MaNan SS - Bound To You✅

10. The Apology

Next morning, Manik entered their room and saw Nandini sleeping by resting her head on bed while sitting on the floor. He moved closer and gulped seeing her cheek which has his fingermarks.

When he was about to touch, Nandini woke up feeling someone's presence and stood up seeing Manik at a feet distance. He averted his gaze and went to the dressing room to get his things. He turned to see Nandini standing in front of him holding his towel and he left grabbing it from her hand. Before she could call him, he left to the guest room to get ready for office. She sighed and went to freshen up and start the day.

By the time he came out, Nandini was serving breakfast to his brothers and they were almost done.

"Baba...Come let's have breakfast..." Mirvaan called seeing Manik come out of the room.

"You carry on chote...I have some urgent work and I need to rush..." He said and went out making Nandini feel helpless.

Just when he opened the main door, Narayan and Anjali stood at the door with a smile.

"Namaste Damad ji" They wished and Manik, though surprised by their sudden visit, wished them back and came to sit with them for a moment.

Mayank and Mirvaan wished them and left to their college and school respectively as they were getting late. Nandini wished them with a forced smile and excused herself to get some coffee for them.

"We were actually going to temple...And since it's been a month, we thought ek baar milke jaathe hai..." Narayan explained about their visit to which Manik smiled and said "Arey no problem uncle...Umm...If you don't mind, I have to leave...I have a meeting..."

"Yeah yeah please carry on Damad ji...We will also leave in some time...Warna darshan karne mein late ho jayegi..." Narayan said and before Nandini could come out of kitchen, he left taking their blessings.

Anjali felt something odd as he left without telling Nandini and went to see her in kitchen.

"Maa...I'm coming...Almost done with coffee..." She said taking the cups but stopped when Anjali made her turn to her side.

She looked at her face and gasped seeing the faded marks and slightly cracked lip and asked slowly "What happened...!? Did you both fight...!? Damad ji ne haath uthaya...!?"

Nandini sighed and slightly nodded before continuing her work and Anjali asked "Hey bhagwan...Kya kiya tu ne...!? And did you talk back when he slapped you...!? It will just increase the differences..."

Nandini rolled her eyes as that was expected from her mother and said "Maa...You don't have to worry...I can take care..."

"Nandini ek baat clearly sun lo...Pati patni mein jagde hothe hai...Every household have this problem...And just because he slapped you, you shouldn't talk back and make it big...Me and your appa also had these type of things...We didn't let you know...Did we...!? So please take care that Mayank and Mirvaan shouldn't get effected by this...And tum...ab yehi tera ghar hai...Never think that you can come back if you fight with your husband..." Her mother said in a tone of warning to which Nandini rolled her eyes mumbling "What else can I expect"

"Maa...Come...I'll answer to all your questions...Let Appa also hear that...because I don't have energy to repeat the same thing..." She said and walked out with the tray of coffee.

Once she gave the cups to them and settled on the opposite seat and said "Toh what were you saying Maa...!? Yehi mera ghar hai...And that's not my home anymore...Well, you never made me feel that as my home...Bachpan se you kept on saying na, ladki parayi ghar ki hogi...So yes...I very well know that I belong here...Yes this is my home and don't worry...I'll never step there thinking that as my home...I know...Wherever my husband is, that's my home...Yehi sikhaya aapne...Don't worry...And haan...You know Maa...Right from my first day of marriage, your words rang in my head like anything just to mess me up and unhone bahut ache se samjhaya what actually a husband is...and trust me he is nowhere near to what you have taught me...He is way better than anyone can imagine..."