75. BREAK-UP?!

Nandini is quietly standing and looking at the sunset from the window. She is in deep thoughts and lone tears slip down from her eyes unknown to her. She is not scared of anyone until-unless her family is with her or her Manik is with her. She is just upset because everyone is making her their weakness. She didn’t want to be anyone’s weakness. She wants to be their strength and pride, which they all are unaware of because of their over protectiveness for her. 

She comes out of her thoughts when someone enters her room with slow steps. She doesn’t need eyes to see who is there.  She asks without facing him. 

Nan:- what do you need, Manik? 

Ma:- Are you fine? 

Nan:- Does it matter to you? 

Ma:- YOU MATTER TO ME, NANDINI, LIKE NO ONE DOES!

Nan:- ( chuckles sadly ) It felt good to hear this. 

Ma:- what happened, Nandini? You sound rude. 

Nan:- ( angrily while turning around to face him ) you tell me, what is cooking in your head? 

Hearing her question he signed tiredly because it’s very difficult for him to hide anything from her. He slowly walks near her and looks at her with all the love whereas she is angry like hell. 

Ma:- nothing…… 

Nan:- really? Should I say why you come here? 

Ma:- Nandini, can we talk about it calmly? 

He asks calmly trying to make her understand but her next statement makes him angry. 

Nan:- LET’S BREAK-UP!

Ma:- ( angrily on the top of his tone ) Nandini!!!!! 

Nan:- ( in the same pitch as him ) why are you shouting? Don’t you come here to say that? Am I saying something wrong? 

Ma:- ( tiredly ) yes!! I came here to make distance from you but I didn’t mean break-up. You know that I can’t even breathe without you. 

Nan:- hahaha….. ( imitating him ) I can’t even breathe without you!…… ( sarcastically ) am I oxygen or a nostril that you need to take a breath? 

Ma:- ( palming his face ) Nandini, first of all, don’t bring Cabir’s version of Nandini in our argument. 

Nan:- ( while gritting her teeth ) and you don’t bring your dumbness in between US, MR. DUMB MALHOTRA. 

Manik bites his lips to control his smile which is on the verge of coming hearing her cute nickname for him. “MR. DUMB MALHOTRA”……….. How cute!!! But soon he composes himself. 

Ma:- ( sweetly with all the love he has for her ) Nandini…….. 

Listening to his loving tone, she relaxed a little bit and sat down on the bed.

On the other side, Manik signed in relief, seeing the volcano calming down. But soon his breath hitched hearing her next question. 

Nan:- Akshat is the reason that you are not telling about us to anyone, right? 

Manik takes a deep breath before kneeling in front of her and takes her hands in his hold. 

Ma:- YES!….. BUT I HAD A STRONG REASON OR ELSE I WOULD NEVER HIDE ABOUT US FROM ANYONE. 

Nan:- ( authoritatively ) the reason, Manik. I want to hear that damn reason. I already got the idea but I want to hear from you. 

Ma:-  is it important for you to know? 

Nan:- ( while looking into his eyes directly with a determined face ) ONLY IF YOU WANT TO SAVE OUR RELATION? 

Manik gasped hearing her, the determination to know the damn reason is clearly visible in her eyes but alas he can’t do anything except telling her his insecurities. 

Ma:- Nandini, he is a psycho. He is obsessed with you. He can’t see you with any other man except him. You know, to what extent he goes to get you. He can harm you easily just like he did today only because of his obsession. ( after taking a long pause and Nandini calmly waited for him to continue ) He thinks that you will become impure if some other man touches you and to make you pure again he hurts you. He loves to see you in pain, he loves to see you in blood. He is obsessed with you to such an extent. 

He poured his feelings in front of her in a vulnerable tone because he can’t see her in any kind of pain. While Nandini’s gaze is still fixed on his face. She listened to his stupid reason and asks a question which is making her restless. 

Nan:- so, to save me from him you will keep distance from me? 

Ma:- ( dejectedly ) I have no other choice. 

Nandini pushes him angrily, making him stumble and shout in high pitch. 

Nan:- NO……no, Manik. You had a choice but you ignored that option. 

Ma:- ( shockingly ) Nandini!!!! 

Nan:- ( angrily ) you always had a choice MR. MALHOTRA but you choose to keep me away from you. AKSHAT IS HURTING ME PHYSICALLY BUT YOU ARE HURTING ME MENTALLY………. YOU ARE SUCH A COWARD, MANIK. YOU ARE A EGOISTIC COWARD. YOU WANT TO TACKLE EVERYTHING ALONE. ( huffing like a bull ) OK THEN, HANDLE EVERYTHING ALL ALONE. HAVE KIDS ALL ALONE BECAUSE WHATEVER WE HAD BETWEEN US IS FINISHED. 

