Love Conquers All | MaNan

|Thirty|

Closing the main door behind her, Nandini flopped down on the sofa in the living room. Leaning back, she exhaled an exhaustive sigh and fixed her stare at the ceiling. The evening was unforeseen and so was Manik's reaction. What happened suddenly, for him to behave uncharacteristically brusque? She could count the instances on her fingers when he'd been rude before and none of them were unreasonable or directed towards her. Something was definitely off.

Rubbing her nose from the back of her hand, she sat straight. If it'd been some other argument of theirs or Nyonika had been here, she would have given Manik ample time and space to clear his mind and come back to her but not today. His tears have made her restless and she isn't able to wipe away his wrenched face from her memory, neither will he eat anything until forced, she knew that. She cannot leave him on his own when he's screwed up just because he was rude to her. He must have some explanation for his behaviour and she can have that conversation with him tomorrow.

"Hey!" She heard Kunal's voice as he entered the house and composed herself, returning a fake smile.

"Where have you been?" He asked, raking his eyes over her dishevelled state ; hair tied in a messy bun with bangs flowing out and sand sticking on her jeans.

"Beach."

"With Manik?"

"Erm... I found him there coincidentally. His duty hours finished some time ago and I was thinking to take dinner for him. He isn't well." She diverted the answer in a different direction and stood up.

"Did you have your dinner?" He asked lightly. Her body language seemed odd for someone who'd gone for a stroll on a beach. She shook her head negatively.

"Go and freshen up. You stink of the hospital smell. Meanwhile I'll change and we can take the dinner to his house?" He proposed and she nodded embarrassedly as he'd caught on her lie but didn't probe and went away.

__________

Unlocking the door of Malhotra abode quietly with the extra keys, Nandini and Kunal walked inside with food. The house was dipped in silence and the only light from the kitchen area fell on the figure conked out on the sofa.

Kunal then glanced at Nandini who'd worry written all over her features. He closed the door soundlessly but Manik woke up with a start. He'd just fallen asleep.

"It's us. We brought dinner." Kunal said with a smile and flicked on the lights and the fan too. Manik adjusted to the brightness and nodded absentmindedly. He wasn't in the mood to have any conversation. He just wanted a few hours of good sleep.

Nandini silently kept the tray on the dining table, observing his somnolent response and went to the kitchen. His shoes were lying carelessly and sand was all over the carpet from his feet and jeans. He must be too exhausted to not bother about cleanliness. It just added to her worries. She thought to prepare lime water for him before he goes for a shower.

She found the lemon in the fridge and knife on the stand kept at a side but how to cut it? Placing the lemon on the platform, she grazed the knife against it but it didn't slice through. She didn't realise she was trying to cut the lemon from the bud side which sometimes doesn't cut easily.

After a few attempts she grazed the knife a bit strongly but it sliced through her left index finger. She winced holding her finger and the knife and lemon fell down rolling on the floor.

The sound of the knife falling cut through the silence and floated to the living room. Both the men were on their toes immediately and came into the kitchen. The sight of blood oozing out of Nandini's finger disturbed Manik and his sleep flew out of the window. In two long strides he reached to her and put her finger under the running water. Kunal gave a questioning look to Nandini as he picked the fallen items from the floor.