A Part, Yet Apart

Chapter 9- Heart to Heart

Hi All,

If there is any confusion from previous chapters, let me clear that Manik and Nandini are  divorced. As per the story so far, none of the family members knew the reason for their divorce. 

Also from May 6, 2024 Wattpad is removing the feature of personal messaging. I miss all those conversations from few of you. Please do comment here about what you feel. 

And Manik's POV for the first time in this story. 

Happy reading...

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Manik's POV:

''Aise bina marzi ek ladki ka haath tum kaise pakad sakte ho?'' mom's words are echoing in my ears. How can she even think that it was all my mistake? Maine kuch galat kiya hi nahi. I thought Nandini would come back after her parents' death but she was gone forever. It was her decision to take divorce. When I met her last time, the only thing she asked me was mutual consent divorce. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" Dad fired as he entered. "Tara ne mujhse ye kaha ki tum sab yaha nahi aane wale hai" I said. "Oh so now you're blaming us? Galti ho gaye humse" Mukti said. I remained silent until they left from there and this Aryaman has messed up everything. ''Kitna kuch kar liya tum logo ne, how will you do damage control now?'' I said as Aryaman entered my room. ''Why did you come here all of a sudden?'' he asked in return. ''I thought of surprising you, Tara anyway told me that mom and dad will be going on a vacation with Mukti and Abhimanyu'' I said. ''They've cancelled it when they got to know about Tara's pregnancy news'' he said in a low voice. 

''Why didn't you said that Nandini will be here?'' I asked. Aryaman said Nandini already turned down when Neha and Karthik has approached her first time. ''Mavayya already hired a wedding planner by the time Nandini approached Karthik again. He was not in favor of cancelling him. I don't know what got into him and he accepted Nandini at the last moment'' Aryaman said. ''Pehle na bolna, phir ha bolna Nandini ki aadat jaisi ho gayi. I was so sure that she'd come back'' I said. ''If you were so sure, you shouldn't have come here'' he said. Yes, I shouldn't have come here but deep down I wished she was here. ''Glad that your idea worked and she is here, Nandini really seems to be struggling to make ends meet'' Aryaman said. She shouldn't have let her career take a back seat after marriage.

Our conversation was halted as we saw Jai approaching us. ''Why are you always the last one in the family to reach anywhere?'' Aryaman said in a serious tone. ''Now please don't talk like pedananna, I would take my sweet time to come bava'' he said. Jai is the only brother to all the Chowdary sisters. Tara's father is the eldest of four brothers. He and his other two younger brothers have daughters. Jai is the only son of the family, so technically Aryaman is the only bava to this only bavamaridi (Brother-in-law). ''Manik bava, no one told me you'd come! but its glad to meet you again'' he said. This is the first time I'm seeing all of them after Aryaman's marriage. I didn't come back to India after his marriage, so even my family is seeing me now. 

''You should go get ready, we will see you at the function'' Aryaman sent him off. ''Itna sab kuch jaante ho Nandini ke baare mein! Phir tum dono saath kyu nahi?'' Aryaman asked. No one would have thought Nandini ek din mujhe divorce deke chali jayegi. ''Few things would be better only if kept as a secret Aryaman'' I said trying to change the topic but he didn't listen. ''Don't we have to know what's going on in your life, we're a family'' Aryaman almost shouted. I'm afraid what would they think of me if they really get to know the reason. 

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''Manik, you are stamping on my foot'' Nandini's shrieked. ''I can't see anything here'' I said while she looked at me. ''Obviously it will be dark in the theatre but that doesn't mean you will stamp my feet'' she said seriously while I finally sat in my seat. ''This is totally weird'' I said. ''Don't tell me that you've never been to a theatre to watch a movie'' she asked completely turning towards me. ''No, never!'' I said making it clear. ''This is still a multiplex screen, you should have been in Hyderabad and should visit Sandhya theatre in RTC X roads for a first day first show movie! That is an emotion'' her eyes glowed in the dark while she spoke. 

''Such a movie buff you are!'' I said but her face dropped all of a sudden. ''But this show is not even houseful, how come people are not watching movies in theatres now a days!'' she wondered but then I told her that it is OTT's era now. Nandini cannot be moody at all. ''Waise plan bahut acha hai'' I said and she looked at me weirdly. ''Plan?'' she asked. ''Empty theatre, corner seats and this pop corn and coke, poore planning ke saath le aaya mujhe yaha?'' I decided to tease her to make her happy. Her scared look was a treat to watch. ''Manik tum kya keh rahe ho?'' she widened her eyes in shock. ''Don't tell me you don't know what people do in theatre corner seats! Romance aur kya?'' I spiced up things for her. 

''Manik, you will not do anything of that sort!'' she thought she was warning me. ''Why can't I romance my wife! I've got an exclusive license to do that. Ok, tell me who will kiss first? You or me!'' I asked and she already covered her lips with both her hands. ''Did I tell you that I will kiss your lips? Tumhare lips ke alawa bahut kuch jageh hai kiss karne ke liye'' I said leaning on her seat. She shut her eyes tightly while pressing her hands on her lips. Droplets of swear forming on her forehead as frown lines appeared. Lagta hai main kuch zyada kar liya. ''Relax, yaha kuch nahi karunga, let's go home'' I whispered in her ears and that's it. She walked out from the theatre leaving me behind.

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''You know you should ask Karthik to make you wear wedding bangles first and then he should apply gorintaku on your hands'' Neha's grandmother told her. ''Nanamma, please! I want to have a designer mehndi art for my wedding not gorintaku please!'' she pouted. I remember how Nandini used to be so excited for gorintaku when someone gives it to her. Her mother used to pack the leaves and courier it to her. She would be too curious to see if it turned red but it would always be in lighter shades of orange. 

''Ala anakudadu amma (don't say like that dear)'' her grand mother tried to convince her and there she is! Nandini Reddy, the peacemaker. ''Neha, keep gorintaku in finger tips and mehndi design on hands'' Nandini suggested. ''This is the least I can do for you nanamma, please don't ask me for more'' Neha said as if she is threatening her grandmother. Karthik joined in and made her wear bangles and applied gorintaku to her fingers. ''Nandini, do you like gorintaku?'' Neha's grandmother asked.  ''No, I don't want to apply it'' she turned down. Why had she become like this?

Why is she leaving behind the things she once loved?