An entire update written and edited in just a a few hours, that too within a day of the last one being posted......
Woah, I m on role today!!!!
To all those people who literally pleaded me for the next update sooner. Here it is lovelies....
Send me as much love as u want for this... I sure do deserve it😜 (U'll know why!) Parcels and Amazon gift cards gladly accepted😅😅....
Go read on guys...
Hope u enjoy it! (Fingers crossed)
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"U remember that one time a night before our engagement? When u came to get me from a small garden near Bandra Station! I think I need u to pick me again..... Plz come soon?"
Manik read the message for the fifth time as he waited for the lift to reach down in the parking lot. To say that he was nervous would be an understatement. He was literally bouncing on his feet from the moment he read the above message from her.
It was around 11 in the night and Manik was packing up his stuff, getting ready to go back home. This had been his usual time from the past 10 days. And then came this message, which had him running immediately. For two reasons exactly, One- this was the first message he had received from nandini in past 10 days, and Two- let's just say that the day she mentioned in the text was one of his least favorite days. That was the first and the last time Manik had seen her completely shattered and just the image of her sitting all soaked near the fountain makes him want to make sure that she never gets back there again.
Reaching the parking lot, Manik got into the car and rushed through the route he remembered only vaguely. Parking at the side of the garden a few minutes later, he ran inside. Running straight towards the fountain, he looked around frantically in the dark night trying to find her, when he heard her voice call him out.
Nandini: Manik!!!
He turned towards the voice and saw her sitting on a bench a little away, running closer to her he scanned her from top to bottom a few times before finally sighing out loud.
Nandini: Why are u so out of breath? Why were u running?
Manik rolled his eyes at her before taking a seat by her side and catching his breath.
Manik: Of-course I was running! U really haven't given me any good memories out here Nandini.....
Nandini: Well that's a shame, coz if u ask me, I have a few of my most cherished memories from this small garden!
Nandini said in a cheerful tone, making Manik look at her in surprise. Not only was she talking to him, but she also sounded quite normal. Exactly the way she did before this entire chaos started between them.
Nandini: This garden is very close to my old home. The Moorthy Mansion!
Nandini informed him making Manik nod as realization dawned upto him.
Manik: Oh yes... Right!
Nandini: Appa used to get me here, It used to me 'Our Time'. Me running all around the place with him behind me, or sometimes me on his shoulder. U see that tree?
Nandini asked pointing towards a big old tree right in front of the fountain.
Manik: Hmn??
Nandini: There used to be a swing on that tree.... I would get onto it and Appa pushed me from the backside. He knew I loved watching the fountain from the moving swing. The water fascinated me too much!
Nandini said smiling broadly as she chuckled.
Manik: What happened then? Where is it?
Manik asked.
Nandini: huh... What?
Manik: The swing... Where did it go?
Manik asked her watching her smile turn into a small sad one, making him immediately regret his question.
Nandini: I broke it! A couple of days after his death. I still remember each and everything from that day. Mo- Mrs. Kapoor was going to Rishikesh with his Ashes. She refused to take me along, hell she even refused to look at my face or let me see him for that one last time. Right before she could leave, I stole almost half of his ashes from the pot. Packing it in a lunch box of mine, I ran to this park after she left. As soon as I saw the swing, I got angry. Without Appa, there would be no one to push me, so I broke it. I dug the ground underneath it and burried my lunchbox with his ashes in there.
Manik's eyes broadened at her words in surprise as well as shock as he looked at the tree once and then turned towards her again. Nandini simply smiled at him as she continued.
Nandini: Soon she sent me off to boarding school, six years later when I returned during Rishab's birthday party. I kept on standing at the door waiting for everyone to leave and then requested her to get me here. She got angry and locked me up in the basement of the Kapoor Mansion, without light, without food, without water.
Nandini saw Manik's fist clench this time, making her hold his hand as she opened up his fist and entwined her fingers with his.
Nandini: 2 days later, the four year old Rishab opened up the door for me, looking at me in his cute innocent confused eyes. That was the moment we got attached to each other, I just kissed his cheek before running out of the house. I ran all the way to this tree and then sat under it smiling for hours. Afterall I was meeting my father after years. Since that day, I have taken every major decision of my life at this place. School, college, london, designing, career, job, shifting to India, everything..... I decided to get married to u sitting under that tree.
Manik chuckled at her words and tightened his hold on her hand as Nandini looked down at their entwined hands.
