All the hope from Manik's eyes dissipated. A lost look clouded his features.
Manik : Nahi.. Nahi.. Yeh.. yeh sach nahi hai. Nahi.. Dr. Mehra jhooth bol rahe hai. Nan.. Nandini mujhe aise chod kar nahi jaa sakti hai. No.. Usse.. usse kuch nahi ho sakta hai. Noo..
He stumbled behind as he searched for a hint of deception of Dr. Mehra's face.
Manik : Aap.. aap jhooth bol rahe hai na? Yeh.. yeh sach nahi hai na? Nandini.. Nandini ko kuch nahi hua hai naa? Woh.. woh thik hai na? Bataiye naa Dr. Mehra.. Woh thik hai na?
He questioned Dr. Mehra with bated breaths. A teardrop rolled down his cheek. He wasn't ready to accept that Nandini hadn't made it through the surgery. He didn't know how to live in a world without Nandini. And he didn't want to live in one either.
Dr. Mehra : Nahi Manik. Mere kehne ka woh matlab nahi tha. The operation was successful. And we got the tumor. All of it. Nandini is fine. But..
As the words "Nandini is fine" left Dr. Mehra's lips, Manik felt as if someone had given him oxygen to breathe. He felt relief shoot through his entire body and happiness shone in his eyes.
Cabir : But what Dr. Mehra?
Cabir intervened. Manik glanced towards Cabir before focusing his gaze back on Dr. Mehra.
Dr. Mehra : There was a complication during the surgery which led to swelling in Nandini's brain. And we weren't able to control it with medication. So we had to medically induce Nandini into a coma.
The small smile that had started to form across Manik's face, died down. The colour drained from his face and everyone else's too.
Manik : Mat.. Matlab?
His mind knew what Dr. Mehra's words meant but his heart needed to hear the explanation out loud.
Dr. Mehra : A medically-induced coma is like a coma but reversible. Nandini is in a comatose state under the influence of medicines. Once we stop giving her that medication and they are out of her system, she may wake up. This is really important for relieving the pressure that is being created on Nandini's brain and to provide her brain with some rest. It'll help in decreasing the swelling too. Also, this is crucial in order to save her life.
Manik stared at Dr. Mehra with a blank look on his face.
Manik : How.. how many days?
He stammered. Dr. Mehra gazed at him with sympathetic eyes.
Dr. Mehra : We don't know that yet Manik. We will monitor the swelling in Nandini's brain closely. As we see the swelling go down, we will gradually withdraw the drugs while monitoring brain activity and other vital signs. If everything goes well, at the most, it'll be a week. But if not, then it can take more time.
Dr. Mehra kept a hand on Manik's shoulder.
Dr. Mehra : Have faith Manik. Resecting the tumor is half the battle won. It is just a matter of a few more days before Nandini may open her eyes again. Nandini has come so far. I'm sure she'll make it through this too. I'll take your leave now. We will be shifting Nandini to the ICU. I'll be back in a while to check up on her again.
He tapped on his shoulder and left from there. Manik stood there, numb. His mind was trying to register everything that Dr. Mehra spoke about just moments ago. "Medically-induced coma." "Swelling." "Pressure created on her brain." "A week." All these words rang in Manik's ears. The ward boys pushed the stretcher, on which Nandini lay, out of the operation theatre. Clad in a blue hospital gown, her limp figure looked pale and fragile. Her entire forehead was bandaged with white gauze. Everyone stared at her inert form as the ward boys wheeled her stretcher towards the ICU room.
*An hour later*
Dr. Mehra was checking on Nandini inside the room. While nibbling on his nails, Manik was pacing outside the room impatiently. As soon as he heard the lock click, he halted in front of the door. Dr. Mehra walked out of the room while discussing something with Dr. Arohi. He assigned some work to Dr. Arohi and she left from there. Looking at Manik's restless form, Dr. Mehra didn't wait for him to talk and spoke instead.
Dr. Mehra : So far, everything looks good and under control. She's doing fine Manik. Stop stressing so much.
Dr. Mehra's words provided a little warmth to Manik's jittery nerves.
Manik : Kya mei Nandini se mil sakta hu?
Before Dr. Mehra could reply, they all heard a man call out from behind.
Man : Nahi. Tum hamari Nandini se nahi mil sakte ho.
Someone stated sternly. All heads turned to look at the owner of the voice. Nandini's Chacha stood a few feet away from them. Manik stared at him dumbfounded. Nandini's Chacha walked towards the group.
Manik : Aap.. aaplog yaha?
Manik was shocked. None of them had informed Nandini's Chacha-Chachi about Nandini's condition. In fact, they had been so worried that they completely forgot about informing them.
Chacha : Hume dekhkar itna chauk kyu gaye? Hume yaha nahi hona chahiye tha? Nandini hamari beti hai. Uske saath kya ho raha hai woh jaane ka haq hai hume. Lekin tumne toh hume itni badi baat batani bhi zaruri nahi samjhi.
