MaNan ~Inevitably Together~

60• |Unheralded Decamping?|

"Nandini, tell me right now, if you're pregnant?" Avantika forcefully grabbed Nandini's elbow to get her attention. Nandini was leaving without caring to answer Avantika before this moment because that question stopped her abruptly.

"Why do you think that?" Nandini asked Avantika bluntly.

"I heard you throwing up today in the morning and we've been in this house for more than a month in which you did not get your period." Avantika's reply caused Nandini to frown.

"How could you possibly know if I got my period or not?" Nandini asked her with an expression that revealed how grossed out she felt as if her privacy was invaded.

"You don't live in a house without noticing what's happening around." Avantika shrugged saying that.

"First of all, what you're doing is not noticing but prying on me and secondly do you have no respect for boundaries, like at all?" Nandini quizzed rhetorically. She thanked God in her subconscious for not having her father and brother around to listen to this.

"You're my daughter and you cannot complain if I'm concerned about you." Avantika responded feeling offended by Nandini's accusation on her.

"Sure! I'm leaving!" Nandini uttered and turned around to wear her shoes.

"You haven't answered me yet." Avantika demanded to know.

"I'm not discussing about this with anyone before I talk to my husband so if you could please give me some space, I'd appreciate that." Nandini's curt reply managed to hurt Avantika's feelings. Avantika had been feeling unwanted in the family ever since they had come out here to Mumbai and this very statement from Nandini did not help the feeling. Was she a stranger? No, she was her mother and Nandini did not have to hide this from her.

"You don't always have to be so rude to my face, you know." Avantika muttered for Nandini to hear.

"Your sow what you reap, Amma. You treated Manik in the same manner, in fact, I think I'm being a bit generous in saying that because you were worse to him." Nandini responded with spite.

"This again, God! If your husband cannot handle so much then how are you planning on having a family together?" Avantika's question hit Nandini hard. She could bet that steam was coming out of her ears.

"That is none of your business! You made it perfectly clear before my wedding that you didn't want to have to do anything with me or my husband and I think you should stick to that. You should stop worrying if I'm pregnant or not because even if I am, I don't think you're going to be sticking around here that long to even meet the baby." Nandini did not restrain herself from being extremely harsh to her own mother. A small part of her felt bad to be saying all that but she couldn't undo it even if she wanted to so she might as well own up to it.

"You are insulting me right to my face. This... This is all because of your stupid notion of becoming independent and how you ran away from your home like a coward and.... And how you've made all these wrong choices for yourself without bothering to get your parents' permission. I should have dragged you back to our home five years ago when you made your first mistake then I would not have had to see this day. How can you even talk to me like that?" Avantika lost her cool when she heard everything that Nandini said. Why was Nandini so hell-bent on keeping her own mother away from herself was beyond her understanding. She had given birth to Nandini and so she had every right to be a part of her life than anyone else. She wasn't a stranger on the road with whom Nandini felt like she had nothing to do with at all. Nandini was answerable to her because she was her daughter. That's it. Period.