Manik Malhotra (The Insidious love) Complete✅️

Chapter 19 - "The sudden abandonment..."

"Mistakes are sometimes the most unforgettable memories."

Right now, I am sitting in a low-class local bar for some booze. I like this ambience. No pretence, no mask, no time limit from dawn to dusk. Wow, what a poetry! I giggle at my thought and gulp a good amount of liquor. Nandini's words are hammering in my mind.

"You slept with Aliya and I freed you from every responsibility."

Really, Nandini? You came to me that day to make me realise my responsibility? Or you came to make me realise how helpless I am in front of your decision. You were the one who showed me a dream. A dream about our future. Our family, our Manan. I grip the glass tightly.

"Ek aur botal de...(Give me another bottle)"

I cry at the bar boy. Within a minute, he brings a bottle of rum to my table. I gaze at it with my hazy eyes. Why have you come again in my life, Nandini? Why? Just to bring back those insidious memories? I lick my alcohol-socked lips. Memories have a habit. The hard you try to push them away the more they poke in your mind. I remember the day when she came to see off me at the bus stop. I was going to a medical camp in Manali and she had to stay back because of her father's health.

Flashback:

"Manik, you will call me every day, right?"

Nandini pleads with her patent pout. I couldn't resist the urge to tease her.

"EVERY DAAAY? Are you mad? Kam karne ja raha hu yah long-distance romance karne? (I am going there for work or long-distance romance?)"

I try to maintain the nonchalance in my voice. She keeps mum for some seconds without breaking the eye lock. Okay, I was expecting some sassy retort from her but the tears which are gradually brimming her eyes force me to cup her chubby cheeks.

"Hey! Just kidding. It's impossible to even tease you. I will call. Even better. We will chat on skype."

I try to console her. She sniffs her red puffy nose and sobs out,

"Don't try to fool me. There will be no internet there. How will you talk on skype? Liar!"

I chuckle at her logic. Well, I really tried to be too sugary.

"It's a matter of 5 days only. Can't you keep patience?"

I mouth looking into her deep eyes. Her lips quiver and she mumbles,

"No, it's a matter of 120 hours, 7200 minutes, 432000 seconds. I am not that patient."

I smile at her logic and pull her closer still holding by her cheeks. Our lips mingle in a soulful kiss. She is my home.

Present time:

My phone rings and my trance gets broken. Unwillingly I pick it up without checking the caller's name.

"Manik, what did you say to Nandini today?"

Cabir's grim voice comes from the other side.

"Na..n..dini? What...did...I...say? Nothing....I...I...can't remember."

I lisp. Alcohol is working on my nerves. I don't want to let him know about Manan. But why is he asking this? Did Nandini...My consciousness becomes alert. Cabir again utters in a grave voice,

"She is not in the hospital. Nor her son. In the afternoon she paid all the hospital bills and got their discharge forcefully. Nurse Reema told Dr Nagpal that in the morning you met her and had some words. I expect that it is not you who forced her to leave."

He sounds exasperated. But I don't give heed to his allegation. Nandini left? But she is not in that condition. And her baby! I mean Manan! All my pores stiffen with anguish. What does she think of herself? I cut the call after saying,

"I am coming."

I smash some notes on the table, grab the bottle and come out of the bar with staggering steps. This girl will drive me crazy.

.........................................

"We can't call him. He is an alcoholic jerk. How can we risk a patient's life for his whimsical behaviour?"

Dr Ahuja places his discontent.

"But he is a genius too. If anybody can operate this then it is only Manik Malhotra. Now, you decide. Risk or more risk."

Dr Nagpal demands. Dr Ahuja thinks for a while and mouths gravely,

"Call him."

"No need, Sir. I am here. But sorry I can't do any operation right now. The reason is well, not my condition but an issue."

I step inside Dr Nagpal's cabin without knocking. He can punish me for that later. Dr Ahuja covers his nose while making a disgusting face. Well, the reason is not of course my cologne. I ignore him with a smirk and saunter to Dr Nagpal's desk.

"Sir, may I know how Mrs Nandini Hebbar got a discharge certificate without my permission when she was my patient? You insisted and I operated on her. Then how would I not be informed about her discharge?"

I hiss out. Right now, I am boiling inside and I give a damn to anybody. Dr Ahuja leaps up from his seat and chides,

"How dare you talk like this to your senior?"

He turns at Dr Nagpal and mouths in an excited tone,

"Just look at him, Sir. He can't even stand properly on his feet. Is this a hospital or any tavern? Disgusting! How can you even tolerate this jerk?"

"Just the way we tolerate your incompetence. This is your case, right Dr Ahuja but as usual, you couldn't handle it and the patient's family demanded some other doctor. Still, you were hesitating to call me. Dr Ahuja, I can better handle a patient in my unconsciousness than you can in your full sense."

I retort with full swag. Dr Ahuja screams in his highest pitch,

"SHUT UP YOU BLOODY DRUNK. I will throw you off the hospital."

Dr Nagpal springs up and cries in between.

"STOP IT! BOTH OF YOU."

He then turns to me and informs me in a stern determined voice,

"Manik Malhotra, I am suspending you for 15 days for breaking the decorum of the hospital. You can't rejoin unless you quit this awful habit of yours. Now, get out!"

I roam my nonchalant eyes at Dr Ahuja's satisfied face. Good for me. Now, I can at least focus on Nandini. Where did she go? I have to find out. I nod at Dr Nagpal and leave his cabin in the search of Cabir. Now, only he can give me all detail.

...........................................

"Until you tell me what exactly happened between you both I won't give you any detail."

Cabir places his argument. Sometimes he is a pain in the ass.

"Nothing happened. And why should I let something happen...hmmm? She is my patient and her condition is still not good. Despite it, she forcefully left. I am her doctor. She is answerable to me."

I counter his argument. Cabir scoffs and retorts with a snigger,

"Manik, the nurse saw her crying at the time of leaving the hospital. Now, will you fucking spill the bean or I leave?"

He sounds damn serious. Okay, it seems I have to tell him.

"Ummmm...she is not with her husband. Maybe she is not with her family too. Her baby...I mean Manan..."

I pause for a nanosecond and inhale sharply. Okay, I have to admit the truth. I utter,

"Her baby is mine. I mean I am his father."

"WHAT..?"

Cabir's yell almost deafens me.

Author's note: Where did Nandini go? Will Manik be able to find her out? Will they come close after knowing many more unknown truths? Let's see. Double update on the date of 1.5k followers.