Destiny's Gamble

Operation Nandini

"Um...N-Nandini also said a truckload of nasty words towards my beloved friend," Cabir continues to argue. "Look at how upset Manik is."

"Did Nandini insult him constantly in the former days of their marriage with no fault of his?" Ma questions, refusing to back down from this war as well. At another time I'd find this situation highly amusing and enjoy it with a bowl of popcorn. But today it just feels like pure noise to me; a waste of time that will further fuel the fire in my head.

"Did Manik get called a gold digger?" Ma continues. "Of course, she also threw glass at his head. Of course. Of course." She nods her head, sarcasm lining her tone.

"Sure she didn't call him a gold digger, but something even worse - a rapist!" 

"Aw, did baby Manik get offended by that?" Ma tsks, passing her hand over my head, her eyes silently challenging Cabir to argue further. Poor guy, he's fighting a lost battle.

"Whose Ma are you?" Cabir's eyes portray pure betrayal, as if Ma has decided to abandon him.

"A person who's important to Manik is important to me," she says with a tone of finality. "And even if Nandini wasn't Manik's wife I'd still shower her with my affection. The girl's impossible to not adore." Cabir rolls his eyes, throwing his hands up in the air with defeat.

"Who don't you adore?" He asks, huffing dramatically.

"Oh, keep quiet!" Ma chides. "I'm the senior love professor here and so what I say will happen. If I say Manik will be the first one to apologize then it'll be so." 

"No, Ma," I say, lifting my head off her lap. "I won't." She furrows her brows, pursing her lips.

"And why not?" Ma questions, her tone dead serious.

"Because I have no control whatsoever on my anger. What if the next time I lose my cool I end up doing something even worse? Ma, the pain of hurting Angel even further...it's simply too much for me to bear." I shake my head. "I can't ruin her any further. You should've seen the way she looked at me."

"Manik, we all make mistakes," Ma says. "But you know where many of us go wrong after that? It's at the point when we move on, forget that instance, without properly regretting our actions and promising ourselves that it will never happen again." She passes her hand over my head. "My son, you've reached that point already. Remorse is the only emotion that's left in your heart, I can tell. Keep this feeling in your heart for the days to come - the ones you'll spend with your Angel alongside you - because this is the only thing that's going to stop you from repeating your mistake." She pats my heart, smiling. 

"What's the guarantee for that?" I ask. 

"None whatsoever," she replies, letting out a bark of laughter. "Manik, if life's train followed an unchanging, foretold path, then it would be such a boring journey. The zest of life lies in the adventures it throws our way; ones which comprise of twists and turns, unexpected holes in the way and great surprises once we've surpassed all of the challenges." I stare at Ma as I try to absorb her words. They make sense, but there's still a voice that's telling me not to bring Angel back. She's better off away from me.

"Manik, do you trust me?" Ma asks, placing her hands on my shoulders. I nod without a second's delay.

"Without a doubt," I reply.

"And you also know the kind of person I am?" I nod my head once more. "Then you know I'm not a woman who would sacrifice another human's life for my own selfishness, or for someone who I love dearly?" 

"Of course," I agree. 

"Then you should also know that if I considered you a threat for Nandini - even a little - then I wouldn't be asking you to fight for her, and bring her back." 

"I'm not a threat?" I ask, seeking a completely honest answer from Ma's eyes.

"You're not a threat," she says with utter surety. "On the contrary, you're the man who steers danger away from Nandini. She needs her knight in black armor, Manik, and no one's better suited for the role than you."

"Okay," I concede, nodding to myself. "I want to get my Angel back." At once the raging fire in my heart dies down a bit. Ma grins, squeezing my shoulders comfortingly.

"A pussy, Manik," Cabir says. "That's what Nandini has made you. For fuck's sake man..." He trails off, his eyes landing on Ma's warning ones. "I meant to say, what do we have to do now? Throw Plan A my way." His eyes land on me at the same time as Ma's do. 

My gaze flits between my friend and Ma's body, the gears in my brain rusted.

"I'm sorry but there's nothing going on up here." I say, touching my index finger against the side of my head. "I-I won't be able to do the thinking part." 

"As expected," Ma says dismissively. "Luckily for you, though, I have a plan A."

"Which is?" Cabir asks, eagerness evident in his tone.

"A bouquet of red roses of course!" Ma exclaims, beaming as if she's found the cure for cancer. "Nobody goes wrong with red roses and a heartfelt apology." I shake my head, mentally scratching off this idea.

"I don't do flowers," I say. "Especially not roses." 

"To hell with what you do and don't!" Cabir shoots up from his seat enthusiastically. "I like this plan. I'll get the roses right away. The sooner we put Operation Nandini into play the quicker I'll get my pal back." He claps his palm against my back, the force of his blow pushing me forwards. Cabir's words are followed by an audible grumbling of my empty stomach.

"Have you not eaten anything?" Ma asks, narrowing her eyes at me. I shake my head.

"I'm not hungry," I reply, standing up. 

"Cabir, you will take him to a restaurant right away." She instructs sternly, leaving no space for any argument. "And make sure he eats an entire dish of whatever he orders." 

"But - " Ma raises her index finger, cutting me off. 

"After that you two may get the roses and head to Nandini's house," she continues. Pursing my lips, I turn around and head towards her room door. I don't possess the energy to strike up a battle of words with Ma at the moment. 

"Manik?" She calls from behind me. 

"Yes?" I ask, turning around.

"No matter how many cupids join forces with you, unless you don't want to input your own efforts into getting back with Nandini, nothing will happen." 

"Of course I want Angel back, Ma!" I exclaim indignantly. How could she think otherwise? To me nothing other than being with Angel makes sense. She's my source of everything good in this world of evil.

"I knew that." Ma smiles satisfactorily. She nods, silently allowing me to leave now. Without a word, Cabir follows me downstairs and out of the gate. 

"Manik," he says, grabbing a hold of my shoulder as we near his car. I turn around to face him. "Are you okay?" Casting my gaze towards the floor I shake my head. Lying is pointless to Cabir. My friend pulls me into his front, wrapping his arms around me. Sobs shake my body as I allow tears to flow freely from my reddened eyes; soaking up the material of Cabir's shirt.

"But you will be," Cabir says. "Once Nandini comes home." Cabir doesn't rush me and neither do I wish for him to do so. We both stand on the sidewalk for a few minutes, my emotions overwhelming me once more. Today will be the last time I will cry because of my broken heart, for after this I will invest all my energy into bringing Angel home. Of course once she's back the only tears that will be flowing from my eyes will be tears of joy.