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"Manik? Nandini? What brings you two here?" Navya greeted Manik and Nandini at her doorstep in shock. She was not expecting anybody let alone these two people at her home.
"We are here to pick some stuff up for Cabir but we also wanted to check in on you and Nia. How are you doing?" Nandini answered Navya's question in a soothing voice. It did not take Navya longer than a minute to understand that Cabir crashed at Nandini's place when she heard that.
"Come on in... I don't know what's wrong with her. She's very cranky today." Navya welcomed them in and explained the loud wails of Nia coming from her bedroom.
"Can I pick her?" Nandini made her cute face while asking for Navya's permission making Manik chuckle slightly at her antics.
"I don't mind but are you sure that you can? What happened to you?" Navya quizzed pointing at Nandini's bandages. Manik and Nandini occupied places on the sofa in Navya's living room next to each other.
"Long story! The short version is that I got into a small accident three days ago. I am a lot better now and I can pick her up. Let me..." Nandini informed Navya of her accident briefly and expressed her eagerness to pick Nia up.
"Stay put! I'll get her out here to you." Navya instructed her to remain seated much to Manik's relief because he did not seem so sure about Nandini picking up any sort of weight even if it was a small 3 kg baby.
"There you go..." Navya muttered after placing Nia who was still a crying mess on Nandini's lap. Nandini began rocking the baby immediately, reducing the crying to less than earlier.
"What's wrong with my marshmallow? Aww, baby. I know... I know... It's going to be okay my angel." Nandini spoke a bunch of sweet nothings to her which put her cries to a complete rest surprising Manik and Navya in the process. Nandini kept rocking Nia rubbing her belly. She curiously looked up into Nandini's eyes with dried tear marks on her face.
"What are you- a witch? Please move in with me!" Navya spoke in disbelief making Nandini laugh at her choice of words.
"She must have missed her mami... That's all... Isn't it marshmallow?" Nandini declared and then pretended to check with the baby about the same.
"Why do you keep calling her that?" Manik interrogated puzzled by the nickname.
"That is what I call her since the time I met her... I can gobble her all at once. That's just how adorable you are, aren't you?" Nandini responded to Manik and then averted her attention back to Nia in her hands.
"Nandini has clearly chosen Cabir and Nia's side. What about you Manik?" Navya asked him humorously. The situation was far from funny but she did not want to make the atmosphere awkward so she tried to keep it light.
"You know that is not true. I am always on Nia's side but I cannot choose between you and Cabir, Navya. He needs a place to stay till you both figure out your situation and I'm just giving a temporary solution for that." Nandini corrected Navya because she felt guilty for making her feel that way.
"I know... I was just kidding. How's he doing?" Navya asked in a low voice. She was feeling awful about herself since the moment Cabir walked out of their door. She was angry in the night when they had just fought but after waking up the next morning guilt overpowered all the other emotions. The guilt was about chasing him out of his own home and in the middle of the night no less.
"He's a mess, obviously. I know things are very bad between you two right now but that does not remove his love for you. He's missing you and Nia. He wants to come back but more than that he wants to give you what you want which is space. He won't pester you into talking to him until you're ready so, take all the time that you need." Manik spoke directly. If he was blunt with Cabir then he was more than capable to be like that with Navya as well.
"I don't know how much he has told you guys but it is not all my fault. We both are equally in the wrong here. I am just thinking about what might be best for Nia. It is better to grow up in a co-parenting situation right from the beginning instead of having to hear us bickering all the time. I don't want that kind of negativity for her." Navya was consumed by the fear of what impact their fights could have on Nia. She wanted to avoid that and thus, parting ways seemed like the only option for her.
"I understand where you are coming from but can I be honest with you?" Nandini paused to ask if Navya minds her honest opinion.
"Of course..." Navya responded readily. Any sort of guidance or advice could benefit her because she was feeling extremely lost.
"I am not against divorces. I believe that you should get out when you need to irrespective of whether or not you have kids. I also understand your fear, Navya. Believe me, I do. But just think for once, what is better for a child- co-parents and living a split life forever or a family with two loving and nurturing parents?" Nandini asked Navya a very rhetorical yet significant question.
"A full family is definitely better but Cabir and I are at a much worse place from where I don't think we'd be able to give her that, Nandini." Navya palmed her cheeks as she answered Nandini's question.
