Reality Ever After

Part 53. Shattered But Stronger

Just then, Nandini's phone started buzzing with her alarm. It was 4 am, her usual time to wake up. Her sleep immediately broke listening to the alarm and she got annoyed by the ringing alarm. She put the blanket on her head and snuggled into it to avoid listening to the alarm. Manik smiled at this cute antique of hers and leaned forward to pick her phone from her side table and shut the alarm. He then saw that cute annoyed expression on her face and smiled again and bent down to kiss her on her cheek just because he couldn't resist that adorable pout of hers. Nandini knew that Manik was up when he leaned over her head to take her phone but opened her eyes when she felt his kiss.

Nandini - Hey.. why are you awake so early?

Manik bent down and kissed her lips once again.

Manik - Good morning.

Nandini - Good morning. But why are you up? Tum soye nahi? (Didn't you sleep)? Are you okay?

Manik - I'm fine. Just woke up suddenly sometime ago. Aur phir neend nahi aa rahi thi. (And then I wasn't sleepy)

Nandini - Hmmm. Kya soch rahe ho? (What are you thinking?) What's on your mind?

Manik - Yehi ki (Just that) I am the luckiest man in the whole world.

Nandini - Really? Aur woh kyu? (And why is that?)

Manik - Because I have you.

Nandini - Wow Mr. Manik Malhotra. Aaj subah subah itna saara pyaar aa raha hai? (Aren't you showering a lot of love on me this morning?)

Manik - Humesha aata hai. (I always do). But today, I want to tell you how much I love you. And how much I value you. Kal jo maine kiya (what I did last night), I wouldn't have been able to do that if I didn't have you in my life.

Nandini- What rubbish Manik. I didn't do anything. I wasn't even there.

Manik - No. I'm serious. You taught me how to live life for yourself, cut out toxic people and choose to be happy. So thank you for that. If it weren't for you, I would've lost myself a long time ago.

Nandini - I'm always here for you monkey.

Manik - What's with this monkey nowadays?

Nandini - Aise hi(Just). Manik Monkey Malhotra. Suits you.

Manik - Every few weeks you come up with some random nickname.

Nandini - Yes. Anyway, tum ab so jao (now you can go back to sleep). I have to wake up and study. Again. I have to make up for yesterday evening too. Kal sab log aa gaye (Yesterday, everyone came home) and then Navya was here and then I was super worried to even open my books.

Manik - That reminds me. Kal Navya aur Gogo jaldi nikal gaye the? (Didn't Navya and Gogo leave early last night?). Weren't they here when I left?

Nandini got reminded about her argument with Navya and her mood dipped.

Manik - Kya hua? (What happened?)

Nandini - Kuch nahi (Nothing). I just had an argument with Navya yesterday. And she got all angry and left.

Manik - Kya hua? (What happened?) Why did you guys have an argument?

Nandini - I don't know what happened but I just lost my cool. I was very worried about you and I couldn't be there for you because she was here. Aur phir (And then), she just kept talking to the baby all the time in that annoying baby language, like nothing else mattered. I was getting so annoyed but I still didn't say anything. Phir usne mujhe bola (Then she told me) that my whole life revolves around you and my career only and I don't pay attention to anything else. Toh phir mujhe gussa aa gaya (Then I got angry too) and I told her ki (that) she's doing the same thing. Usse bhi uske baby ke alawa koi nahi dikhta (She can't see anything else but her baby). So she got all offended and left from here.