“I’m still your nurse. I’m tied to a medical code. Mujhe saza ho skti hai.”

(I can be punished.)

He felt like he could breathe again.

“Thank God! Mujhe laga…”

(I thought…)

“Vishesh!”

Her voice came out stern, understanding immediately what he must have thought. He gave her a sheepish smile and rested his head against the headboard.

A few days later, when Nishtha entered his room, she noticed his mysterious smile.

“Kya baat hai?”

(What happened?)

“Tumhare liye kuch hai.”

(I have something for you.)

He said and turned his head towards the side table. There lay a delivery package.

“Ye kya hai?”

(What’s this?)

“Khol kr dekh lo.”

(See for yourself.)

Nishtha opened it with excitement. She gasped seeing what was inside it and looked at him wide eyed.

“Vishesh…ye…”

(Vishesh…this…)

There was a beautiful, solitaire ring inside.

“Confession nhi hai…ek promise hai.”

(It’s not a confession…but a promise.)

She smiled and hugged him tightly.

“Thank you. Par ye mangwaya kaise? Aur kab?”

(But how did you get this? And when?)

“Chaar din pehle order lagwaya tha. Nirmal ki help se.”

(I ordered it four days back. Through Nirmal.)

“Bhut sundar hai. Thank you.”

(It’s beautiful.)

He kept gazing into her eyes. He slowly dropped his head against hers and whispered.

“I know this will be against your medical code but…kiss me, Nishtha. Please!”

“Aap hospital se nikalwana chahte hai mujhe!”

(I want to get me fired!)

She accused, making him chuckle. She smiled and nuzzled her nose against his.

“I will not kiss you even when I am not your nurse anymore.”

He frowned and looked at her, not knowing what to say.

“Because when we kiss for the first time, I want you to wrap your arms around me and hold me close.”

He smiled and craned his neck to kiss her head.

“Promise.”

She blushed and hugged him again, keeping her head against his chest.

Almost 6 months later

It was Nishtha’s last day as Vishesh’s nurse. She didn’t know how to feel. His recovery had been great.

He wasn’t completely alright but had significant movement in his upper body. He still needed the wheelchair because the movement in his legs was still not a lot.

His parents were there on Nishtha’s last day at work. They felt more emotional than she did.

“Bhut yaad aayegi tumhari beta.”

(We will miss you a lot.)

Vishesh’s mother said, pulling Nishtha in a warm hug. Nishtha smiled with tear filled eyes and said.

“Aapka jab bhi milne ka mann kre mai aa jaaungi. Ya aap aa jaana milne.”

(I will come to meet you whenever you’d want. Or you come meet me.)

She nodded and caressed her face. Vishesh sat in his wheelchair, looking at them with a smile. 

He was sad that he would see her less but he was happy that now he could be with her without any repercussions. 

Nishtha was in Vishesh’s room, giving him his last dose of supplements for the day.

“Ab iske baad toh aapko khud hi lena hai. Time ka dhyan rakhiyega. Mai nhi hu toh laparwahi nhi chahiye mujhe. Jis speed se peechle itne mahino mai recovery kri hai aage bhi waise hi krna hai.”

(You have to take this yourself after this. Take care of the time. I don’t want carelessness when I’m not here. I want the recovery with the same speed it happened during the previous months.)

He nodded like an obedient child and held her wrist when she started to get up. She raised her eyebrow at him in question.

“You’re officially not my nurse anymore.”

She nodded and hugged him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her and she sighed, finally feeling his arms around her.

“I love you!”

She whispered the words that had been on her lips for a long time. She felt his heart skip a beat. He sighed in content and placed a kiss over her head before whispering the words back.

“I love you too!”

She smiled in his embrace and closed her eyes. They stayed like that until Vishesh spoke.

“I promised you something.”

She pulled back a little and looked at him in confusion.

“I promised to wrap my arms around you and hold you close when we kiss.”

Nishtha blushed and lowered her head. Vishesh held her chin and made her look into his eyes.

“May I?”

She nodded and leaned in, he covered the remaining distance and claimed her lips in a soft kiss. Nishtha felt her heartbeat race. Her palm travelled to his chest and she felt his heartbeat in sync with hers.

She felt him smile between the kiss and her own lips curled up. His arms around her tightened a bit when she scraped his head, making him almost groan.

He swiped his tongue across her lips, gently prodding them apart. She released a soft, sensual sound when his tongue clashed with hers. 

They pulled back, feeling the need to breathe. Both of their chests heaved. Their eyes met. Vishesh smiled naughtily, making Nishtha blush and lower her eyes.

He rested his forehead against hers and his parents chose right that moment to enter his room.

