Lo lo ji main aa gayi...2-3 months baad😜😜 but aa gayi atleast😆 bas marna mat update padh k 😛
If there was one thing I hated about Manik then it would be him listening to me when I clearly didn't want him to. I know one could call this a stupid statement but then that was that. Manik had left without a question. I paced around the room waiting for him. I knew he would come back, he had promised to not leave me alone ever and he was a man of his words. But my wait wasnt answered, he didnt come back. Haunting nights turned to insipid mornings and led to lonely evenings but my man just tormented me with his absence.
It was more than a day now and I had all the reasons to be worried. I rested the battle within me and grabbed my phone and called Manik for the first time since he was gone. Honestly I didnt have the guts to talk to him. Infact I had skipped office too so that I wouldn't need to face him. The ring went on but as expected he didn't answer. I tried again but the response was the same and now I was getting tensed.
Where is he? What is he doing? Was he in some kind of a problem? Did he do something stupid? He was totally capable of behaving stupid. These questions racked my senses. Shit I shouldn't have spoken to him at that hour. God please let him be fine. I immediately tried the next best option - Cabir
"Hi..Cabir...Is Manik there with you? Please please please Cabir please tell me he is with you...mera phone nahi utha raha hai...pata nahi kaha chala gaya hai", I slurred without giving him a moment to say the customary hello.
"Nandini Nandini calm down first...what's wrong"
"Manik...Manik...", my voice went weaker with all the odd thoughts.
"Umm...relax..don't worry relax...he is there with me...yes he is fine..he is sleeping now...",Cabir paused for me to react. He knew I might have had objections that he knew about Manik but still chose to keep me oblivious about it but how could I hold anyone else responsible for the crack between us, " Actually I had guessed that it must be something relating to you...Manik looked disturbed and I thought it was best to not bug him with questions just now but don't worry I will talk to him", he assured me. I couldn't say anything more. I was relieved atleast he was in good company, with Cabir around I could relax about Manik. But my share of complaints against my man was never ending.
"Idiot...moron..monkey...rhino...here I couldn't get a wink of sleep from the last two nights and he is sleeping peacefully...I hate him...I hate him...I hate him", I thwarted the phone onto the floor and thumped on the bed sobbing.
****
Neerja Mom paced around the living room clasping both her hands behind her back. Her stance was enough to signify that she was very upset. I sat on the sofa with my head hung down like a culprit. She stopped and looked straight in my direction with dejection beholding her eyes.
"So you just proved me wrong...", she spoke after something like an eternity but it was just the start , "I had always believed you are the more sensible one of the two but you just proved me so wrong and how..", her tone said how disappointed she was in me. She paused for a while for me to say something. My silence was making her lose it more , "Kyun kia tumne aaise Nandini bologi kuch...just when I was hoping that things are going to be okay from now on you go ahead and do something as stupid as this and ruin the entire thing...kya zaroorat thi tumhe Manik se woh sab bolne ki...you know right how possessive he is about you and Manini...I know he acts stupid at times but that's because he goes crazy whenever he feels like he would lose you..you know everything...everything but still you keep testing him...Why??"
I was grunting from inside. Hell even I didn't know why I said those things to him. It was nowhere I wanted him to leave but then Mr. Malhotra had to always contradict me, "Usse kya zaroorat thi meri baat sunne ki...waise toh kabhi nahi sunta whenever I want him to", I grumbled under my breath.
Mom peered more to look at my face while I was busy scribbling the carpet underneath with my footnail.
"Nandini stop fooling around and look at me", she walked straight to me and ordered out rightly.
"Mom why don't you tell him anything...he always does this to me...do you know woh kaise baat kar raha tha Rewa se...he knows mujhe acha nahi lagta fir bhi jaan bujh k karta hai and then aise behave karta hai jaise kuch hua hi nahi...I felt so hurt and insulted and on top of that Mom behaves as if it is a crime that I let him come close to me and Manik doesnt leave a single chance to test my patience..toh maine bhi bol diya gusse mein and he left just like that without a word...", I sobbed like a nagging toddler yes that is what I had become without him. Mom pursed her lips in concern and thumped by my side and sighed looking at my condition.
"What do I do with the both of you?"
Mom had thought of scolding me more but my condition made her feel helpless too.
"Fine I think it hardly makes any difference if I say something because you both will end up doing things that you ought to...so jo karna hai karo aj k baad se I won't interfere in your lives", she said curtly and left as I wept more.
