nodded sniffing.

"yes Dad... You are right. We don't lose. We fight back. Kam problems dekhi hai main aur Nandini ne. isse bhi sath milkar paar karenge. Hum saath hai tou kuch bhi impossible nahi hai." I nodded and reminded myself that how many times we have handles such critical situations.

Whether it's our separation, bringing back the family together, Aryaman and Pihu and so much more. We never gave up then why now today? I know it's not as easy as it was before because it's about our child's life and death but I know that together... we will survive this too. Like always. Forever.

"Manik ye lo... Pani pi lo" I heard Bhabhi and I nodded. I gulped down the water and sighed taking a deep breath.

"About this... Mahi and Aarush shouldn't know." I declared handling the glass to Bhabhi back.

Dad and Bhabhi nodded at me.

"Nandini ko dekho na aik baar... I am worried." Bhabhi whispered lowly and I nodded.

I took a deep sigh before entering our room. I entered inside just to see mother and son duo sleeping on the bed.

Neel was as usual stuck to Nandini like his life dependent on her.

I bit back my tears. You need to be strong Manik. Come on!

I walked inside hazily and sat down on my knees beside Nandini who was staring at Neel with full concentration. I am worried for her. She hasn't cried out since we came back from hospital. She need to show up. She need to open up. What is going on inside you Nandini. Tell me. I am here to listen.

She didn't acknowledge my presence beside her.

I gulped down the lump in my throat and softly placed my hand on her arm.

"Nandini..." I called out but she didn't look at me. Oh Baby!

"Nandini listen to me..." I felt the back of my throat giving up. Tears brimming up again.

She finally looked at me and stared at me with so many questions in her eyes. I hated to see her so devastated.

"Manik..." She cried out and I took her in the tightest hug so that I could take her all the pain. Who will understand this pain more than me?

"Manik... Use... use bachalo please... Main... Main..." He meek voice broke me into pieces. He hands clutched my shirt so tightly. I knew she was so scared. So scared to lose him just like me.

"Listen to me... Listen to me..." I pulled out while she kept shaking her head sobbing hard.

I held her face in my hands and made her look at me. She was sobbing and I was crying too. I wish this time shall pass soon.

"Hum... hum Neel ko kuch nahi hone denge okay? Agar sath hai tou hum... hum sab mushkilo ka samna karenge haina?" I asked and my own eyes teared up.

She nodded crying and glanced at Neel who was clutching her stole tightly in his hand sleeping peacefully. Oh my son... you don't know how much you mean to us baby. How much you make us happy.

"Can you see. He's holding up to me. Manik I have save him..." She looked back at me and I nodded.

"He'll keep holding up to you. And for that... you need to be strong. I need to be strong. For him... for Mahi. Okay?" I spoke still tears running down my cheeks.

She cried out looking down "Aisa kyun ho raha hai humare sath? Humare bache ke sath?"

"He wants to take a test that we can together survive this or not. And we will fail him and we will win." I spoke wiping her tears.

She nodded and stared at me "We will survive this right?"

I nodded and rested my forehead against hers closing my eyes taking a deep breath "We will... together we will."

I opened my eyes only to see her looking at me.

"Papa... Mamma... Neel" We heard another loud chirpy voice and I instantly wiped mine and Nandini's tears. Mahi can't see us crying.

"No crying okay? She can't see us crying" I whispered as we saw Mahi coming. She ran towards me and O held her close to me.

"Neel is sleeping?" She asked peeking behind Nandini. She smiled slightly and nodded.

Mahi slapped her own forehead and murmured some curses to Neel making me smile.

"Where were you?" Nandini asked caressing her cheeks.

"Sanya ke house. But it's very boring there without Neel. Wake him up... Neel... Neeeeeeeeeeel" She yelled out loud only to be shut by me.

"He's sleeping baby" I spoke and Nandini wrapped Neel in blanket.

"He sleeps so much nowadays. Aarush Bhaiya is in school. What do I do?" She raised her nose up showing how much angry she was.

"So maybe you also start going to school from tomorrow?" Nandini asked her holding her arms and kneeling exactly beside me.

She frowned immediately "Without Neel?"

I and Nandini gave each other a look and then glanced at her "Who will help me in classwork? Whom I will bully? Who will take care of me?" She bombarded us with so many questions.

"You know na Mamma... Neel ke bina Mahi iss ghal ke bahar step bhi ni rakhegi." She uttered flickering her eyelashes making me and Nandini again in dilemma.

Just like us Mahi was attached to Neel too in a very different way. She was his sister. She was big sister to him of course by only few minutes but she was. She always loved to take care of him.

Neel was an integral part of all three of us lives.

If we lose him... somewhere we three will lose our sanity.

"He will join you again. It's just right now... Neel needs rest... tab tak aap school attend karo... jab wo school wapas jayega tou uska tou bahot sara sikhna baki reh jayega na? agar aap ne sikha hai tou aap unko bhi sikha sakte ho. Hai na?" I spoke while she made faces.