Nandini: I never told this to anyone. Not even Rishab. I never brought anyone here before. But I guess its finally time for u to meet Appa, I would have wanted his approval for u if he was alive.
Manik: Approval?? Isn't this too late to ask for his approval now?
Manik asked caressing her rings, while Nandini simply shook her head and stood up walking towards the tree with him. They reached closer to it as Nandini caressed the trunk slowly,
Nandini: Hi Appa.... How are u? I know I hvn't been around much, but things have been a mess lately and I haven't done much to sort that mess either. Anyways, Remember I told u about Manik. I finally got him here to meet u..... And it might take him a few visits before he too gets mad and starts talking to a tree like me, but just take in his silent greetings for today. He is amazing Appa, and I somehow know that u would have loved him....
Nandini looked at Manik to find him smiling at her as she turned back towards the tree and took a deep breath closing her eyes and opening them again.
Nandini: I m here today, to let u know that I miss u Appa..... I miss u a lot and also that I love u! But that's not it........ Today after more than 20 years, I m here to let u know that even though I m very very sorry for what happened that night, but i have reasized that it wasn't my fault that u didn't make it. It was an accident and I m finally ready to accept it and let myself off the guilt.
Manik head snapped towards nandini at her words as she turned towards him with tears in her eyes,
Nandini: I need ur help manik... I can't do this alone!
Before she knew Manik wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest as her tears soaked his shirt. He pressed a kiss on the top of her head as he whispered to her,
Manik: I m there for u in any way u want me Nandini....
Nandini nodded at his words as she broke the hug and walked towards the back side of the tree. Manik looked at her with a confused expression on his face as she came back holding two shovels. She stopped right in front of him and forwarded one to him.
Nandini: I guess I would like to start by letting him go, setting my guilt free from that lunchbox.
Manik took the shovel from her as Nandini moved forward. She checked a few branches of the tree before standing right beneath one and looked at the ground.
Nandini: Right here...
She didn't wait for Manik and immediately started the job. Digging the ground and throwing the soil on a side. She continued for 2-3 hits before Manik stopped her.
Manik: Why do u keep on forgetting that u have a few broken ribs being healed?? Leave it... I'll do that..
Nandini: No.... U can help! But I have to be a part of this...
Nandini replied to in a stern voice, making manik wait for a minute after which he agreed but told her to be careful and not stress too much. They started digging up and not even 5 minutes later, Manik felt something hit his shovel. Both of them looked at the slight yellow plastic in the soil as Manik heard Nandini suck in a deep breath as she sat onto her knees. Removing the soil by her hands and picking up the small lunchbox.
As she took it up, he noticed her hands shivering tremendously with tears back into her eyes as he wrapped his hands over her shivering ones. Nandini looked up at him only to receive a small nod with an encouraging smile as she stood back up and walked towards the fountain. Opening up the box, she took a deep breath and whispered to the sky,
"I love u Daddy! U r the best Appa in the world..."
She turned the box upside down into the fountain letting the ashes and mud flow along with the water to the base. She stood there for sometime, just looking at the water playing along while Manik decided to give her sometime along as he silently filled up the hole back with the soil.
As he finished he looked back up to find Nandini standing at the same spot and walked closer to her. He stood by her side, fisting his hands to his side to stop himself from holding her close.
Nandini: I learnt something today...
She spoke up suddenly, her voice a lot more normal and confident than he expected it to be.
Nandini: U won't ask what?
Nandini asked looking up at the stars.
Manik: What?
Nandini: That Love demands Effort. U say u love me, and u show it to me time and again by baring with the utter bitch that I prove to be. Everytime I pull something off, either its the best actions of my namesake of a mother, or else its me, myself ruining everything. And each of those times I waited for u to push me off and to finally realise that u were just too good to be with a girl like me. But then u be the stubborn ass that u are and instead of pushing me back, u pull me closer than ever before. They say that its gonna be like this.
Manik heard her words loud and clear as she turned Towards him finally, and looked straight into his eyes as she whispered,
Nandini: And for once, I want my heart to believe it.... Yes its True what I learnt. Love does demand Effort!! I was a fool all this time as I kept on wasting that effort to push u off as I tried to stand up on my own, while all I wanted to do was to loose myself in ur arms and let u hold me up. Love demands the effort to fight the obstacles and I am finally ready to fight with ours, I m finally ready to fight with my insecurity, with my fear.
