~Teri chahato me kitna tadpe hai,
Sawan bhi kitne tujh bin barse hai!
Jindagi me meri sari, jo bhi kami thi,
Tere aajane se ab nhi rahi! ~
The Morning came all painful for Anurag who was struggling to open his eyes, his head blasting as he tried to flicker his eyes open and a cry for his mother left his mouth when he finally woke up, disoriented and in lot of pain. So when a soft hand forwarded him a tablet and some water he didn't look to see who it was, it didn't matter to him because he couldn't even keep his eyes open with so much pain.
"K bolechilo? Who told you to drink if you can't handle it?", When Mannat's voice echoed in his ears, gently reprimnading him, Anurag was sure he was dreaming.
Mannat talking to him? Voluntarily? And softly?
Yeah, definitely dreaming.
But when a cup of strong black coffee was handed to him, and he gulped it down, finally feeling like earth was revolving on its normal speed, Anurag flinched to see Mannat hovering over him, fretting and mumbling under her breath.
To say he was shocked would be an understatement. His mind didn't agree to what his eyes. Was post hangover hallucinations a thing?
Mannat looked at him squinting his eyes at her, totally oblivious of what she was saying. He was looking, in one word, cute, so cute that she couldn't help but smile.
"Anurag!! Go and take a shower. I have turned the geyser on!", she spoke again, and bent to fold the covers when she felt Anurag trying to poke her with his finger. She turned her head and glared at him.
"How can you be here? Why would you be here? Anurag, you are day dreaming again, certainly!", he slapped his forehead and shook his head, "Mannat Kaur Khurrana, fretting over me? Definitely hangover!!!".
He got up and with wobbly steps entered the washroom, unaware of the chaos he had caused in a certain someone's heart. She felt very bad at his words and she couldn't understand why.
He was okay with another lady helping him to bed but doubting her, his best friend? Okay, ex best friend but friend?
A voice in her heart told him it wasn't his fault. It was hers. She had made him feel like this could not happen, her caring for him would not happen.
Exhaling deep, she resumed her work, made his bed and was about to move down when his phone started ringing. Her first instinct was to go anyway, but a major part of her was itching to check if it was the woman from last night? Was it Seher?
Turned out, it wasn't. It was Mishi, his cousin sister. Mannat didn't think twice before accepting the call, and smiled as she heard Mishi's voice.
"Dada, suncho? I need help. Convince Maa I am old enough to go for a picnic!!", Mishi cribbed but stopped when she heard a feminine chuckle. Gripping her phone tight, she breathlessly guessed.
"Boudi?", Mannat answered in affirmative and told her that her dear Dada was in shower and that she would let him know. She also questioned if she would like her to talk to her mother if it was urgent. A bitter laugh was her answer, for Mishi was possessive and protective about her dear brother.
"Sorry Boudi, I would have loved that if you were actually my boudi. I also wanted a sister-in-law to pamper me, to go shopping with, to discuss serials with, you know? I would have loved to do that with you, but you aren't my sister-in-law, not until I can trust you with my brother's happiness, and in the past four months, I don't think he had anyone to care for that, like before since his parents died. So, no you can't talk to my mother for me!", before Mannat could reply or find her voice again, the call was disconnected.
For the first time in four months, Mannat felt guilty at herself. What was she doing with her life? Pushing her own parents away, pushing newly formed relationships away, people that loved her, her own career? All that for this rage she felt for one person, and that too she knew he was just her punching bag, not the culprit.
In her heart, all Mannat wanted was an explanation, she wanted Anurag to tell what happened that night? Why didn't he save Samar when he could? But she never asked directly, she only blamed and he never answered.
Her thoughts broke when she saw Anurag coming down the stairs, his steps hurried. He was late for office anyway. She watched him enter the temple first and offer his prayers, before coming to the kitchen where she was standing.
He looked at her, noticed her too but refrained himself from saying anything. His eyes ran over the kitchen, trying to find if there was something he could fox quickly for himself when Mannat's voice startled him.
"Sit down, I am bringing breakfast!", he watched Mannat move across to serve him food but he couldn't move. He had his eyebrows raised, in question and in total surprise.
"What is wrong with you? I am your wife for god sake, you are behaving like I am some stranger doing things for you?", Mannat hissed irritated but Anurag was close to a heart attack.
Mannat was serving him food.
Acknowledging herself as his wife.
Had the sun rose from a different direction?
Deep down, the boy that had loved this woman since so long, felt happier than he had felt in a long time. Her doing even a remote thing for him was such a great deal for Anurag that he could not help but smile, fondly at his plate. His eyes were so gentle and his face had this warmth that Mannat noticed but didn't comment.
"You also sit down!", Anurag asked and for the first time in days, Mannat agreed without making a fuss, without an argument.
"Have something happened overnight that I am not aware of?", he asked in a whisper, digging into his pancake, and Mannat's eyes shot up only to glare at him again. No matter how justified, she was getting irritated at his behaviour. She sat with her right hand tucked under her chin and stared at her with sarcastic eyes.
"Yeah I am trying to feed you poison that I bought overnight".
For two seconds there was silence, Anurag had mouth full of food and Mannat had eyes full of mockery but in the next second, both burst out laughing, together after ages. Anurag felt like he had seen the Mannat who was his best friend in this Mannat today.
It felt so warm to share a laugh with someone who had shared a big part of your life once upon a time.
They got conscious some moments later, but ate their food in silence, both fighting their urges to smile. Anurag was about to leave when Mannat stopped him, and handed him his lunch box. Looked like his surprises for the day wasn't over.
"Also, Mishi called, she wanted you to talk to Kakima about some picnic permission", she informed him, and he nodded, checking his phone.
It felt weird, sharing conversations like husband wife, without fights, and blames and tears. Anurag decided to try his luck seeing her in such a good mood.
"Uhh, there is this success party in the office today evening. Would you like to come? Uhh, my colleagues would like to meet my wi-, you", Anurag asked very politely, half sure she would deny on his face but when she nodded, he gulped.
Too much surprises in a few hours.
Mannat had something else in mimd. She agreed to go because she wanted to find out if Seher was an official colleague.
"Should we take something? Whose success party is it?", she asked, thinking to buy something since it was a formal party. But when she looked at him, she found him embarrassed and rubbing his nape lightly. Took her a moment to understand it was for him, the success party.
" Just be ready by seven", and he was gone, with a smile, leaving a giggling Mannat behind.
Maybe life could be bearable together, there still was hope.
P. S:
Boudi means bhabhi/sister in law.
Dada means elder brother.
Suncho means are you listening?