Love Will Find A Way

Chapter-57: Awkward Desires

Dedicated to DeepaMehta2 shrijuni
samiaahmed5 chaithra28 NimiSaxena

Once we reached the room, I gently guided him to sit on the bed. He looked at me with a mix of confusion and gratitude, his eyes slightly unfocused.

"Nandini, why are you here? You should be enjoying your birthday," he slurred, trying to sound coherent.

I shook my head. "Because taking care of you is more important. You need to rest, Manik."

Meanwhile, downstairs, I knew Cabir was handling things. He would be informing everyone that I was tired and needed rest, which wasn't entirely untrue. The emotional whirlwind of the day had left me exhausted.

As I sat beside Manik, I watched him slowly drift in and out of sleep. His drunken state made him more vulnerable and open than I had ever seen him. It was both endearing and a little heartbreaking. Suddenly, he stirred and opened his eyes, looking around the room as if searching for something.

"Manik, you should rest," I whispered gently, not wanting to startle him.

But instead of lying back down, he turned to me with a serious expression, his eyes glassy from the alcohol. "Nandini, I need to talk to the baby."

I blinked in surprise. "You want to talk to the baby?"

He nodded earnestly. "Yes, I have to tell the baby something important."

Suppressing a smile, I helped him sit up a bit more comfortably. He placed his hand tenderly on my belly and began to speak, his words slightly slurred but full of genuine emotion.

"Hey, little one," he said softly, "It's your dad. I know I haven't been the best person, but I promise you, I will try. I'll try to be better for you and your mom. I may never fall in love with her, but I will be a good dad and husband. I won't misbehave with your mom. I'll do my best to make her happy."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I listened to his heartfelt words. It was a side of Manik I had never seen before, touching me deeply.

He looked up at me then, his expression earnest. "Nandini, I'm sorry for everything. I know I've hurt you. I don't want to be that person anymore. I want to make things better between us."

I reached out, holding his hand. "Thank you, Manik. That means a lot to me."

His eyes filled with tears, and he suddenly started to cry, his shoulders shaking with sobs. "I miss Aryan," he choked out. "I miss him so much. I don't know how to deal with it."

Seeing him so vulnerable broke my heart. I wrapped my arms around him, offering comfort. "It's okay, Manik. You're allowed to miss him. It's okay to cry."

After a few moments, his sobs subsided, and he pulled back, wiping his tears. "Sorry," he mumbled, looking embarrassed.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," I reassured him.

Then, in a sudden change of mood, Manik stood up unsteadily and declared, "I need to dance!"

Before I could stop him, he started to sway and twirl around the room, his movements clumsy but filled with a kind of childlike joy. He hummed a tune to himself, occasionally bumping into the furniture and laughing it off.

I couldn't help but laugh at the sight. "Manik, you need to be careful!"

He spun around to face me, a wide grin on his face. "Dance with me, Nandini!"