Manik lowered his lashes. He knew they should have been the first ones to know about Nandini's condition. But everything had happened in such a hurry that he didn't remember that her Chacha-Chachi weren't in town. And he wasn't aware that not informing them was going to turn his world upside down.
Manik : I'm sorry. Mujhe pata hai aaplogo ko inform kar dena chahiye tha lekin…
Chacha : Bas. Mujhe koi safaai nahi chahiye. Ab mei aur Nandini ki Chachi yaha aa gaye hai. Ab tumlog yaha se jaa sakte ho. Hum apni beti ka khyaal rakh lenge. Ab tak uska khyaal rakhne ke liye shukriya.
He folded his hands in front of them. Mukti held his joined hands and pulled them down.
Mukti : Nahi nahi uncle. Yeh aap kya kar rahe hai? Aap please haath mat jodiye. Nandini hamari bhi dost hai. Aur hum yahi rukenge. Jab tak Nandini thik nahi ho jaati, hum sab yahi hai.
Mukti said with a small smile. Before Chacha could say something, Dr. Mehra interrupted them.
Dr. Mehra : Mei Nandini ka doctor hu. Jaha tak mei samajh raha hu, aap dono Nandini ke parents hai right?
He questioned the two unfamiliar faces. Chacha turned towards him before replying.
Chacha : Nahi. Hum uske Chacha-Chachi hai. Kaisi hai hamari beti?
Dr. Mehra : Filhaal toh woh thik hai. Lekin humne usse medicines dekar ek comatose state mei rakha hai. Isse uske dimaag par jo trauma hua hai usse uske brain ko rest milega. Hum kuch din usse monitor karenge aur dheere dheere medicines kum karte jaayenge taaki usse hosh mei laa sake. Don't worry, woh thik ho jaayegi.
Dr. Mehra threw a tiny smile his way. Chacha just nodded. All this while, Chachi stayed mum and sobbed silently besides him. It was a lot to take in. Chacha hated how he hadn't been around to support Nandini when she was going through the toughest time of her life. And now that he and her Chachi were here, she wasn't conscious to witness them. Chachi was equally distraught. Dr. Mehra left from there knowing that they would need time alone to come to terms with the news. Manik came towards Chacha and kept a hand on his shoulder.
Manik : Aap tension mat lijiye. Hum sab hain naa. Hum milkar Nandini ka dhyaan rakhenge. Woh jaldi thik ho jaayegi.
Manik offered him a smile. He tried his best to put their worries to rest. But he didn't know that his words would be a trigger for the events that would crush his already bruised heart.
Manik : Aap dono travel karke thak gaye honge. Aap log yaha baithiye.
He signalled towards the chairs and turned towards Abhimanyu.
Manik : Abhimanyu tum please inke liye paani lekar aao na. Aap log aur kuch lenge?
He asked Chacha-Chachi. Chachi slightly moved her head sideways. Abhimanyu left to get some water.
Manik : Aap dono thoda sa rest kijiye. Mei Nandini se milkar aata hu.
Manik was about to turn around and move towards the door of Nandini's room when Chacha's words stopped him dead in his tracks.
Chacha : Maine ek baar tumse keh dia na ki tum Nandini se nahi mil sakte ho. Iska matlab samjhte ho na tum?
Manik shuddered at Chacha's eyes of steel. His eyes held fire in them. A kind of fire that had the power to set Manik's feelings ablaze.
Chacha : Aur kyu milna chahte ho tum usse? Aaj Nandini ki jo haalat hai woh sirf aur sirf tumhari wajah se hai. Ab aur kya karna baaki reh gaya hai Manik? Chale jaao yaha se.
His mouth spilled poison. Everyone was in a state of surprise. Except Chachi. Her heart skyrocketed with fear. She knew what lay ahead. No one had ever seen Chacha speak so rudely to anyone, let alone Manik. He absolutely adored Manik. But what had changed his behavior towards Manik today? This was the question that haunted every other soul present there.
Chachi : Yeh aap kya kar rahe hai?
Chachi questioned. Chacha replied without tearing his gaze away from Manik.
Chacha : Mei bilkul sahi kar raha hu. Aaj Nandini yaha hai kyunki Manik ki usse pareshaan karne ki aadat gayi nahi hai. Tumhare accident ki baat sunkar hi yeh sab hua hai. Hai na Manik?
Manik stared at him, wide-eyed. He stayed rooted to his place as Chacha hurled a series of accusations his way.
Chacha : Tum jaante the ki aisa kuch sunkar Nandini ke dimaag par asar padega lekin fir bhi tumne yeh jhoothe accident ka natak kia. Aur uska yeh anjaam hua hai. Meri beti aaj hospital mei hai. Mei toh tumhe ek acha ladka samjhta tha lekin tum.. Tumne meri Nandini ko itna dard dia hai. Pehle toh tumne usse apne pyaar ke jaal mei fasaya aur fir usse chod dia. Aur fir jab tumhe uske tumor ke baare mei pata chala toh tumne accident ka drama kia taaki Nandini mar..
