The entire ride from the hotel to hospital, Nandini's heart was beating frantically. She was trying very hard to gather herself to face her father.
As soon as she reached at the hospital, she was escorted to the VIP ward where her father was. Aman was waiting for her infront of the room. She took several heavy panicked breadths. She was dreading this moment to face. She was practically an estranged daughter.
" Nandini ma'am " Aman broke her trance. She nodded and pushed the door and took slow and unsure steps inside the room.
Her father was resting with his eyes closed. She was still finding words to greet her father. But she had no words.
She pulled the chair by the bed and sat.
She was mentally debating whether to wake her father up or just let him rest while she would be waiting until the end of the visit hour.
The later option weighed in and she sat there silently watching her father. Unknowingly her chain of thoughts were leaning towards her bestfriends. She needed to talk to her. They were there when she had none. They provided her love, comfort, shelter. She would always be indebted genuinely. So, she thought to meet her friends at Sriya's house that day itself as she knew Abhi might be returning to Mumbai that might or day after. If everything would be normal, then they might have already been on road to Mumbai by this afternoon.
Suddenly she heard slight movement from her father. And she was on her feet then and there.
" Appa " she whispered called her father and that grabbed her father's attention.
He looked at her.
She looked at him.
No words shared.
Only pool of tears flowing from both of their eyes.
Nandini couldn't hold herself more and threw herself to her father's awaiting chest.
" Appa..... I am really sorry "
She started crying vigorously. After such long time she could hug her father. Her father slowly started patting her back with the uninjured arm. Feeling her father's response, she felt more in ease and buried her face on his neck, crying her heart out.
When a weak painful grant left from her father, she realised that she had put pressure on his injured shoulder unknowingly. She promptly helped her father to settle down comfortably and slowly took her previous seat beside the bed.
Both of the father daughter endulged into a staring spare again.
After couple of minutes silence, she spoke first. " How are you feeling dad? "
His father just blinked his eyes weakly as an assuring guesture.
" I am sorry appa. " She said again.
In response, her father took her hand on his and patted it.
" Nandu " he weakly murmured.
After just long time he was calling his only daughter. It is as a bittersweet moment for both of them.
After his fight with his daughter related her choosen changed career path, he asked her sternly to leave the house. Though after that day he was in immense grid, but his ego was stopping him to reaching out to his daughter. However, he didn't stop helping her out financially, like arranging for her to get monthly allowance from her mother's maiden property. He kept on taking a tab on her here and there silently. Yet, he didn't answered a single call from her. As a father he was hurt to see his daughter took different path from his wish. Not only that but also, when in a spur of moment of rahe, he asked her to leave, she left without any argument. He wanted her to fight back saying that sh won't leave him and their house as it's their.
After her mother died , both of them were an unit. But, she just left without a second glance. And, the fact that infuriated him was her rash decision to select music course ober science due to a stupid celebrity crush. And, for a rational father, it was the most absurd decision she had even taken. So, it angered him that without any sane thoughts, she chose insanity of following an impossible celebrity crush as her dream. And, no father would allow that for their daughter.
"Appa, I am sorry, I shouldn't have left like that. I missed you badly " She whispered guiltily.
Though he was hurt by her, but at the end, he was the father and no parents could stay mad at their children.
" How have you been so far? " He weakly asked.
" I am doing fine appa. " She replied back
" Really? " He enquired again.
" Yes, seriously aapa. I am really doing good. I got scholarship and enrolled in to SPACE music academy. "
She assured her father. His father was already aware of that part as he kept a tab on her from very far distance.
" Good " he murmured back. And, tried to get up to have a proper conversation with her. But, his weak operated limb protested and he grunted in pain.
" How are you feeling? Are you feeling pain anywhere? Shall I call for the nurse ? "
She was on her toe then and there seeing her father's painful expression.
Without waiting for her father's response she started calling out louder
" Nurse. Nurse."
Aman was there waiting for Nandini behind the closed VIP room. Hearing her shouting, he promptly rushed into the room and saw her struggling to settle her father on the bed as her father seemed to be in pain.
He quickly toom charge and helped him to settle down comfortably on the bed by lifting it from the back for back support.
The nurse came and checked on his vitals and injected a painkiller injection to let him relax. And then left.
That was the moment, her father noticed that there was a decent looking and primly dressed man standing beside his daughter. Guessing the way his was wearing a costly business blazer, it was decided that he was working in a corporate firm that too a very established one. But, what actually poking his mind was what was this man doing with her daughter. He guessed that man would be around on his mid thirties and it was quite an age difference from his 22nd years old daughter.
He was busy with his math to fit that person in that room beside his daughter, another thing surprised him.
" Are you alright, Nandini mam? " Aman enquired seeing the worry on her face.
" Yes yes, I am fine. " She nodded completely missing her father's scrutinizing gaze.
" Okay then, Please let me know when you will be ready to leave. The visiting hours will be over soon. We will wait outside for you whenever you are ready " He left informing her the drill.
Once he left, then her attention fall upon his father's questioning gaze.
" Who's that man? " He asked first before Nandini could provide him any explanation.
" Oh, he is Aman sir. Mani......" She halted there quickly. She didn't know what to inform further about Aman. She for sure not be informing her father about Manik in that moment. He needed to recover first to adjust this shocking news. And, moreover of that, his father deserved proper introduction from Manik's end. That's what Manik wanted. He wished to introduce himself as her lover properly.
