Let Me Love You ✨|| Completed

58. Tears and smiles!

~ Sometimes you just need someone to hold you and tell you that you are not as worth less as you think yourself to be~

Life was back to the normal track again, or maybe it seemed so. Arjun and Navya were happy nurturing their relationship slowly, and steadily. So were Kabir and Antara. They met quite a few times, spent time together too, but didn't let any of it affect their studies or family time. They made sure to balance it out, so that nobody could point their fingers out at them, for anything. Manik and Nandini were more than happy to see their siblings act so mature. Happiness was slowly filling all the cracks in their life. Or maybe not.

It was evening when Nandini returned from her office and freshened up. Sitting on the bed she was checking her phone when all of a sudden, her hands trembled and the phone dropped from her hand. It was very sudden, like an earthquake that hits you without giving any time to prepare. Similarly, it hit her, the wave of tears, without any reason, but as she tried hard to suppress the sob, it came out more loud. And just like that, Nandini had burst into tears, yet again. She harshly wiped the tears with the back of her hand, not wanting to cry like that again and again, without any reason. But it was not in her control anymore, her body trembled witn the intensity of her cries as she fell on the bed, hiding her face in the pillow.

Manik entered the home, awfully tired. Every joint and muscle in his body was paining, owing to the back to back confrence calls and mettings. Moreover, he was frustrated badly, all the work had taken a toll on him. Pushing open the door to his room, he sat on the bed, opening the tie and the first two buttons of his shirt. Kicking off the shoes and socks he was about to lie down when he heard the door open. Must be Nandini, he thought closing his eyes.

"Manik, water!", Her meek voice grabbed his attention but he was too tired to reply. He hummed in response, but too slow for anyone to hear.

" Manik, water!", Nandini spoke again, but this irritated Manik and he sat up, taking the glass from her and keeping on the bed side table.

"What is with you? Can't you understand I want to sleep?", For the first time ever Manik shouted on her without even looking at her face. He was so at the edge with the office work that night, he didn't realize when his voice had reached an octave higher.

" S-sorry. I-I didn't m-mean to", Nandini replied, taking a few steps back but the fear in her voice startled Manik. He looked up at her and was stunned to see her face. Her chubby cheeks had paled, her eyes were reddish, almost feverish, her nose was red too but most of all it was the way she was shivering that had worried him.

"Nandini", he called her lovingly but it seemed liked she hasn't even heard her.  She was trembling like anything, and her eyes were fixed at space. She was in her own world, almost delusional.

"I am sorry. I am sorry. I am sorry", Nandini spoke every word lowly at first but by the time she reached the last word, she had fallen on her knees and kept both her hands on her ears, trying to block out the voices inside her head. Manik was frozen to see her react like that. She was still on the ground, mumbling inchoerantly, as if she existed in some other parallel world and not in this one. Manik rushed to her, sitting by her side as he held her close to his chest. Nandini, unconsciously rested her head on his chest, as if her soul could recognize Manik, but her body was still shivering, as if possessed. Manik had unshed tears in his eyes, which were stuck on her face. Nandini muttered something, nothing more than a mere whisper, and if Manik hadn't had his gaze stuck at her, he would have missed it. But now that he heard it, he understood what had went wrong.

"Appa...", She mumbled again.

And Manik still holding her close, rubbed her back, lovingly, whispering soft nothings in her ears, simultaneously taking out his cell phone to call Neil. Nandini sat like that in his embrace for five or so minutes when Manik suddenly cupped her face and kissed her lips.