57. SHARING!!

Raman is looking at manik’s disappearing figure. It took him a few seconds to understand the hidden meaning of his words. When he finally got it, he freaked out and his mind got blanked for some minutes. He cries on his fate dramatically because now he can’t do anything. He instantly looked at Raj who was standing far away from him and making some calls.

Raman walks towards Raj with heavy steps and with a depressed face while lowering his head like a kid.

Ram :- ( politely ) what does he mean by “FORGOT TO USE CONDOM?”

Raj :- ( smiling like a fool ) arey….. It’s just…… ( With dreamy eyes ) After nine months maybe little NANDINI will play in my hands and will call me granny.

Ram :- ( angrily grabs his collar ) what little Nandini? Haa…

Raj :- arey….. ok…no little Nandini…. Little Manik will come. Now ok? 

If Raman would be on his senses then surely he would murdered THE RAJ MALHOTRA. But this time the situation is different. He is all calm and silent, maybe this is the calmness before the thunderstorm.

Ram :- to whom you are calling at this time? 

Raj :- ( little angrily ) I have lots of preparations to make and this stupid P.A of mine is not receiving my calls. 

Raman thought he was talking about wedding preparations, that’s why he asks.

Ram :- what preparations? Tell me I will help. 

Raj :- ( like a rajdhani express ) first, we have to book an appointment to India’s most reputed Gynecologist for nandini’s pregnancy. Then….( Freaking out ) I have to purchase a baby cot too. Then the clothes for the baby. I will also appoint a nurse for Nandini….it would be safe.

He kept blabbering and making a list for what to do. Raman looked at him with wide eyes. He is amazed seeing his so positive approach. His future baby planning is on the top. Suddenly his vision became blurry hearing all these things. And the next moment he lied down on the floor. 

Not getting any response Raj looks back and sees Raman’s fainted body on the floor. He thought that he was sleeping. 

Raj :- arey…yr….. is this a place to sleep?

He bent down towards him and shook to wake him up but nothing worked. Seeing his non responsive body he got nervous and tensed. He checks his breath and starts sweating seeing his low breaths. Next second he runs like a cheetah to reach Manik’s room. 

Where Manik is also tensed seeing cabir’s almost dead body. After thinking a lot he decided to let Nandini know about this because she is the only one who can help him to treat cabir. After battling with his inner self he decided to tell raj first about this, then he will take Nandini’s help.

As soon as he opens the door raj is standing in front of his eyes while huffing badly. Both spoke at the same time. 

Ma + raj :- dad!!/ Manik!!

Ma + raj :- I NEED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. 

Raj :- first, hear me out….. I am in a really bad situation. 

Ma :- no dad, first you hear me out. My problem is much more critical than yours. 

Not giving him a chance to deny he pulled raj inside and lashed the door. 

Ma :- dad, now what I am going to show you is really dangerous. As a precaution just take a deep breath. 

Raj :- don’t tell me that Nandini already delivered a kid….. I mean can’t you wait for some more hours. I didn’t even prepare anything for welcoming my grandkid.

Ma :- ( angrily ) are you out of your mind? What are you talking about? WHAT NANDINI……. WHAT KID….. WHAT PREPARATIONS!!!!!!!!!!

Raj :- sorry…… it comes out from my mouth in tension. You continue your show….. I mean what you want me to show? Show me….

With trembling hands Manik pulls out a cabir from underneath his bed. Seeing cabir’s state raj frowned. 

Raj :- what happened to him? Why is he sleeping under your bed?

Manik knows that if he tells him the truth he will kill him for murdering his best friend’s son. He decided to turn the tables around Raj’s side. 

Ma :- ( while lowering his down ) DAD, ALL THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF YOUR TEACHINGS. 

Raj :- ( in confusion ) now, what I did? 

Ma :- ( like an innocent baby ) YOU TAUGHT ME NA… THAT SHARING IS CARING. AND YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SHARES YOUR THINGS WITH OTHERS BECAUSE IT WILL INCREASES THE LOVE BETWEEN THE TWO. 

Raj :- yup!! I taught you this and I am really proud of me because I gave you such manners. 

Manik thought ” don’t…. Dad, don’t…. Soon you will curse that moment after knowing the truth”.