Nishtha sprang up with the speed of lightning and looked at them wide eyed. His parents were surprised for a few minutes. They looked at each other, communicating something with their eyes before turning their attention back to Nishtha.

His father had a calm smile on his face and his mother was all grinning widely.

“Shayad galat time pr aa gye hum.”

(I think we came at the wrong time.)

She teased, making Nishtha lower her head, mentally wishing the Earth to swallow her whole. She heard Vishesh groan and rub his hand down his face.

“Mummy yaar! Timing toh galat hai aapki aur aadat bhi. Kyu tang kr rhi ho?”

(Your timing as well as habit is wrong. Why are you teasing?)

He sounded like a flustered child. His parents laughed.

“Hum bas ye kehne aaye the ki jaa rhe the.”

(We just came to say that we were leaving.)

His father said. His mother moved towards Nishtha and caressed her face.

“Khush raho hamesha.”

(Stay happy always.)

She then turned to her son and said.

“Dhyan rakhio apna! Aur iska bhi!”

(Take care of yourself! And her too!)

She pointed towards Nishtha. Vishesh nodded, understanding the underlying meaning behind her words.

“Hum chalte hai. Tum log continue rakho.”

(We will leave. You guys continue.)

“Mummy!”

They laughed and left the room, leaving an awkward Nishtha and a flustered Vishesh behind. He had never been caught like this by his parents. It was new for him and he had no idea how to react.

He looked up and his eyes met Nishtha’s. They stared at each other for a few seconds before bursting out with laughter.

7 months later

Nishtha and Vishesh’s parents have seen his journey go through multiple phases.

They remembered how he went from wheelchair to crutches. From crutches to one hand crutch. From a one-hand crutch to a walking stick.

And Nishtha still felt awe of his dedication and willpower when she saw him walk without any support. Right now, he was sitting in her home, with her father, laughing about something.

He was taking her out on a date tonight. Their first date after his complete recovery. Also his first time in her home.

Her parents have met him earlier before. They visited his place when she had told them about her relationship with him.

Her father, at first, was reluctant. Knowing that he was a divorcee. But when Nishtha told him everything and he got his enquiry done, he felt relieved knowing that Vishesh was a good man.

“Chale?”

(Shall we?)

Nishtha asked Vishesh. He nodded and looked at her father. 

“Aaram se jaana.”

(Be careful.)

His father patted Vishesh’s shoulder when he bent down to touch his feet to seek blessings.

“Dhyan rakhna beta.”

(Take care.)

“Ji uncle.”

(Yes uncle.)

He held Nishtha’s hand and they moved out. 

“Kaha jaa rhe hai hum?”

(Where are we going?)

She asked excitedly. He chuckled and kissed her knuckles, his focus completely on the road.

“Dekh lena.”

(You’ll see.)

She huffed and looked ahead. He stopped the car near a  restaurant and she looked at him wide eyed.

“Yaha?”

(Here?)

He nodded and opened the door to her side. He held her hand and they walked inside together. Her uncle’s restaurant. The same place where they celebrated his birthday.

They took their place inside the private booth and gave their orders.

“Lekin yaha kyu?”

(But why here?)

“Aise hi. I just wanted to take you out. Last time tumne mujhe khilaya tha kyunki majboori thi. This time, we’ll feed each other because we want to, not out of any obligation.”

(No reason….Last time you fed me out of obligation.)

She smiled wide and pecked his cheek, making him smile and caress her cheek. He kissed her forehead and they got into a random conversation.

Their food arrived and the two fed each other in between. As the time for their departure came closer, Vishesh grew a little nervous.

She noticed and asked.

“Kya hua? Why do you look so tense all of a sudden?”

(What happened?)

He held her hand and caressed her knuckles.

“Actually…there was a reason I chose this place.”

She frowned slightly and he smiled.

“That night…here, in this place…I realised my feelings for you for the very first time.”

She smiled and melted at his words. But he wasn’t done.

“And so I thought…ki isse better jagah nhi hogi…to do this.”

(And so I thought…that there could be no better place…to do this.)

She gasped when he pushed the chair aside and sat before her on one knee, holding out a beautiful diamond ring.

“Vishesh?”

Her voice quivered with emotions. His own eyes got teary as he popped the question.

“Will you marry me, Nishtha?”

She didn’t have to think. Not with him. She cupped his face and kissed him deeply and passionately.

“Yes! I’ll marry you!”

She whispered between the kiss and felt his tears mix with hers.

They pulled back and he made her wear the ring while she bounced on her toes. As soon as the ring settled on her ring, she jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly.

And that was how Vishesh and Nishtha found their forever❤️.