Let Me Love You ✨|| Completed

40. The after-effects!

~ Because in all honesty, everyone out there is struggling. Some are just better at hiding...!~

Sometimes it takes more than you ever realize, a little more of your unending effort, a little more than the pain, a little more than everything. It had been two weeks since that day when Manik and Kabir had kept in front of their parents an open option to break their marriage. But that day Manik and Kabir had not realized that it would take every ounce of strength in them to happily accept the decision they have themselves paved the way for. Two days after that incident, Raj and Nyonika decided to file a divorce case, on mutual consent. They didn't leave the house though, just shifted to different rooms. Since it was more about career choices and independence for both of them than personal lives, they both didn't have anyone, as in a lover, to go to. Still they had kept the option open that if in the due course of time, they find love, they would accept it without any interference from the other partner. The divorce was to be finalized the next month and until then, they had decided to stay in the same house. Also, Nyonika decided to spend the sunday as family day, all of them together, since that day everyone would be free from office and other responsibilities. Manik and Kabir had agreed to them and tried their best to support their parents and not let them feel guilty about it. But as much you try, sometimes the emotions take over your sensibility and at those moments, both brothers did fall weak and vulnerable, but they stood by each other. And Nandini took care of all four of them like a mother- in terms of health, emotions and other aspects. The mutual decision lead to decrease in the arguments and fights between Raj and Nyonika and they started behaving as friends, and this was the only relief to Kabir and Manik at that point of time.

One Saturday night, Manik was sitting with Nandini , talking about his fascination for music when his cell phone rang.

Kabir calling.

He picked up the phone but apparently it wasn't Kabir but some girl who was standing outside their house with a totally drunk Kabir, whose slurred voice was the background music in the conversation. Horrified, Manik and Nandini ran to open the door and ushered both of them in, as silently as they could without Raj and Nyonika knowing. The girl, Antara, helped Kabir into his room and Nandini ran to bring a lemonade while Manik closed the main gates and helped Antara.

" I...waaannt a haaapppyyyy faaamily...I waaant it...", Kabir was telling Antara who nodded at him and smiled as she listened to his inconsistent blabbering without a single frown. Most of his sentences were jumbled and incoherent, even Manik could not understand what he was actually speaking but Antara nodded at him and dabbed her hankey at his forehead and near his lips to wipe away the excessive sweat. Meanwhile Nandini rushed in with a lemonade that she passed on to Antara and she somehow managed to make Kabir drink it all while Manik stood perplexed and too shocked to react. Few minutes later, Kabir slept off and Nandini and Antara somehow made him lie on the bed, covering him with duvet and came out of his room, closing the door.

"I am sorry I came like that but he was not in his senses and I didn't feel like leaving him alone...", Antara spoke, looking down and tucking a loose strand behind her ears.

" Don't be sorry. You helped us a lot and infact it was nice to meet you....?",. Nandini stopped midway as she hadn't heard her name.

" Antara. Antara sharma. I am Kabir's classmate and his project partner.", She introduced herself and Nandini smiled at her while Manik took their leave and went back to Kabir's room.

"Thanku Antara...", Nandini held her hands in hers and Antara smiled.

"Just take care of him bhabhi. I can call you that?", She hesitated and Nandini nodded as she dropped her off to the door. It was quite late and she had accompanied Kabir in his car hence Nandini ordered the driver to drop her off safely before coming back to Manik.

She ran to Kabir's room but found him sleeping soundly and Manik absent from there. She checked her own room but Manik still wasn't seen. Sighing, she ran to the terrace and he was there, gazing at the stars. She stood near him and kept her right hand over his right hand kept on the railing. Manik turned to her and sighed.

"I don't know nandini. I don't understand if I was right or wrong in making that decision...", He faceplamed himself and ran his hands all over his face. Nandini removed his hands from his face and looked in his eyes.

" Some decisions are not about right or wrong. They are not even about worth it or not. They are just the need of the moment. Same was with your decision. Things will eventually fall in place Manik. Kabir will be fine...",she tried consoling him and he nodded at her. Trying to lighten the atmosphere, she looked at him with a mischievous smirk.

"By the way, I liked my sister-in-law. You?", She questioned and he looked at her in confusion, and five minutes later his tube light lit and he realized she was hinting at Antara.

"Sister-in-law? So fast? You met her for what? Ten minutes?", Manik asked with a weird face but she dismissed his concerns.

"You are an avid reader Manik and you have seen countless romantic movies. Can't you see the sparks flying all over?", Nandini jumped in excitement and Manik raised his eyebrows. He touched her forehead with the back of his hand and his frown deepened more.

"Temperature is absolutely normal. Then what is wrong Nandini ?", He questioned in all seriousness and she made a very bad face at his lame attempt.

" I mean since when did you start talking about romance and sparks and fairytales? They didn't exist in the real world as per you theory right?", He asked with an amused expression and she bit her lip, smiling at his question.

"Since you made all dreams a beautiful reality for me...", She answered, without breaking the eye lock and his face broke into a huge, ear to ear smile.

" Nandini, do you ever plan to say those three words to me or I have to do with these indirect confessions?", He laughed and she giggled in response. Her giggle always seemed melodious to him. He could watch her giggle all his life and never complain. 

"Why so impatient Mr Malhotra?", She cross questioned and he again raised his brows.

" Impatient is a very wrong word my lady. I have been anything but impatient", he crossed his arms and she again laughed at him.

"And I would say what we share is anything but love", she teased him and he made a baby face, so adorable that she almost wanted to kiss his pout but she curbed the desire.

"Nandini...", He whinned and she laughed at his patience which was running thin.

"Someday Mr Malhotra. Today isn't the day...", She winked at him and it was the most he could take for teaisng. He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him such that her chest crahsed into his well built torso. He tucked her loose strands behind her ears and in the process, ran his finger over her face. Nandini stood statute, heat rising to her cheeks as she struggled to control the blush but failed, terribly. Manik ran his palms down her arms, sensuously reaching her waist and she stood too shocked to react. She failed to notice the mischievous glint in his eyes as he captured her petite waist in his hands since her breath was hitched, feeling his fingers caressing her bare waist clad in a saree, her breaths getting heavier each passing moment. And in the heat of the moment, Manik leaned in and she closed her eyes anticipating something else but he started tickling her until she was breathless. She struggled to free herself, controlling her laughter but he continued with his torture and leaving her only when she struggled to breath after this continuous laughter session. Both stood trying to catch their breaths before bursting into giggles again. Someone has said right. With that one person, every sorrow and every pain seems enjoyable!