“Be right back,” he smiles, casting one last look over his shoulder before slipping out.
The door clicks shut behind him, and I find myself staring at it for a long moment. I exhale sharply, then turn to Sunita Aunty.
With a sad smile, I rise to my feet and make my way to her. I drop into the chair beside her bed and gently reach out, taking her cold hand in mine.
“Please wake up, Aunty,” I whisper, the same words I’ve been repeating like a prayer for days now. “Please…” My thumb runs slowly over the back of her hand, a silent plea in every stroke. “I need you to open your eyes.”
My voice cracks, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. “I miss your scolding, your little lectures… even the way you tease me about Sidharth.” A shaky laugh escapes through the tears. “You knew before I did that I loved him, and you’ll be happy to know that I’ve finally confessed my love, Aunty.”
I grip her hand tighter, my voice trembling. “Now I just want you to wake up and give us your blessing.” My tears fall freely now. “Please. Wake up. Give me a sign. Anything.”
I rest my forehead against the edge of the bed, still clutching her hand. I don’t even hear the door open. I only realise Sidharth has entered when his fingers brush lightly over my shoulder. I let go of Sunita Aunty’s hand, lift my head, and meet his eyes.
“Come, let’s have some coffee,” he says gently, nodding towards the coffee table near the sofa.
I’m just about to shake my head and say no, when a faint voice makes my heart stop.
“You better have your coffee. You’re cranky without it.”
My head snaps towards the bed to find Sunita Aunty’s eyes flutter open, a soft smile lining her face. For a heartbeat, I freeze, unable to believe what I’m seeing. Then a choked sob escapes my throat, and my hands fly to cover my mouth as tears blur my vision.
“Aunty…” I whisper, lunging forward and grasping her hands in mine. I bend down and kiss them over and over again.“You’re awake,” I cry, my voice breaking with joy. “You’re really awake… Thank God. I was so scared. I—I thought…”
“You thought I’d leave you?” Her attempt to smile is feeble, but it sends my heart crashing into my ribs.
I shake my head, laughing and crying at the same time. “Don’t joke like that! You scared me out of my mind.”
She blinks slowly, her brows knitting faintly. “How long?”
“Three days,” I say, brushing a tear off my cheek with the back of my hand. “Three whole days we’ve been waiting for you to open your eyes.”
Beside me, Sidharth steps closer to the bed and gently places his hand over hers, right where mine is still holding on. “We can’t tell you how happy we are to see you awake, Aunty.”
Her gaze shifts slowly towards him, soft and heavy with affection. “You stayed with her?”
“Of course, Aunty. I couldn’t leave her. Not for a second,” he replies.
Even in her frailty, there’s a flicker of pride that lights up her expression, and I swear I see her silently pass on an unspoken blessing. Her fingers twitch in mine, but her gaze remains fixed on him. With the ghost of a smirk tugging at her lips, she says to him, “Good. Because you’re the only one I trust to look after this stubborn girl.”
“Your trust means the world to me, Aunty. I swear on my life, I’ll never break it.” He gives her hand a gentle squeeze. “And I’m not just here for now. I’m in this for life. I want to marry her, Aunty. Take care of her and build a forever future with her.”
My heart picks up speed. I wanted to be the one to tell Aunty, but Sidharth just blurted out the truth. And honestly, I’m not even mad at him. Seeing the happiness on her face, I know no timing could’ve been more perfect than this.
“You have my blessings, son,” she murmurs as a tear slips down her cheek. Sidharth leans in and gently wipes it away.
“Thank you for your blessing, Aunty. I truly love Nisha, and I’ll spend every day proving I’m worthy of her.” A beat passes before he adds, “That’s a promise from the man who’ll cherish her with all his heart.”
The lump in my throat rises so fast that I can barely breathe through the flood of emotions coursing through me. I look from her to him, overwhelmed by how the scattered pieces of happiness are slowly falling back into place.
Sunita Aunty squeezes my hand. “You both gave me something to smile about. It almost made me forget I’m in a hospital.”
Her words hit me like a splash of cold water, and in that moment, I’m reminded of exactly why she’s here.
“It’s all my fault that you’re lying here, Aunty,” I whisper, my voice trembling as I lower my head, unable to meet her eyes.
She frowns faintly. “What nonsense are you saying?”
I hesitate, lifting my head to meet her eyes. “If I hadn’t left you alone that day…”
