"Maybe he just really wanna talk to your man," Rishi said as soon as Mr Murthy walked away. Nandini had tried to talk to her father about dinner thing and he had one simple yet most complex answer that how he just wanted to talk to Manik.
Nandini laughed a bit as she heard her brother.
"What's so funny?" He asked.
"You don't know that simple looking man at all," She whispered looking towards her father who was talking to some servant at a little distance.
"He always has some cunning plan going in back of his mind. I was here for these 19 years and believe me, you have a lot to learn about us," She replied as subtly as she could. Though, subtle was the mockery here.
"That's rude," Rishi said shaking his head, trying not to get intimidated by his little sister.
"You never liked his ways so that's what speaking here," He said clicking his fingers trying to prove his point.
Nandini rolled her eyes and then sighed.
"Why am I even trying to reason my parent's son?" She didn't miss to taunt before getting up. She needed to see only intelligent man in that house.
"Where's Daadu?" She asked one of servants as she couldn't find him anywhere.
"Bade Sahab has gone out of town and would return till dinner," servant informed and Nandini wondered.
Apparently, she didn't know anything in that house. Daadu was not home and she didn't know. Her father had turned subtle, she didn't know. Her brother had started to take interest in her life, she didn't have a clue. She sighed and sat on sofa placed in hallway. She needed to be prepared for dinner. Her cadet was coming on a war and she was afraid it doesn't turn out to be the war he had been chanting these days.
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Manik threw another blazer on bed as he struggled with this royal decision of what to wear. Initially, he had thought he won't go at all but then he couldn't run away from his own feelings. It was an embarrassing day all in all and he couldn't let Mr Murthy live with impression how he was a boy who got caught with his daughter in a warehouse and then had no guts to show up for a talk.
"A talk couldn't harm, can it?" He asked himself standing in front of mirror. He smiled as that navy blue blazer smiled at him.
"I knew it is my color," He mumbled totally trying to play it cool. He had tried it once how you can kill the anxiety by pretending to be brave. Duh, must have worked.
He got ready and looked at keys of Jeep. It was strange how Lieutenant Kalra was very quiet after Mr Murthy had left. Moreover, he had given him army Jeep till morning. It was strange, strange day.
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It was night and Nandini hadn't sat in peace for a second even. She was restless and her mood voiced for it. She had blasted her brother for nth time as he had tried to calm her down. She was hating idea of this dinner. She knew something bad was coming her way. She wanted to steal Manik before he could enter the Murthy Mansion.
She heard sound of Jeep and her engine trained ears recognized in seconds how it was an army Jeep. She wondered who lent Manik that vehicle for a personal meeting. She ran towards door and saw him walking towards main door. She grabbed him before he could reach it and started to drag him in opposite direction.
"What's wrong?" He asked perplexed and Nandini slid her hand in pocket of his pant. He jumped like baffled kitten but she paid no heed to his antics.
Opening door of his Jeep, she pushed him inside and looked at him.
"Drive away. No dinner here," She said catching her breaths. Manik frowned unable to understand her actions.
"But your father... " He tried to argue but she glared him.
"Believe me he was not serious and my mother is a terrible cook," She was sounding impatient.
He looked at her drained face blankly and then tried to open the door. He pushed it out while Nandini pushed it in. Both wrestled while glaring each other.
"It's you who doesn't want me to come in, isn't it?" He asked narrowing his eyes. She pursed her lips in irritation.
He took another door and came out of Jeep.
"Don't you want me to meet your parents?" He asked standing in front of her. Nandini so wanted to kick him in gut for gathering all his guts together for tonight. He was being unreasonably confident about this dinner thing.
"Yes, I don't want you to meet my parents because I don't see a need," she spat back.
He wanted to hear her out but then he had thought about this dinner meeting. He couldn't run away.
"So you want me to run away like a coward. What your parents would think of me?" He put forward his actual concern and she felt like taking him for a long walk and tell him how it doesn't matter. He didn't seem to get things at once.
