A Part, Yet Apart

Chapter 31- Grass is greener on other side

Manik thought of his conversation with Jahnavi. ''Manik, first thing you should not force her into anything, and secondly you should go and apologize'' Nandini's word are still ringing in his head. ''Acha hua ki maine Nandini ke kehne par Jahnavi se baat kiya, but will she tell my mom everything?'' Manik had a doubt after his recent conversation with Jahnavi. He immediately called her. ''Yes'' she spoke from the other side. ''Jahnavi, will you tell everyone about what we've talked!'' Manik asked with a hint of doubt in his voice. ''No, I'll tell my mom and you tell your mom'' she said. Manik held his head and said bye to her. ''Ab maa ko ye sab kaise bataunga'' he thought of rehearsing it before speaking to Nyonika about it. ''Ye ladkiya bhi na! Abhi 15 min pehle tho itna khadoos thi aur bhi itni sweetly baat kar rahi hai'' he thought of Jahnavi.

He reached home but found no one at home. ''Ghar pe sab kaha gaayab ho gaye honge!'' he thought and entered inside with his key. He went to his room and laid on bed. His phone is out of battery and tried to charge it. After switching on his phone, he found few missed calls from Nyonika and Aryaman. He tried calling Aryaman but his phone was unreachable. ''We're going to Nandini's engagement, come soon'' Aryaman texted. ''Oh yeah, aaj Nandini ki engagement hai, how did it slip off of my mind'' he thought and got himself ready in some time and started in his car to the venue. As he reached the venue, it looked unusual to him as many cars were not there in the parking. ''Looks like the party hasn't started yet'' he thought as he took the bouquet in his hands. He finally looked at himself in the mirror before leaving. He saw Aryaman at the entrance and tried to call out for him but then he was seen leaving from there with Nyonika and Shrikant. ''Ye log abhi bahar kyu jaa rahe hai'' he thought and called Aryaman.

''Hello Manik'' Nyonika answered as Aryaman was driving the car. ''Maa, aap log Nandini ke engagement ke liye nikal gaye the na'' Manik asked. ''Ha but ab wapis ghar aa rahe hai hum, engagement toot gaya'' Nyonika said. ''What? how! sorry I mean why?'' Manik was shocked to know that Nandini's engagement broke. ''Acha hua Nandini ne engagement tod diya warna aise ladkon ke saath na!'' Nyonika cursed Abhinav. ''Hua kya hai mom?'' Manik asked. ''Wo log dahej maang rahe hai aur na jaane Anitha ji ko bahut kuch sun na pada. Poor her, the groom family literally insulted her. Ye sab ke baad engagement break kar ke Nandini ne acha kiya'' Nyonika said. Manik was about to say something but his phone battery is dead again. ''Hello'' Manik kept speaking but realized later. ''Aisa kya hua hoga, everything was fine'' Manik kept aside the bouquet and went inside. Mohan was sitting aside on the stage and Nandini still standing there along with Abhinav. There were only a few of them there, maybe they were close relatives. ''How could you break the engagement for this? Come on, it is not good to break the relation. Our Abhinav liked her and we can sort things out'' someone said from the group. ''We knew Nandini and her family since childhood, Anitha and Mohan are family friends, but that doesn't change the fact that Anitha is from a low caste'' Abhinav's mother said. Manik couldn't find Anitha anywhere. 

''See, you have no right to speak about my wife like that'' Mohan said. ''Uncle, you can't speak to my mom like that'' Abhinav raised his voice. ''Stop it! This is enough. I don't want to marry into such a mediocre family. I thought I know you guys very well but I was wrong'' Nandini said, her voice almost trailed off. ''Nandini, don't jump into conclusions, we didn't ask for dowry, it's your parents who offered it'' Abhinav spoke. ''If they write property in my name, then I would have thought that's a gift, why would they write it in your name?'' Nandini asked sharply. ''Because that is what we follow in our household. We didn't force your parents, they were ready willingly'' Abhinav's father justified his act. ''Sorry, I can't do this anymore'' Nandini joined her hands and asked them to leave. ''All this while we're trying to convince you but look at this girl, so eager to break this relation''. Every aunty felt like they've got a certified license to speak against Nandini.