"True but you guys do love each other despite all the fights, don't you?" Nandini questioned to which Navya nodded in agreement. It was true. No matter how angry she got, she could not get rid of the love for Cabir in her heart.
"So, that means that you've still got a chance to give Nia the best environment to grow up in, which is to have the both of you together in her life. It is going to be a long and difficult road if you decide to work things out. But, at least in the end, you will not have to spend your life wondering 'what if'. It is better to see for yourself even if it's bad news, trust me." Nandini explained her perspective as she kept rubbing Nia's belly who was now busy touching and playing with the neckline of Nandini's dress.
"I suggested marriage counseling a few days back but he refused. I cannot think of any other way to work through these issues." Navya contemplated what Nandini said and it'd be a lie to say that she did not agree with her. She was the one to ask for that divorce but it was out of her motherly concern and fear. She was not ready to let go of her love from life but it seemed like a hard sacrifice she must make for her daughter.
"He regrets not taking you up on that offer, now. Look, communication is key when so many misunderstandings have developed between you two. I'd suggest that take some time and space to cool off then sit down and have a talk about what needs to be done." Manik put forth his suggestion in a softer tone.
"I'll think about it. Is he going to be living with you in this meanwhile?" Navya promised to think about what Manik and Nandini told her and then questioned Cabir's living arrangements.
"Yeah... I told him to stay there as long as he needs to so you and Nia can stay here. Whatever it takes for both of you to sort things out for you and this little marshmallow of mine." Nandini said reassuringly and then cuddled with Nia. She could never get enough of the little girl.
"Thank you so much, Nandini. I do not want either of our families to find out about this. My folks are out of town for this month so no worries about them and looks like Cabir also doesn't wish to involve his family. Good!" Navya uttered and relief washed across her face.
"You guys are gonna be okay. And we are here to support you in whatever way you need us to, okay?" Manik reassured as he played with Nia's feet that were on his lap given how squirmy she was being in Nandini's hold.
"Thanks, you guys!" Navya thanked them out of gratitude.
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Same day evening....
"Get me some ice-cream na, Manik. I have such a craving right now!" Nandini pleaded over the phone. Manik had wrapped up his work and was heading towards Nandini's house when he thought about calling once and checking with her if she needed anything.
"Fine! I'll get you some but only if you promise to eat your food and medicines without any tantrums. I don't want to hear 'I'm full from icecream, Manik. I can't have food now.' crap from you later. Deal?" Manik made her an offer at which she frowned. Why did he have to know everything about her? Was she really that predictable?
"Okay! Get me blueberry and mint chocolate for you." Nandini wanted two flavours but she knew that he won't let her have more than one ice-cream that so she decided for both of them.
"So clever you are, huh, Murthy! Done! Ask Cabir what he wants and tell me." Manik laughed at her ways of getting what she wanted before asking for Cabir's choice.
"He called 5 minutes ago to tell that he'll be coming late tonight. He has a late night conference with some international clients." Nandini filled him in with what Cabir had informed her.
"Where are you now?" Nandini asked him before he could say anything.
"I just pulled over at the supermarket in your block. Do you need anything else?" Manik asked her stepping inside the supermarket.
"Nah! See you soon." Nandini told him and hung up on the call not before hearing a faint 'bye' from him.
In less that 10 minutes, Nandini's doorbell rang and even though she just wanted to sprint towards the door she could only limp slowly there given her injuries. She opened the door with the widest smile on her face only to have it wilt at the sight of the person standing there.
"What are you doing here, Alya?" Nandini questioned with a grim expression on her face. Alya eyed Nandini up and down given the bandages and injury for a moment before pushing her door wide open and storming inside the apartment thus startling Nandini.
"Please come in." Nandini exhaled in the most sarcastic tone possible and closed the door before limping her way to the middle of her living room where Alya began pacing here and there.
"Where is Manik?" Although Alya spoke normally, Nandini could tell from the way she carried herself that she was internally roiling with rage.
"He'll be here soon. Now tell me why are you here right now?" Alya's inquiry for Manik instantly upset Nandini. She had made every effort to maintain her composure throughout the entire ordeal over the past few days, but Alya was now putting her patience to the test. Nandini couldn't believe Alya still had the nerve to even contact Manik after everything that had happened.
