Deceiving Veils

Chapter-46{Sealing the gaps}

"There won't be a second time," Manik replied this time still looking towards nowhere. 

"Nobody is ever putting hands on her again," He said firmly and then held the wooden railing of bridge. 

"Have you talked to Aryan?" Aabid asked out of curiosity as he spotted Aryan with Harshad on a distance. They were walking towards bonfire. 

"He is busy living the first glorious moment of his life, I don't want to ruin his mood" Manik mocked and Aabid couldn't help but chuckle. 

"As if you were going to have a word with him," Aabid quipped. 

"We are never going to be on talking terms, Aabid Bhai," Manik replied after a pause. Somethings were better untouched. For now, he had no might to touch this frozen bond. 

Soothing silence accompanied them as sun disappeared behind mountain. 

"Manikkkk," Aashi called him from afar and he turned around to see her standing on end of bridge. She smiled merrily. 

"Meal is ready," She informed and Manik nodded. 

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"So?" Nandini asked nervously as Doctor examined her father. This was the first thing which she wanted to get done, she couldn't wait to hear Doctor's verdict on her father's lost memory. 

He looked at her skeptically and she knew that look. 

"We can only wait, Nandini," Doctor said trying to cheer her up as worry had already covered her face. Meeting the dead end wasn't easy every time. 

"Living in this camp doesn't help," Doctor explained and Nandini knew what he was trying to say. They had limited resources there and things weren't going to improve anytime soon. 

"Maybe, he would start to regain his memory with time and care," Doctor assured and Nandini smiled faintly. 

"I am going to do my best to heal his body," He ensured and then walked to his desk. Nandini looked at her father who was sleeping peacefully under that quilt. She didn't know how but she needed to bring him back somehow. He needed to tell his people what had happened to him and their state. He needed to be fine to lead this battle they had to have. 

"Nandiniiii," Aashi voice brought her out of her thoughts. She was standing on door of dispensary. 

"I am starving," Aashi said swinging on door. 

Nandini smiled seeing that eager lady and nodded her head. 

"Doctor," Nandini called before leaving the dispensary. 

"I will get it done," He said blinking his eyes in assurance.

"I have no patience to treat that bullhead," He quipped and Nandini smiled. 

Nandini walked out and Aashi held her hand to drag her near bonfire. There were so many people out there. 

"Everyone wants to see you," Her eyes twinkled as she said it to Nandini. 

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Meal with camp-mates had to be one of most beautiful experiences of her life. So much love after a deadly storm, she had pinched side of her hand for umpteen times just to make sure she wasn't dreaming. It wasn't a complete bed of roses, there were people who looked unsure of her. She could understand, she had returned with traitor minister as they thought. 

She wore the sweater and sat on her bed. A smile crept on her lips when those smiling faces flashed in front of her eyes. Most of them didn't hate her anymore, was it first victory? She immediately closed her eyes to see her mother. That's only place she could see her anymore. The thought that how proud she would have been of her, It filled her chest with immense warmth. Her mother would have been so proud of her. She still remembered the day when she had walked amid those people holding hand of her mother, and they all hated her. Things weren't same anymore. She so wished that her mother was there to see it.