HEALING EACH OTHER

CHAPTER ~ 47

"Anyways, now that you are fine. I will leave tomorrow. I am going tomorrow night. I don't want to hurt you anymore. And I will only stop if you forgive me. My flight is in 24 hours."
Said Manik, and Nandini was shocked she didn't know what to say.

Nandini was shocked, which would be an understatement; the thought of Manik leaving made her uncomfortable. She wanted to stop and tell him immediately that she needed him, but something stopped her, and she was still resistant.

"You are leaving?"
Asked Nandini.

"Yes, I know it is difficult for you to forgive me. And I don't want to force you either; that is why I am leaving, and if you have forgiven me, come back with me. I have taken two tickets. If you come, I will understand that you have forgiven me, or else this is the end. I will go all alone from here. Goodbye Nandini, I will wait for you, for your forgiveness."
Said Manik and went.

Nandini stood there clueless and confused in a dilemma. She wanted to be with him but did not understand what was happening to her and why she was so drawn towards Manik.

NANDINI'S POV:

As I sit here, pen in hand, trying to make sense of the chaos within, I realize that forgiving him might be the only way to set myself free. But why is it so difficult to let go of the hurt he's caused? Why he affects me so much? Was Sudha right all this while I had fallen for him? Why is forgiving him like trying to release a clenched fist with fingers stiff, angry, and painful? I want so desperately to believe that forgiveness will bring peace, that it will dissolve the bitterness that festers within me. But every time I close my eyes, I see the moments he shattered my trust, the words that cut more profound than any blade. How can I forgive someone who inflicted such wounds upon my heart? If it had been older Nandini, I would have hated seeing his face, and I did initially, but what did he do to me? Has he gained my forgiveness, then why am I still resistant?
Yet, despite my resistance, a part of me longs for the weight of resentment to lift, for the burden of carrying this grudge to lessen. Forgiveness isn't about absolving him of his actions; it's about releasing myself from the chains of bitterness and reclaiming my peace of mind. A part of me wants to forget everything and run to him and be with him. But a part of me is also scared; what if we hurt each other again?
But how do I forgive when the wounds are still fresh when the pain feels as raw as it did the day it was inflicted? It's a battle between my desire to let go and my fear of being hurt again, a tug-of-war between my head and my heart.
Maybe, just maybe, forgiveness isn't a one-time decision but a journey—a journey of healing, of letting go, of reclaiming my power. And I needed him to be there to help us heal. Should I stop him? Uff Aiyappa, please help.

POV ENDS

"And Aiyyappa sent you help."
Said Sudha, who heard Nandini, whatever she was blabbering.

"Sudha. I just needed you."
Said Nandini.

"I know Manik is leaving. I only asked him to leave."
Said Sudha.

"What? But why, Sudha, why would you do that?"
Asked Nandini

Nandini, who expected Sudha's help, realized that Sudha was the reason behind her dilemma.

"Why not Nandini? You only wanted him to go, right? You don't need him in your life, right? So I just asked him to go. It's better na you can live peacefully now."
Said Sudha.

"Sudha, why did you do this? I was angry, but I didn't want him to go. I need him."
Said Nandini, and a drop of tear ran down her cheek.

"So you are accepting that you love him?"
Asked Sudha.

"Sudha, I don't know about love, but I need him. I need him to be there with me. I need him to fix me and mend my broken pieces. But now he is going; how do I tell him to stop.."
Said Nandini and broke down into tears.