Chapter-35: One step at a time

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Nandini woke up with a heavy feeling in her chest, the weight of the day's expectations pressing down on her. The uncertainty of what was to come left her feeling hollow, her mind clouded with thoughts she couldn't escape. As she slowly got out of bed, she tried to push the anxiety away, forcing herself through the motions of getting ready.

She freshened up and sat down at her desk, staring at her computer screen for a moment before typing out an email to the hospital, requesting leave for the day. The act of hitting "send" felt strangely final, as if she was acknowledging the reality she was desperately trying to ignore.

A knock on the door startled her, pulling her out of her thoughts. She opened it to find Vishakha and Bela standing there, with Navya lingering just behind them, her eyes filled with sympathy and concern.

"Nandini, darling," Vishakha said softly, her voice unusually gentle. "We brought an outfit for you. We want you to look your best today."

Bela stepped forward, holding up a beautiful outfit , its rich colors shimmering in the morning light. "We thought this would be perfect," she added, trying to sound cheerful, though there was an undercurrent of tension in her voice.

Nandini forced a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. She nodded slightly, knowing she didn't have much choice in the matter.

Vishakha, sensing her unease, placed a hand on her shoulder. "Navya will help you get ready. Take your time, and don't worry, everything will be fine."

With that, Vishakha and Bela left the room, closing the door softly behind them. As soon as they were gone, Nandini felt her composure crumble. She turned to Navya, her eyes filling with tears, the emotions she'd been holding back all morning threatening to spill over.

"Navya, I can't do this," Nandini whispered, her voice breaking. "I don't want this."

Navya immediately wrapped her arms around Nandini, holding her close as the tears began to fall. "It's okay, Nandini," she murmured, her voice steady and comforting. "You don't have to go through this alone. I'm here with you."

Nandini clung to Navya, her body shaking with sobs. "I feel so trapped, Navya. I don't want to disappoint Mumma, but this isn't what I want. I feel like I'm being pulled in two different directions."

Navya stroked Nandini's hair, letting her cry until the worst of it passed. "I know it's hard," she said softly, "but you're strong, Nandini. You've always been strong. We'll get through this together, okay?"

Nandini nodded weakly, wiping her tears away. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Navya."

Navya gave her a reassuring smile. "You don't have to find out. Now, let's get you ready. We'll take it one step at a time."

Nandini took a deep breath, trying to steady herself as Navya began to help her with the dupatta. The fabric was soft against her skin, but it felt like a weight, a reminder of the expectations she was being asked to meet.

As Navya combed her hair, she kept up a gentle stream of conversation, trying to distract Nandini from the storm of emotions raging inside her.

Nandini looked at herself in the mirror, barely recognizing the woman staring back at her. "Do you really think everything will be okay?" she asked, her voice trembling.

 "Do you really think everything will be okay?" she asked, her voice trembling

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