A Part, Yet Apart

Chapter 13- Wedding Bells?

Manik's POV:

Nandini glared at me before she left. ''Isn't Nandini's story interesting?'' Cabir asked me. I couldn't digest the fact that Nandini called me a beast. It was a busy day as everyone was getting ready for Pellikuturu function. I did not feel like getting ready. Everything was so blank when I heard Nandini saying that. Was it our mistake to marry each other! ''Manik, here take this'' Aryaman came inside with an outfit for me. ''I'm not coming anywhere, I have work'' I tried to make an excuse but miserably failed. ''No, no. I'm not listening to anything, get ready and be there in 10. OK!'' he said and left. 

I got ready and reached there. Everybody gathered there and the new couple is getting their pictures clicked. But where is Nandini and why she isn't here yet? Is she okay? I'm physically here but back in my mind I wanted to know where is Nandini. My eyes searched for her but I couldn't find any hint. Even Navya was standing alone and after a minute or so, I saw Nandini with Jai. She seemed to burst in laughter, maybe he would have cracked a joke. I thought she would be upset but in contrast she looked chirping. In a moment, the bride's family were making their way out and I asked Aryaman about where they were going.

''Kashi Yatra'' he said. ''What?'' I didn't understand a bit of what he said. ''Arre, Kashi Yatra is one of the most funny ritual'' Aryaman said. ''Tujhe kaise pata?'' I asked him walking along. ''Nandini ne abhi abhi explain kiya'' he said. So Nandini is on work with these endless rituals. Karthik and his family were on one side and on the other side stood bride's family but Neha is nowhere to be seen and might be still getting herself clicked. And there he is! Cabir. Like always, he stood beside Navya and enquired about this ritual. 

''Bava, please don't go. Marry my sister, Neha and she will not just be your better half but your best half'' Jai said. ''No, Jai. I can't marry anyone. This is the time to become an ascetic and now I'm heading to Kashi'' Karthik said. Jai offered a few gifts to Karthik which he and his family are denying on purpose. ''Why is this fellow denying to marry Neha? Don't they really love each other?'' I asked Aryaman but Cabir was also there. ''No Manik. This is a ritual. Here the groom has to pretend that he is leaving to Varanasi and then the bride's brother and father should convince him to give the bride's hand. That is why they are showering him and his family with all this gifts'' Cabir said. ''Why to pretend?'' I asked him. 

''I don't know, Nandini and Navya asked them to pretend, so Karthik and Jai are pretending'' Cabir said enjoying the rituals. He joined them again and was everyone was laughing whole heartedly. Jai is trying hard to convince Karthik and keep on offering gifts. After a good 15 minutes of all this session, everyone from Karthik's family pretended to convince him and he looked convinced''. He then let go off his fancy umbrella, hand fan and made his way to the pellikoduku function. ''It was so much fun'' Aryaman said. Nandini was the last one to leave from there. She looked so beautiful in the saree.

''Why didn't anyone convince me to marry you?'' I asked Nandini while she was leaving. ''Because you are already convinced to marry. And we didn't have all these functions'' she said in a casual tone. Maybe this is the first time she talked so normally and then she left. I followed her and stood beside her. Navya is standing at a distance from Nandini and we both were standing beside each other such that no one can notice that I'm standing there. ''Why did you tell Cabir that we're beauty and the beast'' I asked her. ''That is what we are! My expectations, my bad'' she said turning aside. ''Pehle se tumhe pata tha, that I'm the beast and you were looking for a prince charming'' I said. ''Galti ho gayi mujhse'' she said. I tried to speak but she kept ignoring me and I couldn't talk to her due to the noise.

Karthik and Neha's Pellikoduku and Pellikuturu event was all ready. They both looked gorgeous together. Everyone blessed the new couple and showered gifts on them. After few rituals, it was dinner time. Nandini looked so busy as the wedding would be the next day. My thoughts didn't let me live in peace and I excused myself away from everyone. I took a book from my bag and sat near the pool for some fresh air. I strolled through the pages of the book and immersed in that world. Books are the only companions which can teleport us to a different world. Sleep engulfed me in some time and I didn't knew when I dozed off there. 

It was when I woke up as I felt someone snatching my book. I was alarmed and the first reflex was to catch the person who tried to steal it. ''I was just keeping it aside'' Nandini said as she bent down and her hand still held the book. She left the book and stood straight. ''I thought someone is taking it away'' I said. ''No one can ever take away anything from you. Tum khud kaafi ho'' she taunted. ''What is with you and taunting me? Main subah se dekh raha hu, kabhi Cabir ke saamne, kabhi yaha, kabhi waha. What are you trying to prove?'' I asked her straight. ''Nothing. It's just that I'm mentally reminding myself to not let you take over me. You can't affect me anymore Mr. Manik Malhotra'' she said. 

''If I don't affect you anymore, you wouldn't talk to me at this late hour, that too in person'' I said. ''Oh please, I came here for a walk and you were sleeping here. I just wanted to'' she trailed off before completing her sentence. We heard a loud cry and looked at each other. ''Did you hear someone screaming'' Nandini's facial expression changed instantly and moved 2 steps. ''Yes, there might be something wrong'' I said. We reached till the centre of the lawn and then heard cries. ''Looks like someone is crying, par bidaai ke liye time hai na'' I asked. ''Are you serious, koi bidaai pe aise rota hai kya?'' Nandini sighed. Everyone slowly opened the doors and we didn't knew what happened. 

As we headed towards the direction of the sound, the voices are becoming more clear. I turned back and saw Nandini is not walking but still standing there. I went back and asked her, ''kya hua?''. ''I'm not going anywhere. I will stand here'' she said. ''Ok then, I'll go'' others also walked till the room from where we heard the cries. Holy shit! What's gonna happen tomorrow. The room was filled with people and they were screaming while crying. I went back to Nandini. ''What happened?'' she asked with a frightened look.

''Neha and Tara's grandmother died'' I said.