Kaira- We are one forever!!!

My love for you is unconditional

Naira quickly wiped off the tear before Karthik could see it; however Keerthi saw it and understood it.

"Ok. Both of you go and take rest now. I shall clean-up" Keerthi told them.

"No di. I shall help you" Naira offered and got up only to lose her balance and was about to fall down when she was caught by Karthik.

"Nothing doing. You go and take rest. I shall help Keerthi and come. Please sleep." He took Naira inside made sure she was comfortable on the bed, covered her with a blanket and watched her drift into sleep. He was filled with guilt looking at the innocent face to whom he had caused lot of pain that day.

He went back to the kitchen and helped Keerthi clean the dishes. "Karthik? I want to talk to you about something."

"Keerthi, please I don't want to talk about it. You yourself saw na? Naira and I have fights only because of him. Do you understand now why I don't want any interference of him in my life?

"No Karthik, not that. I was about to say that I am going to be awake tonight. Doctor has told that Naira might get fever again in the night as he could not give her antibiotics since she is pregnant. But that fever needs immediate attention. We need to take care of her and control the fever without allowing it to increase. I don't want to disturb your privacy; I shall be in the hall working. Please call me if she gets fever. I will come and help you. I hope she does not get fever and has a peaceful night though." Keerthi told him.

"No Keerthi, you sleep, I shall stay awake and take care of her" Karthik replied.

"But how can you do it alone? You ll not know what to do" Keerthi told

"I know Keerthi. I remember how you have taken care of me when we were kids. When that woman used to beat us , I would shout back at her for the way we were treated, she would burn my hand with a hot ladle she would not give me food. Then I would develop high fever which she would hide from her husband. You would take care of me the entire night. Keep a cold cloth on my forehead, monitor my temperature, massage my palms and feet with balm I remember everything Keerthi" he told keeping his eyes focussed on the floor.

"Karthik, why do you talk of those things now? Those were bad days and that was the past'. Keerthi told caressing his face affectionately, with a choked voice and moist eyes.

"Exactly Keerthi, that's my point. Those were bad days and the past. I don't want to talk about it or the people from the past. Hope you understand and so does your sister in law. I'll take care of her. As it is I have lot of office work to catch up on. I'll keep awake by working. In case I am not able to handle, Ill wake you up." Karthik told and left the kitchen with Keerthi smiling sadly.

He went inside the room and sat beside Naira, kept his hand on her forehead. Temperature seemed to be normal. She was fast asleep. He held her hands and said "I have hurt you time and again. But please know that I love you. You filled my life with happiness which I have never known before. I am sorry, I am sorry and I am really really sorry"

Sighing, he took his laptop to finish his pending reports which he had not been able to work that morning. However his eyes kept drifting back to her again, to make sure she was alright.

Past midnight, he had dozed off for a quarter of an hour, sitting, when he heard a small moan from her. Alarmed, he checked her temperature and her body was blazing with fever. Scared out of his wits, he rushed to get her a thick blanket and started giving her a sponge bath. He took care of her just as his sister would take care of him and in a couple of hours her fever started reducing. Relieved, he continued the same till morning. However she was moaning something the entire night. Her fever had brought out her hearts secret wishes and fears unknowingly. He sat by her every second, taking care not to doze away even for a second till dawn broke.