TRUE LOVE NEVER GIVES UP

Chapter-53: Trust, Distance and Promises

As the haze of unconsciousness slowly lifted, Nandini's eyes fluttered open. The room came into focus, and the first thing she saw was the concerned faces of Vishakha, Mahir, Bela, and Navya surrounding her bed. Their expressions were a mixture of relief and worry, the weight of the past hours evident in their eyes.

Navya immediately leaned forward, her hand gently cradling Nandini's back as she helped her sit up. "Easy there, Nandini. Take it slow," she said softly, her voice filled with care. Nandini winced slightly, feeling the residual heaviness in her head. Bela, with a gentle smile, handed her a glass of water, and Nandini took it gratefully, sipping slowly.

Before she could fully process everything, Vishakha's arms were around her, holding her tight. Nandini could feel her mother's body trembling, and she realized Vishakha was crying. "Mumma..." Nandini's voice was a mere whisper as she instinctively wrapped her arms around her mother, trying to comfort her.

Vishakha pulled back slightly, her face streaked with tears. "Don't you ever do this again, Nandini," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I can't lose you... you're the light of my life, the reason I keep going. If anything happened to you..." Her voice broke, and she struggled to continue. "I was so scared, Nandini. Please, promise me you won't do this again."

Nandini's heart aches to see her mother in such a vulnerable state. She reached up, wiping away Vishakha's tears with trembling fingers. "Mumma, I'm fine," she reassured her softly. "I'm so sorry for scaring you. I didn't mean to... I just... I felt so trapped. But I'm okay now, I promise."

Vishakha clung to her for a moment longer before reluctantly pulling away, her eyes searching Nandini's for any sign of lingering distress. "You have to take care of yourself, Nandini. Please, for me," she pleaded, her voice a mix of love and desperation.

"I will, Mumma. I will," Nandini promised her voice firm but was gentle.

Mahir, who had been standing silently by, stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on Vishakha's shoulder. "Let's give her some time to rest, Vishakha," he suggested softly. "She needs to regain her strength."

Vishakha nodded reluctantly, wiping her eyes as she stood up. Navya, understanding that Nandini needed a moment of solace, quietly handed her phone to her. "Manik's been worried sick about you," Navya said softly, her eyes reflecting a deep concern. "He asked me to make sure you call him as soon as you woke up."

Nandini's eyes lit up at the mention of Manik, a spark of happiness breaking through the exhaustion. She clutched the phone, her heart beating a little faster at the thought of hearing his voice. But just as she was about to dial his number, she caught Vishakha's hard expression from the corner of her eye. It was clear her mother had something to say, something that wasn't going to be pleasant.

Before Vishakha could utter a word, Bela stepped in with a firm look. "Vish, not now," she said quietly but sternly. "Let her talk to him. This isn't the time for any more arguments."

Vishakha opened her mouth to protest but then saw the determined looks on both Bela and Navya's faces. With a sigh, she nodded, backing down for the moment. "We'll be outside if you need anything," she finally said, her tone softer but still laced with concern. She turned to leave, and the others followed her, giving Nandini some much-needed privacy.

As the door closed behind them, Nandini let out a long, shaky breath. The room felt quiet, almost too quiet, except for the soft hum of the phone in her hand. She quickly unlocked it and dialed Manik's number, her fingers trembling slightly. The phone rang twice before it was picked up, and the moment she heard his voice, all the tension in her body seemed to melt away.

"Nandini?" Manik's voice was soft, yet the worry was palpable. "Are you okay? Please tell me you're okay."

Nandini felt a lump form in her throat, hearing the raw emotion in his voice. "I'm okay, Manik," she whispered, her voice breaking a little. "I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to scare you."