Nupur felt waves of shiver radiating from her finger till her heart, but even before she could react, Mayank smiled and then he was gone.
She looked at her finger, where just now Mayank had placed his lips and closed her eyes. She was feeling too weak to ponder over things which arose such complicated emotions in her heart, so she just lied down and caressed the finger with her hand.
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OFFICE!!",
Rahul shouted in glee as it was afternoon, and mayank himself came to pick both of them from school and now they were on their way to after a yummy lunch at Mc donalds, , 'why office Rahul?', pranav whispered, but loud enough for mayank to hear.
"office because I miss you both in office, so I wanted you be with me today, will you?", he looked behind from the rear view mirror and found that pranav was smiling.
They both reached office and Rahul was very excited to show Pranav the whole office, so both the boys were giggling and running throughout the building, with mayank's strict instructions to his peon to make sure they both of them do not end up hurting themselves and himself he went to his cabin.
Almost an hour passed with his working when his phone flashed NUPUR. Immediately leaving all his work, he attended the call.
"haan nupur, how are you feeling now?", he asked with concern,
"main thek hon , wo..
"Medicine time pe li?", he cut her in between
"gi haan, li thi", she said ,
"aur ziyada sardi tu nahi lag rahi hai"? he was not giving her a chance to speak and finally nupur lost her cool,
"main bilkul thek hon, ap meri baat suno gey?", she said irritated and Mayank smiled, "okay sorry, haan gi bolo?"
Sensing he was ready to listen calmed nupur, "ap ne lunch kiya hai?", she asked and suddenly mayank realized that the slight headache he was feeling was because he was hungry.
"ap ne break fast bhi nahi kiya tha?, tu lunch kiya k nahi?', she asked with a strict tone.
"ummm ..woh ..
"nahi kiya na?", she was sure, ' I am sure bachon ko bhi kuch fast food khila diya hoga aur khud kuch bhi nahi khaya!"
"main abhi kar leta hon", he said immediately .
"gi bht shukriya ap ka, main adhe ghante main phir phone karon gi, tab tak lunch kar lena ap", she again warned and disconnected the phone.
Although generally nupur was polite but today this strictness, which was maybe because she was feeling cranky due to illness, had Mayank in awe. It was a new aspect of her personality that came in front of him, and it was just equally adorable as her politeness.
Quickly remembering that he will be questioned again in half an hour, he ordered lunch for himself, and was on time, as before nupur's call, he was chewing his last bite.
"bus abhi lunch khatam hua hai, I just finished the last bite", he said , as if wishing secretly that she could see that he did what she wanted.
'hmmm", this was all she murmured and disconnected the phone, having mayank smiling again, "God!, she being a sweetheart", he smiled and lovingly gazed at the phone.
It felt nice that after so long, someone actually cared for him, his meals, his sleep. It really felt nice. Maybe didi was right, companionship is important. He sighed and got back to work.
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"daddy I have made a get well soon card for aunty",
"and mee too!!, i also made a card for mummy
Now, on their way back to home, Rahul and Pranav were again and again trying to show the cards to mayank, and mayank was trying hard to concentrate on the road.
"bachon main drive kar raha hon, relax, main ghar ja k dekh lon ga", he replied irritated and both of them made a face, and sat quietly on the back seat.
"daddy",
Rahul spoke after a while
"gi beta?"
"what will you give to aunty after going home?", Rahul asked and mayank's brows knitted and he looked at him through the rear view mirror.
"what was I suppose to give?', he asked totally confused.
"uncle, mummy always says that if someone is sick, you should go with a gift for the person, so me and rahul made cards, what have u made"?, pranav asked, totally concerned and this time mayank really realized he was in trouble!.
"merey pass tu kuch nahi hai nupur k liye", he said in a scared tone and the kids gasped, "kuch bhi nahi hai?", both of them said in chorus and mayank nodded.
"daddy this is very bad", Rahul said shaking his head, "very very bad", paranv also joined and mayank swallowed a lump in the throat.
"you both should have told me na k cards bana rahe ho, main bhi bana leta", he glared at them through the mirror and both of them got scared.
"daddy flowers!!", Rahul pointed at the flower shop by the road and pranav also joined him, "yes mummy loves flowers", he informed excitedly and regarding it as a life saver mayank parked the car by the side of the road and got down , child locking the car.
He observed the flowers for a while, all of them were beautiful , and he was totally confused over what to buy. The shopkeeper was awarding him with free advices, but he wasn't paying heed to him,
He went to the car, 'kids please help me, which flowers should I buy?", he looked confused and both of them were ever ready to help, mainly ever ready to get out of the car.
