An Arranged Journey To Forever

106

Nandini cast an assuring glance at Cabir, who nodded subtly before leaving the room. He trusted that she would help Manik see the brighter side of this decision.

"What did you say?" Manik's voice was steady, his posture unchanged since Cabir left.

"Manik, sit down first and listen to me," Nandini urged, hoping to calm him before addressing the situation.

Manik, however, ignored her plea. "Why do you think Cabir should leave?" His tone was calm yet firm, and for the first time, Nandini couldn't tell if he was composed or on the verge of an outburst. His expression was unreadable.

She sighed inaudibly, knowing that reasoning with him while he was unwilling to listen would be futile. Instead, she busied herself with her usual chores, moving around the room while Manik's eyes never left her.

"We were in the middle of something, Nandini," he said, frustration evident as he thumped onto the bed.

"No, we were not. You're not ready to listen, so I'm not ready to speak," she replied calmly, hastily stuffing her clothes into the cupboard—something she rarely did. Manik immediately picked up on it. She was annoyed, and he knew it.

Manik rose from the bed, trailing her around the room. "What?" she finally asked, turning to face him.

"What?" he echoed.

"Tch, Manik, stop it. Come to me when you're ready to listen and when you've cleared the mess in your head," she said, pushing past him lightly before exiting the room.

Realizing she was right, Manik sighed and stepped onto the balcony, letting the night air cool his thoughts. He sat there quietly, reflecting. "Cabir is old enough to make his own decisions. If he has decided this, he must have thought it through, right?" he reasoned with himself. But doubt still lingered. To be sure, he needed the one person who always made things clearer.

Turning back toward the room, he found her standing by the railing, holding a cup of coffee. A sheepish smile tugged at his lips, his silent apology met with her knowing gaze.

"Looks like half of my work is done," she said, handing him the cup.

"Yeah," he admitted, taking a sip. "But Nandini, is this really the only solution?"

"No, not at all. But it's the best among them," she replied.

"Cabir leaving is the best solution?" Manik asked, still uncertain.

"Think about it, Manik. What's the alternative? Cabir divorces Navya? That would be a disaster, especially at this point. Talking it out? We both know that would be futile. But if Navya is away from this house, she'll have her own space, free from insecurities. Maybe then she'll understand the value of family and things will get better."

Manik studied her, absorbing her words. "You always make me see the light in the darkest situations. You're amazing," he said, smiling as she leaned on his shoulder.

"So, they'll leave tomorrow. And next week, we'll go too. I don't want Mom and Dad to live alone," Manik added, surprised when Nandini's expression softened into a smile.

"What's so amusing?" he asked.

"A good news," she said, further piquing his curiosity.

His eyes instinctively flickered to her stomach before darting back up. Nandini chuckled.

"No, not that," she reassured him, making him exhale in relief.

"Then what?" he asked, sipping his coffee.

"Dad told me that he and Mom will be coming with us until we're settled. Then, once you've reached where you want to be, he plans to shift his base to London permanently. But only when you're ready, because he doesn't want to come in your way."

A sense of ease settled over Manik. Everything was falling into place.

"Are you nervous?" Nandini asked, watching him closely.

"Nervous about what?"

"You're going to build your own business, Manik. I remember how nervous I was when I first started working on the hospital."

"Yeah, yeah, but you didn't have me," he teased. "I'm lucky to have you. I know I'll get through this. And besides, I've been working toward this for two years now—it's not like I'm starting from scratch."

Nandini nodded, leaning on his shoulder again. "But you could have chosen India, right?"

"Hmm, I could have. But in India, people know me as Dad's son. In London, no one knows me, and that's exactly what I need. I want to build something on my own."

Meanwhile, in another room, Navya's voice trembled as she confronted Cabir. "Do you really want us to leave?"

"What will you do? Where will we stay? Do you even care about me—or this baby?" she demanded, her frustration spilling over.

Cabir's expression hardened. "Please, Navya. Don't question me. I know what I'm doing. We're leaving tomorrow."

"Where are we going?" Radhika, their daughter, asked, having overheard their conversation. Navya glanced at her before turning back to Cabir, unsure of how to respond.

"We're going to Delhi, Radhika. To our new house," Cabir said, lifting her into his arms as she approached him.

"New house? All of us?" Radhika asked innocently.

"Hmm. Me, you, and Mom."

"What about Dada, Dadi, and Chachi? Won't they come?" she asked, her voice tinged with sadness.

"No, but we'll talk to them on the phone, okay?" Cabir tried to console her.

"But why do we have to go, Dad?" she questioned.

"Because your dad doesn't care about us at all, Radhika," Navya interjected bitterly. "Come on, pack your clothes."

Cabir shot her a glare, biting back his frustration. How heartless can she be? was all he could think.

As the night grew still, decisions were made, paths diverged, and lives changed forever.