MaNan : Love is Just a Word

12. Take two

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When they pass the garden section, they're out on a grocery run, Aarav kicking his legs in the cart's seat to the song playing on the sound system. Pre-made arrangements are stocked in the fridges, single bunches of all types on gondolas, and bundles of big green leaves.

Aarav reaches out, bats at a sunflower, plucks a lily, and presses it lovingly to Nandini's face.

Lilies can be overwhelming to Nandini's nose but this one has a mild and pleasant scent. Softly rich like the one Manik gifted them, the same white-lilac petals. Nandini looks at the price tag, Aarav's handy work, and the wide smile on his face.

Back at the apartment, after groceries were put away and Aarav was down for his nap in her room, Nandini trekked up the stairs.

On the way, she sees her sister. The younger stops to throw a quilt over her slumbering sister after pulling her big headphones off her ears, her laptop screen with her production software glowing over her eyelids. Nandini stares at Mukti who looks passed out for a minute before making the climb all the way to the top.

Nandini places the lilies she bought under the pulldown stairs. Abhimanyu is in the kitchen making dinner. The article he's writing for a music magazine is on his tablet and the album he's been mixing for a few weeks now plays softly.

He sends Nandini off with a dimpled smile, "Have a good shift, kid," and leftovers. It's funny how Abhimanyu has flourished in the meal-making department when he used to convince Mukti to get the saltiest fattiest best tasting stuff at convenience stores, used to stuff Nandini's pockets with yogurt jelly and fried seaweed, buy her pizza and chat masala and pani puri at the street markets by the sea.

She ate whatever Abhimanyu served her, which seemed like veggie salad. It makes it easier, even if its just a tiny bit, to go to work.

Nandini peeked into the room once again to make sure that Aarav is still sleeping, and he is. It makes her feel a little light to leave her heart behind and know that Abhimanyu's learned grown-up hands will keep it safe while she's gone.

~

"I'm so sorry-"

Nandini nodded her head even though the other person can't see it, "It's o-"

She got interrupted as the sad voice came up, "No. It's not. I'm sorry. They pushed the date up without telling me and now-"

"It's really f-", she tried to speak again.

And again interrupted, "I'm sorry, Nandu. I fucked up", the sad voice got even more sadder with every sorry increment.

Nandini closes her eyes. "Abhi, it's not your fault", She says while she takes a breath, tries to suck all the air in the hallway into her lungs.

Her tone must be convincing because when Abhimanyu speaks next he sounds less anguished, "It won't take me too long. I just have to get across town, to Jersey almost, but-"

This time she interrupts him, "You don't have to explain. It's your job. I get it. Is she really okay with it?" the younger asked Abhimanyu about her sister. Because according to Nandini, Abhi is more easy to handle than her own sister, Mukti.

"Mukti's the one who offered. Probably in an attempt to get me not to cry", Abhimanyu answers.

Nandini hears a tapping on glass and opens her eyes, her team lead on the other side pointing to the chrome silver watch on his wrist, Swiss and pristine. Nandini makes an abortive hand gesture, stomach sinking. She urgently says, "Abhi, I have to go. Put him on".