Sarika was lost in her thoughts when Yamini Ji arrived, gritting her teeth in frustration. "Adri, see if Dev is bringing the food today or if it will come tomorrow or the day after. Call him and ask where he is!"
Hearing her voice, Sarika lowered her gaze in fear.
Adrijay nodded and started calling Devansh. After a few rings, Devansh picked up and answered, "Yes, Bhaiya, tell me?"
Adrijay asked, "If you've picked up the food, come home. Maa is asking about you."
Devansh replied, "Okay, I'm on my way," and disconnected the call.
Adrijay turned to Yamini Ji and said, "He's on his way."
She nodded and went to her room. As soon as she left, Sarika let out a sigh of relief.
Adrijay gently removed her IV drip and said, "Come on, let's go to the room so you can rest."
Sarika lowered her gaze and nodded, trying to stand up. Just then, Adrijay held her arm with one hand and placed his other hand on her waist to support her as they moved toward the stairs.
Sarika was stunned by his gesture and looked at him in surprise.
At that moment, Adhik held her other hand and said, "Mumma, you need to rest. After resting, you have to take your medicine too, right?"
His words pulled Sarika out of her thoughts. She looked at him and gave a small smile. Then, walking with Adrijay, she saw Tanishq also joining them, walking beside Adhik.
Once they reached the room, Adrijay asked Adhik to turn on the lights. He then helped Sarika settle on the bed, adjusting some pillows behind her for support before walking out of the room.
Sarika watched him leave, then took a deep breath and looked at Tanishq and Adhik, who were sitting nearby, looking at her with worried expressions. Seeing them, a warm smile spread across her face. She opened her arms, inviting them close, and both boys immediately rushed into her embrace.
As she stroked their heads, she said, "I'm absolutely fine, Tanu and Adhu. You both don't need to worry so much."
Adhik pulled away slightly, looking at her seriously. "How can we not worry, Mumma? You are very important to us, just like we are to you. If we were sick, wouldn't you be worried about us? Wouldn't you take care of us? Then why shouldn't we do the same for you?"
Tanishq nodded in agreement. "Bh Bhaiya is absolutely right! Mumma, you don't take care of yourself at all. If we did the same, how would you feel? You wouldn't like it, right? So from now on, you have to eat lunch with us in the afternoon and dinner with us at night!"
Listening to them, Sarika's eyes welled up with tears. She became emotional and hugged them tightly. For the first time in nine years, she felt like someone cared about her, that her sickness mattered to someone. Until now, no one had ever been affected by her illness, no matter what she was going through. But today, for the first time, someone was genuinely concerned for her.
Holding them close to her heart, she choked out, "Thank you so much… Thank you, my babies. Do you know you both are Mumma's favorites? And Mumma can't make her favorites upset, right? So from today, I'll listen to everything you both say. Just promise me one thing—never change, no matter how much time passes. Always love your Mumma just like this… just like you do now. Will you?"
Tanishq and Adhik wiped her tears and replied in unison, "Yes, Mumma, we will always love you this much! Always! But you have to stop crying now, or else we will cry too!"
Sarika quickly wiped her tears and smiled. "See, I'm not crying!"
Seeing her smile, Tanishq and Adhik grinned and hugged her again. Sarika gently stroked their heads with a warm smile.
Standing at the door, Adrijay watched the scene unfold, his own eyes turning misty. For the first time, he truly realized what Sarika had gone through because of his negligence. He had never thought that ignoring her would bring her so much loneliness, sadness, and suffering.
After marriage, a husband and wife are supposed to face every hardship together. But in their relationship, only Sarika had put in the effort. And what had she received in return? Nothing but solitude, emptiness, and a barren life.
What was her fault? That she married according to her family's wishes? Despite everything, she had never once complained to him. Or perhaps, when she did try to speak, he never listened.
If only he had given her a chance… If only…
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, a lone tear slipped down his cheek. Wiping it away, he stepped into the room.
Seeing him enter, the smile vanished from Sarika's face, and her expression turned blank. Witnessing this reaction, Adrijay felt an even deeper sense of guilt. Controlling his emotions, he placed a bowl of soup on the bedside table and said, "Tanu, Adhu, let go of Mumma now. She needs to drink her soup."
Hearing this, both boys pulled away. Adrijay moved a small table closer to Sarika, placed the soup bowl on it, and then sat down in front of her. Taking a spoonful of soup, he blew on it gently before bringing it to her lips.
Sarika looked at him in shock. Before she could say anything, Tanishq spoke up, "Mumma, drink it quickly! Then you have to take your medicine too."
Lowering her gaze, Sarika quietly drank the soup.
Just then, Tanishq took the spoon from Adrijay's hand and said, "Now I'll feed Mumma." He took a small portion of soup, blew on it, and brought it to Sarika's lips. Smiling, she drank it.
Adhik also followed suit, taking turns with his brother, and together, they made sure she finished the entire bowl.
Once she was done, Adrijay handed her the medicine he had asked Devansh to bring. Sarika took it and then lay down again.
Tanishq sat beside her, stroking her head. "Mumma, go to sleep. I'll sleep next to you tonight so if you need anything, you can just tell me."
Sarika tried to reason with him. "But sweetheart, you have school tomorrow. If you stay up, you'll be tired."
Tanishq made an innocent face and turned to Adrijay. "Papa, please, can I skip school tomorrow? Please! I need to take care of Mumma. Otherwise, she won't take care of herself! Please, Papa!"
Seeing his son's determination, Adrijay smiled slightly and nodded. "Alright."
With that, he picked up the empty dishes and left the room.
Sarika watched him go in shock. Adrijay had never allowed their children to miss school, no matter how important the reason—except in case of illness. His sudden agreement left her puzzled. His behavior lately was completely unpredictable.
As she was lost in thought, Tanishq placed his hands over her eyes and said, "Mumma, go to sleep now. Good night!"
Sarika closed her eyes and whispered, "Good night, Tanu. Good night, Adhu." Within moments, the effect of the medicine pulled her into deep sleep.
A while later, Adrijay returned to the room and saw Adhik sleeping on the other side of Sarika. Quietly closing the door, he walked over and gently pulled the blanket over all of them.
Then, softly stroking Sarika's head, he murmured, "I'm sorry, Sarika. When you needed me the most in this new home, I abandoned you. I can't even imagine what you must have felt all these years.
"Today, when you spoke to the kids like that, I finally realized how alone you have been in this house. I'm responsible for this loneliness, for this emptiness.
"But not anymore. You always felt like you had no one, but from now on, I'll make sure you know that you do. You have people who love you… and I am one of them."
With that, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
A few moments later, he moved back, softly stroking her hair, then went to the other side of the bed, lying down beside Tanishq. Turning on his side, he watched Sarika, lost in his thoughts.
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