MaNan- She is to be Loved

Chapter 36- All is done!

~No matter how bad or good the ending is, the effort put in to begin the story matters the most!~

In Manjeet Lifecare Hospital

And it was time!

Wearing a blue gown that loosely falls from her shoulders till her knee, Nandini looked a little pale and thinner; given the fact that she's been only taking hospital food.

"I'm going to be fine." She mumbled to herself, before closing her eyes and praying in her heart. "Dear God, I know I'm your favorite child, Lekin mujhe bas door se hi aapki favorite banna hai. Uthna paas nahi aana hai."

Turning around, she was met with a lot of figures in front of her. Her family.

Her parents supported by their friends, and her friends acting as a shield around Mrunal and her brothers.

She got to have something more than she prayed for!

"I'm ready!" She smiled at them, and a nurse moved towards her with a wheelchair. "Shall we, Doctor?" Nandini shrugged, before gently sitting in it and looking ahead. "That sounds a little weird. Calling me a doctor, when I'm the patient now."

The nurse smiled down at her before moving her chair out of the room, towards the operation theater. Her family followed wordlessly.

"Appa!" Nandini called out softly, and Shekhar could only nod, as it was him now pushing her chair. "Jo ladka mere donor hai na..." Nandini glanced at Shekhar, who only nodded. "Have you met his family? Suna hai ki wo hospital paas mein hi hain."

Upon reaching the door, he stood still, and gulped the lump in his throat, before crouching down to sit on his knees. "No. Kyu, Shona?" He questioned, and she smiled. "Ye surgery ke result ka ab bas Aapke aiyappa jaane. Lekin Jo bhi ho, Jo himmat aap mein kabhi nahi hai, Wohi hai uske parents mein. To donate their son's heart, which is still beating. Life support mein hi Sahi, chance to live zero the, but he was alive. And I don't think you would have had the courage to let go off me if you were in their place. Bohath courageous hai, Appa. Ithna tho farz nibha sakthe na hum?"

Shekhar, finally had a smile on his face. A smile filled with pride. Cupping her cheeks, he kissed her hands and then forehead.

"Jaise aap chaahthe hai." He assured her, and she smiled before looking at her mother, who just kissed her head and went away, almost running. "She'll be fine." Nandini smiled to herself before looking at Mrunal, and then at Manik.

"I'll be fine, too." Mrunal nodded and hugged her, before following the way Shamishti went to. "Come back soon, will you?" Manik whispered while holding onto her hands. "Ithni jaldhi ki Tum khud se poochoge ki Kya cheez hai yeh!"

He chuckled hearing her and let her brothers hug her, one by one.

"It's time." Aadit announced, and moved towards Nandini, who nodded and others stared on, with fear visible in their eyes.

"Au Revoir, folks!" And gone she was, gently inside the the operation theater, with the nurses and Aadit.

"She's your strong Shona, yaar! Kuch nahi Hoga usse." Raj assured his best friend, and Shekhar held onto his best friend, with his eyes teary.

"Yeah, she is. She is!" Shekhar mumbled to himself, whimpering lightly.

He just wished they were all right!

***
"It's been more than two hours!" Arijit settled beside a restless Manik. "Would it take so long? I mean, doctor ne Kya kaha tha?" Manik questioned, before trying to get up from his seat.

"Manik!" Arijit pulled him down to the seat,before keeping a bottle of juice in his hands. "Aadit said it can even take half a day for some patients. Don't you remember?" Manik stared at him blankly, before nodding. "Right! It could."

He started to play with the bottle in his hands.

"Peene keliye diya hai." Manik nodded at him. "Usse dekhne ke baad." Manik replied, and Arijit tried to argue. "Sukoon se Kuch peena hai mujhe, Lekin wo bhi ab uske paas hain." Saying it, Manik stood up and left the place.

Arijit stared at his best friend sadly, before holding onto the bracelet around his left wrist. "God! Dua maangna nahi aatha mujhe. Lekin Manik ko aatha hai." He looked up and closed his eyes. "Please listen to his prayers."

And a tear slipped his eye, which he wiped off before leaving the place.

And this was witnessed by Mrunal, who smiled at the sight with teary eyes.

"Tere Liye Dua maangne keliye ab bohath saare log hai, fluffy. Bohath."

***
"Mujhe nahi peena, Raj. Baad mein." Shekhar glanced at Raj, before turning towards Shamishti who was sitting beside Nyonika, with her head resting on her best friend's shoulder. Her face looked wet, eyes cast down, hands wrapped around Nyonika's, almost in a death grip.

Shekhar looked down, and held his head in his palms. He doesn't even know how to console his wife, for he was devastated himself.

"Bola na baad mein, Raj." Shekhar sighed and looked up to see it was Rudr standing in front of him with a plate of food. He sat on his knees, and placed the plate on Shekhar's lap, while bringing his uncle's hands to hold the plate firm.

"Wo cutie...I mean aapki Shona." Rudr smiled lightly while taking his sister's endearment. "Aur Mere Liye Meri cutie. You wouldn't know, but we've got separate nicknames for her. Wo ithni important hai hamareliye ki log bhi aake kahe humse ki aaj Saturday hai par apki behen keliye nahi hai tho hum kahenge, bhaisaab aaj Sahi mein Saturday nahi hain." His eyes had tears, and Shekhar stared at his nephew teary eyed. He was meeting him for the first time in life.

"And we always made sure that our sister is happy and smiling. Lekin Hume bhi nahi patha tha ki usko..." He blinked his tears away, and Shekhar held onto his shoulders with his shivering hands. Rudr looked at his hands, and then at Shekhar.

"Lekin uskeliye aapse badkar koi bhi nahi tha...Appa." Shekhar smiled amidst the tears flowing out of his eyes. "Isiliye uske Liye agar aap dono Kuch Karna chaahthe hai tho bas...apna dhyan rakhiye."

Saying it, he got up and left the place while on the other side, Karan had settled beside Shamishti, forcing her to eat.

"Ab Kuch khaoge?" Raj asked, and Shekhar looked at him and nodded in affirmative, making the former smile gratefully.

***

"Cabir?" Manik moved forward, when he saw his brother walking towards the seat where he was seated. "Bhai. Everything's sorted. Unhe paise nahi chahiye tha. They said that they've lost the most important person, aur wo log Ameer bhi hain. Isiliye just wanted to let everyone know that..." Cabir looked back at Shamishti and Shekhar, who were staring at him expectantly. "Ki unke Dua hai hamari Nandini ke Saath."

Shamishti smiled while wiping her tears. "Mera bacha!"

Manik nodded while gulping the lump in his throat, and then looked back at the operation theater's door. "Ithne saare Dua hai God. Kam se Kam ek tho sunoge na?" Manik prayed in his heart, before walking out.

"Bhai, kaha?" Shravan paced with his brother, who stopped walking. "I need to meet them."

"Lekin iss waqt? You should be here, Bhai. Bhabi ke paas." Shravan objected against Manik's wish, who smiled sadly at him. "I know, Shravan. Lekin when I meet her, I need to tell her that I did something for her."

Shravan held onto Manik's hands, "Jithna aapne Kiya ussee mein Bhabi Khush hojaegi. But if you insist, then I'm gonna tag along. Akele jaane nahi Dunga." Manik smiled and nodded, before both of them left the hospital, to do whatever they could, for the family who is giving a little hope to them.

Just like how his Lilliput wanted!

***
Hey guys!

Sorry for being toooo late. I got caught up with life!!!

With love,
Affu.