Manik took her anger like an obedient lover but her kids and the break-up line made him hyper. 

Ma:- NAN….. 

He opened his mouth to shout at her but in front of Nandini’s anger, his voice sounded like a small murmur. 

Nan:- GET THE HELL OUT FROM MY ROOM, MR. EGOISTIC COWARD MALHOTRA. NEVER SHOW ME YOUR FACE AGAIN. 

Ma:- ( trying to calm her down while cracking a joke ) hey, you have to see my face only because I don’t want my kids to have a round potato-like face just like you.  

Instead of cooling down her anger rises while Manik murmurs “WRONG MOVE, MALHOTRA” seeing her red eyes.

Nan:- ( while digging holes in his system ) this potato will smash your face and then will roast you in an oven. 

This literally sacred Manik and in fear he steps back making a decent gap between them. Before Nandini could throw him out of the room because of the stupid joke and actions he himself walks out with his head down leaving a huffing Nandini behind. 

Nan:- I WILL TEACH HIM A VERY HARD LESSON THIS TIME. AYAPPA…. BE WITH ME. 

As soon as Manik comes out he gets surrounded by the male gang who is anxiously waiting for him. Seeing his sulking face they smirk, not knowing his situation. 

Ca:- aw….. Girlfriend threw you out or denied to share her chocolate with you? 

Raj:- ( analyzing Manik’s face closely ) usually this happens, when the girlfriend denies giving a kiss. 

Without giving a damn to their existence Manik moves towards his room like a kid with a head down. Others follow him like love-sick puppies. 

Abhi:- ( placing a hand on his shoulder ) what happened, Manik? 

Ma:- ( with a cute sad pout ) she threw me out because….. 

Before he could complete his sentence Raman and Cabir throw themselves on the bed while laughing hard. 

Ram:- ( proudly ) she is my daughter. She knows how to deal with monsters. 

Saying this he again burst out in laughter. 

Ca:- ( controls himself difficulty ) wh…. Why? 

Today, their laughter is not irking Manik. He is so depressed right now that he is ignoring their jokes. He composed himself and described the whole of his and Nandini’s conversation to them. 

Everyone palms their faces seeing his stupidity but Raj becomes angry seeing his son’s foolishness. 

Raj:- what you did, Manik?

Manik frowned seeing everyone’s reactions. 

Ram:- ( calmly wanting to put a brain in him ) Manik, you always had a choice. 

Ma:- what choice, uncle?  

Ram:- you love Nandini right? 

In reflex, Manik nods with a big smile. 

Ma:- undoubtedly. 

Ram:- and whenever we love someone we become two bodies and one soul. We become US from YOU and I. ( Manik frowns hearing him ) In simple words, you are not alone in this relationship. Nandini’s decisions and opinions matter the same as yours. Did you ever take her opinion in this matter? Did you ever discuss this problem with her? 

Raj cuts him in mid, angrily. 

Raj:- and most importantly……… you had an option to fight with him alone or with Nandini. But unfortunately, you choose to fight alone. 

This statement put the slight brain in Manik’s head.

Ma:- but dad, whatever I did or doing is for Nandini’s safety. 

Ram:- is Nandini happy with that? ( Manik shooks his head immediately ) So, how can Nandini’s safety prioritize Nandini’s heart? 

Hearing such words from him, Manik looks astonished but all this is expected from him because his daughter is his everything. 

Abhi:- whatever you did is wrong for both of you, Manik. 

Ma:- why are you guys not thinking from my side? Put yourselves in my shoes and then think. Nandini is more important to me, her health is my priority then, how can I let her in pain? 

Ca:- Manik, your motive is right but your path is wrong. 

Ma:- don’t talk like an oldie, Cabir. This type of line won’t suit you. 

Raj:- he is right, Manik. We are your family. If you will come to us instead of tackling this yourself then the situation would be different. 

Now, Manik is understanding where he went wrong. 

Ma:- sorry dad but I did all this or kept our relationship secret for Nandini’s safety. 

Ram:- we are not doubting your intention, Manik. Although I am not showing it, I know somewhere you were right. If I was in your place then I would do the same. But think from Nandini’s point of view. She is already stressed because of that AKshat and now you are also giving her stress. 

Ma:- so, is this a time to tell everyone about us? 

To be continued…