He couldn't complete his statement and shut his eyes in anguish.
Chacha : Mujhe lagta tha ki tum aur Nandini acche dost ho. Tumhe uski parwah hai. Lekin mei galat tha. Tum toh usse nafrat karte ho. Aur mei yeh nahi jaanta tha ke uss nafrat ki aag mei tum itna gir jaaoge Manik ki tumhe Nandini ki jaan ki bhi koi parwah nahi hogi. Tumhe koi farak nahi padega ki tumhare ek mazak ki wajah se chahe uski jaan hi kyu na chali jaaye. Tumne ek baar bhi hume phone karke Nandini ke baare mei batane ki koshish nahi ki. Kyu? Kyunki tum chahte hi nahi the ki Nandini ke mushkil waqt mei uska koi apna uske saath ho. Woh toh bhala ho uss insaan ka jisne hume call karke tumhari asliyat bata di. Yeh bata dia ki hamari gairmojudgi mei yaha kya kya ho raha tha. Warna tum toh hamari bacchi ki jaan lekar hi chain ki saans lete. Dekho Manik, mei yaha koi tamasha nahi karna chahta hu. Isliye mei bahut izzat se tumhe yaha se jaane ko keh raha hu. Isse pehle ki mei bhul jaao ki hum ek aspatal mei hai, yaha se chale jaao. Nikal jaao Nandini aur hamari zindagi mei se. Aur haa, hamari beti ya hume, apni shakal doobara mat dikhana. Chale jaao yaha se. Aur apne inn dosto ko bhi le jaao. Yeh jhoothi hamdardi ka natak hamare saamne mat karo. Mei ab tumhari aur tumhare dosto ki rag rag se waaqif hu. Aryamann, Navya aur Abhimanyu ke alawa, tum mei se koi bhi Nandini ko apna dost nahi maanta hai. Isliye mujhpar ek meherbani karo aur yaha se chale jaao.
Chacha's words were like daggers to Manik's heart. They trampled the already splintered pieces of his heart. Every kind of pain that Manik had put Nandini through filled his entire being with guilt as his mind flashbacked to those memories. Horror was written over everyone else's face.
Cabir : Lekin uncle…
Manik stopped Cabir from speaking anything further with a slight nod of denial. Manik retreated away from the crowd and left from there. So did Mukti, Cabir, Alya and Dhruv. Abhimanyu who had witnessed the entire conversation from afar wanted to go behind them but he held himself back.
In the hospital parking
Manik stormed off towards his car and sat inside. He locked the doors and put his head on the steering wheel. Manik let his tears out as Chacha's words battered his mind.
"Aaj Nandini ki jo haalat hai woh sirf aur sirf tumhari wajah se hai."
"Chale jaao yaha se. Aur dobaara Nandini ko ya hume apni shakal mat dikhana."
"Tum toh usse nafrat karte ho."
"Tum toh hamari bacchi ki jaan lekar hi chain ki saans lete."
But one particular statement refused to vacate his mind.
"Tumne meri Nandini ko itna dard dia hai. Pehle toh tumne usse apne pyaar ke jaal mei fasaya aur fir usse chod dia."
2 nights in a row, he had been reminded of the horrific incident that he regretted till date. He hadn't been able to forgive himself for brutally crumpling Nandini's heart that day and now, that one blunder stood in between Nandini and him like a rock. His mind wandered back to that fateful night.
Outside the hospital
Mukti and Alya were seated on a bench in the garden outside the hospital. Cabir and Dhruv stood near the bench. Devastation was clearly visible in their eyes.
Mukti : I wish humne kabhi bhi Nandini ko bully nahi kia hota. I wish hum itne cold-hearted nahi hote. Yeh sab kya hogaya?
Mukti weeped. Alya rubbed her arm as she tried to control her own sobs. They all regretted the times when they had tried to torment Nandini. They had profusely apologized for it too. But today, the mistakes they made in the past, lay right in front of them. And no amount of regret for the past could help them change their present or future.
Cabir : Agar hume itna bura lag raha hai toh socho Manik ka kya haal hoga?
All heads snapped towards Cabir at the mention of Manik. Cabir's pupils dilated in realization. They had been so immersed in their guilt and sorrow that they had completely failed to think of Manik. They all left from there in search of Manik.
In the parking lot
Manik didn't know that this one wrong decision of his would haunt him for the rest of his life. He had spent a tangible amount of time cursing and loathing himself for his decision of mercilessly throwing Nandini out of his life. For putting both of them through the torturous months of separation. But after a series of apologies and regrets, Nandini had forgiven him and decided to give him a second chance. And now? They had to stay away from each other. Again. And Nandini wasn't even aware about it. Manik's chain of thoughts broke when someone tapped on the window of his car. Looking at the person standing outside, Manik's eyes widened in shock.