A Part, Yet Apart

Chapter 35- A Wedding Contract

''Look at her confidence, even I don't think she is my type. So there's no question of falling for each other'' Manik was equally sure. ''Ok but what would you tell your parents?'' Navya asked again. She noted their responses in the agreement she brought. ''As per Hindu dharma, after marriage a man and his wife belong to each other not to their parents. So it is my responsibility to marry off Nandini to the one she loves. I would convince whoever is on my way'' Manik said. ''I can't believe I'm doing this for you Nandini. I always thought you had so much of respect towards marriage'' Navya said to Nandini. ''I think me and Nandini, we both have so much of respect towards our system of marriage. I cannot marry someone I don't love and live a false life with her. It's better to fake a marriage than to lead a false life'' Manik said. 

''Ha Navya, even I cannot marry some random stranger and try to lead all my life with him. Manik ke sath tho sirf sabke saamne acting karna hai'' Nandini also justified Manik's statement. ''Wah, what an irony! Two people who believe in sacredness of marriage are ready to fake their marriage'' Navya said. ''Tum dono ne jo bhi bola, I've written in this agreement. Please read it once and sign'' Navya said extending the agreement in between them. ''Isse sign karna zaruri hai kya?'' Manik asked her. ''Of course, yahi tho kaam aayega if we want to nullify the marriage'' Nandini supported Navya. Manik's internal struggle was quite evident on his face. ''Itna soch rahe ho tho tum iske liye Nandini se poocha hi kyu?'' Navya asked. 

''I didn't want to do this but I can't marry some random girl my mom will choose for me'' Manik had an emotional turmoil before signing the agreement. Nandini signed taking the lead following Navya's cues. ''Are you Okay?'' Nandini put her hand on his shoulder. ''This isn't something I expected. Aisa nahi hai ki shaadi koi khel hai. But for now, iss shaadi zaruri. I want to fake it to the world but not fake it to my woman. If I marry the one whom my mom chooses, all my life, I will lead a false life'' Manik said. Nandini and Navya looked at each other. ''You know, my dadu and nanu, they started a business, maybe 70 years ago. An Ayurvedic pharmacy store. So, they appointed a sales girl who could sell the medicines. My dadu, fell in love with her and married my dadi, who was the sales girl in their pharmacy store. They lead a happy life for some time but like in all stories, there was a problem in their story too'' Manik paused.

''My dadu, being a Punjabi married a Telugu girl and that didn't go well with his family. He was called back to his hometown. You know what he did! He went there leaving his wife. His family never approved a Telugu girl as their daughter in law. And he never came back to my dadi. She was pregnant by then and she gave birth to my dad. Very conveniently, he gave his property as an alimony to my dadi and my dad. After some years, she got to know that he already married someone there. All her life, she raised my dad alone, educated him and usne hi yeh business empire khada kiya hai which is now a pharmaceutical company. She was an inspirational woman. Then she got my dad married to my mom, who is the daughter of my dadu's business partner just because my dadu promised my nanu that if they ever had a son, then would marry his daughter'' Manik's eyes were teary. 

''Her last wish was to see her husband on her death bed. He didn't even come back after leaving her. All her life, she didn't thought of someone other than him. That was a great love for me. He came when he knew she was on death bed. Finally, minutes before her death she saw him. She saw her lover, husband and the father of her child. We all hated him to the core. But none of us knew that he never married. My dadi was right. Just like she waited for him all her life, he also loved her eternally. He had to sacrifice his love for the society, for his family. And then they both got united after their death. He took his last breath right after his wife. That is the greatest love story I knew'' Manik became emotional remembering his grand parents. Nandini now understood why Nyonika had tears when she spoke about her mother-in-law when Nandini got mango pickle.

''They loved each other all their life but couldn't be together. Mujhe aise pyar chahiye par unke jaise kismat nahi. Why didn't my dadi go and find him? Why can't my dadu come back for his love? Is this the fate?'' Manik said he has many unanswered questions. ''It was when I have decided that if I have ever loved someone, then that girl should be my female version. I can't bear a difference of opinion with the person I love. Main aise ladki ke liye wait kar raha hu, wo mujhe zarur milegi'' he said. Navya and Nandini were speechless. Navya now hesitated to give the agreement to Nandini. ''Ab tho tujhe pakka ye agreement sign karni hai'' Nandini said extending the papers. ''When you find your girl, nothing should come in between you and your love. Ye sign karne se humare beech ki relation khatam ho jayega whenever we want it'' Nandini said. ''But ispe sign karne se pehle tumhe kuch batana hai'' Manik looked into Nandini's eyes. ''Ha bolo'' she asked. 

''Can I talk to you in private. Please?'' Manik asked Nandini. Navya understood him. ''Ok guys, I'll leave. You can take this with you Nandini. Get it signed and give it to me'' Navya said and left from there. ''Go safely Navya'' Nandini said and hugged her. ''Ab bologe?'' Nandini asked. ''Sure, hum car tak chalein?'' Manik is building a mystery to what he was going to tell her. They both sat in the car and Manik still not talked anything. ''Tell me now at least'' Nandini asked again. ''You wanted to know that why Jahnavi and I broke up!'' he asked. ''I thought you wouldn't tell me'' Nandini said. ''No, ab tho tumhe ye jaan ne ka poora haq hai, now that you have signed this agreement to marry me'' Manik said. ''So, yes, why ?'' she asked. ''That is because I told her I had a past relation'' Manik said. 

''I don't think Jahnavi will have any problem if you have an ex-girl friend. I mean life mein love and break up tho hota rahega na'' Nandini said. ''No, I never had a girlfriend. She was just a friend'' Manik paused and said, ''with benefits'' he concluded. ''Friend or girl friend se kya benefits and all'' Nandini was about to say something when she realized what he just said. ''Chi, did you mean that you had a friend with benefits?'' Nandini can't believe what she heard. ''Please listen to me. We were really good friends but then we had to live together and so accidentally we were attracted to each other and you know how things can be between a girl and boy who are in their 20's'' Manik tried to explain but Nandini closed her ears. ''Just now you were telling about being an eternal lover and all and now!'' Nandini said it in his face. ''I didn't love her, she was just'' Manik couldn't explain it to her seeing Nandini's expression. ''Disgusting'' Nandini murmured. ''I can still hear you'' Manik said. ''It was meant for you to listen'' she turned her face to the other side and didn't talk to him.

Manik dropped Nandini at home. ''Nandini'' Manik called after she got down. ''Jahnavi broke up when I said this to her. Tum chahe tho na keh sakti ho'' Manik said. ''It's not like I'm gonna be forever with you, it doesn't even bother me'' Nandini said. ''I knew you will judge me when I say it'' Manik admitted. ''Then why did you say it? Jahnavi ko batana zaruri tha, but why me?'' Nandini asked.

''Because you said you trust me'' Manik said.