*Vani Pov*

"Are you fine?" Rupa asked the moment I stepped out of the ICU after my parents.

"Yeah! Why don't you come in and meet my Aunty?" I asked her trying to smile before dragging her inside.

"Aunty! Meet my friend." I said, ignoring everyone and sat on the stool.

"I am Rupa, Aunty." She said calmly after hesitating a bit.

"The Rupa!" Aunty asked slowly smiling.

"I guess!" Rupa mumbled scratching her neck.

"You made this poor girl walk home from college, so many times, dear." Aunty said in a stern voice.

"Oh! I didn't mean it like that. It was just..." Rupa stopped herself when she saw Aunty smiling.

"You were staying with her?" Aunty asked me with a frown.

"Yes! We became great friends." I replied, smiling at her.

"My parents even started loving her more than me." Rupa added, making me shake my head.

"She knows how to make everyone love her. Do you know that we wished she was our daughter when she stayed at my house for the first time?" Aunty said holding my hand.

"I can see that." Rupa mumbled smiling and I know I don't have the ability to make everyone love me.

"You have exam tomorrow, Rupa. I will walk you to the entrance." I said, glancing at the time.

"It is ok!" she said, assuring me, but I shook my head and walked out after she bid her bye.

"God! You got married even before I could say that I am hungry." She said the moment we walked outside the hospital.

"I don't know how it happened, but it just did. What am I going to do? Am I being selfish thinking about my life now and not about her?" I asked holding her hand.

"Not at all! This is your life which you have to lead for so many years. I know it is devastating to know about her illness but it is not wrong to think about yourself too." She replied assuring me.

"You are really married." She mumbled again, staring at the thread he tied which Dad got from the temple near to the hospital.

"Yeah!" I mumbled back and felt dizziness in my head.

"You need to go inside." She advised.

"I am fine!" I said, trying to assure her.

"I will make sure she got in a proper transport." I heard a voice and turned to see Girish walking towards us.

"See? Now, go and have some food. And will you finish the course?" she asked worriedly.

"I already left her for all this time and I can't do that again. Otherwise, I can't live with myself." I replied, remembering the guilt I felt when I got to know how she suffered while I was away.

"It was not your fault." She said sternly before walking away and I slowly walked inside before sitting on the chair present outside the ICU along with my parents.

"Dad! How many days are, actually..." I couldn't finish the question even when I tried to as much as I can.

"We don't know, but not more than a little. Let's just hope she gets to leave the hospital. She never liked them." He replied sighing.

"Are you sure, Doctor?" Kamal suddenly asked, walking outside the room.

"Yes! She will feel good and just make sure that she have the medicines properly and complete rest." He replied and walked away.

"He is saying we can take her home." Kamal said and walked inside with us following him.

"Why do you not want to come to Kanpur? I already got us a house, Mom." Kamal asked her frowning.

"I want to stay my last days in our home." She replied weakly.

"Fine! We will go there only." He said, nodding and I know he will do anything she will ask him to, no matter what it is.

"Mom! Take it easy." He said when she suddenly started walking towards her room the moment we walked inside the house after reaching the village.

"Vani! Kamal! Come inside now." She called for us and we both walked into the room to see her holding something in her hands.

"Here! Put this around her neck. I bought this just for you." She said forwarding the black beads necklace and sat down on the bed slowly taking a deep breath.

He sighed and took it from her before turning towards me. I stared at him and moved my hair after which he slowly placed it.

"Now, this used to be my Mom's but then she gave it to me. However, I want you to have this." She said, extending a small vermillion container.

"Why don't you lay down while I bring something for you?" I offered after taking the box.

"Ok!" she said easily accepting my words and I walked outside the room before rushing towards the kitchen.

I kept the doctor's instructions in my mind and started preparing the food for her along with some other for the remaining.

"Dinner is ready!" I said, calling him and his friends who looked more than tired.

We all were at the hospital from yesterday evening and I hope they get some rest tonight. I started serving them before walking inside Aunty's room.

"You guys leave for Kanpur. We didn't ask any permission to leave from our respective hospital's. I don't want you guys in trouble." I heard Kamal saying when I started walking towards them.

"Ok! We will try to be here immediately when we get a leave and will ask for one for you from your hospital." Girish said nodding.

"You all must be tired. Leave in the morning." I mumbled before continuing my walk towards my house.

"Did you guys had the dinner?" I asked Mom and Dad who is sitting in the living room.

"Yes! Is she resting?" Mom asked and I nodded before sitting before them.

"You are now a married girl, Vani." Mom said in a surprised tone.

"For her sake, Mom." I mumbled and they both frowned at me.