"I don't think I need to answer you. I just want to talk to Manik. I went by his place but it was locked so I took a shot to see if he was here. I'll wait for him. You carry on with whatever you are doing." Alya shrugged and plopped down on one of the sofa chairs leaving Nandini agape.
"In that case, get out of my home. You do you but not under my roof unless you wanna tell me about it." Nandini stated clearly without losing her cool even for a second.
"Bitch!" Alya mumbled but did not bother to get up from her seat.
"Excuse me? Get up this instant and get the hell out of my house. I'll call security if that helps." Nandini grew enraged by Alya's actions and comments. She ordered her to leave right away while pointing to her door.
"Fine! I can talk to him in the parking." Alya pasted a fake smile on her face and told Nandini. She got up to leave only to hear the doorbell go off again. Nandini rushed towards the door to open it knowing that Manik had reached after all.
"Take your ex-girlfriend away from my house and then do whatever the fuck you want to." As soon as she opened the door, Nandini muttered to him in a whisper that did not reach Alya. She spoke erratically and Manik took a moment to digest both her words and Alya's appearance in Nandini's living room.
"Why are you here, Alya? Was my message not clear enough for you?" Manik spoke frustratedly as he walked inside with Nandini right behind him on his trail.
"That is exactly why I'm here, Manik! Everything was alright. Why did you send me that threatening text out of the blue? What the hell did she say to manipulate you this time? I can never understand for the life of me, how can someone as good as you fall for such a controlling and manipulative woman." Alya walked closer to where Manik was standing and spoke with spite on her face for Nandini.
"Two things! One- Do not speak anything about Nandini in front of me ever let alone inside her home. Two- Are you like demented? What was alright with you and me? I had literally blocked you after our last meet. I never wanted to speak to you because we are beyond repair. I would have stuck to my resolve but then you decided to ambush my girlfriend at her workplace and fed her a bunch of lies which is why I sent you that text. And just so you know, barging in on her house for whatever reason is all the ammunition I need to file that case on you." Manik rambled without a pause. His words and actions of protection made Nandini want to smile, but she restrained herself. He appeared to be blocking Alya's view of her by stepping directly between them. The fact that Alya had admonished Nandini so frequently meant that she was now immune to it, thus Alya's comments had zero impact on her.
"You have been awful to me, Manik. I still care for you. Hell, I still love you but you have become so heartless. The way you are treating me is nothing like the Manik who used to be mine. Being with her has changed you. I... I just begged you to be a friend to me because I have no one here but you turned your back at me. And when you finally talk to me, it is just to threaten me that you'll file a police complaint on me if I try to talk to you or her again. Really? Is there no part of you that has a little sympathy for the woman who you claimed to love for seven fucking years?" Alya's monologue came as a surprise to Nandini because she had no idea that Manik had sent her a threatening text. The tears welling up in the corner of Alya's eyes seemed to have no effect on Manik but Nandini felt a little bad for her.
"You telling me that you're still in love with me is the answer to why I can't be a friend to you. About being sympathetic towards you... I am so sorry but I cannot feel that in my heart one bit." Manik said firmly in a icy tone.
"How? W... Why? Is that how little I meant to you... our relationship meant to you? How did our break up have no effect on you as if it was just a fling and not a relationship of seven years? I was wrecked after you moved. I relocated here for you. You begun dating her the first chance you got but I am fucked for life. Do you know how incredibly devastating it it to realize that I meant nothing to you and all you ever wanted was Nandini? Why did you do that to me? Why did you feed my expectations from you and strung me along just to leave me when she was available? Th... This woman took my everything. First you, then Dhruv- the one person who was talking to me here also is avoiding me now. At the end of the day, she has everything that was supposed to be mine- my love, all my friends and my entire life. I..." Alya rambled and somewhere in between fell down on the sofa chair with a thud.
Alya's break down made Nandini think back to the time five years earlier when she had pleaded with her to cease her friendship with Manik in order to preserve their relationship. This circumstance was very comparable. What did Alya have in mind? The previous time, she got her way, so it would now as well? If that's how she felt, she's in for a major shock. Manik and Nandini are not the same people they were five years ago, and they are no longer willing to put their own happiness and will at stake for the sake of others.
