Insatiable Desires

Chapter 28

"Nandini," Aashish called out as he entered the kitchen, leading her to turn around with a questioning look. Her breath hitched as he closed the gap between them, his hand palming her cheek as he whispered, "Mujhe tum bohot pasand ho."

"Kya," Nandini murmured, looking up, her eyes closing as he bent down his head until he heard the fade voice of his mother calling him. Aashish snapped his eyes open when his mother shook his shoulder to wake him. He glared at his mother in anger as she broke his beautiful dream as he sat up, rubbing his hands on his face.

"Jaa meri dawai laade. Fir thodi der main Manik aur Nandini bacho saath aate hi honge," his mother ordered and he nodded, his mood instantly changed, getting up with a smile. He had missed her presence around him since she left for her maika nearly two months back. And now that she was no longer pregnant, he planned to have her all to himself, swearing to never let his brother close to her for a single day again.

~~~~

"Mahir. Ye lo. Aapne kuch nahi khaya na," Nandini said, holding out a slice of apple for him while they were on their way back. Mahir shook his head and when Nandini called out to him again, he screamed, "Nahi khaana na meko."

"Mahir, ye kaise baat kar raha hai!" Manik snapped, startling the young kid as he looked at his father. He was surprised when Mahir suddenly broke down in tears and more when he frantically shook his head when Nandini called him to her, instead walking over to Manik.

In concern, Manik picked him up, settling him in his lap until he frowned in confusion as Mahir hiccuped, "Meri Mumma chahiye." He looked towards Nandini who was sitting stiffly, her hands shaking as she was controlling her emotions, on the verge of crying at hearing these words from Mahir past few days. She knew it was silly because he was just a three year old, yet hearing him say those words again and again hurted her deeply when she had been trying to be nothing but a mother to him.

Observing her posture, he knew something was wrong and said, "Mumma yahi toh baithi hai."

Mahir shook his head and mumbled innocently, his eyes lined with tears, "Meri Mumma kaha hain? Ye toh Aagastya ki Mumma hain na?"

"Aur ye aapne kisne kaha?" Manik asked gently, trying to reign in his anger. He looked towards Nandini before focusing back on Mahir. He wanted to know who was spewing this bullshit because he could doubt his wife on alot of things but being a shitty mother to Mahir was not one of them. He had seen her in her worst times, when she had no energy to provide love, loving him like her own and he knew the words out of his son's mouth were not only causing his son pain but his wife's too.

"Woh ghar pe joh log aaye the unhone," Mahir replied, looking towards Nandini nervously. Looking at their faces, he knew first he needed to do something else though.

"Kiska ghar?" Manik enquired, making Mahir look towards Nandini quietly. Turning his face towards himself, Manik asked, "Kaun hai woh, Mahir?" When he didn't speak up, Manik asked him sternly, "Mahir, kaun hai woh?"

"Aagastya ki Mumma?" Mahir replied, fearing his father's anger. Manik clenched his jaw and asked, "Sirf Aagastya ki hai?" Mahir nodded his head slowly and Manik cooled himself down, realising he was panicking Mahir and asked gently, "Aur woh kyu?"

"Kyuki–kyuki main unke pait main nahi tha. Main unka khoon ni hu," Mahir repeated his maternal grandmother's words innocently while Nandini swallowed, her eyes watering at his words, the words she had been protecting him from. She felt like she failed. She never wanted a child while losing another.

Manik sighed, his hands gently holding Mahir's tear stricken face, making him look towards him as he asked, "Mahir, mere bache. Tum na abhi bohot chote ho toh shayd tumhe inme se kuch baatein samjh bhi na aaye. Lekin mujhe ek baat batao."

Pointing towards Nandini, he asked, "Kya isne kabhi tumhe kaha hain ki tum iske bache nahi ho?" When Mahir shook his head, Manik continued, "Jab se Aagastya hua hain, isne tumhara khayal rakhna band kiya hain? Tumhe maarti hain? Tumse pehle apna aur Aagastya ka soch ti hain? Tumhe bukha chod ke Aagastya ko khila deti hain?" When Mahir shook his head, he asked, "Toh Aagastya ka uske pait me hona aur tumhara na hona, koi farq hain? Maa toh tum dono ki hain na?"

Mahir nodded his head, his head lowering as he slowly grasped everything his father was saying, looking up when Manik said, "Usne tumhe janam diya ho ya na diya ho, yeh hi tumhari Maa hain, samjhe? Aur agar tumhe iske alawa kuch bolta hain, toh unhe kehna mere baap se jaake baat karo. Samajh main aaya?" Manik asked, making Mahir nod as his eyes flickered towards his mother from time to time, who refused to look at them, her head lowered, wondering if she was angry at him.

"Aur ab, jab tumhari Maa koh dard hota hai toh uske liye kaun rota hain," Manik enquired, making Mahir point towards Manik, making Mahir giggle as Manik asked him, "Main rota hu?" Mahir shook his head, pointing towards Aagastya, making Manik say, "Woh rotlu ni hain teri tarah." Mahir pouted, as Manik asked lightly, "Jab Aagastya hua tha toh usse zyada Mumma ke liye kaun roh ra tha?"

As Mahir finally pointed towards himself, Manik nodded and said, "Aur tumhe pata hain tumne baar baar ye baat keh ke usko kitna dard diya hain? Usne tumhara jisne tumhe janam diya hain na, usse bhi zyada kiya hain aur abhi bhi karti hain. Essi baate karke usse rulana nahi hain. Theek hain?" Mahir nodded his head instantly, getting off Manik and walking towards Nandini, tugging at her hand. She looked towards him, wiping her eyes while shaking her head as he apologised, handing over Aagastya to Manik before picking him up, holding him close to her, showering him with her sweet kisses on his face.

~~~~

Manik entered the house along with Aagastya followed by Nandini and Mahir. Greeting his mother, they all settled around her and when she was about to call her daughter from her room to get water, Nandini got up, saying, "Main le aati hu."

Walking to the kitchen, Nandini was washing over the glasses before pouring water. As she turned around, she gasped as Aashish stood on the doorway. Her hold on the tray tightened as he smiled without a word and she snapped him out of his reverie as she asked, "Aapko kuch chahiye?"

"Ji," Aashish mumbled, taking a step inside the kitchen, making Nandini instinctively take a step back. Her heart thudded in her chest in terror as he moved closer, relieved when he picked the glass of water and turned around. However, she froze, her heart pounding in fear as he turned back on the threshold and declared, "Tum chahiye ho mujhe. Aur mujhe koi nahi rok payega. Tum khud bhi nahi."

Next update main aapko thode Manan and Nandini aur uske saputro ke saath kuch scenes dungi. If you want something particular, do let me know in comments or dm me kyuki phir mast tabahi aayegi. Maze aayenge bohot mujhe toh 😏

And, recently someone commented for publishing a new story. Do you have any suggestions on what trope I should work on? I hadn't really thought of anything new and maybe your suggestions may help me figure out something new.

Aur Zara aap sab vote aur comment zaroor karna.