Manik was numb listening to the caller name as Mia observed his condition, she excused herself.
Outside the cabin...
"Shit, Shit, Shit. Holy ass!! i again messed it up." She cursed.
"Language pumpkin!!! But hua kya?? Everything allright??" Cabir asked from the other end.
"Sorry Cabu bhaiya, but mainephir gadbad kar di. Bhai ke samne hi aapka call attend kr diya!! So dumb of me." She said guilty.
"Pumpkin dhyan dena tha na. Chal chod tera bhai thodi der kuch todega phodega, apna hath kahin marega,gussa hoga etc . Since one and a half years he behaves this way whenever he heads about us." He said and took a deep sigh.
"Bhaiya, aap to aise bol rahe ho jaise aapko koi farak nhi padta. I know aap kitna miss krte ho ek dusre ko par phir bhi dikhate nahi ho. Jab bhi concerts aur recording me ek saath aate ho to chupkar rote ho. But then when it comes to music, you rock the stage. Music binds you. Whatever you say, you people cannot stay away from each other." She said as a matter of fact.
"Miss. Philospher!! Ho gaya. Pagal, rulayegi kya. Vaise tu hai kaisi?? aur hai kahaan??" Cabir said ignoring the issue which Mia raised.
"And Mr. Cabir Dhawan wins the ignorance award. Congratulations. Kitna ignore karoge bhaiya. You very well know someday anyhow you have to face him. Anyway, i am here at heights. Ek secret hai, bhai likes a girl. No no actually, loves her. So usi se milne aayi hoon." She said excitedly.
"what the f**k!! Manik and love. Whoa!! Ye kab hua??" He asked.
"Ye hua 6 months ago. Arey i'll explain you but not like this. Face to face. Kab milne aarahe ho??" She asked.
"Milenge milenge, par pehele apne bhai ko sambhal. He must have hurt himself. Bye pumpkin.take care and always remember we all love you."
"I know bahiya. I love you too. Bye" she ended the call and went for Manik.
.....................................
At Manik's cabin, as Cabir said, he had thrown all the things which came his way. He was devastated, not he was all angry but was hurt. Hurt was an understatment actually, evreytime, he crosses path with the 4 of them,the one who were his family once, his happiness. Everytime he hear about them he lose his control. All the memories in which they were glued together brainstorm him. But then came the worst day ever where he was detached from them. He was remembering them and crying. Crying hard like a 5 year old toddler who had lost his precious toy.
Suddenly his cabin's door got flung open. And came in
Nandini Moorthy. She was shocked seeing the scenario infront of her. She came in because she heard something breaking. Not his heart though but glass. More than the cabin's halat she was concerned for Manik. She ran to him and without thinking twice hugged him. Feeling peace and solace in her arms Manik too hugged her back with his full strength. Though it was hurting her but she kept mum.
After what felt like forever when Manik stopped sobbing they drifted apart.
"Sir, you alright??? What happened??" She asked.
"Nothing, i am all right. You can go now.." he said sternly avoiding her.
"Who told you that am moving from here. Atleast not now, when i know you need someone by your side." Well! Nandini Moorthy was on her full tigress form. She requited back at him.
"what!!!" Manik asked more in a shock than anger.
"Yes Mr. Malhotra. The second you hugged me back, you gave me the right to ask and i know this hug gave you what you want. So now, i want to know the reason for your this miserable condition."she demanded as if she had full rights on him.
"Listen Nandini i m not in a state to argue so please leave me alone and do not try to be over smart okay. Thank you for your consolation. I will pay you back soon." He said showing his back to her.
" I m not going anywhere. Sir, this is not what i am seeing for first time but i have seen this many times since i joined here. I don't know what is there in you that you hide but not more now. I want you to be happy, i know behind your extra rude avataar there is something which is very beautiful, your heart sir and i want to know that Manik Malhotra, i want to see that side of yours. Please..i die hundred deaths when i look at you in this condition. please sir, please for me."
Nandini was herself unknown of the reasons, why she was blurting all this out all of a sudden. But true it was, she really died many times whenever she used to experience this weak side of her rockstar. May be she was ignoring the feelings deep seated in her heart or may be she was not ready to give this feeling a name called LOVE but now she wanted to know why Manik goes in this vilnerable state. She wanted to heal him.
Manik's state was something
he couldnt explain. He was shocked first to see somebody other than Mia standing forthright infront of him amd secondly, to see this side of Nandini but somewhere he was happy that may be Nandini might also having some feelings for him. wWthout thinking anything he flunged towards her and took her in his embrace and again crying.
"Nandini, i m broken, i m broken, i don't have strength at all to cope up with all these things happening." He said sobbing.
"Sir, do you trust me???" She asked plainly.
"Trust??"it was indeed a shoot out for Manik. Trust was something he believed in the most and listening this from Nandini the one whom he trust the most. he was startled...
"Sir, do you trust me?? Sir, if you trust me, then please tell me what is going on inside you. please sir, may be then i'll help you."
"4 years ago...." Manik started.
*flashback*
Manik pov
Fab 5, my life, my everything. We were "all for one and one for all"
but everything changed 4 years ago.
My life was a heaven. Fab 5, Mia, dadi,
it was a perfect family. Fab 5 used to rule the college, our college. The space academy, we were a famous band. Everyone knew about our bond our music, music binded us together. Everyone used to praise us not only for our talent but also for our friendship.
But one day i got to know a bitter truth of my family. About Neonika, my "so called" Mother. Meri maa, somewhere i knew that she was self centered, selfish, rude, mean. She never really cared for us, her own blood, her children. All she used to care about was her money,her business, the prosperity she got from my faher. She used to stay out only, for her international trips. And to be honest, we never bothered. We were happy together...but the day when i was turning 21 she came back. Just to ruin it all. To ruin me.
