MY ANSWERED PRAYER

CHAPTER 21: PEACEFUL SILENCE

Nandini's Room

Nandini sat on the floor of her balcony looking at the sky, the pretty pretty sky and the twinkling stars.
After gulping down an entire bottle and fighting a inner battle, Nandini finally dialed a number.

Nandini: Pick up... Pick up.... Come on..... It's not that late. Pick up.

She kept hoping that somebody would pick the call up, kept saying 'pick it up' out loud. Anybody who saw her could say she was completely drunk.

Suddenly the call was received and Nandini went quiet. The receiver kept saying 'hello' but Nandini had nothing to say. A smile played on her lips, a bright one while her eyes got a little teary. She kept smiling till the person on the other end didn't disconnect the call.
Nandini held the phone close to her heart and smiled, really smiled.
Well her to do list for the day was now ticked and she could go to bed and was going to but a tempting idea stopped her.
She half opened one eye and a mischievous grin appeared on her face. Without giving it another second, she started recalling another number and dialing it. Obviously it was the alcohol talking.

Nandini: oh, not again.... Pick it up. Pehle usne forever laga diya utha ne mai mere call and ab yeh bhi. Aiyapppaaa... yeh dono ek baar mai call nahi utha sakte kya? Pick up.... Uthaoooooooooooooo

She couldn't complete her last word because the call was received. The person on the other end said "Hello".
The person said 'hello' again.

Nandini was now freaking out. She was obviously not thinking straight but the voice brought her back to reality. However, alcohol gave her the power she never knew she had. With the new found strength, she decided to disconnect the call before the caller finds out who she was. She was going to tap on disconnect but what she heard next left her frozen for a good ten seconds.

The person on the other end: Hello
Hello... Nandini...... Is everything okay? Nandini.

Nandini knew she made a mess. Her drunk brain was not competent enough to understand how the caller knew it's her but all she now knew was that she can't disconnect the call. She has to talk. But what will she say?
It's like somebody pressed the panic button. She panicked but looked cute with all those expressions she had on her face. Finally mustering all the courage she spoke.

Nandini: Hi.... hii.... Everything's okay.... I'm I'm fine. Thanks for calling. bye.

She literally questioned her intelligence the moment she uttered this.
"Thanks you calling... Bye? Seriously Nandini. You called him. Anyway what's said is said.... disconnect before he speaks. This is the perfect time to disconnect" she said to herself.
But to her disappointment the person in question spoke again.

The person on the other end: You called me, Nandini. What are you saying? Are you drunk? You are drunk. Oh, god. Are you fine.....

Hearing the other person go on and on Nandini decided to speak but what was she going to say? Making weird faces she kept looking around trying to think of what to say just when her eyes saw the sky.

Nandini: shhhhhhhhhhhhhh..... Finger on your lips. Zipppp bilcul.

The person on the other end: but

Nandini: shhhhhhhhhh
Look at the sky, Manik.

Manik: what? It's 2am.

Nandini: you're talking again???? Shhhh. Look at the sky.

Reluctantly Manik walked out to the balcony of his room and sat on the bean bag.

Manik: Looking at the sky. What's so special?

Nandini: You're asking me what's special? Seriously Manik Malhotra. Look at your stars. Look how they're shining for you.