"So you won't listen to me?" She asked putting her hands on her waist. He looked in some kind of inner argument and then shook his head.
"Fine," She said and stormed away. He felt this congestion in his chest seeing her go away. He should have listened to her, his heart scolded his mind but then his eyes saw her coming back with a water pipe. His instincts warned him but his stupid heart was too busy feeling the relief. He needed a body diagnosis.
"No, Nandini," He ran to hide behind the Jeep as she struggled to turn the pipe on.
"This is not the way to do things," He yelled while trying to find a safe spot.
"Nobody likes drenched guests," She said fighting with jammed nob of that pipe.
"My father hates poorly dressed people," She added.
Manik could see that dripping water coming his way any moment. He was in love with this girl, he tried to bid some 'For God damn sake'. But alas, she didn't pay any mercy.
"Okay. I won't go inside. Put that thing down," Manik had to agree to that mad lady. She examined his face to find some sort of bluff but he was blessed with that all time helpless expression. She threw the pipe away and walked to him. He tried not to look scared and waited for her. Tiptoeing, she kissed his chin and smiled. She always looked extra gorgeous when she had that content of victory on her face.
"Look, you need to hear me out," He said while taking some steps towards her house.
"Your father already hated me. He knows what were we doing in warehouse. He must be thinking how horrible person I am and I can't let him think that. He is your father," He completed saying it in a breath and then looked at her blank face.
"Trust me Nandini. I can pull this off," He said sincerely. She just stared his face with not so convinced eyes.
"It's just a talk. I want him to know that I am a good boy," He said totally pleading. Her expressions did flicker as she seemed to be in some thought.
"Do not use your brain when he starts talking shit," She said holding his hand. He followed her steps as she walked him inside.
"Do not fall into his emotional trap," She instructed further and looked back at him. He nodded his head with this extra smile. He couldn't let her change her mind.
"Whatever happens I want you to remember that you are a good boy, Malhotra," She whispered in his ear while her hand clutched side of his shirt.
"You don't need to prove that to anyone here," She added and he smiled. Her cheek was so close to his lips as he turned his face towards her. Without wasting a second, he kissed her cheek to tell her how it felt listening her words. She smiled, and then let go his hand.
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"Stop glaring me," Rishi mouthed looking at Nandini. Dinner was going smooth as there were no big talks except Rishi trying to know Manik. Somewhere Nandini's fears were subsiding with each passing second. She looked at her father who was silently having his meal and tried to calm down.
"Wow," Rishi exclaimed listening to rich history of Manik's mother and looked at his father. It was like he wanted his father to notice these materialistic details so that he starts considering him more than an army man.
"You have got a huge bank balance then, dude," Rishi exclaimed and Manik smiled awkwardly. He didn't know how these things were serving any purpose.
Nandini looked at clock and wondered where Daadu was.
"Your Daadu is on his way," Her mother answered and she nodded.
"I think Manik should leave now," Nandini uttered as soon as Rishi ended his interrogation session. It was like there was no question left.
"What's the urgency, Nandini?" Mr Murthy said taking the napkin off stand.
"I think some fine wine is mandatory to seal the night," He said and Nandini stiffened. She knew it, her father hadn't come to point yet.
"He will be driving so it's a bad idea, dad," She immediately spoke not letting Manik even try to answer.
"Come on, an army man refusing a toast?" Mr Murthy didn't even look at Nandini and smiled at Manik.
"Sure, Sir," Manik agreed and Nandini hit his leg under the table. He tried to assure her in eyes but she was already beyond that stage. She looked at door again as men of house stood up to walk to her father's study room.
"Where are you, Daadu?" She mumbled.
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"I won't eat him alive," Mr Murthy chuckled as Nandini found her a seat in his study.
"Let him have a talk, Nandu," Rishi said extending his arm as he walked to door. She ignored his plea and kept sitting there totally telling how she won't go out.