Manik blinked his eyes a couple of times, trying to believe what she was trying to imply. He literally had no idea where this was going, but he knew that it was finally a step in a positive direction until he felt Nandini grab his hands in hers, as she took a step he never thought could make him more happier,
Nandini: Manik Malhotra.... I Love U! I Love U very very much! And I may have taken what seems like a little less than forever to realise this, but I promise that I m gonna love u to the time that is gonna be a little more than what Forever is.
A broad smile came onto Manik's face at her words as fresh tears flowed down Nandini's eyes, this time of happiness. She looked down to his hands in hers as she brought it up and placed a soft kiss on his.
Nandini: I know I m a very difficult person when it comes to such things, but I trust u to bring me to it as U managed to make me finally agree to my own feelings. Do whatever u want, u can be as Annoying, as Messy, as Disturbing as u want, but just promise me not to shut me down from urself. I can take any amount of pain from physical injuries but I can't take ur silence Manik.... I love u and I can't have u not being around the entire freaking time.
Manik chuckled at her words as he cupped her face, wiping off her tears as he kissed her forehead, before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into his chest.
Manik: I Love You too Mrs. Malhotra!
The two of them stayed in the same way, wrapped into each others arms for a long time until Nandini finally broke the hug as she looked up at him.
Nandini: Now do I have to ask or are u going to finally kiss me properly, after ruining my first kiss.
Nandini said wiping off the left over tears from her face.
Manik: Ruining?
Nandini: Of course!! I didn't even kiss u back! U stole my first kiss by taking me all in surprise....
Nandini said to him with a fake glare as Manik simply smiled.
Manik: Atleast this time I know that u r gonna kiss me back!
He said, as he pulled her closer, unable to hold himself back anymore, he lifted up her chin as he rammed his lips onto her shivering ones, kissing her ardently while she slowly and shyly responded.
She clutched his hair in one of her hands as the other wrapped around his neck as she clung onto his shoulder for support. Their closeness had always been a little too much for her handle and now that she was feeling his warm lips against hers, she was lost in a world where all she could see was bright happy colours and just the two of them.
Warmth drooped over her as her insides melted, making her hold him tighter, pressing herself against him, arching into him. Just the burning sensation that his lips made her feel bright up the senses into her that she never knew existed in the first place. They broke the kiss gasping for air and stood in the same position holding onto each other with their foreheads pressed together as they catched their breath.
Manik: By the way, just so u know... The one in the hospital was not ur first kiss!
Manik spoke up a few moments later, making Nandini moved her head a bit away as she looked up at him.
Nandini: Huh?
Manik: Yeah... I don't have the exact count of it, but if I remember correctly my calculations say it must be ur 23rd or 24th kiss maybe?
Nandini: What the hell are u talking about?
Nandini asked him confused as Manik kept a finger on his chin, looking deep in thought.
Manik: Yeah... Ur first one was, as I remember, just a day after our marriage when we stayed at the Malhotra Mansion for the first time. I couldn't stop myself watching u in my childhood room, my bed.
Nandini's eyes broadened at his words as she moved out of his arms.
Nandini: U Kissed Me in my sleep???
Manik shrugged at her as he continued,
Manik: And then that one time when u feel asleep in the Balcony of ur room on our flat.... And then once in front of the television in the living room.... And once in London, when we slept so close to each other for the first time during that camp.... And in amsterdam..... And when u weren't well.... And- Ouch!
Nandini hit him again on his chest as she bent lower and picked up a stone from the ground throwing it at him.
Manik: Ouch Nandini... Its hurting!
Nandini: Hurting?.... U idiot! U duffer! U moron, I'll tell u what hurts....
Nandini said as she moved closer towards him hitting him constantly as Manik ran away laughing out loud.
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Manik: Out of all things that I imagined while driving here today, this wasn't one of them...
Manik said slowly as Nandini smiled up at him as he drove through the negligible traffic of the night, holding her hand entwined in his. Broad smiles held up on both their faces with the soft wind blowing through.
Manik: I m proud of you.... For what u did today for ur father, for urself....
Nandini nodded at him softly as she whispered a reply,
Nandini: I m proud of myself too.... I never thought I would be able to do it.
Manik: But still u did...
Manik said as he glanced at her. He brought their entwined hands up to his lips and planted a soft kiss on it.
Manik: I Love You!
He told her again and concentrated back on the road.
And I Love You....
He finally heard a reply this time making him smile as he told himself to get used to it.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Lots of Love😘
Navya!
(P.S: Am I the Best? Or Am I the Bestest!😜😜)