The dark side of the fame

PART - FOURTEEN

It was 12 at night when nandini woke up startled hearing the continuous banging on the front door. She knew who it could be and hurried to open the door before the maid could arrive.

As the door opened nandini saw a disheveled MM with a blank expression on his face. "nandu, can I stay with you tonight?" It had been almost a month after MM and Alia's separation was finalized. MM had moved out of their mansion to his two-bed room flat in Hiranandani. Nandini and MM had deliberately curtailed their rendezvous in order to avoid the prying eyes of media. Nandu nodded her head letting MM enter inside. Her eyes brimmed with tears seeing MM's defeated condition. She held his hand and took him to the bedroom.

As they lay on the bed, MM turned to Nandini and hugged her tight. Before namdini could hold him in turn she sensed his body shivering. "MM! What happened? Tell me MM," asked Nandini with concern.

MM did not utter a single word, it seemed he was fighting with himself to keep his emotions at bay, but failed miserably in doing so. Finally he could not keep it to himself and blurted out, "I messed it up all nandu, I ruined all the lives. I am a bloody loser nandu."

"No, MM. Nothing is lost. We will make everything all right. Trust me MM," said nandini while pulling his head to her bosom. Every day she was seeing MM's confidence diminishing, his inner strength surrendering to the baneful situation. It was even more intensely painful for her to see the larger than life personality of MM getting pitted with guilt and helplessness like this.

"Why nandu? Why? Why couldn't I be happy with my life and let you live a beautiful life of your own? I still cannot forgive myself for ruining both your and alia's life like this," whimpered MM.

"You did not ruin any life. You have freed yourself and alia from an obligation you had been assuming as life all these years. And as for me, you know what you have given me MM. I have learnt to live and to love, all because of you."

MM touched Nandini's face tenderly and asked, "Do you trust me?" nandini nodded her head and before he could say anything more, she covered his eyes and whispered, "Sleep MM, you need to rest. Tomorrow is a new day, a new beginning."

Next day as MM reached his office, navya came to him with the accounts file. " MM Sir, I am sorry to bother you with this. But the unit has been sitting idle for over a month. They are getting restless, and if we do not pay them in a day or two, they will start off with other film projects," said Navya.

MM frowned and took the file from her. "Ok, let me think Navya. I'll come up with something."

As MM was trying to distribute the existing amount of money under different heads of the film unit, his phone started ringing. "Hello, MM speaking."

"MM saab, this is Ram. I had something important to talk to you," said the voice over the phone.

"Who are you and where did you get my number?" asked MM.

"Do not waste your time in such trivial questions, MM saab. I have some information which would be beneficial for your film. I know someone who is interested to finance your film," replied Ram.

"Financer? Who is he? When can I meet him?" asked MM anxiously.

"Come to the Trident hotel at 7pm tonight. I will be waiting for you at the reception. And please do not share this information with anyone else, as of now." Before MM could ask anything more, the phone was hung up at the other end.