"You are not helping anyone, Nandini," Her father said sternly and Manik started to grow anxious. It was a lie that he was alright with this entire dinner set up. But he wanted to go through it so that this little tiff could end forever.
Nandini kicked a thing or two as she walked to door. She didn't want to leave Manik alone but she couldn't worsen the situation by being stubborn.
"I am just outside in case..." She said before closing the door. Manik so wanted to dig a hole for himself and lay there because his girl was no less than a proclaimed rowdy.
Door closed and Manik stared his own shoes.
"She is a kid," Mr Murthy said and Manik waited.
"Let's get to the point, boy," He said and walked to bar to make drinks for them.
"Neat?" He asked and Manik just nodded in yes without even paying two thoughts. He was too anxious for that.
"What's there in army for a man like you?" Mr Murthy asked as he walked back to couch with two drinks in his hand.
"I mean, you could have easily opted for business," He added and Manik looked at him trying to come up with an attentive face.
"I always wanted to be an army officer, sir. And I am happy with it," Manik answered sipping the drink and it tasted like venom.
"Besides, I have no interest in business," Manik uttered with that burning throat.
"I had a brother like you," Mr Murthy said after a pause. His eyes were on his drink as he rotated the glass on arm of chair.
"You remind me of him a lot," He added.
"Only difference is...he is dead," He said the last part lowly.
"I am sorry," Manik tried to tackle each of his sentence carefully.
"He is a martyr. You people find it sacred so don't be sorry," Mr Murthy said and again topic was back at what Manik had tried hard to forget. Nandini's uncle was an army man.
"My father is very proud that his son died for the nation and so on," Mr Murthy said indifferently pouring more wine into his glass.
"He doesn't want to see the bitter reality that how Raghav had died for nothing leaving a mourning wife behind," He said next and Manik could feel his heartbeats increasing. He looked at Mr Murthy.
"You army men are stone hearted but we aren't, Manik," Mr Murthy said and Manik didn't take his eyes off this time. He could hear bitter in Mr Murthy's words.
"I still remember how his young wife had refused to accept for months that he was gone," He said walking towards his study table.
"She used to cry at nights and nobody in this house has forgotten those helpless days," He said as he drew something out of drawer.
Manik was feeling a pang piercing his heart as he tried to take in the story he was being told. He was being shown a side of which there was no need.
"Raghav loved Aparna and we loved them," Mr Murthy said as he dropped a picture on table. Manik could see that picture but didn't dare to pick it up.
"I bet you know what I am talking about. I have seen Aparna and you must have seen your mother," Mr Murthy said pouring wine in Manik's glass. Manik took it quickly as he could feel his throat drying.
"Don't you, Manik?" Mr Murthy asked and Manik met his eyes.
"Why are telling me all this, sir?" Manik asked even when he knew why he was being told all this.
"Stay away from daughter," Mr Murthy said sternly and Manik felt this urge to say no.
"I can't," He listened to that urge. He couldn't seem to hold it within anymore.
"Then leave this profession," Mr Murthy stated as if it was simplest proposition.
Manik shook his head staring the expensive carpet under his feet.
"Can't you do that for her?" Mr Murthy called onto Manik's ego.
"I can't," Manik answered and got up. His feet didn't move to leave and he kept standing there trying to calm his mind. It was a mess. He was feeling blank.
He heard Mr Murthy chuckle and Nandini's face flashed in front of his eyes.
"You won't chicken out, Right?"
She was dreading this.
"You can't leave her, you can't leave army. You army men are one heck of selfish species," Mr Murthy yelled as he threw empty glass of wine on floor. Manik clasped his fists as he heard those words.
Before he could even answer that accusation, Mr Murthy's hands had clutched his navy blue blazer.
"You won't think twice sacrificing your life and here my daughter would die a death you can't even imagine," Mr Murthy said infuriated.
"There won't be anything of that sort," Manik mumbled as he dared to imagine what Mr Murthy had stated.
"This is a truth that you won't ever put her before your god damn service," Mr Murthy left his collar with a jerk. Manik stumbled as he backed down.
