Let Me Love You ✨|| Completed

13. One Step Closer

~ there is always a scope for happiness and smiles because no matter how dark the night seems, there is always and necessarily a morning after that!~

" I am ready to give Manik a chance", nandini spoke, weighing each word and Nyonika happily took her future daughter-in-law in her embrace, happiness shining on her face. Afterall, a mother is happiest when her child is happy.

" But mam...I donot know. What if I couldn't keep him happy the way he deserve?", Nandini asked hesitantly. Somewhere as much she was sure manik would be the best for her, she was also scared that she wasn't perfect for him. And she wouldn't be able to provide him with the happiness he deserved.

"First of all its Maa and not mam!", Nyonika  slapped nandini on her forehead playfully before giggling. She simply couldn't hold her excitement and happiness. She had been paying for Manik's happiness for so long that now that it was happening, she couldn't keep still.

" And secondly, I don't need to think about you being wrong for my Manik, beta. A girl who claims to not be in love and yet is equally worried about his future and happiness- I need nothing more than this. You care for him and Love is not always about dates and surprises and I love you's Nandini. It's also about caring for each other's well being, praying for their health and at the same time having a soulful conversation sitting below the stars. So stop pondering about things so much and loosen up a little", Nyonika patted her head with love and Nandini could feel tears stinging at the back of her eyes. She was never a cry baby but this sudden shower of love on her made it hard for her to conceal her overflowing emotions. But somehow curbing this sudden urge to cry, Nandini smiled at Nyonika who had a wide grin on her face and both returned to their work.

Hours later, Just as Nandini was about to leave, she saw Nyonika walking towrads her with a wink.

" He is waiting for you outside...and yes he knows about your decision", She winked at Nandini before leaving for home and Nandini stood flushed at her comment.
Nevertheless, she walked out to find Manik standing in his crisp white shirt and blue denims leaning on the car surfing something on his phone. As she made his way to him, Manik stood straight with a wide 32 inch smile and it was so contagious that even Nandini couldn't stop herself from returning the smile.

" So since you have no library to go today, can we go to the park or shall I drop you home, ms to-be-fiance?", Manik asked gently holding her hands in his while she stared at him, bowing at her like she was some princess.

" Can we go to the beach instead of the park, if you don't mind?", Nandini asked but after averting her gaze down. Manik smiled and pulled up her chin to make her face him.

" I don't mind going to beach or park or anywhere with you but I definately mind you being so hesistant to speak your heart to me", he spoke gently, as in trying to not hurt the softest petal of the flower of his life. Nandini was taken aback with his sentence but she chose not to reply and again looked down. Manik opened the gate for her and she sat inside while he drove towards the beach. Manik switched on the radio and music filled in the comfortable silence between them.

Ishq bulava...jane kab aave...
Ishq bulava...aave jab aave...
Mai tah kol tere rhna...
Mai tah kol tere rhna...
Mai tah....baitha kol tere....!
Tenu takda rava...baaton pe teri, hasta rava!
Pagal mai khud nu banata rava!
Tu hasdi rave, mai hasata rava...
Tenu takda rava!

Ajeeb rangadai...tu h badi...lage alag hi jahaan di!
Ajeeb rangadai...tu h badi...lage alag hi jahaan di...
Ae toh nazraan nazraan di gal ve..
Tu bhi sun le zara....!
Mai toh kol tere rhna...
Mai toh kol tere rhna...
Mai toh...baitha...kol tere...!!
Tenu takda rava...naina teh tere basda rava...!
Pagal mai khud nu banata rava..!
Tenu takda rava!

It is absolutely right when people say that in music lies the key to the peace of heart. Because there are things we are not able to speak, no matter how close we are to someone and in that helpless moment, music serves us right. The lyrics convey what our heart want to scream, in a way better than us. So did the song for Manik and somewhere Nandini too. Manik had a wide smile listening the song. It was one of his favourite, no doubt but today it had served right to the situation too! Soon they reached the beach and Nandini removed her footwear and kept it in the car before Manik went to park it. Few minutes later, he joined Nandini who was sitting silently near to the shore, her face solemn. Her face was so glum and it constricted his heart to see her like that.

"Nandini...?", he asked and she hummed.

" Nandini, you haven't been forced for your decision, right? I mean my mom or amma or someone?", He asked out of the blue and Nandini shot him a sudden look at the question.  Her heart danced when she heard him call her mother as 'amma'. But he looked damn serious.

"No Manik. It's entirely my decision. Why are you asking like that?", She asked back, unable to comprehend the root of his question.

" No its just you are so melancholic since evening. You are not your usual self, not even the one you are when we met in the evenings after your library. So I just thought, may be you are not happy about it", he cleared the context but for a change this time it was Manik who was looking down and nandini was staring at him.

" Look nandini, I am really sorry if you feel everything was rushed up. I didn't mean to hurt you. The fact that you are ready to give 'US' a chance, means the world to me but your smile means the universe to me. I cant compromise with that and...", Manik blabbered, unable to bear her glum face but before he could complete his rant, he was taken aback when he felt her leaning on his shoulder hiding her face in his sleeve. Within no time ,there were tears flowing down her chubby cheeks and her lips were quivering. Soon it turned into loud sobs and hiccups followed.

" Shit Nandini ! Why are you crying? Look I am sorry but stop crying", Manik panicked and tried to look at her face but it only lead to her shifting to his chest and crying harder.

"Nandini? Whats wrong?", He asked again but this time, wrapped her arms around her, holding her tight and rubbing her back. He was confused with her behaviour. One side she was this melancholic since evening that he had begin to doubt this future relation but on the other hand, she was crying her heart out in front of him and letting him hold her close. And Nandini Murthy never cried, never in front of people atleast.

"Nandini...?", He asked again, when he felt her sobs had died down a little.

" I don't know manik. I have no idea why I am crying. I am just having this sudden urge to cry. Please don't ask me anything. Just let me be...", She said more than one sentence for the first time in the last 45 minutes that they were here. Manik complied, tightening his hold around her and let her cry, until she could cry no more. After almost a hour and a half, they both stood up and Manik looked at her intently but found her gazing at something else. It was the vender with candyfloss. Manik giggled at her expression and before she could know, he was standing in front of her with a big candyfloss. For the first time in the evening, her face broke into a wide smile as she took the candyfloss from him. Manik dropped her back to her house this time, instead of dropping her at the metro and she thanked him for that. But just before he was about to leave, he heard a knock at the window which was towards her. Rolling down the window pane, he leaned in to find her standing with a quizzical face.

" I just wanted to say that...I am happy with the decision Manik . Don't think otherwise and thanku for the candyfloss", she said in one breath before running inside leaving him stunned with a beautiful smile and blushing face.

Note: Merry Christmas!