Between Us💌

Lucknow Days-3

By the time they reached the hotel, the rain had finally stopped, but the chill had set in. Sara sneezed softly as they stepped out of the car, and Kartik immediately turned to her, his face filled with concern.

"Maine kaha tha ki nahi bheegte...lag gayi na thand"

"Arey kuch nahi Kartik baas..."achoo"

"Jaldi andar chalo.. his voice had seriousness too much.

They went to their rooms and got changed.

It was just a moment she got freshened up and he came to her. He had two cups of coffee in his hand which he kept aside.

Without a word, he reached out and placed the back of his hand gently against her forehead, checking for a fever.

“Kartik, I’m fine,” she murmured, though her voice was still a bit raspy.

"Halka sa garam hain" he said almost to himself.

"Kartik listen..." she tried to stop him but he was in his world. He went away from her and he was already on a call with a doctor.

"Mere fever ke chakkar main isse heart attack na aa jaye" she sighed.

"Doctor ne kaha ki warm drinks aur rest ne thik nahi hua tab hi medicine lena aur agar thik na ho...."

"Tu mujhe hospital le chal" she mocked him but his expression didn’t change a bit. He sipped his coffee himself just to know if it was not hot enough to burn her tongue.

He handed her the other one and she took a sip.

"Aram se" his voice was full of concern.

She made him sit in front of him.

"I'm fine Kartik...tum itna kiu pareshaan ho rahe ho" she smiled.

"I know" he caressed her cheeks. He tried to smile but that didn’t reach his eyes.

"Thoda bohot bukhaar to hota rehta hain isme kya?" she giggled.

"Nahi hona chahiye...stomach burn, bukhaar kuch bhi nahi hona chahiye" he said as an order.

"You are still the same" she smiled sadly.

"Lack of my signature rabbit smile doesn’t represent lack of my heart" he said and pressed her hand to his chest where she could feel his erratic beats beneath her fingertips and he continued, "This still beats"

But as he saw her eyes filling with tears, he released her hand and got up,

"Main dinner leke ata hu...tum baithi raho yaha...dinner karke you have to sleep" he said turning away from her and went forward never looking back.

He came back with food.

"Tumhe nahi khana? she asked.

"Tum kha lo pehle"

He scooped a small portion onto a spoon and held it out to her.

Sara glanced at the spoon, then at Kartik. Her throat tightened as she saw the care etched in his expression, the way he was looking at her as if she were the most delicate thing in the world.

She had the bite. Kartik continued feeding her, one small bite at a time, his hand steady and calm. With each bite, he watched her closely, ensuring she was okay, never rushing her.

Sara felt her eyes sting as she chewed slowly, the emotions building inside her like a tidal wave.

A single tear slid down her cheek, quickly followed by another, until they were spilling freely, silent and unstoppable.

He stopped abruptly keeping the plate aside and held her hands.

"Sara...kya hua? tabiyaat jyada kharab lag rahi hain...sara kya hua...talk to me baccha..are you ok?"

She shook her head, trying to brush the tears away with the back of her hand, but they kept coming. "I’m sorry," she choked out, her voice trembling. "I don’t know why I’m crying. It’s just... everything"

Kartik reached out and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks, his touch tender and comforting.

"Talk to me...jo bhi hain"

"Kya bolu Kartik", she whispered, her voice breaking. "It’s... it’s you. The way you’re taking care of me, like I’m... like I’m still..."

He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs gently wiping away the tears that continued to fall. "Sara" he said, his voice filled with a deep emotion that he couldn’t quite name,

"Ek baat humesha yaad rakhna Sara...humare beech jo bhi ho jaye hum dono kabhi ek doosre ke liye sochna bandh nahi kar sakte...kabhi care karna nahi chod sakte"

"Mujhe baas sochte hi nahi rehna...mujhe haar din tu chahiye...not with the excuse of parties or movies" she said.

"Sara yeh sab mat socho...tabiyaat already kharab hain...baas rest karo at least mere liye"

He made her finish her dinner and made her drink water.

She was silently watching him taking care of her like she was everything to him.

She watched as he sat down beside her, his fingers brushing her hair aside with such tenderness that it made her heart ache. He placed the thermometer gently under her tongue, his other hand resting lightly on her forehead to feel for any warmth.

"Thank God! Fever nhi hain" he smiled but then again said, "But you need to sleep as kal firse shoot hain aur you need rest"

She nodded and leaned.

She watched Kartik as he fussed over her, adjusting the blanket around her shoulders, making sure she was comfortable. He was going but she caught his wrist.

"Jab tak so nahi jau tab tak at least ruk jaw" she said hating her vulnerable tone herself not because that she couldn’t be but because it could made him more worried.

He sat on the edge holding her hand tight brushing her hair with his fingers.

"Ekbar love aaj kal ke shooting ke time bhi tum bimaar ho gayi thi...how many times did you get sick when we were apart?" he asked and she felt that his eyes were threatening to spill some tears.

"Kartik...I was never alone even if I got sick...mom,iggy, vaishu even kittu,aunty sab the" she mumbled.

"But I know you never let them show your vulnerable sight. You try to show your stronger side to them not wanting to make them worry...but I know"

"To tu kiu dur jata hain mujhse" she mumbled though he knew that she was talking drifting into sleep.

"Ab kabhi nahi jaunga na tujhe jaane dunga..." he said.

Kartik pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, a silent promise that he was there for her. It was his promise that they wouldn’t have to just think about each other staying apart but they would be together drenching in rain over and over again taking care of each other in illness till the very end.

Today one of my friends said, "You are a 100 years old soul living inside a young girl's body. You have confined your life in fictional books and more ridiculously loving a couple.
I said, "You have no idea about the beauty of that ridiculous love. That crazy love of mine and fiction healed me from what they never did. In my world, sadness and therapy come simultaneously which is much better than anxiety and panic attacks.."

Thanks for tolerating my rants

Signing off