The Ex's At War

Chapter 36 - Pen-Ultimated

Manik was feeding her ice-cream not one not two but three. She held two in either of her hands and one in the hand of her Daddy. She ate all the three in a sequence one by one. I could look at them till eternity.

"Mommyyy", she squeaked chirpily as her eyes fell on me. She leaned from Manik's lap to have a better view of me.

Manik looked at me and tried to study my face. He well got a hint that I was disturbed with whatever incidents happened. I avoided looking into his eyes. He would know for sure that I hadn't slept and that I had been crying all the while.

I tried to focus on my baby saviour, "I am sorry baby I am late...you had to wait"

She nodded her head gleefully, "No Mommy Daddy wash alleady hele...shee he hash got me thlee isih-cleams", she held it up for me to see. The ice-creams melted and dripped through her elbow to spoil her uniform.

"Kaddu what is this baby...see you have ruined your uniform", I quickly took her from Manik and made her sit on the car and cleaned her dress.

"Now what are you going to wear for school tomorrow...your Daddy certainly can't notice these things", I poked him indirectly.

"Yes Mommy has two big round eyes but unfortunately instead of using them to notice the more important things in life she uses them to shed tears", he taunted back.

"Huh!!", I was a little taken a back with his sudden inference, "Who said I was crying and why would I cry..th.. that too because of you...am I a fool or what", I tried to sound in control but Manik's expressions certified that I failed to convince him and as such I was an expert in making a fool out of myself in front of Manik.

"Yeah right!! I should have known that", he gritted in annoyance, "Anyways it's good that you came....I will send someone over in the evening to get my stuff...so...just give my stuff to them"

His words pushed me hard and pricked right through my heart. I just gaped at his face in sheer disbelief, "Tum wapas nahi aayoge?", I uttered with hollowness filling my throat.

Manik looked back into my eyes that were clouded with tears once again. He inched a step closer to me.

"You want me to come back?", he whispered into similar tandem and I kept quiet and that didn't go very well with him.

"I am just doing what you wanted me to do...honestly Nandini maine bhi bahut socha...I did get a lot of time to think about us and I found that you were right...it is almost impossible for us to stay there...arguing and fighting all the time...we definitely can't go on like this forever right...we need to stop somewhere and think; if not about us then for Manini atleast...we have to give her a better environment to grow up and build memories about her childhood...we can't be dragging her in all our problems all the time..so I think this is best what I have decided"

"Oh so you already decided? I thought...I thought...", I gulped the rest of the words to be in control.

"Daddy ale we going fol a oliday?", Manini screeched inbetween excitedly.

Manik smiled and little, "Ofcourse baby...I will take my princess for a grand holiday once we finish exams...okay", and she gleed happily at the thought.

"Kaddu come on we have to go..", I purposely  interrupted their vacation plans without me.

This time Manik didn't even offer to drop us home. Probably he was aware that I would refuse or may be he didn't want my company anymore.

"Mommy ale you shad that Daddy left ush?", Manini asked innocently on our way back home. She knew her lines well when it came to her Daddy and me, "Don't woly Mommy Daddy will come back vely shoon", she said with a confident smile. Manini looked unusually  calm and in control much to my surprise. She was always the first one to panic other than me when Manik was not around.