Manini peeped from her room to look at her mother's soggy face. On a different occasion she would have hopped onto my lap but here she knew that the matter was serious.
***
Manini dangled her legs sitting on the bonnet of Manik's car.
"Mommy was clying...Mumu scolded hel and she clied mol", she made a snobby face fiddling with the strap of her water bottle hung around her neck while her Daddy listened to her attentively leaning on the bonnet of his car.
"And what did Mommy say?", he arched his eyebrows up and asked inquisitively.
"Mommy wash cyling...she shaid something", she tried to remember thoughtfully, "but she was clying shoo much that I did not undelstand anything", she curved her lips innocently and looked at Manik. He looked seemingly irritated at the piece of information.
"Why did you leave Daddy? Mommy misshes you shoo much...shee leally lovesh you...i alsho love you plomish", she blabbered cringing her nose. On a different occasion Manik would have pulled the little one into his heart but here i was a bigger concern for him.
"Your Mom is going to drive me crazy some day? Why is your Mommy so difficult?", he huffed making a face.
"Mommy is not maths shee ish not difficult", she reiterated almost immediately in her Mommy's defence. Manik giggled a little at her reference of being difficult and picked her up.
"Yes baby your Mommy is not maths she is algebra with the topping of probability", he winked looking at her and my baby couldn't comprehend what her Daddy meant, "Listen Princess Daddy has got a surprise for Mommy but that's got to be a secret between the two of us okay?". Manini nodded her head and sealed the promise with a kiss. Manik laughed and kissed her nose and she nagged for ice-creams.
As the Daddy daughter shared their love for each other, I hurried my way through the traffic thinking my baby was all alone waiting for me. I was never late to pick her from school but Manik had occupied my thoughts to such extent that I had completely forgotten about her. I rushed out of the cab and ran to the watchman who directed me to the parking lot and I hurried there. I met peace as I saw my little one in the most secured grip of the world. I saw Manik after 3 whole days. He had not bothered to call me and inform not even take my calls when I did. I was mad at him. I wanted to grab his collars and get some answers from him but somewhere I knew I had myself foregone that right when I had asked for separation.
Manik was feeding her ice-cream not one not two but three. She held two in either of her hands and one in the hand of her Daddy. She ate all the three in a sequence one by one. I could look at them till eternity.
"Mommyyy", she squeaked chirpily as her eyes fell on me. She leaned from Manik's lap to have a better view of me.
Manik looked at me and tried to study my face. He well got a hint that I was disturbed with whatever incidents happened. I avoided looking into his eyes. He would know for sure that I hadn't slept and that I had been crying all the while.
I tried to focus on my baby saviour, "I am sorry baby I am late...you had to wait"
She nodded her head gleefully, "No Mommy Daddy wash alleady hele...shee he hash got me thlee isih-cleams", she held it up for me to see. The ice-creams melted and dripped through her elbow to spoil her uniform.
"Kaddu what is this baby...see you have ruined your uniform", I quickly took her from Manik and made her sit on the car and cleaned her dress.
"Now what are you going to wear for school tomorrow...your Daddy certainly can't notice these things", I poked him indirectly.
"Yes Mommy has two big round eyes but unfortunately instead of using them to notice the more important things in life she uses them to shed tears", he taunted back.
"Huh!!", I was a little taken a back with his sudden inference, "Who said I was crying and why would I cry..th.. that too because of you...am I a fool or what", I tried to sound in control but Manik's expressions certified that I failed to convince him and as such I was an expert in making a fool out of myself in front of Manik.
"Yeah right!! I should have known that", he gritted in annoyance, "Anyways it's good that you came....I will send someone over in the evening to get my stuff...so...just give my stuff to them"
His words pushed me hard and pricked right through my heart. I just gaped at his face in sheer disbelief, "Tum wapas nahi aayoge?", I uttered with hollowness filling my throat.
Manik looked back into my eyes that were clouded with tears once again. He inched a step closer to me.
"You want me to come back?", he whispered into similar tandem and I kept quiet and that didn't go very well with him.
"I am just doing what you wanted me to do...honestly Nandini maine bhi bahut socha...I did get a lot of time to think about us and I found that you were right...it is almost impossible for us to stay there...arguing and fighting all the time...we definitely can't go on like this forever right...we need to stop somewhere and think; if not about us then for Manini atleast...we have to give her a better environment to grow up and build memories about her childhood...we can't be dragging her in all our problems all the time..so I think this is best what I have decided"
"Oh so you already decided? I thought...I thought...", I gulped the rest of the words to be in control.