One part of his brain had started to scream how everything Mr Murthy was saying, was right. He was doing an irrevocable sin by dragging Nandini in a place where he could never give her assurance and peace.
"Would you want to do that to Nandini?" He was brought back to reality with Mr Murthy's open ended question. His mind was giving in to that stealthy psychology. He wanted to speak but he ended up shaking his head in negative. He would never want Nandini to suffer.
"But..." He tried to bring that lost voice back but got interrupted by Mr Murthy, losing every chance to revive the beaten strength.
"Not my daughter. She isn't the one who would suffer," Mr Murthy said and walked out of study.
Manik kept standing there frozen. He didn't know what to think and what not. He tried to remember how his mother was when his father had died. He hardly had memories of her. He fretted more and his head ached. He looked at picture of Nandini's uncle and aunt lying on table and his reserve wisdom bade goodbye as well. His mind had started to run on this one dead end.
"Manik," Nandini had to call him for third time as he couldn't hear her calling.
Nandini's face reflected fear as she tried to depict Manik's lost face. Manik could see Rishi standing at door of study. He looked at Nandini again and filled her in arms. He clutched her in arms tightly while she tried to understand what was wrong. She could sense something terrible coming her way.
"I am sorry, Nandini. But I have to go," He murmured in her ear before leaving her to walk away. He didn't even dare to look at her but face of Rishi at door reflected what damage he had done.
Nandini tried to make some sense out of his words and when she did, she ran.
Manik collided with someone at front door and that someone turned out to be the man who had seen it coming. He had tried to prepare Manik.
"Manik, my boy," He chirped but then toned down as he read the horror on his face.
"I am sorry, Daadu," Manik murmured and then looked towards door.
"I shouldn't be in her life," He managed to say and saw her running out. She looked scared and his heart dropped further. Manik paced out and reached his jeep. He couldn't face her.
"Nandu?" Daadu asked but Nandini didn't answer and ran past him. Manik tried to start the engine but before he could succeed, Nandini took out the keys and threw them in dark garden. Manik had to look at her face lastly. She was a mess. He couldn't see her like that. That fear on her face stabbed his heart a thousand time. He came out of Jeep and walked towards garden to look for his keys.
"Would you tell me what's wrong?" She yelled while he searched for keys in grass. He had no answer to her questions.
Next she grabbed him from collar and dragged to the Jeep. His back collided with metal door and he managed to avoid her piercing gaze by staring floor.
"I am sorry, Nandini," He murmured.
"Sorry for what?" She asked and Manik opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out.
"Sorry for what, Manik Malhotra?" She yelled and her voice echoed in silence of night.
"Answer me," She demanded stepping on his boots. Manik could feel his throat filling with this fluid as she tried to do what she does best.
"We can't be like this," He said making a distance between them.
"You shouldn't be with me," He answered her all questions with that one brutal reply. He still hadn't looked into her eyes. She was standing very still. His heartbeats were louder than ever as he waited for her to say something.
"Who are you to decide that?" She asked again stepping on his boots. Her voice didn't have that firm as it was quivering a bit.
"Look at me when I am talking," She said lifting his chin and he finally looked at her face. She was vulnerable. Her eyes were red as if she was trying too hard to hold on. Her face was white as if blood had been suck out of her.
"We can't be together. I am sorry, Nandini," Manik murmured and took her hands off his blazer. She turned her each muscle stiff as he tried to push her away gently.
She stood there perplexed trying to grasp all the words he had said.
"Just because my father said something?" She asked him as he aimlessly walked in grass to find the God damn keys.
He didn't answer but keep looking for his keys. He heard her sniffling and it ached so bad.
"Coward," She yelled and stomped towards her house only to halt. She couldn't walk away like this. She needed answers. She turned around to find him starting his Jeep and he drove off.
"You just cannot run away like this, Cadet," She yelled and stormed towards her car. Daadu didn't even dare to stop her. He knew she won't. Her car left the mansion. Daadu needed to confront the person who had brought them at such junction. He walked in rapidly and closed the door.