She looked at Neel for sometimes and then looked at me and then at Nandini. Nandini had looked down for obvious reasons.

"Neel... Neel wapas aayega na?" She asked innocently and Tears breamed in my eyes making my vision blur.

Nandini's head snapped up at hers and my eyes were stuck at her.

"wo kahi gaya hi nahi... hum use kahi nahi jane denge" She whispered looking at Mahi while I bit my lip hard.

"Pakka Plomish?" Mahi asked. And we both nodded.

"Pakka Promise" We both whispered.

Mahi sighed and then climbed up the bed. She laid beside Neel looking at him and caressed his face.

"I miss you Neel... Mahi will not let you go" She spoke and our eyes teared up. Nandini was trying hard not to cry. While I held her petite frame in mine holding her.

"Mamma... Should I also sleep for some time?" She asked looking at Nandini.

Nandini immediately smiled and tucked her inside the duvet and both our kids looked so serene sleeping. Hand in hand.

An unbreakable bond they have. They fight bit at the end of the day they both know each other's value in their own life.

"I want this forever Manik. Humesha..." Nandini looked up at me crying and I nodded.

"I will not let go of our humesha... Our kids..." I whispered as she kept her hand on my heart and side hugged me watching our kids sleep.

Together we will survive this. yes. We will.

******

Later that night, I was sitting with my laptop in my hand because Cabir had video called.

"Tu thik hai?" He asked as he saw my gloomy face.

I sighed and replied "For now yes"

"Don't worry. Neel is a fighter." He spoke while I nodded. Apparently, Nandini was making both the kids on sleep in their room. The atmosphere in the house was all sad and painful. None spoke anything on the dinner table too. Maybe waiting for us to take a decision.

"Kya socha hai phir? Which option you guys are going with?" He asked while I just sighed. I haven't had a word about it with Nandini. She hasn't opened up about what she wants and thinks about this.

"I don't know. Need to think a lot. All the pros and cons. And... I haven't discussed this with Nandini" I spoke.

"Manik... Nandu?" I heard did coming in the picture and asking.

"She is making kids sleep" I whispered.

"Sab thik hoga thik hai..." She spoke worriedly and I nodded.

Just then I saw Nandini coming in the room and she left the room door ajar for kids to walk in any time.

"Cabir and Navya didi..." I spoke and she walked towards the bed. She settled beside me meekly and looked in the screen.

"Nandu... Oh my God... How much did you cry?" Navya didi almost panicked watching her red puffy eyes because of constant crying.

I glanced at her while she shook her head slightly looking at me. I held her hand in mine and whispered "We decided not to cry"

She looked at me with those puffy glassy eyes "I am sorry... It's so much for me"

I sighed and held her hand tight.

"Nandu bilkul rona nahi hai. Sab thik hoga... Sab achha hi hoga... Aur Neel tou Bhagwan ka bacha hai..." I heard Cabir saying.

Nandini nodded silently dropping tears from her cheeks.

"Hum aa rahe hai waha. Mera tou jee bahot gabhra raha hai" I heard Didi saying putting her hand on her heart.

"Haan... Main aaj hi jake tickets book kar deta hun. Mujhe bhi achha nahi lag raha hai aise Nandu ko aur Manik ko waha akele chhod ke" Cabir spoke just behind her.

I sighed "guys... come if it is possible. I mean... Abeer ka school bhi tou hoga... I don't want to disturb everyone around"

"Shut up... Bakwas ki tou maar khayega... Hum Neel ko aisi halat main kaise chhod sakte hai? Nandu... tum hi ise samjao" Cabir scolded me.

I turned my gaze towards Nandini who was silently looking at our entwined hands.

"Come soon" She whispered and my heart broke again into million pieces. Seeing the only strength getting weak was making me weak too.

"Haan jald hi... Thik hai... Chinta mat karna" Navya didi spoke from the call.

I nodded and side hugged Nandini.

"Chal milte hai... Good night Nandu... Bilkul rona mat... hum aa rahe hai thik hai" Cabir spoke before cutting the call.

I placed the laptop beside on the side table.

"So gaye dono?" I asked softly while she just nodded looking down.

I took a deep breath and chinned up her face "What happened?"

"I have a bad feeling" She whispered and her eyes became glassy again.

"Abhi ke liye sochna bandh kardo please. Thode din hai na humare pas. Let's think about it tomorrow with a fresh mind. Hmm?" I spoke caressing her cheeks which had tears traces.

She nodded and lay down keeping her head on my chest. I instantly wrapped my hands around her keeping her safe in my arms.

******

The next day was tiring. I had an important meeting which I couldn't miss. So I had to half-heartedly leave Neel and Nandini at home. I dropped Mahi at school by myself because she shouldn't feel neglected in the house.