"Daddy ale we going fol a oliday?", Manini screeched inbetween excitedly.
Manik smiled and little, "Ofcourse baby...I will take my princess for a grand holiday once we finish exams...okay", and she gleed happily at the thought.
"Kaddu come on we have to go..", I purposely interrupted their vacation plans without me.
This time Manik didn't even offer to drop us home. Probably he was aware that I would refuse or may be he didn't want my company anymore.
"Mommy ale you shad that Daddy left ush?", Manini asked innocently on our way back home. She knew her lines well when it came to her Daddy and me, "Don't woly Mommy Daddy will come back vely shoon", she said with a confident smile. Manini looked unusually calm and in control much to my surprise. She was always the first one to panic other than me when Manik was not around.
"Did your Daddy say that to you?", I asked to confirm.
"Mommy ale you aldebla?", she questioned instead of answering me.
"Algebra??", I was confused, "Who said that??", I pretty much knew the answer though. She stuck her tongue out and just giggled.
***
I arranged Manik's stuff as per his instructions. Now that he didn't want to stay with me I had no right to stop him either. Moreover I had as such decided to move to Ahmedabad after the fashion show. Yes that was the next most important thing now. I just had to get done with that before I could bid good bye to my tormenting life in this city. It was never before that I wanted to get away from this place so badly. I wanted to leave behind everything that Manik ever gave me and that started with this city.
"Daddyyy"
I heard Manini shriek cheerfully from the living room. I kept aside the designs and hurried out to see Manik standing. Mom wiped her hands and came and stood beside Manini. She gave me a look to be calm and handle things incase Manik decided to behave difficult.
"You had said you will send someone else then how come you are here?", I said almost immediately in a somewhat accusing tone.
He sniggered a little, "I can clearly see that you are not happy to see me...I had something important to say so I thought it's better that I came"
"What is it?"
"I want you to sign these papers", he said extending a bunch of papers, "Now that everything is happening in think we should do it the legal way...I could have just sent the papers but I wanted to give them myself", he said with a straight face devoid of any expressions in his tone.
I heard him blankly without anything to counter him. I had lost my voice for the moment. Manik had just put an end to all the dreams that I had ever let my heart to sew and cherish. It was a hard blow to see him reciprocate my words from the other night and he seemed quite okay about it. Not only he even Manini seemed indifferent about it. I was hoping just a bit too much when I thought my baby would understand the implication of our conversation. But it was still strange as she always sensed the problems between us. Probably I was the only one who was affected by the turn of the events.
Mom tried to intrude but Manik warned him to stay away from our issues. I could see an absolutely different Manik from what I had ever seen. He seemed straight faced and heartless. Probably he wanted to hurt me the same way that I had. He wanted revenge and this was how he wanted it.
"So what are you waiting for come on sign them...", Manik poked me once again.
I don't know why but I felt weak on my knees, my body trembled like a dry leaf. I could just hear noises humming into my eardrums, my senses were blocked. I shut my eyes to let the state take over.
"Nandini...", I just heard shout outs of my name.
Manik almost immediately grabbed my arms to make me stand straight, "Tum thik ho?"
I flickered my eyes to keep him in focus and blinked several times till I got back to my senses. I could see his eyes filled with concern but why now.
"Mommy what appened to you?", Manini hugged my legs and tilted up to look at my face.
"Wait I will get some water", Mom rushed and got a glass of water. I waited for a while and then took it. I didn't need some water to be able to talk atleast.
"Are you okay now?", Manik asked with concern filled eyes.
"Mommy is not eating..Mumu alsho scolded hel but she did not eat bleakfas..dinnel", Manini puked everything in front of her Daddy making me feel all the more weak.
Manik took a long breath as if to channelize all his frustration in one go, "Kya problem kya hai tumhari Nandini? Just tell me what do you want me to do? You ask me get out of your life I oblige...you want me to stay way I do that...you want me to leave you alone I honor that so then where is the problem...kya karu main tumhara...2 days I am away and you start starving...what do you want me to do bolo", his grip on my arms pressed through my flesh to the bones on the tightest form. He shook me once again to get an answer out of me.
I constantly gaped at his face trying to settle down with the recent truths in my life that would change it forever. I tried to recognise this Manik in front of me but everything seemed so blurred. I shut my eyes close to gather all the strength in me. I took a deep breath and released myself out of his grip so that I could stand by myself.