"Madhav," He yelled as loud as he could.
"Come out," He called out loud and Rishi came out of his room all worried.
"What's the matter, Daadu?" He asked but Daadu paid no heed.
Mr Murthy came out and saw his father standing in hall.
"Are you happy?" Daadu asked accusing.
"You are first father who couldn't see his daughter happy," He roared and Mr Murthy came closer.
"At least, I have not pushed her in dark well," Madhav retorted.
"Better than a grandfather who wants her to be with a short life," He added venomously.
"Madhav," Daadu yelled.
"Aparna wasn't enough that now you want to push my daughter in this dark hole?" Madhav yelled back. This bridge had to collapse one day. They had been living like a normal family just to pretend how everything was fine.
"Don't talk about emotions you don't understand," Daadu said lowly trying to battle with this own emotions.
"My daughter isn't gonna live like Aparna by choosing an army man," Madhav declared calmly seeing twitched face of his father. He knew it was downright risk to put his father under such accusations. His health won't take it for long.
"It's better you too stop stretching this topic," Madhav said and gestured his wife to take care of Daadu. He left for his room and Daadu dropped himself in his rocking chair like a defeated soldier.
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Manik steered the wheel and couldn't see a thing on road. His tears were blurring his vision and her face was only thing he could see. He had ruined it all. He had to. He couldn't bring her fate of his mother. Before he could find more reasons to support his unjust decision, a car passed by rashly and it didn't took more than 5 seconds to him to know who was in that car. He had to pull the brakes as that car stopped at distance diagonally blocking his way. Nandini came out of car and walked towards his Jeep. Her face was filled with tears. Opening the door, she dragged him out just to punch him in gut. He let her do whatever she needed to let out all the hurt. She awarded him with endless fists on his chest before she stopped only to clutch his blazer.
"Who do you think you are?" She asked shouting.
Manik just gazed her ached face just to realize he had already hurt in a way probably no one ever had. Seeing Nandini he knew in that upheaval state was nothing less than a punishment. He had never imagined how deep they were in this thing. His tears weren't halting and her sniffles were constant.
"You cannot just leave when you didn't even ask before entering my life to change everything," She said sternly.
"You need to understand, Nandi... " He tried to say but she kicked her foot hard in door of his Jeep. She didn't wince but he knew she had hurt herself. It was impossible to make her understand.
"I cannot be with you just to leave you later...that too probably for never coming back," He said remembering all her father had tried to feed him.
"I cannot be that selfish," He stated and she walked away. She paced across the length of Jeep to find a way to gulp all this.
"You are most selfish person I have ever seen, Manik Malhotra," She replied to his word.
"Because you are choosing to let me go just to save yourself guilt of something unforeseen," She added furiously.
"I should have known. I was a fool. I was stupid to feel that we feel something for each other," She added crying bitterly. He shook his head. He believed he loved her.
"Fine. You don't want this...you don't want us," She said wiping her tears. Manik now could feel horror of what he had started. Now he knew that look on her face when he had said those words how they couldn't be together. His heart already ached.
"There won't be any 'us'... Ever," She ended saying what she had to after all this.
He could feel night go darker as he realized what he had done. He had pushed her farther than he should have. He had asked for something, neither she can endure not him.
"You won't ever see my face again I promise," She said fighting with her own tears. They weren't ceasing to flow.
"I had never asked you to choose between me or your profession. And now when you have, you won't ever stand on crossroad just to chicken out, Manik Malhotra," She yelled as loud as she could before walking away. Her cries filled the night as she walked away just to walk back realizing how her car was on other side. He just looked at his feet trying to find some ground. He had ruined it all.
She started her car with a roar and drove it almost on edge of road. His breaths hitched as he saw tyre of her car in air. She drove away violently.
Manik felt his limbs go numb as finally conclusion of his disastrous mathematics dawned upon him.
He had lost her...maybe forever.
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unedited*