Bade Acche Lagte Hain | MaNan

A Father!

Madhu coughed on her saliva when Manik approached her for a conversation. It wasn't that they did not talk to each other but neither of them ever initiated it straight-forwardly. Currently, she was sitting in her brother's room on one corner of his bed, clueless, while he sat opposite to her, fidgeting like a newly-wed bride. She couldn't help but make the comparison when ten minutes passed in awkward silence.

"Everything okay, Manik?" She asked softly.

"You tell me, how are you?" He questioned back, straightening out with ease as she gave him a push to talk. He hadn't felt so gauche before, not in a single moment with Nandini in their courtship period. Talking with his sister shouldn't have felt so difficult.

Madhu was surprised but nonetheless answered, plainly, "I'm fine. You wanted to ask this?"

"Err -- I wanted to talk about Shiv. He seems troubled. Is there any problem you want to share? Did something happen that has disturbed Shiv?" Manik was cautious with every word he spoke but Madhu's agitation increased every passing second. As a reflex, she rubbed her right sole on her left feet covered with socks, saving her from the cold along with serving the purpose of hiding the recent scar marked on her soul. Her life has taken a turn, for worse.

She cleared her throat and feigned confusion, "Why would you ask this? Is it because of the morning incident?"

Without letting him speak, she defended her son quickly, "He apologized to Nandini already, Manik. He spoke out of concern."

"Concern that is stemming from fear. He is bottling up emotions and spitting them out aggressively. Do you think I cannot figure that out?" The familiarity of emotions that swirled through Manik's eyes teared up Madhu but over the years, she had grown expert in masking her emotions, maybe in the harder way. She wasn't proud about it but that's how she was moulded.

"Why would he be scared? You are over-analysing things, Manik." It was a whisper as she looked away, hindering him from peeping into her battered soul.

"He got a nightmare." Manik revealed sadly. Licking her dry lips in perturbation, Madhu got up to her feet and vindicated vehemently, "Might be because of change of place. He didn't get one when he slept with me."

"Then why is he so silent all the time? I haven't seen him making any demands, neither he shows any tantrums for his favourite food or anything. Why?" Manik stood up too, bringing to the fore every change he has observed in Shivansh in a week, realising there might be many more he wasn't aware about. His heart squeezed painfully with the thought. The boy had been so full of life.

"He is growing up, Manik. Learning how to behave for his age." Madhu tried her best to rationalise the facts gnawing her already. She was doing everything to save her children, everything that she found possible.

"Are you serious? He is only ten, Madhu. Manas is twenty six and he still voices out his wishes freely." Manik felt ridiculous.

"You and I did when we were ten? No! But you have a problem with Manas doing it, isn't it? You are controlling his life, taking decisions which only he, himself and father has a right to make and now you want to do the same with my child?"

Madhu's eyes blazed with anger and her voice rose an octave higher. Her life and her problems weren't open for discussion, not with Manik and neither with anyone. She was alone as always and she had swallowed that bitter pill long ago, accepting her destiny.

"You aren't my father and neither Manas nor Shiv needs your interference in their lives, Manik. Please spare my child. You hold no rights to interfere, so be in your limits."