"Do you think it is not legalized? Because it is." Dad said in assuring tone and I nodded smiling.

It is not legalized in my heart, Dad. How can I tie him up to me like this when I know it is never his wish? I just hope she doesn't leave us.

"Will you stay there?" Mom asked.

"Yeah! I just wanted to ask whether his friends can stay here. Everyone cannot be fit in that house." I replied.

"Definitely!" she said, nodding and I nodded back before walking inside my room and started freshening up.

"You can stay at my parent's house and there is a separate room and even mine there. It will be comfortable." I mumbled, walking near to them awkwardly.

"Thank you!" some guy said whose name must be Rakesh.

"What are you doing here?" Aunty asked the moment I walked inside.

"I want to sleep." I replied frowning.

"I just threw out my son from sleeping here on the floor. We will spend time tomorrow, but for now, sleep peacefully in your room." She said, ushering me outside with waving her hand.

I walked outside to see his friends leaving the house for mine and I slowly took a blanket and pillow before placing it on the floor near to her room.

He glanced at me before walking into his room, but I calmly lay down while staring at the wall and placed my hand on it.

Then I slowly let the tears to flow trying to not make any sound. I don't want her to leave us no matter what. I don't care how but I want her to be here forever.

"Did you had your dinner?" I heard a question and immediately turned to see him laying on the floor a little away from my place.

"I am not hungry." I replied before closing my eyes.

"If she calls and I didn't wake up, just make sure I do." He mumbled in a whisper.

"Ok!" I whispered back and slowly drifted off into sleep.

The next two weeks passed with both of us spending all the time with her, but never showed any moment toward each other. His friends came to stay for the weekend and then left again.

"We will never get used to the travelling." We heard a voice when we three were sitting in the living room with Kamal and me on the floor on either side of her.

"You could have slept like me." Rakehs offered to Girish before walking towards us.

"How are you feeling, Aunty?" David asked smiling at her.

"Perfect! I am glad that you all came when I called you." She said smiling.

"How could we not?" Girish asked, grinning and they all joined us on the floor.

"I just wanted to say that my Son is lucky to have you three as his friends during all these years. No wealth can come in front of the love you all showed him." She said smiling at them.

"It happens both ways, Aunty." Rakesh said, smiling, but I saw the tears threatening to spill through their eyes, but they are controlling them while I am letting them flow.

"I am not worried about him anymore because I know someone will be there for him. However, I want a small favor." She asked them and I frowned at her.

"Ask anything, Aunty." David assured her.

"This girl here is silly, naïve and everything. I know I won't be here to always keep the door unlocked knowing well she would just barge inside just because someone made her happy or angry or even hurt. I want you all to look after her." She said and I shook my head.

"No! You are not going anywhere. Do you understand?" I said, glaring at her.

"I will never leave you, Vani." She said, assuring me.

"So, can you take care of her?" she added glancing at them.

"Don't worry! She is our family now." Girish said and I felt moved inside for such words.

"I never felt so secured before." She mumbled and slowly stood up while we all helped her.

"I will take some rest." She said smiling at them and walked towards her room.

"You all can take the rooms in my parent's house." I said after they had dinner in silence.

"Can we stay here for today?" Girish asked.

"Of course! I will arrange for the beds." I replied and started walking towards the door.

"Floor is fine!" Rakesh said, stopping me and I reluctantly nodded before arranging the sheets on the floor along with pillows I brought from my house.

"You are an amazing lady." I whispered, kissing her forehead and walked outside the room, crashing into Kamal after she asked me to go and rest.

"Where did you learn cooking?" Girish asked and I smiled at him before started telling him how Aunty ran behind me to learn all those.

"She thought I would not learn the remaining after learning his favorites. So, she started teaching me his non-favorites and recently his favorites. She has so much patience because I always ran to my house whenever I failed to cook something." I said and they all laughed.

I glanced up to see Kamal already in his place, but his eyes are closed. I stared at him before glancing at his friends.

"Tell us more about her." Rakesh ushered me and I nodded before talking slowly remembering a few incidents, but kept some for myself as my cherished memories.

Suddenly Kamal got up and turned to look towards her room. We all frowned and then I felt some tugging at my heart.

When he stood up, I followed him into the room and saw my worst fear. I leaned near the door before kneeling there and gave into a loud sob staring at her body without any life.

Then I saw him trying to do so many things not giving into the truth, but in the end he stepped back before leaning on the wall.

You shouldn't have left like this! I thought, closing my eyes and gave into the tears clutching my stomach.

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the earlier update was for yesterday guys and i was already ready to give one today :)

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