"You must be very busy...I shouldn't waste your time anymore...Kaddu get me a pen baby"
Manini gaped at our faces for a moment, I asked her once again and she ran and got me a pen. I took the papers from Manik and signed them one by one. Mom continued blabbering something but I could hardly hear anything now. All I could hear were Manik's words constantly ringing in my head. My signatures on those papers put an end to everything between us.
***
"Nandini why did you sign those papers...I mean how can Manik do this to you", Navya exasperated as if someone had dropped a bomb on her head.
"Navya please can we concentrate on the designs...we have the show next week", I continued appropriating the designs.
"Nandini how can you be so calm about it...itne saalo ka relationship aaise hi tut gaya and you are okay with it??....listen I think Manik ne jo bhi kia gusse mein kiya hai...wait I will ask Cabir to talk to him ..no no I think it's better you talk to him directly before he submits those papers in court...", she tried her best to convince me.
" What do you expect me to do Navya...go and beg him??...Manik ne wahi kia jo wo karna chahta tha...I can't force him to be with me so even I am okay with it", I stole my glance from her as such my unconvincing voice was hardly of any help.
Navya tried to console me when suddenly we heard the most unwanted voice in my life.
"Finally...finally...finally...Manik did the right thing..isn't it Rose", Rewa adorned her bitchy face with an evil mocking smile and why not afterall her most prized dream has come true.
Rose on the other hand tried to control her smile. Navya's ferocious scowl was enough to scare her. I asked Navya to ignore them and concentrate on our work.
"What happened Nandini? Don't you have anything to say? Come on where is that tigress Mrs. Malhotra...oops you are not Mrs. Malhotra anymore right tch tch tch...how sad is that...Manik ne apni life se tumhe bahar nikal k fek diya...it must be so hard for you and trust me being a girl my heart goes out for you"
"Rewa will you shut up", Navya warned her. Rose pulled Rewa back to not get into any kind of a brawl. Before Rewa could say anything the door half opened and Manik peeped in.
"Ahh!! Rewa you are here...we have discussions over lunch I hope you remember?", Manik reminded with a slight smile looking at me and I responded him by looking away.
"Ofcourse Manik how can I forget our date...I mean our appointment...I will be there"
Manik went away and Rewa turned to me to show off her achievement.
I ignored her vile looks, "Rewa I have arranged the designs and layout for the show...there will be 3 sections first one with AURA's summer collections second will be Panache's and last will be the bridal collaboration of the two...please go through them and have a final word Manik and Mr. Arora and then let me know if there are any further changes that you require", I arranged the designs in a file and handed over to her.
Rewa wasn't certainly liking it that I wasn't giving in to her taunts. She wanted to see me in pieces and I wasn't giving her that. I could see her hiss under her breath and her face muscles straighten. Rose fanned her to calm down.
"Oh!! Attitude haan...you still have so much attitude left...not bad but you know what this act of pretence is not going to help...I can see how much is it affecting you to see me in your place and mind it I am not just talking about the lunch bahut jald Manik ki life mein main tumhari jagah le lungi...just wait and watch", she clicked her fingers and challenged me.
I heaved a deep sigh and walked upto her, "Bekar ki baatein bahut zyada karti ho tum but mere paas bahut kam time hai waste karne k liye...please give me your feedback by the evening", I stretched my lips for a formal smile, "Let's go Navya...bahar jake lunch karte hain...there is too much of a disturbance here", I gave a swaggy look at the 2 idiotic ladies and we walked out.
I pushed the door open and it dashed against something.
"Aaawwaaooo!!!", Manik hissed rubbing his forehead.
"What the hell are you doing by the door? Were you eavesdropping my conversation with your beloved?", I shot at him curtly.
"What????", he continued making faces rubbing his temple.
"Nandini it must have hurt him...you check you him...I will wait for you in the cafe", Navya poured in softly.
"No he has company to look after him...he doesn't need me anymore", we exchanged complacent looks with each other and I moved aside with Navya.
***
"OMG!!! OMG!!OMG!! Did she just call you disturbance Rewa...every single time she smashes your ego that too in style", she blabbered in a go and Rewa darted killer looks at her, "...umm..umm I me..mean...I mean..are you not going to do anything about it", Rose gulped twice nervously inside the cabin.
Rewa gritted her jaws together mincing with the file given by me.
"Just wait and watch Rose...this is Nandini's last show right and I am going to let her finish it in style....bahut ghammand hai na usse apne aap par let me arrange a beautiful farewell party for her..", she muttered with an evil smirk.
Pata nahi koi comments ya likes aayega bhi ya nahi...this was for the bache kuche readers of this story 😄