A month had passed since Tara and Shiv had been talking over calls. It had become their routine. He would call her as soon as he got free from his work and she would wait eagerly for his calls.

Today, it was a video call. Shiv was back in Delhi after a month long medical camp drive.

"Aapne haircut karwaya hai?"

She asked noticing his hair shorter than before and he raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"You noticed?"

"Ummhmm. Achhe lag rhe hai."

A slight blush covered her cheeks as she complimented him. He bit the inside of his cheek in amusement and said.

"I'm sure. Nazre nhi hatt rhi tumhari. Screenshot le lo. Kaam aayega baad ke liye."

He was joking but she actually took a screenshot.

"Wait! You actually did it?"

He asked and laughed when she nodded timidly.

"You're crazy!"

"Unique bolte hai usse. Puri duniya mai eklauti piece hu."

She boasted and he nodded.

"Wo toh I agree."

He said in a flirty tone and she bit her lip giggling.

Tara was just back to her home after a walk with her friends.

"Tara! Pet dard ki koi dawai rakhi hai kya? Yeri maa ke dard ho raha hai bhut der se. Digene deke dekh li koi asar nhi hai."

She heard her father call and rushed to her mother who was writhing in pain while clutching her stomach.

"Dawai toh digene hi hai? Gas hai kya mummy?"

"Pata nhi! Dard ho raha hai bhut!"

She said clutching her stomach in pain.

"Mai abhi aayi!"

Tara rushed to her room to fetch her phone. She dialled Shiv's number.

"Pick up pick up pick up please! Shiv!"

He was in the hospital when he received her call. She never called in the day because she knew he was at work so he knew it must be unavoidable.

"Tara? All okay?"

"Wo pet dard ki koi medicine hoti hai kya? Digene ke alawa?"

"Kisko ho raha hai?"

"Maa ko."

"Kaunse area mai?"

"Wait! Puchhke batati hu."

She ran to her mother's room and asked her exactly where it pained. Shiv then asked her about any other symptoms.

"Gas toh nhi hai. It could be worms. Mai ek dawai ka naam likh kr bhej raha hu. Deworming ki dawai hai. Wo dedo and also give her ORS in the meantime. Electrolytes ki kami bhi ho skti hai. Agar uske baad bhi kuch ghanto mai aaram nhi aata toh phir call krna."

"Baba! Mai dawai lekar aayi. Tab tak aap maa ko bolo thoda thoda krke ye khatam kre."

She said handing her father a glass of ORS and rushed out to the medicine shop to get the medicine Shiv had asked her.

After giving her the medicine as Shiv had instructed, she asked her mother to rest and she and her father came out of the room when her mother finally slept.

"Kis se puchhi thi dawai?"

Tara looked at her father and gulped. What should she answer?

"Umm-wo-camp laga tha na baba. Toh unme se ek doctor ka number lia tha. Kisi emergency ke liye. Unhi se."

She said not meeting her father's eyes.

"Kaunse doctor? Kya naam hai?"

"Ji-wo-papa-umm-Shiv-Doctor Shiv."

"Wo head doctor?"

Tara nodded and bit her lip. She couldn't gain courage to look at her father to see his expression but she felt his hand on her head after a few seconds.

"Mujhe tujhpr pura bharosa hai."

With those words he moved out of the house for his village duties. Tara stood there frozen.

She knew that her father knew she wasn't telling the complete truth. Yet he said he trusted her. And what was she doing? Breaking his trust but talking to a man late at nights.

That night when Shiv called, Tara picked it up half-heartedly.

"Hey!"

His voice was tired but excited.

"Hi."

Shiv frowned. She was usually the most happy while talking. Did something happen?

"Tara? Sab thik hai na? Maa ki tabiyat abhi bhi kharab hai kya?"

"Nhi. Maa thik hai."

"Toh why do you sound so low? Kuch hua hai kya?"

She felt a tear fell from her eye.

"Shiv."

He hummed and she told him everything that happened.

"Baba ke shabd mere kaano mai gunj rhe hai. He trusts me so much and it makes me feel like I am breaking his trust. Wo bharosa krte hai mujhpr ki mai kuch galat nhi krungi kabhi."

She said and sniffed. Shiv didn't say anything for a few seconds and then spoke in a serious and soft voice.

"Tara? Ek baat batao. Ye jo kuch bhi hai hamara beech...do you think it's wrong? Tumhe galat lagta hai ye sab?"

"Nhi...lekin-"

"Jab galat nhi hai toh guilt kyu hai?"

She had no answer.

"Kyunki sach chhupa rhi hu mai. Ghar mai kisi ko nhi pata hamare baare mai. Baba ko toh aaj tak ye bhi nhi pata tha ki mere paas aapka number hai. Kaisa lagega unhe jab unhe sab pata chalega? Kya sochenge wo mere baare mai?"

"Tara? Pasand krti ho mujhe?"

She was shocked at his question. She liked him? Yes.

"Aap jaante hai Shiv."

"Then trust us. There's nothing wrong in what we're doing."

"Lekin-"

"Pyaar krta hu tumse."

He confessed and she felt her breath hitch. Like was fine but love? She didn't know. Was it not too early. She was attached to him? Yes. Definitely.

"Shiv-mai-"

"It's ok. Dobara sunne ke liye nhi bola. Bas tumhe ye samjhane ke liye bola ki jo bhi chaos tumne apne hi dimag mai banaya hai usse shant kro. Kahi nhi jaa raha mai. Tumhare saath hu hamesha aur kuch galat nhi hai. Pyaar kia hai. Nibhane ke liye kia hai. Koi bharosa nhi tod rhi tum kisi ka. Tum aaj kaho, kal hi aa jaaunga tumhare ghar apne parents ko lekar."

She chuckled while sniffing.

"Shiv!"

"I love you Tara. I really do. Take your time and think about me. About us. Achha ladka hu. Khayal rakhunga."

She sniffed at his words. Why was he so nice? How did she get so lucky?

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