Along the Lines of Love | ✓

Chapter 66 : In Sickness & Health

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tum se hi din hota hai,

surmaiye shaam aati,

tumse hi tumse hi

♪

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Nikhil was surprised to find Sharanya still in bed after he returned from his routine morning jog. He walked around the bed to her side and gently placed his hand on her forehead. It was warm but not fever like warm.

"Sharanya," He said softly running his hand on her head trying to wake her up.

Her eyelids parted a little as she stirred and tilted her head to look at him.

"Good morning," He said withdrawing his hand.

"What time is it?" She asked in a groggy voice, sitting up.

"Ten minutes past seven," He answered as he watched her sniff and press her fingers against her temples. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay," she answered willing herself to get out of bed.

"Your voice sounds nasal," He pointed out as she got off the bed and started folding the blanket.

"Yeah, I have a blocked nose too, but it's okay." She said.

"You can take the day off. Stay home and take rest."

"No," she said, "I am fine really."

"If you say so!" He said walking to the cupboard to decide his clothes for the day.

Sharanya quickly slipped into the washroom, switching on the water heater. She didn't feel her best, but it wasn't that bad that she was going to put in a sick leave.

* * *

Sharanya sat at one of the corner tables in the cafeteria of her office. Across the table, her sat her colleague, Sharad.

"It's okay, just forget what Yadav said. You know they just want us to quit." Sharanya said trying to comfort him.

Yadav had openly criticized Sharad for a mistake in middle of the floor in front of all the employees who directly reported to him. Yadav word's were harsh. She had intervened just in time to prevent the two men from going at each other's throat in middle of the office crowd.

"I don't think I can go on like this." He mumbled dejected.

Sharanya quietly listened. She couldn't really provide any comforting words to him when she herself was in the same boat. She had no appetite at all. But ate so that her headache didn't worsen.

"I mean this kind of behaviour..." He paused as Sharanya's phone rang, vibrating against the surface of the table.

Sharanya was surprised to see Nikhil's name flashing on her screen. "It's my husband," she said and he nodded with understanding.

"Hello," she spoke picking up the call.

""Hi," She heard his voice.

Sharanya blinked trying to figure out why he may have called. Why was he so quiet? Was he okay? It was like one of their awkward phone calls before marriage. "Nikhil, everything okay?" She asked.

"Yes, I just called to check on you. How are you feeling? You voice sounds pretty nasal even on the call."

Sharanya smiled, throwing a precautionary gaze at Sharad, who wore a brooding face and had his gaze lowered to his tiffin. "It's okay. You had lunch?" She said relieved that Sharad was hardly paying any attention to her.