The Ex's At War

Chapter 36 - Pen-Ultimated

Mom peered more to look at my face while I was busy scribbling the carpet underneath with my footnail.

"Nandini stop fooling around and look at me", she walked straight to me and ordered out rightly.

"Mom why don't you tell him anything...he always does this to me...do you know woh kaise baat kar raha tha Rewa se...he knows mujhe acha nahi lagta fir bhi jaan bujh k karta hai and then aise behave karta hai jaise kuch hua hi nahi...I felt so hurt and insulted and on top of that Mom behaves as if it is a crime that I let him come close to me and Manik doesnt leave a single chance to test my patience..toh maine bhi bol diya gusse mein and he left just like that without a word...", I sobbed like a nagging toddler yes that is what I had become without him. Mom pursed her lips in concern and thumped by my side and sighed looking at my condition.

"What do I do with the both of you?"

Mom had thought of scolding me more but my condition made her feel helpless too.

"Fine I think it hardly makes any difference if I say something because you both will end up doing things that you ought to...so jo karna hai karo aj k baad se I won't interfere in your lives", she said curtly and left as I wept more.

Manini peeped from her room to look at her mother's soggy face. On a different occasion she would have hopped onto my lap but here she knew that the matter was serious.

***

Manini dangled her legs sitting on the bonnet of Manik's car.

"Mommy was clying...Mumu scolded hel and she clied mol", she made a snobby face fiddling with the strap of her water bottle hung around her neck while her Daddy listened to her attentively leaning on the bonnet of his car.

"And what did Mommy say?", he arched his eyebrows up and asked inquisitively.

"Mommy wash cyling...she shaid something", she tried to remember thoughtfully, "but she was clying shoo much that I did not undelstand anything", she curved her lips innocently and looked at Manik. He looked seemingly irritated at the piece of information.

"Why did you leave Daddy? Mommy misshes you shoo much...shee leally lovesh you...i alsho love you plomish", she blabbered cringing her nose. On a different occasion Manik would have pulled the little one into his heart but here i was a bigger concern for him.

"Your Mom is going to drive me crazy some day? Why is your Mommy so difficult?", he huffed making a face.

"Mommy is not maths shee ish not difficult", she reiterated almost immediately in her Mommy's defence. Manik giggled a little at her reference of being difficult and picked her up.

"Yes baby your Mommy is not maths she is algebra with the topping of probability", he winked looking at her and my baby couldn't comprehend what her Daddy meant, "Listen Princess Daddy has got a surprise for Mommy but that's got to be a secret between the two of us okay?". Manini nodded her head and sealed the promise with a kiss. Manik laughed and kissed her nose and she nagged for ice-creams.

As the Daddy daughter shared their love for each other, I hurried my way through the traffic thinking my baby was all alone waiting for me. I was never late to pick her from school but Manik had occupied my thoughts to such extent that I had completely forgotten about her. I rushed out of the cab and ran to the watchman who directed me to the parking lot and I hurried there. I met peace as I saw my little one in the most secured grip of the world. I saw Manik after 3 whole days. He had not bothered to call me and inform not even take my calls when I did. I was mad at him. I wanted to grab his collars and get some answers from him but somewhere I knew I had myself foregone that right when I had asked for separation.