Surprise surprise people😁
~•~
|| When people know your darkest mind they become poisonous for you ||
~•~
Nandini's voice was more of a fumble than anything. The cause for that stammer though, was not fear, it was a weird emotional overload. Like a huge chunk of her life that she has buried and forgotten has forced it's way back into her mind as well as life.
"Your mother?", Manik had asked a simple question but got a rather rude and fiery reply, "Nooo! She is the woman who just gave birth to me". Nandini eyes held a rage. A kind of rage Manik hasn't seen before, while her tongue spewed venom.
"Nanhi", a once soothing voice called Nandini out, but it did anything but soothed her wounds. That name rather smeared salt over them and then silence it with a knife. "I am sorry Mrs. Murthy. You've lost the right to call me that", she didn't once care what the effect of her words might be.
Nanhi. Her nickname. She didn't know who had coined it for her but as far as her memory goes, she remembers Arveena calling her with this name most of the time, unless of course other people were present.
For Nandini, it was a secret. A secret that just the two of them shared. It was pious and it was precious but now it was anything but that.
Till yet, in all these years, no one has called her with this. Arveena calling her this sent a tingle down her spine. Though a little throatily, with all the emotions riding high, Nandini did manage to get those words out.
"Please Nanhi", there was visible plight in her demanour, and so was guilt. Mostly it was guilt. Nandini hadn't looked up at Arveena's face yet but she could feel how laced with feelings those words were.
"Why shouldn't I?", the question not only echoed there, against the walls and posts but also in their minds. Especially Arveena's. "Because I am...your mother", was that a question or an answer they didn't know.
Nandini however, took that as an answer. "Wow! Last I remember, you failed to be one", she bawled, looking fiercely at Arveena. Tears lined their eyes, as the mother daughter duo tried to keep them in as much as they could. Showing tears was not something a Murthy would do, and they were adamant on it.
"Nanhi I tried", Arveena was downright sobbing, barely able to speak. "No!! You didn't. You never tried!", and so was Nandini. "You just pretended then. And you're just pretending now".
Arveena was speechless. Emotional but speechless. She wanted to counter, to say that she was helpless, that she did try to find her out but she couldn't. The furry her daughter housed for her scared her and left her hopeless of any reconciliation.
"Look Mrs. Murthy", Nandini spoke after taking a deep breath, "You kept out of my way for eleven years", the press from her side on eleven stung Arveena but she didn't say a word. Afterall, wasn't Nandini speaking the blatant truth?
"Please, for god sake do the same for another eleven years. I have no place for you in my life and my future. Just keep your fucking business away from me and my family", Nandini didn't stay for a reply. She didn't need one. What she said was not up for discussion and she certainly wasn't taking a no for an answer.
She let her steps guide her to wherever they want to take her. She, for once, did not care. Other than being away from that woman who she refuses to call mother, Nandini didn't want anything else. She moved, taking her agony along. It was Arveena's punishment to not be a part of either Nandini's sorrows or her happiness.
"I lost it all. I lost her", Arveena was heartbroken, to say the least. And she couldn't even understand why. This reaction was obvious and understandable. Who would welcome you with open arms if you left them? No one.
And Arveena knew. But seeing the daughter, born from you, raised by you and then estranged by you, her motherly affection was stinging. And she, was weary. All the emotions that she has been holding onto, close to her chest, she wanted to let them go in the form of tears.
On her knees, at the very bustling streets of Trafalger Square, Arveena Murthy, realised the extent of damage her reckless actions have caused her daughter. What she also understood was she was not in a position to even ask for forgiveness.
"Please take it", an open bottle of water was passed to her. Arveena gave out a sad smile to the only person who was sympathetic towards her. "I am sorry dear. I don't recognise you and how you're connected to her".
Arveena's innocent words tugged at Manik's pure heart. In front of him, was a mother, deeply regretful of her actions in front of a severely hurt daughter who has forgone the idea of second chances long ago.
Manik was not sure which half to side with. The one with the bereaving woman or the one where his beloved can have a shot at something near to her family.
"Well, it doesn't even matter anymore child. She doesn't want to have any contacts with me and I really am in no position to defy her so...", she got up, thanked Manik for the generosity he had shown and started walking away. Not before she had casted a longing look in the direction Nandini had walked away.
There was something compelling in that glance. Something that pierced right through Manik's heart, shattering it into pieces. With Arveena leaving, the last chance of reconciliation was leaving and just couldn't come around accepting.
Something has to be done and done fast.
"Wait!!"