Ma :- so, following your teachings like an obedient son. I SHARED MY DEEPEST SECRET WITH HIM. ( Taking a deep breath ) I TOLD HIM ABOUT MINE AND NANDINI’S RELATIONSHIP AND THIS IS THE OUTCOME. ( Pointing towards cabir’s half dead body ) 

First, raj didn’t understand what outcome that is why he checks cabir’s breathes to find it same as raman’s. In short, the cabir and raman’s conditions are the same. He stumbled and held his head to stop the dizziness. 

Raj :- manik, i taught you to make people happy with sharing your things, not to kill them.

Ma :- dad, i did what you taught me. So, it is not my fault.

Raj :- we will discuss this in jail. There we will have an immense time to sort out this. By the way you know what is the punishment for murdering someone in an accidental way?…….. So, I will get some ideas about my prison time. 

Ma :- why are you asking this?

Raj :- because we are going to jail. 

Ma :- what????

Raj :- ( innocently ) yup!! because…SON KILLED SON and FATHER KILLED FATHER.

Ma :- what are you saying? I am not getting anything. 

Raj :- come with me……..

Raj walks forward and Manik follows him silently. Reaching the driveway he shows him the raman’s condition. Seeing his future father in law’s condition his breathing stopped and the terror came on his face.

Ma :- dad, what you did? 

Raj :- ( while making a cute crying face ) same…. I also SHARE my feelings and desires for my grandkid. 

Ma :- what grandkids?

Raj :- arey……. You told na…….. That you forget to use a condom……..

Manik understood everything. He banged his head with his hand because he was kidding about the condom thing but here both best friends took it seriously. 

Ma :- ( while gritting his teeth ) dad, i was joking at that time. Nothing happened between me and nandini. We are still virgins. 

Raj :- oh… thank god. I didn’t order a baby-cot and clothes. ( suddenly manik’s words got registered in his mind and he gasped ) that means…. My best friend left this earth after considering a joke to be a truth. This is cheating manik…. You should tell him the truth or else his soul will never live in peace. 

Ma :- dad, he is alive. Now help me……. We will take raman uncle to my room. It’s not safe here.

Both father-son lifts Raman’s body difficulty and makes him lie on Manik’s bed. 

Raj :- i am going to call nandini here. They need doctor’s attention right now. 

Ma :- dad…….. No…….. she will break up with me seeing their conditions. Do something else.

Raj :- ok… let’s try to wake them up. Bring water. 

Following his orders like an obedient son, manik handed him a jug full of water. Raj sprinkled some water on both raman and cabir but nothing worked seeing this he spoke. 

Raj :- may their souls rest in peace.

Ma :- ( wide eyes ) dad, they are alive!! What are you saying? Let’s try something else to help them to come out from their trauma.

Saying this he walks out. Seeing him going out raj frowned. After almost five minutes he comes back but this time he has some kind of a bottle and glasses in his hand. Raj looks at the bottle with keen eyes and boom the bottle is his “ favourite beer bottle “ which he kept hidden from everyone. He always hides this kind of stuff from nyonika and his kids because his wife hates it whenever he drinks or smoke.

Raj :- hey… ( trying to snatch the bottle from manik ) it’s mine. Where did you get this? I specially hide this in my study room so that no one can find this. Give this to me.

Ma :- ( smirking ) dad, i know your all the hidden places. And about the bottle…. Sorry I can’t give this to you.

Raj :- baby… please give me my bottle. It’s very expensive and rare.

Ma :- sorry dad. It’s not possible. 

Raj :- what you will do with my bottle?

In reply manik just gives him naughty look which is enough for him to understand that there is something dangerous running in his son’s mind. 

Manik opens the bottle and fills a glass quarterly. Seeing the liquid in glass raj licks his lips. Manik slowly dipped his forefinger in the liquid and rubs his wet finger on cabir’s lower lip. He again wets his same finger and this time rubs it on his upper lip. He stops his giggles while biting his lower lip.

As soon as some drop falls in cabir’s mouth his eyes flickers slightly. Manik repeats his act again and this time cabir licks his lips. He is coming back in reality slowly yet steadily. Manik repeats his act one last time and BOOM…….. Cabir sits up on the bed with heavy breaths.

To be continued…