An Arranged Journey To Forever

Part 38

Nandini slowly regained consciousness, her head still spinning from the pain.

Dr. Singh looked at her with a gentle smile, "Hello Ma'am, how are you feeling now?"

Nandini smiled faintly and nodded at him, her gaze slowly shifting to the others in the room. Manik and Abhimanyu were sitting by her side, and the elders were seated on the couch. Cabir, Navya, and Radhika were standing quietly in the corner.

She noticed Navya first and whispered, "Sorry..."

Navya immediately shook her head, indicating that it wasn't necessary, and smiled softly at her.

Abhimanyu patted her head lightly, "How are you, Nandu?"

"Totally fine, Bhai," Nandini replied, her voice a little weak but reassuring.

Manik, who had been quiet until then, leaned in close and whispered in a low voice, though loud enough for Nandini to hear, "And over-smart too."

Dr. Singh, trying to ease the tension, said, "Actually, it's good that you got hurt, Ma'am."

Manik's eyes snapped toward him, his face instantly hardening, and the others in the room followed his gaze. He couldn't mask his anger and immediately demanded, "Excuse me?"

Dr. Singh, sensing the change in atmosphere, quickly tried to explain, "I mean, otherwise, I would never have had the chance to treat you. It was my privilege."

Manik's glare intensified, and it made the doctor visibly nervous.

Nandini, noticing the rising tension, decided to divert everyone's focus from the doctor's awkward attempt at humor. She asked, her voice still soft, "What happened, though? Everything's fine, right?"

Manik, still irked, responded with an edge to his voice, "Do you want to treat yourself now, Nandini? Want to be your own doctor? Stay quiet for a while."

Nandini opened her mouth to argue back but realized she was in no condition to engage in a fight, especially not with him. So, she fell silent instead.

Dr. Singh, trying to get back on track, said, "No need to worry, it's just a cut on your forehead. The dressing's done. Your stomach hit the corner of the table, and there are some internal injuries, but nothing too deep. They'll heal, but it'll take time. I'll take my leave now. Mr. Malhotra, you can take her home, and I don't think I need to remind Ma'am about the dos and don'ts—she knows them well."

Manik, still irritated, replied firmly, "Oh, your Ma'am knows nothing. Please tell me whatever needs to be done."

The doctor nodded and gave him the list of precautions, advising less walking and movement to aid in the healing process.

Once they left the hospital, Manik continued to carry Nandini in his arms, his grip never loosening. He took her upstairs and gently placed her on the bed before heading to the study table to fetch some water.

But Nandini, her hand still weak, held onto his hand tightly, not letting him go.

"Are you mad?" she asked softly, her eyes filled with concern.

Manik's patience was thinning, but he tried to keep his calm. "Nandini, let me go. I need to get some water for you."

She quickly interrupted him, "Manik, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—"

Manik cut her off, his voice low but firm, "Nandini, I said let me go. We'll talk about this later, when you're fully fine. Please, let's not discuss it now."

His voice remained calm, but the intensity of his words made it clear that he wasn't ready to confront her yet. He knew he would lose control over his anger, so it was better to keep the conversation on hold for now.

Nandini sighed, releasing his hand reluctantly. Manik walked to the study table and returned with water and medicine for her.

"Here," he said quietly, handing her the water and pills. "Have these and get some rest."

Nandini, feeling a mix of guilt and frustration, asked, "Manik, you can be angry, but please, don't be distant. I can't handle it."

Manik exhaled sharply, sitting beside her and looking at her with a mixture of frustration and exhaustion. "Nandini, I'm not in the mood to argue about this right now. And neither are you in the condition to have that discussion. It's okay. You had your reasons for going without telling me. Fine. But respect my reasons, Nandini. I don't want to talk about it right now. You're in no condition to talk about it, so let's just drop it."

He cupped her cheeks gently, his eyes softer than his words, but the hurt was still there.

"I'm not angry with you," he whispered.

Nandini looked up at him, searching his eyes. "Really?"

Manik nodded slowly, his lips brushing against her forehead in a tender kiss.

"Rest now," he murmured, his voice soothing. "I'll be back soon."

Nandini nodded, the soothing touch of his hand calming her. The medicine quickly worked, and she drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Manik stepped out of the room, only to find Navya standing outside, her expression filled with guilt.

"Manik, please forgive me," Navya said, her voice soft. "We shouldn't have let her go."

Manik, his emotions still raw, exhaled deeply and gave her a small smile. "It's okay, Navya. She's safe because of you. If you hadn't told us, we wouldn't have made it in time. Thank you."

Navya hesitated, then asked, "But you're not angry with her, right? Really?"

Manik looked at her, his gaze hardening slightly. "I'm not angry, Navya. I'm disappointed. I expected her to come to me, or at least to someone. But... anyway, forget it. I don't want to talk about it now, and neither should you."

Navya nodded, understanding the weight of his words, and left to check on Radhika.

Manik stood there for a moment, staring blankly ahead. He wasn't angry with Nandini, but he was deeply disappointed. A part of him blamed himself. Maybe Nandini didn't trust him enough to share her fears, to come to him when she needed to. The thought stung, and he couldn't shake the feeling that somewhere, somehow, he had failed her.