Strings Attached (ON HOLD)

The Harsh Reality

Manik entered the room and was relieved seeing her awake. 

"Thank God you are up. You scared me." He said to her while moving towards one side of the bed as Abhi on the other side was checking her blood pressure. She faintly smiled at him and Manik looked at Abhi. 

"Is she fine? What happened to her?" Manik asked Abhi and he looked at Nandini who averted her gaze from both of them.

"Manik, Nanhi is fine for now but not really fine." Abhi said to Manik and he frowned on his statement. 

"What do you mean? I didn't get it." He asked him suspiciously. All the while Nandini was fidgeting with her fingers in nervousness, unsure of the reaction Manik will give after knowing the biggest truth of Nandini's life that she has kept hidden from him and everyone.   

"Manik, Nanhi wants to say something to you and I request you as her brother to let her say what she wants to and try to understand her. Please, it's a genuine request. " Abhi said in a pleading tone to him and Manik was confused. He looked at Nandini and found her staring her hands that were in her lap.

He came to the other side of the bed and stood in front of Abhi. "Abhi, why are saying all this? This request and all? I trust you guys, please don't say all this." Manik said to Abhi and he just nodded his head.

He looked at Nandini and then at Abhi. Both were fighting with their own emotions. 

"What's it guys, will anyone speak up. You both are scaring me." Manik spoke anxiously. Abhi looked at Manik who with eyes again asked him. Abhi turned towards Nandini and saw her taking deep breaths to avoid crying.

"Nanhi, speak up. Trust me. Just go ahead." Abhi assured her and she looked at him. He blinked his eyes in assurance and Nandini took a deep breath to gather courage.

She looked at Manik who was looking blanking at her.

"I want you to know something Manik. Something that is related to me which for sure will affect you too." She said looking at Manik and he just stood there trying to get the meaning of her words.

"Manik, you were right. There was a reason why I was pushing you away from me. The reason I didn't wanted you to come close to me was because I didn't wanted to hurt you." She stopped in between and Manik with confused expressions nodded his head to continue.

"Manik I am not well. My health conditions are not good and I have very less time left with me." She managed to say and Manik was speechless.

"What?" He was able to utter only a single word after minutes of silence and looked at Abhi and Nandini in shock.

She then narrated all the incidents starting from one year back when she met with an accident and came to know about her problem.

"On the day we were supposed to meet, I saw my reports at bhai's place which clearly indicated that I don't have much time left. Even less than what was known to me earlier and that this time surgery will also not help. I was shattered Manik. How would have I come to you knowing that I will be leaving you soon." Nandini ended up in tears and Manik was clueless how to react.

Abhi looked at Manik who was standing numb trying to register what Nandini revealed just now. 

"I didn't wanted her to know this. But she saw the file in my room." Abhi added and Manik looked at Abhi with teary eyes.  

Abhi patted his shoulder and left the room, sensing they need privacy to talk.

Manik felt short of breath hearing the dreadful news of his life. Tons of molten lava seemed to be poured on him. Just month back, he experienced the fear of loosing her and now he was about to loose her again.