The End Of Us

Chapter 3

We all arrived at my place by seven in the evening.

"Where is your mother? It's been so long since we last saw her," Navya inquired, her smile fading as she noticed my somber expression.

"She passed away eight years ago," I replied, struggling to hold back my tears.

"Oh, I am so sorry," Navya quickly apologized, her face falling.

I wiped away my tears and muttered, "It's okay."

For a few moments, an absolute silence filled the room, and everyone looked at me with sympathetic eyes.

I thought to break this silence. "Guys, will someone have water, coffee, tea or something?" I asked.

"No, we are fine," Mukti replied with a warm smile.

"Why do you want to go to Ladakh, Nandani? Is it because of that Manik who hasn't bothered to contact you in the past ten years?" Navya questioned.

"Yes, Nandani, you need to move on with your life," Mukti chimed in.

"Please, guys; I promise to move on if he has. I just need to see him one last time," I implored, desperately.

"But how can you be so sure that he is still in Ladakh?" Navya countered.

"What's the harm in going there and checking it out?" Abhimanyu suggested.

"Yeah, even if we do not find him, we can still stay at Harshad's hotel and spend a few days together in Ladakh," Dhruv said enthusiastically.

"Harshad's hotel?" Is Harshad in Ladakh? Are you still in touch with him?" I asked, surprised by this new piece of information.

Dhruv gave a nod. "He has become a billionaire and owns a chain of hotels around the world. He lives in New York, but currently is in India for a business deal. I've been in touch with him for a couple of years now."

"Okay, so we're heading to Ladakh tomorrow, right?" Abhimanyu exclaimed excitedly.

"Cool your jets, Abhi. We can't just leave tomorrow," Mukti stated calmly.

"How about we meet directly in India on June 26th?" I suggested.

"That seems like a good idea. We'll meet at Harshad's hotel, 'HA Royal,' in Leh," Dhruv retorted.

"We'll arrange private cabs from Leh to get to Ladakh," I affirmed.

The plan was approved by all.

"Phew, I'm exhausted," Abhimanyu yawned, stretching his arms.

"Me too," Mukti added, leaning her head tiredly against Abhimanyu's shoulder.

"Would you guys like to rest here for a bit?" I asked softly.

"No, thanks, sweetheart. We should head out now. It's getting late," Navya replied warmly.

As Dhruv looked at his watch, he realised that it was already eight o'clock.

We exchanged our contact numbers and shared a group hug before parting ways.

After they left, I sat down on the couch, a wide grin on my face as I recalled all the moments I had spent with Manik. I remembered our silly arguments and his goofy jokes, which never failed to lift my spirits when I was feeling down. I was overjoyed to know that I would finally see him after a decade.

After taking a shower, and, having my supper, I climbed under the covers. I had a dream, where I saw Manik leading me to his backyard, seeking help. He looked badly hurt, with blood on his forehead. I woke up, panting.

I closed my eyes and silently prayed, "Aiyappa, please protect him!"

With that prayer on my mind, I drifted back to sleep again.

"Nandani, Nandani," I heard Manik call out my name. I sat up in bed, startled, and pulled the blanket closer to me. Glancing at the clock, I saw it was just three in the morning.

"Nandani, please stop thinking about Manik. First it was dreams, and now you are hearing his voice," I silently scolded myself before falling back asleep.

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I waited anxiously for June 26th, hoping to see Manik again. He has been on my mind constantly for the last three months. I was looking forward to our reunion, but I also started to feel uneasy. I kept having bizarre dreams about him.

I decided to talk to Navya about it. I called and told her about my dreams. She tried to reassure me that it was just a nightmare and I should stop worrying. But even after talking to her, I couldn't shake off my restlessness. All I wanted to do was finally meet Manik and see him safe.