The dark side of the fame

PART - EIGHTEEN

Nandini parked the car outside the studio. Slowly she came out and dragged herself through the entrance inside. There was a flurry of activities around, must be because of some movie shoot. Some of the passers-by greeted her and enquired about her well being. But nothing registered in her mind. She walked straight inside one of the shooting halls that was empty. As she stepped in, realization dawned on her. It was the same floor where she had come to return money to MM about four years back, when he had asked her to stand in front of the camera for the first time. That day she was all drenched in rain, and today also she was wet, not rain but in tears. A squeal came out from within and Nandini collapsed on the floor, tremoring with each spurt of emotions.

Whether she had been lying there for minutes or hours nandini did not know, when someone held her shoulder and propped her up in the sitting position. "Nandini," said the voice and as nandini squinted with her tear-filled eyes to locate the face, she blanched.

"al-alia," stammered nandini.

"What happened, nandini? Is everything all right? Is MM...?" asked alia with deepest concern, when she noticed nandini flinching at the reference. Alia carefully helped nandini get on her feet and led her to a nearby couch.

"I was in the next floor for the reality show shoot, and I generally take this short-cut while returning. I hope everything is ok, nandini?"

Nandini covered her face in her palms and said, "It's all over. MM hates me now; he thinks I have brought all his misery. I feel so low about myself. This is all I have done for the man I worship, I love."

There was silence for few moments before Alia said, "Give him some time to accept his situation. Then everything will be as it was before." MM's words were ringing in Madhu's ears,("Had I not rescued you from Arjun's clutches and introduced you to this glam world, this moment you would have been lying at his father's farmhouse as his kept!").

 "No Alia, he said the unpleasant things about me. I-I can't take this anymore. I know he has been through a lot, but instead of letting me help him, he is pushing me away," sobbed nandini.

"He is hurt nandini, not because you have done anything to him; but because he has failed to be the perfect man in your life. He has always fancied himself as the complete man who is capable of fulfilling his woman's needs and protecting her from all miseries. Today he thinks he has failed you and your love," explained alia.

"I don't understand why you are explaining all these with so much concern. Don't you blame me for your separation with MM?" asked nandini all of a sudden.

Alia smiled a little and looked down. "I did, trust me, I hated you like anything. Then one day I was going through some old family albums where I found few old pictures of MM and me. It was long before we were married, when we were very good friends. We understood each other well. We respected each other's dreams and wishes. When Papa asked us to get married we thought being friends would not be much different from being married. God, how stupid we were! You know, I was so independent, that no matter how much he wanted, I never gave him the opportunity to be my knight in shining armour." Nandini was listening to her in amazement.

MM had never talked about his life with Alia, and this was a big revelation to her. "Then he met you. You were like clay dough and he moulded you in the best way he could imagine. I wouldn't say you were weak or vulnerable, but you let him lead you, protect you, take care of you and all this made him love you, eventually. You were perhaps everything he had wished for from his damsel. So, as you see, I don't hate you anymore. It was the series of events that followed one after another. I will tell you to have patience with MM. He is definitely a tough nut in such situations," said Alia.

Nandini had stabilised a lot more than she was sometime before. "Thanks alia. You are very generous to accept the situation this way. I might sound heartless and selfish, but I think even I need some time away from MM. I think you will understand," said Nandini.

Alia just squeezed her hands and gave her a slight nod. She stood up and started towards the gate when nandini asked from behind, "Did you love him?" Alia paused for a moment and without looking back said, "I wish I had".

**************************************

SEPARATION WILL HELP THEM OR NOT?

hope you all like the update

give your support to this story