"I am sorry that you feel that way, believe me. But you need to understand that all of that is not my problem to deal with. I got my closure from our relationship right before I moved here which maybe you did not. Find a way to get that because whatever you are doing is not going to get you anything." Manik said in a tired tone. He felt physically drained by how strongly he was holding himself back. He had so much anger and accusations towards her for the problems she had caused for him and Nandini but her state at the moment forced him to hold back.
"You are the only person who can give me closure, Manik. So just tell me why did you do this to me?" Alya declared and then asked him by pointing at him and Nandini together.
Nandini only had to take a quick look at Manik to realize that he was like a ticking time bomb ready to go off at any second. She briefly pondered removing him from this situation so she could just help him calm down, but she ultimately decided against it. She was aware that since Alya had returned, he had only been patient with her. Despite being aware of everything Alya did behind his back to sever their friendship, he maintained his composure. However, Alya has been prodding him nonstop. He might feel better if he let all of his repressed rage and other emotions out. Hence, Nandini made the decision to stay out of his way until it was absolutely essential.
"You want closure? Fine! I'll give you closure but remember that you asked for this." Alya was slightly startled when Manik disclaimed to her and then violently tossed his backpack onto the couch. When Nandini's wounds started to hurt once more, she sighed and plopped down on the couch.
"Wh... What do you mean?" Alya staggered a little when Manik took two steps towards her.
"Let's give you the closure you have been looking for... Why don't we start with why do you think we broke up? Please tell me." Manik grimaced while forcing a false smile onto his face.
"You had to move here to set up your business... That's why!" Alya shrugged.
"That is all? So it had nothing to do with how you and I fell out of love months before my move? We had been stuck at a point for years in our relationship. We stopped growing and we forgot what love is. I think the only reason we never called it quits was because we had no other options in the city. It was just me for you and you for me. It was familiar so we did not end it. An..." Even though what Manik was saying was true, Alya cut him off mid way.
"Why don't you just say that all the good sex is why you did not feel like breaking up with me?" Alya spat with a smirk on her face. Manik's nostrils flared at her below the belt remarks. He glanced at Nandini for a second to see that she kept a stoic face as if these comments were not bothering her.
"Do you feel better after saying that? If yes, say more for your own sake. We are all adults who have had very scandalous sex lives in the past which I am sure you don't want me getting into. Nothing of what you say is going to change the fact that I am his girlfriend so, try keeping it clean." Nandini spoke calmly in a suggestive tone. She smirked back while hinting at Alya's past sex life. Manik smiled proudly at how easily she handled that before turning to a fuming Alya.
"You do not seem interested in talking about what went wrong between us. The only thing that is bothering you is me and Nandini being together, is it not?" Manik asked her straightforwardly.
"No... Not just that. She turned my friends against me along with you." Alya murmured.
"If you feel people who used to be close to you are against you now then it is completely on you. All Nandini did was to be a good friend to everyone. Not like you and me cutting out everyone from our lives saying we are busy which was not true. Hell, she was a good friend to you too till you decided to take advantage of it." Manik spoke with a slight chuckle. Alya scoffed at the last part of his speech.
"Good friend, my foot! What good friend jumps in the bed with her friend's ex-boyfriend the first chance she gets?" Nandini's face scrunched up at Alya's choice of words.
"Alya! I swear to god, I'll have the security throw you out if you keep saying shit like that. Stay in your fucking limits!" Manik roared the second Alya said what she said. His vein on the forehead was now popping and extremely visible indicating that his anger was beyond control. Nandini stood up on her feet and placed one palm on his chest to calm him down. Her actions made him look down on towards her. He closed his eyes to calm the raging storm inside him as she stroke his chest slightly.
"Look, Alya. I don't know what are you trying to do. The only reason I am tolerating you right now is because you meant something to Manik in the past. I can understand how much it pains to lose him from life thanks to you. I am not going to stop him from talking to you like you did in the past with me and him. So, instead of wasting your time in taking a dig at me, talk to him about your issues like an adult. And for the last time, leave me out of this." Nandini turned to Alya and asserted. She pressed on her last sentence before stepping away from the two of them only for Manik to hold her hand. Manik and Nandini never explicitly discussed how painful it was to lose each other even if it was as friends. It just felt difficult to talk about it but hearing Nandini mention it, aggravated Manik. He realized how deeply and equally it had impacted both of them.