Arveena looked around like a deer caught in headlights. She had not expected this usually loud intrusion, not at any cost.
"Wait...", Manik ran upto her, panting his lungs out. "Wait please. Let me please go and talk to Nandini. Maybe I can do something".
Arveena was not sure who this handsome stranger bursting onto the scene like a godsend angel was. "No child. There is no way she is changing her stance. She is stubborn. I know her".
"You knew her. I know her!", Manik corrected but instantly regretted how that came out of his mouth. "I am sorry...I didn't", his apologize were dismissed with a whimper. "You are not wrong boy. I knew her".
"Please let me give it a try", Manik looked at the lady whose face still had the buried glow of past glory and powerful eyes, quite like Nandini.
Arveena was torn off between her rationale and Manik's pleading. She wanted to believe Manik that he maybe able to make Nandini talk to her even though it felt like a far fetched dream.
Arveena had nothing to lose, besides some hope, and everything to win. She had to take a shot and so she did. She agreed to Manik's please as he dashed off behind Nandini with a hope that she will have her happily ever after.
***
Nandini was shivering. It was not the chilly London bothering her rather it was the hidden anger and emotions that were now coming to the surface.
Not even in her wildest imagination had Nandini seen an encounter like this happening. She used to imagine something like this in the early year of flight from Brussels but as years passed she understood this will forever be a dream.
And now that this dream was reality, she had no clue how to react. All that she said in the heat of the moment was an outcome of confusion, amusement and years long pent up frustration.
Looking out of her hotel room window, Nandini saw the small freckles of snow garnish the dark grey road and black walnut tress. She scoffed at London weather. Sunny in the morning and snowy in the night. Unpredictable. Just like her life. Smooth one day and tumultuous the other.
The eerie silence of the room was broken by the door upon and closing gently, accompanied by soft footsteps towards her. There was no need to think who it is was.
"Are you okay?", asked Manik, standing a feet away from her, facing her back. Nandini didn't reply. She had neither the words nor the energy to reply. "Nandu...", Manik enclosed the gap in a single trudge to stand side by side.
It was from there that he saw her shivering form. "Oh my god Nandini! You're shivering!", it didn't take him long to forget whatever he was thinking and take her in a warm hug. "I am okay Manik"
"This is what you call okay?", hastily enough, Manik ran his palms down her arms, trying to stop the fumbling. "Manik I'm fineee".
"This is not fine, Nandini". Manik glared at her but it only resulted in her smiling a little more which eventually burned out Manik's anger. Yet, he didn't let her leave the embrace. He was loving it that way and so was she.
"I was just taken aback. I had not imagined it in my dreams too. Never ever!!", Nandini breathed in Manik's oakwood scent, loving the serene calming effect it had on her. "Don't you think it's an opportunity?", the calmness disrupted with just that one sentence.
"What do you mean?", she asked no, demanded actually. "I mean she is your moth...", Manik was interrupted by a high pitched, almost screaming Nandini, "SHE ISN'T!".
Ignoring Nandini's jibe, Manik continued, "Don't you wanna know why did she not search for you? Don't you want your questions to be answered?". It was so easy for Manik. Easy to make Nandini rethink her decision.
He knew her too much to not understand how could he peak her curiosity and make her talk to Arveena. "Tell me Nandini. I know you have questions and only she has your answer! Just give her a chance", Manik paused to assess the impact his words had before cautiously adding,"Give her a second chance Nandini".
"I don't believe in second chance!", Nandini spoke. She was livid. But for a change, Manik was also equally adamant. "You gave Surya a second chance".
Manik's glaring accusation had left her searching for words in a famine. It felt like a direct attack on her and her principles. Giving Surya a second chance had felt natural and genuine even if against her rules creating an unnecessary turmoil within her which she had been successful in keeping at bay.
Somehow, Manik seemed to have understood that, and he decided to twist her wretched emotions in his favour.
Manik knew he will be guilty of tricking Nandini but he couldn't push back the thought that all this may help her in her reunion. He was just doing a small wrong on the path of greater good. Even if it makes him th villain he was happy giving it a try.
"When a nobody like Surya deserves a second chance then why doesn't the woman who gave birth to you deserve one?", with that Manik left the heaviness of his question dawn upon Nandini and disturb her to the guts while he slowly receded, letting her make up her mind.
The only difference being, they both knew what it was going to be.
~•~
How was it?
Do you think what Manik did was right?
Or is Nandini's stance right?
What is her decision going to be?
Will there be a torn in their life?
Stay tune to know ❤️
See ya soon,
Until then,
Love Iris 🦋