Beyond borders: When filter coffee met Chai

Dear destiny, What are you upto?

"Rihu... I'll stay here tonight with Mum... You should go home and get some rest," Nitara insisted softly.

"I've taken next two days to work from home, so I'll have plenty of time to rest when I get home. You have several meetings scheduled for tomorrow. Please, get some rest for yourself. I mean it... I'll manage here," Rehaan reassured her.

"Fine... I'll leave, but only if you promise to have your dinner tonight. I'll go once I've bought you something to eat," Nitara bargained.

"Alright," Rehaan conceded with a weary smile.

Nitara gently placed Rehaan's mother's hand back on the bed before heading out to buy dinner for Rehaan, accompanied by Saket.

"Don't skip your dinner. Take care of yourself and Mum," Nitara said, hugging Rehaan goodbye.

Saket and Rehaan exchanged a firm handshake, and Saket gave a respectful nod towards Rehaan's mother before following Nitara out of the room.

"Saku, I'll book an Uber. You can go home; it's already late," Nitara said to Saket as they walked towards the hospital exit, the cool evening air wrapping around them.

"No way am I letting you take a cab at this hour, especially when I'm right here for you. Besides, it's only half past ten. Your Rihu specifically asked me to make sure you got home safely," Saket replied.

"That's why he didn't ask me to text him when I got home," Nitara muttered to herself, a faint note of understanding in her voice.

"You mean the world to him, more than words can express," Saket said earnestly, his gaze lingering on her face.

"I know. He means the world to me too," Nitara replied with a sigh, her heart heavy with the burdens of the day.

Saket gently smiled, but in the depths of his heart, Saket couldn't help but wonder if Nitara's love for Rehaan eclipsed the remnants of what they once shared. "Why does it bother me that Rehaan holds such a special place in her heart? I have no right to feel this way... I tell myself it's just concern for an old friend, but deep down, I know it's more than that.... This feeling I get, when she talks about Rehaan is irrational.... Our time has passed... I should let it go", Saket thought to himself as he opened the car door for Nitara with a gentlemanly flourish. As they settled into the car, an easy silence enveloped them. The soft hum of the engine was the only sound as Saket navigated the quiet streets. After a few moments, he spoke gently, "How about I buy you dinner tonight?"

"I'm not hungry, Saku. Besides, Mum isn't well. I know Rihu won't eat tonight, and the thought of him spending the night worried and sleepless makes me feel worse. I wanted to stay there with him and Mum, but that idiot didn't want me there. I didn't want to add to his stress by insisting," Nitara said, her voice trembling as a tear slid down her cheek.

Saket reached over and wiped her tear away, his touch tender yet firm, keeping one hand steady on the wheel. "Don't worry, we'll get the best treatment for her. I promise you that... And you know I never make empty promises," he assured her.

Nitara gazed at Saket, finding him more attractive than ever. He had always been the cutest to her, his puppy eyes perpetually sparkling with sincerity. But now, he was so much more-grounded, mature, and undeniably captivating.

Saket had always been her greenest flag, even before she understood the concept. As a teenager, he had been a beacon of kindness and understanding, qualities that had drawn her to him in the first place. But now, he had evolved into a man whose compassion was matched only by his unwavering reliability. His presence was a balm to her frayed nerves, a constant source of comfort and support.