A Part, Yet Apart

Chapter 8- Broken Bonds

Nandini's POV:

Nyonika aunty, uncle, Mukti and Abhimanyu stood in front of us and there's no way to escape from there. ''Mom!'' Aryaman still stood there without any movement. Nyonika aunty looked upset looking at me. She swiftly walked towards me and said, ''tum yaha!'' and turned towards Aryaman. ''Is this why you asked us not to come here?'' she asked Aryaman. ''Mom, I can explain, even we don't know that Nandini is here. Mujhe yaha aane ke baad hi pata chala'' he said. ''Stop lying, how would Tara or her family knew her, if you don't inform'' Nyonika aunty was right. Now I realize that Aryaman might be the reason for getting this event. I didn't dare to utter a word against her. ''What's going here?'' Shrikant uncle asked Aryaman. ''Mom, dad! Hume pehle Tara se milna hai'' Mukti said taking away both uncle and aunty. Aryaman silently walked along them till Tara's room.

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''You know, there is a popular belief, darker mehndi stain is a reflection of your husband's love'' I said to Mukti while she is being applied mehndi. ''And one more saying is you will glow if your partner loves you so much'' Navya said. ''Thanks to Mukti's skin care routine, agar Mukti ki chehre pe ek pimple bhi nahi hai'' Abhimanyu thanked his luck. ''Abhi ko abhi pata nahi chalega, but yeah kal mehndi ke haath dhone ke baad hi tera future decide hoga'' Aryaman teased his jiju. ''But why is not the other way round, hume bhi mehndi lagao, dekhte hai if Mukti also loves me or not!'' Abhimanyu demanded to apply Mehndi on his palms too. ''Mehndi function is for girls, everyone will laugh at you'' Mukti said but he said he wanted to write Mukti's name on his hand. ''Yes, all the men should get their wife name written today'' Shrikant said. 

''Yes dad, that way, hume bhi pata chalega ki kaun apne husband se pyar nahi kar rahe hai. Why should all ladies have fun?'' Aryaman provoked his dad. ''Wait a minute, kis ladki ki naam ki mehndi lagne wale ho tum?'' Aryaman was about to get caught. ''I didn't know about my future wife dad, main tho aise hi koi design lagaunga'' he said. Navya wrote Mukti's name on Abhimanyu's hand. ''What should I write on your hand?'' I asked Aryaman. ''Mujhe thodi apni future wife ka naam pata, kuch bhi design banado, all the boys decided to get stained tonight'' Aryaman said. ''Shakal se tho ye lagta hai tumhare girl friend hai'' I said. ''How?'' he asked. ''You're always on your phone, ghar ke serious discussions mein haste rehte ho, always being absent minded, koi kaam dhang se karte hi nahi ho'' I said. ''So, Ms. Nandini Reddy, tumhe bada pata hai pyar karne walon ke baare mein. Then why is your hand empty? Tumhe bhi mehndi lagwana chahiye na!'' Aryaman asked.

''Don't divert the topic, tell me your girl friend's name?'' I asked being over enthusiastic. ''Kyu tujhe itna interest hai? Anyways its Manik who should be marrying after Mukti. Mera number tho baad mein aayega'' he said. ''Number ka pata nahi par tumhara shaadi ka contract bhi mujhe hi dena, ok!'' I locked the deal even before he said about his bride. ''Tho batao, kya design banau?'' I'm asking for the nth time now. ''Star ki design banao'' he said. ''So, there's a star in your life, congratulations and may you get married sooner'' I wished him.

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I had to sit with Neha after lunch as she was trying out altered blouses. ''I so wish dad agrees for Sangeet night tomorrow'' she said. Tara always used to accompany Neha but she is nowhere to be seen now. ''Me and Karthik already rehearsed for Sangeet and that co-ord outfits we got for Sangeet event, everything would be waste now'' she pouted. ''Let me check if I can do something'' my spirit is completely down as I saw Manik and his family. Aryaman is still trying to help me but he would have to face a backlash from his own family. Mukti and Abhimanyu had a baby boy now. I'm scared of even thinking about the chaos in my life. Oh God! Please make everything right. I cannot face that family now. 

''Nandini'' Neha shook me and my thoughts took back seat then. ''Shall we go! Mom just called you'' Neha said and we both headed to her mom's room. ''Nandini! Did you see who are here?'' Neha's mom made me face Nyonika aunty again. ''We and Nandini doesn't need introduction'' aunty said. I was sweating in 18°C. ''Aao humare saath baitho Nandini'' she offered a seat beside her and I silently sat with her. ''Kaisi ho?'' she asked and I nodded fine. ''It's good to see you here Nandini'' Abhimanyu commented and smiled at me. The room was pin drop silent until Mukti's baby boy cried. I suddenly had an urge to take him into my arms and I extended my hand to take him from Abhimanyu while he was about to give him to Mukti. She didn't deny when Abhimanyu gave him to me. 

He was so soft and tender and stopped crying when I rocked him to and fro in my arms. I would have pulled his cheeks and made him cry again if no one were here. I should have been with Mukti when she delivered him but to my bad luck I couldn't be there for her. He is struggling to get out of my arms and got down from my lap too. With his tiny feet, he managed to walk till Mukti. ''He is so cute'' I said. ''Uske mamu pe jo gaya'' Mukti smiled and took him in her lap. The mere mention of his mamu could kill my enthusiasm and I had to make an excuse to go out of the room. ''Aunty, I have to look after a few arrangements'' I said to Neha's mom and without waiting for anyone's reply I came out. I felt suffocated till now and went out in the open to have some fresh air. Tara and Aryaman were also there. I instantly turned my head in the opposite direction when I heard Mukti saying, ''Bhabhi''. ''Ha'' I said looking at her. ''I've called Tara'' she said hesitant. There was an awkward silence between me and Mukti but Tara took her away. Aryaman silently followed them.

I couldn't stop my tears and I felt heavy on my chest. I have once considered them as my family but Manik destroyed it all. I thought I will stay strong but it is so harder than I thought. This was my decision to part ways with Manik and I chose to stay away from his family too. But why am I feeling bad now? I suddenly felt like am alone in this whole wide world. ''Nandini!'' I heard Manik. I quickly wiped off my tears and turned but did not look at him. ''Mom, dad, Mukti and Abhimanyu are here. They knew that you are here too. Please be aware of this'' he said. ''Why do you think I care for your family? Unhe jo sochna hai, jo karna hai unki marzi'' I said. ''Because they don't know anything'' he said. ''Phir tumhe unko sab kuch batana chahiye tha! I've already did the mistake of not telling anything to my parents, now even if I want to tell them, they are not with me. You should tell them everything'' I said. ''Tumhare liye kitna easy hai na sab kuch batana. If it was so easy like you said, why didn't you tell your mom and dad!'' he said. 

I don't want to argue with him but he held my hand to stop me. ''You can't always leave without saying anything. How many times would you skip getting into this conversation? Aaj hum dono milkar sab batayenge!'' he said. Maybe I wasn't prepared for this reaction from him. I tried to make myself free from him but he didn't let me go. ''Manik, leave me before someone find us'' I said but he said no. ''I won't let you go" he was stubborn and then Manik earned a slap on his face. I was free from him the very next moment. ''Aise bina marzi ek ladki ka haath tum kaise pakad sakte ho?'' Nyonika aunty said when Manik looked at her shocked. ''Aunty wo'' I tried to speak as she misunderstood that Manik was forcing me.

''You've already lost your right to speak in our family matters, the day you took divorce. Now please stay out of it'' Nyonika aunty said.