So, she came up with a white lie, " oh, he is Aman sir, an associate in our college. He helped me to get in the hospital. This VIP room is arranged by him as well"
" Okay, then why did he address you as ma'am " was his counter question that baffled Nandini.
" Ohh ohh ...." She was searching out for proper explanation. " Oh he address everyone as sir and ma'am only. " She came up with another white lie. Aman did address her and Manik as ma'am and sir respectively.
Though he was not satisfied with the lame explanation, he let it go for then as that painkiller effect was wearing off and he felt sleepy.
Nandini saw her father's drooping eyes. " Dad, you sleep. I will be back tomorrow morning. "
" Where are you staying? " He asked sleepily. And Nandini's heart skipped again.
She took a deep breath and again another half truth. " They have arranged my stay as well appa. You please don't worry about me. Just take rest. I will come tomorrow. Take rest Aappa. "
Saying she pecked her father's bandaged head and left the room when his father fell asleep. She still couldn't believe that she had a vague but indeed conversation with her father after so many months. And somewhere in her heart, she was feeling content peace.
She wiped her tears when she spotted Aman and one of the bodyguards Peters waiting for her.
" Are we ready to go ma'am?" Peters asked. She nodded and silently they started walking out of the hospital.
****
Manik was waiting for her desparately. He was getting more impatient with passing time. It was already five o'clock in the afternoon, and there's no Nandini with him. He already had a word with Aman and he was informed that they were on the way to the hotel.
He so wanted to rush to the loby to receive her, but he knew the sadden part that he couldn't for obvious reasons being the celebrity. The news already started leaking that he was spotted in that particular hotel that morning. His PR team very tactfully addressed his staying in Pune as his short relaxing power nap trip. Aman being the one main-man-army in Manik's Kingdom, had a grip on PR team as well. So, it was easy for them to hide Nandini from the world so far. .
Manik sighed and started working on some work emails on his iPad to kill the time.
The chikey of the card key, let him pause his work and keeping the iPad aside, he went to the waiting area of his suit. There he saw the love of his life walking into the room tiredly. Aman nodded from the door and left to take a little rest to his room.
Manik didn't waste any second to engulf her in his arms. Her tired face and tear quoted red eyes spoke a volume. No explanation needed, he hugged her more tighter and started murmuring smoothing stupid nothing.
After a while , when he knew that Nandini was relaxed a bit, he pulled out from the hug and cupping her face, placed a kiss on her lips. With that she weakly smiled and kissed him back softly.
" How did it go? Are you okay ? " Manik anxiously asked.
She nodded again " yes, I am fine. Dad was getting better as the doctors said and he was resting well. They need to keep him under observation for few days. Then he can be discharged. " She informed him.
Manik attentively listened the information. " Okay, that's a relief to know. "
" I was so scared to meet him. I thought I have lost him." She honestly said. " He was so weakly lying on the bed Manik. He has bruises all over his body. It broke my heart seeing him like that. " She started crying again recalling her meeting with her father just one hour back.
" I know baby. I understand. " Manik quickly toom her in his arms and started rubbing her back to sooth her.
*****
It's around 8pm in the evening, Aman knocked on their room. Nandini was napping on the bed hugging Manik's waist whereas Manik was working on his iPad. Manik carefully untangled himself from her hold and went to address the door.
" Sir, Nandini ma'am's friend Abhishek left Pune this afternoon and Sriya is at her home. Peters and Andy are in hospital with her father. Also, Niyonika ma'am's assistant contacted to inform about tomorrow's suddenly arranged board meeting. She must came to know about your stay in Pune. " Aman informed.
" This witch! " Manik angrily sighed.
" Nothing can be hidden from her hawk eyes! Ishke najar se kuch chupta hi nehi! " He uttered perplexed.
" When is the board meeting scheduled? " He enquired.
" Tomorrow morning 10 am. " Aman replied.
Manik didn't want to leave Nandini alone after all these fiascos. He had enough of this separation and getting worked up moments. And, he knew virtual meeting is out of option as it was a trap by his witch of a mother to spoil his 'short relaxing vacation'. So, he very well was aware that Niyonika must have taken all possible steps to stage the trap. Because, if he couldn't attend the meeting then he had to give explanation to the board members and that would lead to unnecessary suspicion. That would be enough to instigate Niyonika to chase him.
And, he couldn't afford to take the bait then. As Nandini needed him at time moment. She was overwhelmed with everything going on in her life. He didn't want to add another round of stress on her already flooded plate. He couldn't share her worries unfortunately but he could provide her the support and solace.
" Inform them that I will be Joining the meeting. " Manik stated and Aman couldn't help himself but asked then and there " But how ? I mean , as far as I know you, you won't possibly be ready to leave Nandini ma'am here unattended. "
"Well in that case, You know what to do Aman. Don't you? " Manik countered back with his signature Manik-ish way.
And Aman knew what he was suggesting. " Very well sir. Everything will be ready at tomorrow morning 9 am. "
Manik smirked imagining Niyonika's stupified reaction when she would see him in the meeting tomorrow.
Then he heard Nandini tossing in the bedroom. That meant she might be awake by then. And, they both needed some alone Them time. So he shook Aman away hurriedly saying
" Alright, okay thanks bye. "
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Sorry sorry sorry for this short update. Will try to update the next one bigger and faster.
Again , thanks a lot for loving My World's King!
Stay tuned and blessed.