“Aunty! Uncle! Aap log yaha aaiye. Cake cut krwao mai photos leti hu aapki.”

(You both come here. Cut the cake and I will click pictures.)

She said with an infectious enthusiasm. Vishesh chuckled when the three of them sang him a birthday song. 

The day was spent very well. They came back home and Nishtha helped Vishesh to his room. His mother kissed his head and asked him to rest.

“Hum chalte hai ab. Tu aaram kr. Tum bhi time se chali jaana beta.”

(We will leave now. You rest. You also leave on time.)

Nishtha nodded and went to see them off. Her mother turned and said.

“Thank you. Aaj tumne jo bhi kia uske liye. Aur jo tum itne time se krti aa rhi hu uske liye.”

(For whatever you did for him. And for whatever you’ve been doing.)

Nishtha saw her get emotional and shook her head. She opened her mouth to deny it but his mother didn’t let her.

“Nhi beta. Tumhe nhi pata tumne kya kia hai. Jabse doctor ne bataya tha iski condition ke baare mai…pura internet search kr lia tha humne…iske ilaaj ke liye. Har jagah sab yahi keh rhe the ki koi ilaaj nhi hai…patient depression mai chala jaata hai aur pata nhi kya kya.”

(No dear. You don’t know what you’ve done. Since the doctor told us about his condition…we searched the entire internet…for his treatment. Everyone was saying there is no treatment…patient goes into depression and what not.)

Nishtha didn’t interrupt. His mother wiped her tears and said.

“Tumne mere bache ko uss depression mai jaane se bachaya hai. Mai kitna bhi tumhe thank you krlu kabhi tumhe repay nhi kr paaungi.”

(You saved my son from going into depression. I will never be able to repay you.)

“Aunty please! Aapko aur kisi ko bhi mujhe repay krne ki zarurat nhi hai. Vishesh sirf mere patient nhi hai. Mere dost bhi hai.”

(You or no one has to repay me anything. Vishesh is not just my patient. He is also my friend.)

She caressed Nishtha’s face and said.

“Kaash tum mere bache ko Surekha se pehle mili hoti.”

(I wish you’d met my son before Surekha.)

She froze. The words that had been ringing in her mind for a long time. And now hearing them aloud, made her heart beat wildly.

His parents left and Nishtha sat in the living room, trying to process her words. The night caretaker, Nirmal came and Nishtha went to his room.

“Mai bhi chalti hu. Nirmal aa gaya hai. Aapko kuch aur chahiye?”

(I will leave. Nirmal is here. Do you need anything else?)

He shook his head and kept looking at her with a smile.

“Thank you Nishtha. For everything.”

She smiled and tucked him in. And then, he spoke the words that made her forget breathing.

“I wish I’d met you before Surekha.”

She didn’t say anything and left without another glance at him. She didn’t have any idea how she drove back home. She was so lost when she reached her room and slumped down.

Their words replayed in her mind.

Kaash tum mere bache ko Surekha se pehle mili hoti

(I wish you’d met my son before Surekha.)

I wish I’d met you before Surekha

Kaash tum mere bache ko Surekha se pehle mili hoti

(I wish you’d met my son before Surekha.)

I wish I’d met you before Surekha

I wish I’d met you before Surekha

She closed her eyes, trying to block it. But she knew sleep was far away for her tonight.

The next morning also, Nishtha was still processing their words. Her mother noticed her state and sat beside her.

“Nishtha…kya hua hai?”

(Nishtha…what has happened?)

She broke out of her reverie and looked at her mother confused. Her mother sighed and said.

“Kal raat se dekh rhi hu. Khoyi khoyi si lag rahi hai. Kuch hua hai kya?”

(I have been observing since last night. You seem lost. Has something happened?)

“Kuch nhi mumma…bas kal thoda thak gyi thi na.”

(Nothing mumma...yesterday was a little exhausting.)

“Maa hu mai teri. Kya baat hui hai? Vishesh se kuch baat hui kya?”

(I am your mother. What has happened? Did something happen with Vishesh?)

Her heart skipped a beat hearing his name.

“Unse kya baat hogi? Patient hai wo mere.”

(What would happen with him? He is my patient.)

She said, more like convincing herself. Her mother looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

“Achha? Aisa kya? Nhi matlab wo pehla patient hai jiske baare mai mujhe pata hai.”

(Oh? Is it? I mean he is the first patient I know about.)

“Wo…wo kyunki…meri pehli duty hai na…as an in-house nurse.”

(Ummm…because…it is my first duty…like in-house nurse.)

She explained. But ofcourse. A mother is a mother.

“Hmm. Sahi baat hai. Lekin tune mujhe uske baare mai pehle bataya tha na.”

(Right. But you told me about him before that.)

Nishtha was still in denial and said.

“Haan wo kyunki…aaj se pehle maine kabhi koi itna serious case nhi deal kia tha.”

(Yes because…I had not seen such a serious case before that.)

“You’re right. But Nishu! If I remember correctly, you told me about Vishesh the very first day he was admitted. Hosh bhi nhi aaya tha usse. Because I remember you telling me that he was still unconscious.”

(He was not even conscious.)

She looked away and stared ahead. Her mother held her hand between hers.

“Nishu! I know you like him. And it’s not wrong to-”

“It is! It is wrong mumma. Medical code ke against hai.”

(It is against medical code.)

She then told her mother about the words that Vishesh and his parents spoke to her and why she was in such a dilemma.

“I agree beta. Medical code, professional ethics, ye sab important hai. But kya ye medical code lifelong rahega? Nahi na. It will be over once you’re not his nurse anymore.”

(Medical code, professional ethics, all this is important. But will this medical code be there lifelong? No, right.)

Her words awakened something in Nishtha. As if she was realising this for the first time. 

“Kisi ko pasand krna…kisi se pyar krna galat nhi hai. Haan filhaal tumhare case mai sahi bhi nhi hai. But that doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice your feelings forever. Usne apni feelings rakhi hai saamne. At least tell him that you’ve chosen him.”

(Liking someone…loving someone is not wrong. It is not right at this moment in your case….He told you his feelings.)

Nishtha nodded. She opened the door with the key and had no idea why she blushed. With a shy smile, she opened the door to his room.

“I thought tum nhi aaogi.”

(I thought you won’t come.)

She heard him. His words made her frown.

“Aisa kyu laga aapko?”

(Why did you think that?)

“After what I said last night…I thought tum nhi aaogi. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

(…I thought you won’t come.)

She shook her head and sat beside him. With her trembling ones, she took his hand between hers.

“Mai…bas thoda shock ho gyi thi. Wahi sab jo mai itne time se soch rhi thi…usse kisi aur se sunke…bas shock ho gyi thi.”

(I…was just a little shocked. Everything that I had been thinking…listening that from someone…I just got shocked.)

Vishesh blinked. Paused. Trying to process her words. 

“You…you’ve been thinking about…what I said…before yesterday also?”

She admitted with a shy smile and a small nod. She felt his fingers twitch between her hands.

“So you…you like me or something?”

She bit her lip and whispered.

“Or something.”

He chuckled and sighed. 

“I really…really like you Nishtha. From a long time but himmat nhi padi kabhi bolne ki.”

(From a long time but I never got the courage to say it.)

“Mai bhi.”

(Me too.)

She mumbled, playing with his hands. Vishesh’s heart skipped a beat seeing her beautiful blush. 

“Lekin Vishesh…we cannot be together.”

She said, making his heart drop.

“What? Why?”

Was it because of his condition? The thought made him too vulnerable.