Let Me Love You ✨|| Completed

25. Pillow Talks

~ my atoms love your atoms and that's how our chemistry works~

" And that is how Cinderella lived happily ever after...", Nandini finished the story on the video chat and found her babies already sleeping- fast and sound. Manik on the other hand was sitting in front of him working on laptop, but laughing at his adorable wife every now and then, as she recited a kindergarten fairy tale to Navya and Rishab over phone.

Why do two twenty something olds wanted to listen fairy tales, was out of his comprehension.

"You would be a pretty cute mother, you know?", He commented as soon as she kept the phone. Nandini laughed at him and he laughed back. She had been used to him calling her cute and adorable. Sometimes he even pulled her cheeks which did irritate her though.

The three weeks after marriage had been a bliss. Since that fateful night when Manik let down all his walls to her, they had been closer than ever before. His doubts that maybe his secrets would lead to her disrespecting his parents vanished that day itself. Often, when Manik and Raj would be in office and Nyonika out for her work, Nandini and Kabir would spend hours cooking or watching movies together. Kabir had grown too comfortable with his bhabhi and also with Navya and Rishabh. Sometimes they would hang out too. Nandini had not joined her job back still since she wanted some time off to know her new family. Hence she had applied for a month long vacation for her wedding. And she was enjoying it, thoroughly.

One night, after dinner, Nandini was oiling her own hair when Manik entered the room. Her long luscious hairs cascading down her waist, he could stare at her life long. Nandini was too busy oiling in front of the mirror to spare a glance at her poor husband. So he decided to grab some attention.

" Umhhh...Umhhh...", He fake coughed as he came near her, or rather behind her. She turned back, looked at him and then turned back capping the bottle of oil. Braiding her hair she turned again to find him sitting on the bed, all grumpy.

" What happened to you?", She asked, perplexed at his expression.

" I like that open...", He answered pointing at her but she couldn't understand what he was pointing at. So he got up and turned her back, searching for a clip or something that would let her hair fall loose. But to his dismay her hair was braided and he had no idea how to open that braid. So after five minutes of turning her here and there, he gave up.

"I like you hair open...", He complained, finally verbally. And she, finally understanding all his plight, started laughing.

" Seriously Manik, this is what you were trying to do the last 10 minutes?", She questioned while he bobbed his head.

" Tomorrow morning they will be open again na. Now I have braided them. Let them be...", She answered non-chalantly and he made a 'HUH' face. She stood there, puzzled what to do next. He was angry or just grumpy? Seeing her so confused, Manik gave up teasing her and smiled at her.

" Okay relax. But as a punishment, oil my hair too...",he said touching his hairs with his fingers and she agreed.

And so he sat on the ground, she on the couch behind him, massaging his scalp thoroughly. He felt heaven. It was like all other tensions of life have left him and now all he had was eternal bliss. The childlike happiness on his face motivated her to do more thoroughly and make him smile wider. These days, she had no clue why, but his smile made her life more easy. The shine of his eyes made her orbs twinkle more. She wanted to make him happy and that was the sole reason she did cooking, wearing his favourite colour of sarees, keeping her hairs down though she found it a little problematic. Whatever he found solace in, she was ready to do it for him.

" Nandini...?", His voice called her out of the world of her thoughts.

"Haan...?", She questioned.

" Can I ask you something?", He asked a little doubtful of the question.
She simply nodded at him.

"I have observed you at night and I saw that at night,you sleep more comfortably when you embrace a pillow or that white teddy bear of yours. It's a habit or something else?", He asked and she was taken aback.

Sleeping with a pillow wasn't something extra ordinary. Many people had that same habit. But Manik was the one who saw something more in her simple habit.

" Manik, its just that, I feel safer with it...", She answered looking down. He turned, kept the oil bottle aside and held her hands.

"Safer?", He asked again.

" Safer means I know that my pillow and my teddy won't ever leave me and go. For any reason. Any misunderstanding. Any hardship or any helplessness. Manik I am scared of...Love, of people leaving, of demons behind my bed", she said, measuring each word. She was not sure what to say and what to not. What he will understand and what he will laugh at.

" Nandini....I won't leave you", he said simply, holding her hands tightly. She didn't reply.

" I won't let your demons attack you. I will be there by your side...", He said again, trying to console her. But all he found was her eyes teary and her chin wobbling.

"Manik, don't trust me so much. Don't love me so much. I am flawed, unlike you. I am not perfect. Not truthful. I have made many mistakes...", She said, crying and he tightened his hold.

" No one is perfect nandini. There is no magic in perfection. Even stars fulfill wishes by magic once they are broken and you, are my star. My personal star", he said, emphasizing each word and trying to make her smile. She smiled finally less at his efforts, more for his smile. She didn't think so high of herself but his beliefs were enough for her. And at moments like these, she was proud of her decision.

"Okay now let's sleep. I am tired", he said yawning and she got up made the bed and both lied down, on the same bed, but on either sides. The question of different beddings didn't arise ever because nandini knew she could trust him with her life. And that much she had realized already.

Seeing her asleep, he woke up and arranged the pillows around her properly. Letting one pillow in her embrace properly so that she doesn't wake up afraid at night, he kissed her forehead.

" Sleep well wifey....", Smiling a hopeless romantic yet goofy smile, he too slept off.