"The day you decided to go behind my back and stop Nandini from talking to me, you lost me. It showed how much faith you had in me and our relationship. I came to know about it after coming here and whatever little guilt I had for leaving you there alone, flew out of the window in that very moment. So, yes! I do not have any sympathy for you. You keep saying that I was waiting for Nandini to be available so that I can make a move on her, right? I'll tell you now, yes! A part of me has loved Nandini ever since I set my eyes on her and that will always be with me till I die. Life threw me a second chance with her after five fucking years so I hopped on it the second I got it. But none of that means that I did not love you or that I wasn't loyal to you. Relationships don't have to work always. You and I did not work, that is all. Make peace with it somehow and let me be." Manik declared with assertion as he enveloped Nandini's palm in his huge ones.
"That's it? It is that easy to throw a person out of your life once you were done using her, huh?" Alya asked him crying in a defeated voice.
"I have given you more than enough explanations, Alya. Nothing that I say is registering in your head and I am truly done with this bullshit. You have caused enough trouble for Nandini and me. I don't need you barging inside her restaurant or home or any other place that she goes to. So, you'll get the restraining order by the end of this week. It is getting late. You should leave now." Manik spoke definitively and dropped Nandini's hand just to open the door for Alya. His decision about the restraining order baffled Alya and Nandini. But both of them knew that if Manik had decided something with that firmness then there was no room for discussion to change it.
"Life will give it back to you. You cannot be happy after hurting someone so much. You just won't be...." Alya mumbled to both of them and stormed out of Nandini's apartment only for Manik to shut the door immediately.
"I am so sorry, baby!" Manik rushed to take Nandini in his arms for a tight hug and then mumbled near her ears.
"It's not your fault." Nandini responded meekly and wrapped her good arm around him.
He pulled away a little to hold her face in his hands tenderly. She looked at him with a small smile as he bent down to place a soothing kiss on her forehead. "I love you so much." He muttered as his lips lingered on her head. He hoped that it will suck all of the negativity from the last hour out of her system. "Love you too." She replied and sent a silent thanks to god for the way Manik stood up for himself, her and their relationship. Alya might have cursed them to never be happy but Nandini knew in her heart that having him in her life was enough happiness for her in this lifetime. He had similar feelings about them. He was not as affected by whatever Alya spoke as he had expected himself to be. He was just glad that he got a chance to finally put an end to all of this Alya drama.
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Day of launch...
"This place is not babyproofed in any way, Cabir. How can I leave you here with Nia without it?" Nandini expressed her worry walking out of her room all ready to head out. She had picked a beautiful saree because Manik and Sameer had arranged a small ritualistic event before the actual party which was on the evening of the same day.
Navya had dropped off Nia at Nandini's place in the morning because Cabir was on a leave and he had requested to spend some time with his daughter via Nandini. Navya and he needed to be by themselves for a while to cool off the heat in their system, so they were not speaking to each other directly. He had decided to speak to her whenever she approached him and until then this was their arrangement.
"Give me some benefit of the doubt, missy! I am her father. I can take care of her." Cabir said dramatically and glanced over to the stroller in which his daughter was tucked comfortably.
"Come here, my baby. I have to go to your mama's workplace but I am gonna miss you so much. I'll be back in two to three hours and then I'm gonna play with you till the time we have to leave for the party. Okay? Have fun with papa till then." Nandini cooed and placed numerous kisses on Nia's face after she picked her up from the stroller. Her elbow was almost healed and so, it did not pain her to pick up the baby in her arms.
"You should get going, Nandini. Manik will go crazy if you guys don't reach the venue on time." Cabir reminded Nandini of how nervous Manik was when he left for his house early in the morning. He had specifically instructed Nandini to be before time because he knew that only she could help him cool his nerves. Cabir stretched out his arms to take Nia off of Nandini's hold.
"Yeah... Call me if you need me, okay?" Nandini ordered him after giving Nia to him. She straightened out the creases in her saree and grabbed her phone before heading out.
"Will do... Bye!" Cabir bid her bye as she shut the door behind her.
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Rate this chapter between 1-10.
Was Manik and Nandini's way of talking to Navya correct?
Finally a confrontation with Alya. Do you think Manik was too harsh? How else should he have handled it?
What do you think will happen at this launch event? Any guesses?