The doctor came out of the ICU after checking nandini just to be surrounded by worried faces and hundreds of questions.
Abhi: doctor is she fine? Use kya hua tha?
Manik*scared*: doctor v-voh theek hai na? Please doctor say something...she's fine right?
Doctor*patting his shoulder*: don't worry Mr. Malhotra nandini is getting better and she's out of danger now. Frankly speaking I did not think that she would recover this soon but then your love and everybody's prayers did wonders
This finally made everyone smile but manik was still in a trance. He was scared. Nandini's lifeless body was still haunting him like a nightmare and why not, nandini was way too precious for him to lose. Losing nandini meant losing his own life and that he couldn't afford.
It is normal for a person to feel so lost after your loved one has a near death experience but you are helpless and that shakes you up. Same was the case with manik. He was shaken entirely. Yes he was relieved since nandini was out of danger now but thinking of something otherwise sucked the living daylights out of him.
Manik's trance broke when Cabir shook him a little.
Cabir: manik kya hua? Are you not happy? Nandini is out of danger and is conscious. Maddy ne doctor se permission li hai so we can meet her now
Manik: ofcourse I am happy Cabir but its just that....
He was unable to form a proper sentence.
Manik*sighs*: nevermind
Cabir just patted his shoulder lightly and asked him to go and meet nandini but manik didn't budge.
Cabir: manik chal na....tujhe nandu se nahi milna?
Manik*absently* : tu ja main aata hu
Cabir: but manik-
Manik: Cabir please I need some time. I...I can't face her yet
Cabir*confused*: can't face her?
But soon enough he realised what was going on in Manik's head.
Cabir: manik tujhe guilty feel karne ki koi zaroorat nahi hai....its not your fault at all
Manik: kaise zaroorat nahi hai Cabir!? Its all my fault! I knew ki soha can be a danger but still i couldn't save nandini. Its all my fault dammit!!
Cabir: no manik....fault tera nahi, circumstances ka hai. Humne precautions liye the right? But soha escaped so it isn't your fault
Manik*sighs*: Cabir I need some time
And manik left without waiting for Cabir's reply. Defeated, Cabir went in to meet nandini.
Inside nandini's room
Abhi: baby doll tum theek ho na? Is it paining somewhere
Nandini: nahi Bhai relax.....I am fine
Maddy: pakka na munchkin?
Nandini*smiles lightly*: ha baba
She assured them.
Aryaman: thank god ki you are fine murthy! You really scared us this time, specially Abhi and manik
Nandini: manik! Manik kaha hai?
Nandini asked impatiently, her eyes searching for him all around the room.
Cabir: manik yaha nahi hai nandini....he is feeling guilty for god knows what and isliye voh andar nahi aaya and bahar se hi kahi chala gaya
Nandini*disheartened*: chala gaya matlab?
Cabir: I don't know....he just walked away
Navya: are aise kaise? He should have atleast come to meet nandini once
Mukti: I think hume manik ko thoda space dena chahiye....to calm him down
Alia: ya I think mukti you are right but then he is too weak....he hasn't even eaten anything so then should we leave him alone? Will it be appropriate?
Dhruv: Tum log tension mat lo, main buddy se baat karta hu
Nandini*sternly*: dhruv after you talk to him, get him here. I need to put some brains in that idiot
Dhruv nodded at her and went off to find manik. He was sure that manik won't leave the hospital so he started looking out in places where manik could be and found him at the staircase in the fire exit, lost in his own thoughts.
Dhruv: vaha nandu gusse se laal ho rahi hai and tu yaha baith kar chill kar raha hai
He said, taking a place next to manik on the stairs which bought manik out of his reverie.
Manik: are buddy tu yaha? An-and kya chill? Voh I was...tired? Ya! I was just tired isliye thoda rest karne aa gaya varna agar nandini ne mujhe aisi halat me dekh liya toh bohot daant padegi
He chuckled dryly and spoke, trying to sound as normal as possible but failed miserably.
Dhruv: buddy tujhse ek question puchu?
Manik just nodded absentmindedly.
Dhruv: Kya tujhe pata tha ki soha asylum se bhaag jaegi?
Manik*confused*: what?
Dhruv: answer me first
Manik*frowns*: no
Dhruv: did you know what soha was planning?
Manik: no
Dhruv: did you try to make sure that nandini stays out of danger and thus you increased the security?
Manik: yes
Dhruv: so if you ever knew what soha was upto then wouldn't you protect nandini?
Manik: ofcourse I would! Buddy tu bolna kya chahta hai? Why are you asking me such questions?
Dhruv: buddy main tujhe yeh samjhana chahta hu ki as you answered that you had no idea ki that soha would do something like this then why are you feeling guilty and blaming yourself? You cannot predict future so stop blaming yourself unnecessarily and also ab nandini theek hai buddy....she's out of danger so then why feel guilty? She's safe and with us and that's what matters right?
Manik listened calmly to whatever dhruv said and thought over it.
Manik*smiles*: you are right buddy....nandini is safe and with us and that's what is the important part
Dhruv: good that you understood so ab chal
He said getting up.
Manik: kaha?
Dhruv: teri nandu se milne. She is both angry and sad ki tu use milne nai gaya so lets get going varna uska gussa aur badh jaega
Manik: shit! No no.....jaldi chal varna voh mini monster volcano ki tarha fat jaegi
He said making a scared face with wide eyes making dhruv chuckle at his antics.
Soon both entered nandini's room to find nandini cribbing, not wanting to drink the bland soup which anhimanyu was trying to make her drink since a while.
Nandini*makes faces*: no Bhai.....its ganda....main nahi piyungi
She spoke, pushing the bowl away. Dhruv who was still standing at the door, laughed at her complaints which gained everyone's attention and nandini's eyes met Manik's. Manik could clearly see how upset she was due to his act of self blaming and not meeting her first which made him curse himself mentally but at the same time he also wanted to assure himself that nandini was actually safe as he was still a little scared and shaken by the happenings.
The eye lock between manik and nandini was witnessed by everyone so giving them privacy they left the place because they could clearly make out how much manik wanted to spend time with nandini all alone.
Once the gang left closing the door, manik wasted no time in running towards nandini and hugging her tight. Nandini felt her shoulders getting wet and she knew her guy needed her assurance.
Nandini*caressing his hair*: manik baba....why are you crying?
Manik*sobbing*: nandini agar tumhe kuch ho jata toh....toh main kya karta? I thought I lost you
He sobbed still in the hug, trying to assure himself with her warmth.
Nandini*softly*: sshh....manik see....nothing happened....I am right here, with you!
She tried her best to calm him, still caressing his hair like a mother does to her child as manik kept tightening his grip on her.
Hey ppl! I know this is one crappy update and I am truly sorry for that but actually my Nana, my mom's father got an heart attack and hence I was a bit busy but no worries now, he is all fine now. So yeah that kept me occupied and then when I trued writing a chapter I couldn't really work my mind over it. I would take some time to get back to my flow but I assure you, the next update will be soonish so stay tuned!
Happy reading.
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