A bittersweet journey.

Chapter 5

As the night wore on, the house was cloaked in silence, with only the soft hum of the machines in Sid’s room breaking the stillness. Kunal had left after making sure Sid had eaten his dinner and taken his medicines. Rey had tucked Miu into bed, watching over her until she fell asleep. Once she was settled, he made his way back to Sid’s room.

When he entered, the nurse was standing by Sid’s side, checking his vitals. Rey approached quietly, not wanting to disturb Sid, who was fast asleep.

“You can go and rest for a while,” Rey whispered to the nurse. “I’ll stay here.”

The nurse looked at Rey with a hint of concern but nodded. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.”

Rey nodded, and after a moment, the nurse quietly left the room, leaving Rey alone with his father. He moved a recliner close to Sid’s bed and settled into it, his eyes never leaving Sid’s pale face. The sight of his father, once so strong and unyielding, now so fragile, caused Rey’s heart to ache. He couldn’t shake the guilt that gnawed at him, the regret for all the harsh words and unresolved conflicts between them.

Hours passed, and Rey dozed off in the recliner, but his sleep was light, his mind alert for any sign of distress from Sid.

In the middle of the night, Rey was stirred from his light sleep by a soft, pained groan from Sid. He immediately sat up, noticing that Sid was moving uncomfortably in bed, his face twisted in pain.

Rey quickly leaned closer, his voice gentle but concerned. “Dad? Kya hua? Aapko dard ho raha hai?”

Sid’s eyes fluttered open, surprise evident on his face when he realized Rey was beside him. He hadn’t expected his son to be there in the middle of the night, watching over him.

“Rey… tu yahan?” Sid murmured, his voice hoarse.

“Haan, Dad. Main yahin hoon,” Rey replied softly. “Aapko dard ho raha hai?”

Sid winced as he tried to shift his position. “Pith aur kamar mein bahut dard ho raha hai. Nurse ko bula de, woh daba dega.”

Rey’s heart clenched at the thought of his father in so much pain. But instead of calling the nurse, Rey made a decision. “Nurse ko bulaane ki zaroorat nahi hai, Dad. Main hoon na.”

He got up from the recliner and sat on the edge of Sid’s bed, his hands trembling slightly as he reached out. Slowly, carefully, Rey began pressing his father’s upper back, his movements gentle but firm. He could feel the tension in Sid’s muscles, the pain radiating from the inflamed areas.

Sid was taken aback by Rey’s actions. He hadn’t expected this kind of care from his son, especially after the tension between them earlier. For a moment, Sid felt a lump in his throat, but he quickly pushed it down, not wanting to show his vulnerability.

“Rey, tu rehne de… nurse kar lega,” Sid tried to protest, but his voice lacked conviction.

“Nahi, Dad,” Rey insisted quietly, his hands moving to Sid’s lower back, pressing gently to relieve the pain. “Aap bas aaram karo. Main sambhaal loonga.”

Sid closed his eyes, a mixture of pain and relief washing over him as Rey continued. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had taken care of him like this. It was always him looking after everyone else, always him bearing the burden alone. But here was his son, doing something so simple yet so profound, and it made Sid’s heart swell with emotions he hadn’t let himself feel in a long time.

Rey could feel his father’s body slowly relaxing under his touch, the tension easing bit by bit. He kept going, pressing and massaging as best as he could, even though he wasn’t sure he was doing it right. All that mattered to him was that he was there, that he was doing something to help.