Finally after a lot of mulling, all three of them agreed upon white orchids, and buying a bouquet, they all were again their way back to home.
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Nupur was not feeling well, her cold was not decreasing and there was a slight shiver too. She was just quietly lying her in her blanket, when an adorable chorus made her open her eyes,
"can we come in?"
Both the kids sneaked in the room and nupur raised her head and smiled, "ofcourse bachon", she adjusted herself in a sitting position and the kids ran towards her, and jumped on the bed, inside her blanket and snuggled to her, "how are you now mummy?"
"yes aunty how are you feeling now?"
""I am fine, how was your day, had fun?", nupur ruffled both their heads and they nodded excitedly giving her the details of the day.
"hmm, hope you both were being good boys throughout the day!", nupur was listening to them with full interest. She had missed both of them.
"yes we were, and mummy we also made something for you", pranav said with a twinkle and Rahul nodded, "just a minute", he jumped down from the bed and went out of the room, and before nupur could ask pranav what happened, Rahul was back.
"get well soon aunty", rahul handed her a card and kissed her cheek, "yes mummy, get well soon", pranav also handed his and kissed her cheek.
For a moment nupur couldn't understand what to react, holding those two cards in her hand with kids looking at her intently with all that concern in her eyes, made her speechless, "thank you so much kids", she just hugged them, with a tear flowing down her eyes.
"see you both made her cry",
Just then mayank entered and glared at the kids and they got scared, "no uncle we didn't"
"yes daddy, we didn't , please don't cry aunty", they wiped off her tears and nupur kissed their hands, "mayank please kyun dant rahen hain bachon ko?", she glared back at mayank and he chuckled and came at sat beside them, "ab kaisi tabiyat hai?", he asked placing his hand over her forehead and fit was hot , "bukhar tu abhi bhi hai, but it's better , medicines
"li thi, sari time pe lin thi", she completed his sentence in an irritated tone.
"daddy your gi..
"okay kids, now I think you both should go and sleep, let nupur rest", he cut in between Rahul as he was starting the talk of his flowers, which he was feeling awkward giving to her
"but uncle your flo..
"paranav, can we talk about all this in the morning, it's really late", he glared and both the kids now knew, it's time to sleep
"good night", they again said on chorus and kissing the cheeks of nupur and then mayank, they both were on the their way to their room, holding hands.
As the kids left, mayank moved more close to nupur, "are you sure you are okay, phir se doctor k pass jana hai"?, he pressed her hands.
, "nahi it's alright, I guess subha tak thek ho jaon gi?", she tried to smile, but mayank could see that how pale she was.
"hmmm, okay, chalo lait jao phir", he took the cards from her hand and she lied down and mayank covered the blanket over her.
"main change kar k ata hon,
"phir ap k saffron milk kitchen main hai, wo bhi pina hai ap ko"
"it's okay nupur, ik din nahi lo..
"nahi wo roz pina hai", she was about to sit, when mayank agreed, "okay , main le lon ga, you go to sleep".
With this assurance from mayank, she closed her eyes and mayank went to change. When he returned he saw nupur's breathing was turning deep, he breathed a sigh of relief and went in the kitchen for his saffron milk, an d rinking it he went to check on kids. On his way back, after tucking the kids properly, his eyes fell on the flowers he had placed outside on the table, because he was shy giving it to her, but now seeing them again, he just picked them up and came in the room.
He got in the bed, by her and side and observed Nupur was calmly sleeping, and she had both the cards in her hands, he smiled and slowly ruffled her hair.
He realized how important this woman was becoming, and seeing her in pain was hurting him, somewhere at the back of his mind, he wanted to compare the feeling with what he used to feel with kanchi, but then shrugging that urge off with the feeling that both the women have different place in his heart, he took out a flower from the bouquet, and placing the bouquet aside on the table, he placed that one flower under her hand and bend down to kiss her forehead,
"get well soon nupur" he whispered and the very moment nupur opened her eyes. She saw mayank was leaning over her and then she saw addition in the contents in her hand and that was a flower.
She looked back at him and he smiled, "sorry I was just a bit shy giving it before, I hope u like it", he said and nupur smiled, holding all the three things close to her, "thank you", she could only utter this and with this mayank realized that her shiver was still there.
He pulled her close and before she could protest, her head was on his chest and arms around. "mayank..", she opened her mouth to say something but mayank wasn't in the mood of any arguments, 'ssshh", he placed his hands on her lips, "you are still shivering", he said and unable to protest more due to weakness, she just closed her eyes.
After a while, she felt the shiver decreasing and felt herself drifting in a peaceful slumber after five years, - warm and protected.
Chapter 10 - Page 62
Edited by Fantasia. - 14 years ago
Health and Fitness
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