"Happy birthday Manik." she wished.
"Oh!! you remembered? How come that is even possible!! What do you want mom??" I asked uninterested in her oh i am so cari g mother drama.
"Manik!! I am your mom and today its your 21st birthday beta. So here i am, tell me what do you want." She asked in her sugar laced voice which i hate the most. Then, now and forever.
I felt something fishy, never ever in my any birthdays she came. In fact, she never wished me even.
"Mom, can you please tell me what do you want? i don't wanna spoil my day." i asked her frankly.
"Manik!! whats wrong with you? Bachcha i am ur mom. i have the right to ask-"
but she was interupted by dadi..
"No!! you dont have any right on my kids Neonika. You have lost all your rights today." She said shocking me.
"Whats wrong dadi?".
"Manik dont listen to her. She has gone mad. Already she is counting her days. " Neonika shamelessely said.
"Mom!! Do not forget, She is my dadi. please don't utter a word against her." I shouted angrily.
"No manik, let her say whatever she wants to. Because, when she will finish, i will start. Start talking about her great history and her truth." Dadi said.
"What are you talking about dadi?? Be clear."
"Manik, don't listen. She is just manipulating you." Neonika took my hand in her and pleaded.
"Manipulate, really Neonika. If this what you say is manupulating then what was that you did to my son. He was helpless. He gave u everything but you couldn't even cared for your own children. What u gave him? u back stabbed him Neonika." Dadi's statement was making no sense to me. What was all it about?? And how is dad getting involved in this. I was all in all confused.
"Manik, this lady, your mom, Do you kniw why did she came today to wish you?? she came today cause today according to the will left by ur father, the day you will turn 21, all the property under the Malhotra empire will be transfered in your name and if you and Mia want, then only she can get a small part of it. And see, here she is all pale and pleading infront of you.
your dad threw her out of our lives. You know why? cause he had an extra marital affair, affair with another man and thankfully your dad got to know about it before it was too late."
My world crashed down the moment i heard her. Nothing was clear infront of my eyes, it was blurrrr. i wasn't able to stand that truth but thay wasn't for me. There was a lot more.
"Okhay!!" Neonika shrieked. "Now if every thing is infront of you cut and clear. And you are so mature to handle this bloody empire then will you be able to share your property who doesnt belong to you amd your family!!!" She said.
"Neonika!!! thats none of ur concern now. Do not talk rubbish about any of my kid." Dadi shouted back.
"That is my concern, because, it is about my daughter. How can i trust
you Manik? Some day or the other, you will get to know the truth. May be then you will throw her out." Neonika raised her voice.
"Say it clearly!!" I almost shouted at her. My mind was not in my tracks. Another blow and i would have burst.
"Then listen to me, the girl whom you love so much, ur so called life, the one you can even die off aka Mia malhotra, oops. My mistake , not a malhotra actually. Mia is your step sister, she is not your dad's daughter but my daughter and her father is Mr. Angat Mehra. Your father never cared for me Manik. He was always busy in his business, i wanted freedom but he told me to assemble his family. I wanted me to grow as a business lady but he ruined it all and then u came in our life. I thought, now he will give what i wanted but still he never gave a darn to me. He gave all his attention to u, all his money was spent on you. I was like a third wheel between you too. Then Angad came in my life, he loved me the way i wanted. yes i had an affair with him cause i needed someone, i needed someine to care for me. He was rich and i thought he will provide with what i wanted. Angad could fill the empty space in my life but my misfortune, he had fallen for me. All bullshit, he left me, i was pregnant with his child. He left me cause i never told him about Mia...and then i took the vow to empower everything. yes!! i used u and Mia but ur father got to know about Mia soon. But what a great man!! he still gave all the love to her but what about me? i started working for money and still i do."
she wasnt able to complete her shameless story and there voice of thuddd.... it was beacause something had fallen down with force.
I turned and saw, what i never wanted to. Mia had fainted on the floor. She heard everything..
"Shit!!" i muttered and went to her.
*flashback ends*
Manik pov end
"What!! Mia?? but Manik you love her very much. I know that
You care for her, it doesnt matter who gave u birth but Mia is lucky to have you. She is special to be taken care by you. You gave her what she deserved,even more than that." Nandini said. She was also in tears by now.
They both were on the couch, where Nandini was siting on it, while Manik had kept his head on her lap. Nandini's finger were continuously brushing is hair.
"But nandini its not over yet. Neonika ne sari had paar kardi jab usne fab 5 ko mere hi khilaf manipulate kardiya, they didn't trust me Nandini, that night after the concert, it broke all of us because of "
"Shushsh!!" She shushed him off. "Sir, i know you want to say more, u want to empty that is filled in you. But for now u need to rest . You need yourself to calm down." Nandini said calmly.
Manik suddenly got up.
"But i have found my peace Nandini. In all these years, i never felt so good as i felt right now. please promise me you will never leave me." Manik said offering his hand.
Nandini was taken aback but still smiled looking at this man-child. He found his peace in her, after a time lap of silence, she arranged herself and said "i' ll never leave u sir, you trust me na. Toh keep this trust, i won't leave you ever. I will always be there by your side."
Manik hugged her immediately to assure her words. That moment, time for both of them stopped. For infinity, they loved each other immensly but they needed time...not for them but for each other....
.......................................
Haaashsh, My fingers are paining now but u know what i love writing...so wrote this lamba wala update....and yess please have patience....manan ki story me abhi bohot kuch hai..ye to shuruwat hai...jaise jaise chappies badenge...vaise vaise romance bhi..they need time now...and me too...so happy reading dearies....*flashback bacha hai will continue in nxt chapters*