Let Me Love You ✨|| Completed

32. Emotional Strength - Family

~ To be broken and needing fixing and to be hurt and needing healing are two entirely different concepts. Its just a matter of time to realize what you actually need~

He kept cradling her in his arms even when he realized she had fallen asleep. And then, he sat gazing at her face, trying to absorb her features in, trying to read in between the lines she spoke a while ago. Well, this is the most important thing we need to do in today's lives- READ IN BETWEEN THE LINES.

Today, every second person is reserved, afraid to be judged, afraid of being left alone but never speaks the fears directly. We need to distinguish between what they say and what they actually wanted to say. Manik bent and kissed her forehead when unknowingly a lone tear fell from his eyes and dropped on her left cheek. Manik wiped it off with his thumb as he dropped another kiss on her left cheek, followed by on the right one.

" I will bring back WHITE in your life Nandini. I will lighten your grey, I promise..", he spoke to her sleeping figure before silently picking her up and carrying her to the car. Taking full precautions to not disturb her sleep, he parked the car and them carefully pushed open the door to his home with his leg. He had expected a silent and lights off house at 4 in the morning but he was surprised to find Raj and Nyonika on the couch, Nyonika resting her head on Raj's shoulder as both had dozed off, waiting for them. On the adjacent sofa, Kabir was also sleeping with his mouth open. That is the strength of a family. It stands by you when others do not.

Manik first made his way upstairs and tucked his girl in the bed properly and then came down to wake up the three sleepy heads so that they can go into their rooms and sleep peacefully. It took some time to convince them that Nandini was fine and he was okay too, some hushed whispers and some 'dad!!', and 'mom! Urrghh!", But somehow they agreed and made their way to their rooms. Manik came back to his room and had a look at her, sleeping.

He sat by her side and patted her head, and Nandini, unknowingly turned towards him and held his hand in hers. Manik was taken aback, not because she held his hand that way since he knew she had a habit of sleeping gripping a pillow in her hold, but he was astonished because of the extremely tight hold on his hand. It was like she was trying to battle something in her mind, something she wanted to escape from. Manik slightly moved his fingers between her long tresses in order to calm her down and it worked since she was visibaly relaxed. It was almost morning 5 am and even his body was giving up. He was emotionally drained the whole before day, searching for here and there and then becoming the anchor for Nandini as she took him down her memory lane. And hence, without realizing he dozed off sitting beside her, in an uncomfortable position, supporting his head on the bed rest and legs dangling down, but his hand still in his hairs, as if trying to protect her from all the evils of the world, or rather all the BLACKNESS in the world.

Next morning, Nyonika woke up first, though accidently but as she glanced the pendulum on the wall, striking 10:30 am in the morning, she sat up hurriedly, waking up Raj , who was now late for office. She came down and felt weird, she couldn't understand why initially but later the realization dawned on her.

Nandini wasn't there.

Usually, Nandini woke up before everyone and kept tea and breakfast ready, by the time Nyonika came down. But today even at 11 am in the morning, Nandini wasn't there. And the mother-in-law was missing the always-kept-ready breakfast and tea by her dear daughter-in-law.

" I have never realized you make such bleached tea and tasteless breakfast...", Raj commented, munching his toast and Kabir, who had just came down chuckled at his father's statement.

"Excuse me?", Nyonika snorted and Raj shrugged his shoulders.

"See and compare your tea and my Nandu's tea...", Raj commented, trying to tease Nyonika who turned her face away.

"And they say we are the kids here...", Kabir whispered under his breath looking at the them. But to his pleasure, the show didn't start as Nandini came down, her head low and scared.

Earlier in the morning, around 10:20 am, Nandini's eyes flunged open and widened as she saw the time at the wall clock. How could she sleep this late? She tried to sit up with a jerk when she realized his presence beside her, sleeping in a very uncomfortable position. She somehow untangled his hands from her hairs, without waking him up and then dragged him to the bed properly, putting up the dangling long legs of his on the bed. She stood up, feeling low but somehow managed to get fresh after a long bath. And then she came down, when she heard Raj praising her tea and teasing Nyonika.

"I am sorry...", Nandini said, standing in front of her in-laws, her head low and lips trembling to speak.
Nyonika came forward and put her two fingers beneath her chin, forcing her to look in her eyes.

" Sorry for?", She asked and Nandini gulped sensing the anger in her voice.

"F-for causing the t-trouble last n-night. I didn't mean too but it all got wrong. I am s-sorry...", She stumbled and two fat tears rolled down her chubby cheeks.

"Say sorry one time more and I will definitely slap you, so that you can have a legitimate reason to cry...", Nyonika said strictly while Nandini's eyes widened at the statement. Kabir ended up chuckling.

"Exactly. Its okay beta. Manik told us last night about the blood donation thing. Its okay. And as a family we are bound to be worried and concerned for each other, isnt it?", Raj said, coming towards her and taking her in his soothing embrace. Nandini immediateky melted and started weeping while Raj cuddled her and rubbed her back.

"Come now and make me some tea please saving me from this disastrous one", Raj said making a horrifed face and Nandini giggled. She nooded before entering into the kitchen while on the other side, Raj immediately held his ears in front of his wife to pacify the lioness. But then, when there is a choice between the smile of a daughter and a wife, a father always choses his princess over his queen.

Nandini poured the tea in the cups when she noticed him standing at the door.

"And someone claims that she is not emotional...", Manik said, his tone dipping in sarcasm. Nandini turned to look at hubby who had already seen past her facade now and was staring at him, intensely. She didn't not know how to react when Manik took his steps towards her and came closer, finally yanking her waist pulling her closer such that their bodies touched.

" These don't make you weak. They don't tag you a coward. Accepting your emotions makes you realize your own being. Don't run away from them, or me", Manik whispered in her ears, emphasizing each syllable as he wiped that lone tear away. She looked at him in daze, thinking about her karma, that what had she done to deserve somebody as innocent and as mature as him. He saw her still lost somewhere and hence clicked his fingers.

"Tea..", he pointed towards the cups before leaving the kitchen and she came minutes later, serving them tea, pretending as nothing major happened.

Only, both knew in their hearts that the statistics have changed, drastically.