MaNan- 5 Years Later...

61• |Imposed solace|

"What? I'm sorry I could not take your call... I was in 3 back to back meetings. Slow down and tell me what happened." When Manik arrived at his cabin, he dumped all of his paperwork on his table. He turned off his laptop and got his backpack and keys in preparation to leave.

"Your jackass of a business partner's manipulation wore off last night. Jeanette caught a few texts between him and Ayesha. It sounds like this whole confrontation went down between them. Sameer turned the whole thing around and blamed it all on her. He told her that he had to seek for comfort and shit outside because he got zilch of it from her in their relationship. She is blabbering a lot more but it's getting hard to keep track of it now." When Nandini started talking, she was perched on the kitchen counter. From where she was standing, she could see Jeanette unconscious and sprawled on their couch. Even though they were no longer friends, Nandini felt awful for her because of their shared past and their former friendship. Jeanette never in her entire life found the love she desired. When she was a little child, her father abandoned the family, and her mother was too busy caring for herself to worry about her daughter. When she finally was given her half siblings, she wanted to find affection from them, but even then, she was the giver and never had a sense of belonging. Because she lacked a someone in her life to help her decide what was best for her, she made bad decisions throughout her life. She had Nandini for that, but she deliberately threw it all away by placing her hopes in the one person she loved beyond all others, only for him to betray her as well. Even for Jeanette, that was a fucking new low.

"I can give you that my business partner is a jackass but how am I at fault that she ended up at your foot for help?" Manik asked. He settled on the driver's seat and started the engine. The conversation aside, he loved driving their new car more than anything. Practically, this was the first item they had purchased for their home as a couple. He found great comfort in the sense of commitment that gave them. He felt it all in his heart but would never say it to her face for fear of being called too mushy.

"I don't know... I don't have anyone else to blame it all on." Nandini complained making him laugh a little. She could be so cute at times. 

"Where is she now?" Manik inquired about Jeanette.

"Passed out on our couch!" Nandini sighed and reached out to get herself a glass of water.

"Was she drunk?" Manik asked her in confusion.

"No! That's the worst part. She has been crying for four hours straight. She got a headache from that and passed out before I could get some food in her. That reminds me... Pick up some light dinner on your way. I am not in the mood to cook." Nandini instructed in the end.

"Yes ma'am! Anything else I can do for you?" Manik asked her in a dramatically obedient tone.

"Get your ass back here before she wakes up or else you are sleeping on the floor tonight." Nandini threatened him which only cracked him up. 

"Love you too, baby. I'll be there in 30 minutes." Manik promised her before she disconnected their call with a small smile. 

Manik had previously informed her of Sameer's affair with his ex-girlfriend two weeks earlier. He confronted Sameer in the office the very following day and urged him to be upfront with both women. Both of them got into a nasty verbal argument over it, and when Sameer ultimately refused to act morally, Manik was outraged. In spite of everything Nandini had advised him regarding the situation, Manik ultimately showed up at Jeanette's door to tell her everything. 

Manik was shocked by Jeanette's unwavering belief in Sameer. She was unconvinced that the man she loved could be unfaithful to her. The last time Manik spoke to either of them was on that day given how Jeanette told him off. Due to their business obligations, he had to see Sameer, although it wasn't nearly as terrible as he had anticipated. Things appeared to be stagnant until Jeanette came to Nandini today and begged for some consolation and aid.