I was seated in my cabin with my head rested back. It was almost luch time and Nandini haven't called or messaged even I didn't call her or messaged. I think we need time to console even each other. It was all too much to take for her and for me too.

"You okay buddy?" I heard Dhruv from front. Alia too walked in my cabin along with two coffee mugs. Lately Alia was helping me and Dhruv in our office. She too loved music so... it was easy plus she was very good at marketing so it was good help to me.

"Take this." She gave me the coffee mug.

I took it and sighed.

"pata nahi..." I whispered and answered Dhruv.

"Manik we know this is a situation in which we can just console you cause the real pain won't be felt by us." Dhruv spoke while I just nodded.

"What did you think? are you guys going for the surgery?" Alia asked.

I looked at her who was watching me worriedly "I don't know. Right now I am still trying to adapt the fact that he is not okay. It is all so much right now. I don't know how to handle Nandini. She is completely broken"

"I understand Manik... I am a mother too. And I can feel her pain. I just want you guys to be together in this. and we all are there okay? Sab thik ho jayega. Neel bhi aur Nandini bhi" She spoke holding my hand.

I nodded and smiled slightly at her.

"if you ask me... Please go for surgery... It's safer than... the medication... I mean..." Dhruv whispered.

"Dhruv... It's open heart surgery... They are going to operate his heart... I don't think Nandini will ever agree to this. No mother will Dhruv" Alia spoke just after him.

I licked my lips. I am afraid of the same thing. Nandini won't agree for surgery.

"Guys please... I just want to go home right now... Can I leave please?" I asked sighing deeply.

They both looked at each other and then looked at me "You don't have to ask buddy. Aur yaha ki chinta bilkul mat karna. Main aur Alia sambhal lenge"

I nodded and walked out silently. I have to talk to Nandini about the treatment. We can't delay.

Reaching home, All I saw was Nandini holding both the kids in her hands and watching television with them.

I smiled and kept my bag on the couch. Nandini's eyes were heavy with sleep. didn't I already know that the whole night she didn't sleep. Just like me.

"Papa...." Mahi chirped and her head turned towards me.

I smiled and settled beside Neel. He was smiling at me. I smiled back and ruffled his hairs. Mahi jumped on me to hug me and kiss me. And I kissed her back.

"No hug to papa Neel?" I asked sweetly and he threw his little hands around me. I hugged him safely in my arms.

Nandini looked at me and got up. But I held her wrist. She looked at me.

"Where?" I asked. Is she ignoring me?

"Pani lau na?" She asked softly.

"babu... Pani lao mere liye..." I called out the servant and she sat beside me back sighing.

"You came early?" She asked and our kids busied themselves in watching television.

"I was missing you..." I spoke and after like more than twenty-four hours I saw her smiling. But just a little.

"You smiled... Thank you for giving the strength to me" I whispered.

"I am losing all the strength" She spoke and I held her hands in mine.

"You can't. When I am there. You can't" I spoke and she looked up at me.

"Jiju and Did will be here in night." She informed and I just nodded.

Later that evening, I was in room reading story to Mahi and Neel when she walked in with snacks in her hands.

"Come on. Eat...." She spoke and gave the plate to them and turned to me.

I smiled and she smiled back a little.

"Mujhe... luch baat karni hai" I spoke grabbing her attention. And with the shocked and scared look on her face I can say she is a bit scared to talk about the treatment.

"Kids... Go and eat with Dadi..." I dismissed the kids and they happily walked out without any nagging.

"Kya... Kya baat karni hai?" She asked.

I pulled her beside me "Nandini... I know it is difficult for us to decide on the treatment but we have to right? For Neel? For his safety."

She sighed and held my hand tight "I don't know... Both the ways... I feel I am going to lose him"

"No... we won't. The more we take time... the more it is going to delay... You getting me?" I tried making her understand and she just nodded licking her lips.

"See... I know it is difficult but... I think... we should go with... the surgery" as soon as I spoke her hands slipped off from my hold.

"Wh... what?" She crippled.

"Nandini... if this goes successful tou..."

"Aur unsuccessful hua tou?" She asked back and I gulped.

Wasn't I aware of it. If it goes unsuccessful then...

I licked my lips as I felt nervous.

"We should go with medication" She announced.

"Par meri...."

"Maine keh diya na... bas..." She spoke almost immediately.

She stood up to leave and I sighed dejectedly.

I had to make her understand the whole situation all over again. I had call Dr. Richard and he said if the medication doesn't work out his hole will be increased in size and then it'll be too late to close it. There are ninty percent of chances that... that he won't survive.

I saw her walking out of the room closing the door behind.

Way to Go Manik...

*****

Who all missed Cabir-Navya in the story? I genuinely did...

So they are back.... So many kids in just one house...

Can you all name it here? Hahaha it'll be fun...