Reality Ever After

Part 76 - The Beauty of Their Dreams

Manik didn't know what to say to that. Yes, he'd love another chance with Nandini. But he didn't want her to keep waiting for him. She didn't deserve to live this half-hearted life. She should be able to live her life normally. In fact, she should have the happiest life than anyone in the world.

Manik - Nandini... I... I...

Nandini - I know. You don't have to say it. But what I'm trying to say is that no matter what the future holds for us, I'd want you to heal and turn around your life. It's not worth it to live like this Manik. You have to get better.

Manik nodded his head understanding what she was saying. And yes, he would try. Try his best to keep going. To get better. And to heal.

Nandini immediately leaned forward and took his lips into a kiss. Her lips screamed desperation, frustration, anger and an attempt to etch his memories into her system.

When they finally came up for air, he looked at her with so much love and above that respect for her. She was the most beautifully strong woman in the world. He could see it in her eyes about how horribly broken she was from within. But at the same time, she was hoping for a better future for him.

Manik - I can see your dreams breaking inside of you. And I'm so sorry for that. I know you had dreamt so much of our future together and I ruined everything.

Nandini - You didn't Manik. Maybe this was just our fate. I mean, how could we be sooooo lucky that we get to experience this kind of love and it lasts forever? Ayyappa has to balance it out na. He can't give all the happiness to just a few people.

Manik - But I can't see all your dreams crashing. Just because of me...

Nandini - They weren't just my dreams Manik. They're our dreams.

Manik - Yes. Our dreams.

Nandini - You know what. Let's do it... Let's imagine what our perfectly imperfect life would have been like. Tonight, we'll live our happily ever after together. So we fulfill all the promises we made to each other tonight. So we can hang on to this one night for the next few months when we're missing each other.

Manik - No. It'll hurt much more later. We'll never be able to let go.

Nandini - Please Manik. I want to be able to live a lifetime with you in this one night. Maybe we'll at least be able to tell ourselves that we lived our happily ever after, even though it was just for one night. Please.

Manik didn't know if this was the right thing to do or not. But again, he was always handicapped when it came to Nandini's wishes. And also, deep down, he wanted this one last night to be the most memorable and the happiest night ever because he knew that he was not going to feel this again for a long long time, perhaps even a lifetime.

Manik - Okay... But I have a condition.

Nandini - What?

Manik - We won't cry during this whole time. We'll talk about our happy dreams and happy possibilities only, okay? I don't want our memory from tonight to be sad.

Nandini nodded her head and promised him.

Nandini - Okay. Let's go back to the moment we were happy. Before everything happened. I don't even remember our last happy conversation before all this.

Manik - I was down with fever and I was making all kinds of 'bahanas' to get you to stay with me all day. My plan was to make you pamper me all day and stay glued to you all day.

Nandini - Haan. And become the baby you always become when you're sick.

Manik - Of course, I love it when you pamper me like a child and let me do whatever I want. And it's even more fun to make you all irritated and riled up.