MaNan-Colors Of Destiny

Chapter 15

(A/N: Okay so after a long wait, it's time to know the truth! We need votes and comments else we won't be updating next chapter because we have exams and if we don't get good response, we'll stop here. It's a request, please give feedback. Here you go now.)

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Nandini: "Come sit, I'll tell you." Cabir sits next to me. "After Valentine's Day, Manik and I slept together." I say and blush.

Cabir: "Whoa!"

Nandini: "Cabir..."

Cabir: "Sorry. Continue."

Nandini: "The next day, you guys came and called Manik...." I narrate the whole incident. "I left Mumbai and went to the U.S."

Actually, what I told him was this:

When I reached Chicago, I met my old friend, Aryamann. He invited me to his place and told me to move in as he was staying with his girlfriend alone at his place and they wouldn't have a problem if I stay. After a lot of insisting, I vacated my hotel and moved in with them. I started working as a model. The next month, you know what happened; I missed my period. I started freaking out. I almost knew that I was pregnant. I told Aryamann's girlfriend, Shweta and she helped me get a test. I checked and it came positive. I couldn't believe my eyes. I had a baby in my womb! I burst into tears. My friends tried to console me and Shweta suggested me to call Manik. I tried his number but it went to voicemail. I tried calling you guys, but except for Abhimanyu, nobody picked the call. Abhimanyu said that he and Manik didn't meet for a long time and he couldn't convey my message. After a few days, I got pissed and decided to take care of these children on my own and told Abhi to never tell anyone about it. I called my family and told them and they were very upset. They didn't accept me.

*calling Chachi*
Chachi: "Hi Nandu. How are you, betu?"
Nandini: "Umm... Chachi... I had to tell you something... Voh..."
Chachi: "Bolo na beta."
Nandini: "Chachi, voh... I am pregnant."
Chachi: "What? Kaise? Kab hua?"
Nandini: "Voh Valentine's day..."
Chachi: "Enough Nandini. You actually slept with someone before marriage?"
Nandini: "Haan... With Manik."
Chachi: "OMG! Nandini, do you know what you've done? You slept with Manik? And how could he be so cheap? Doesn't he know that all this is wrong before marriage? Chup-chap se usse shaadi karlo Nandu. Nahi toh.."
Nandini: "Chachi, he is not picking the call. And he won't marry me, Chachi."
Chachi: "Agar nahi maanega toh mujhe phone kyun kiya? Nandini, I am very disappointed with you. I thought you would be very responsible and we trusted you so much but nahi... Agar ghar mein tumko jagah chahiye, toh usse shaadi karlo. Nahi toh, samjho ki tum, meri beti, iss duniya se jaa chuki hai."
Nandini: "Par Chachi..."
Chachi: "While doing this, you never thought about us na? Toh ab kyun? Nandini, tum Mumbai kabhi vapas mat aana. Goodbye forever."
*call ends*

I thought of keeping the baby at first and then, adoption and these were the 2 thoughts which kept running through my mind. My mind didn't consider abortion and my heart told me to keep the baby because that's the last memory I would have, of Manik. My friends insisted me to put the baby for adoption but that's the hardest thing a mother can do, give birth to her baby and give it away to some other couple. But after my first ultrasound, I decided to keep the baby, actually babies; because I thought they were the only reason for me to live.

I stayed at Aryamann's place till my 5th month. Then, due to some accident, Shweta died. Aryamann was heartbroken. We left Chicago and moved to California. I had to quit modelling then as I was putting on weight. I worked in a different profession. In fact, since I realised that I conceived with twins, things became worse. We searched almost everywhere, but all rental homes needed the couple to be married to live together. The landlords didn't want problems and because my children were illegitimate, it just complicated the issue. Chacha-Chachi also didn't accept me because of my physical relationship with Manik and they stated that if and only if I get married, they would accept me. We had no other choice but to get married. We had a close group of friends from work who attended our wedding. We got married out of necessity but all our friends took it too seriously. In fact, it was just a signature in the register and a ring-exchange. Even on our wedding night, I slept on the bed while he slept on the floor.

4 months later, I gave birth to 2 beautiful babies and the reason for my living, Naman and Nidhi. It was a very complicated pregnancy as I was not mentally ready for a baby and I was quite young for it too. But Aryamann supported me throughout. After I gave birth, Aryamann informed my family and they all forgave me. They let me keep the babies and insisted me to bring them home sometime. So after 9 years, this is the first time I am bringing them here, to India.

Cabir listened to my story and held my hand in his.

Cabir: "Nandini, dekho. Manik really loves you. If you think he was ignoring your calls, then you're highly mistaken. Actually, when you would have tried calling Manik, he didn't have his phone. I mean, after you guys broke up, he broke his iPhone and was depressed for years together. He still can't believe that he let go of you just like that. He regrets that every night, even today but he had a hope that everything that happened, happened for the better. Do you know that he actually attempted suicide twice?"

Nandini: "What? When? Why?"

Cabir: "The reason is pretty obvious. It happened on the day of your breakup, because he felt that you didn't trust him. You didn't believe in him and you doubted him killing Soha." OMG! I wipe the tears which are rolling down my eyes at the speed of light. "And then, he lost his dad." What?

Nandini: "Wait... What?"

Cabir: "Yes Nandini... You heard it right, he lost his dad after you two broke up."

Nandini: "But how Cabir? I mean, what happened? Achanak death kaise?"

Cabir: "Nyonika is very selfish and for the sake of property, she can do anything and go to any extent. She planned to kill Mr. Malhotra in order to get the property under her name and break Manik into pieces. Now he is no more in this world and she succeeded in breaking Manik by separating both you and his dad from him. But Manik doesn't know about the truth. He thinks his dad died of cardiac arrest. After Nyonika remarried, Manik stepped out of her way and now they act like they aren't related."

Nandini: "But how? I mean, how can she be so heartless?"

Cabir: "Nandini, I know you have been through a lot but please. Manik loves you a lot and I beg you... Please take him back into your life. He is very lonely and needs you, by his side, like always. It's been 10 years since Manik has smiled. Of course, he gives fake smiles assuming that nobody will get to know. It hurts to see him like this, Nandini. Only you can fix him."

Nandini: "Cabir, I understand but think about my condition. Just once, put yourself in my position and decide, what would you tell your 9 year old children who pray and cry everyday for their father's love? What will you tell a person who loves you to a great extent, knowing that you don't have feelings for him but still has hope?"

Cabir: "Nandini I know. I know it's not easy, but tell me... Isn't this what you want? Don't you want Manik back in your life? If you say no, then answer me... Do you really think that you can give your children the love that their father could give them? Will you ever fall in love with Aryamann after Manik?"

Nandini: "But if he really needed me, he could have stopped me from leaving the college. He could have understood that what I said, was just the truth. How does trust play a role here? It's not that I didn't trust Manik."

Cabir: "I know Nandini, but you know him better than most of us. You know how impulsive he can get, right?"

Nandini: "Uss impulsiveness ki vajah se he spoilt my life. I don't believe in my fireflies anymore. I lost everything, Cabir. Things that happened cannot be reversed now."

Cabir: "Nandini, you tell me; what else can I do to save my best friend, my brother who wants to die. He attempted suicide twice. Once, he tried to fall into the sea and never be found and the second time, he tried to jump off from the 12th floor from S.P.A.C.E. When none worked, he cut his wrist. He didn't medicate it and fell unconscious. It took about a month or two to recover from the injury as it got infected. He dies every day because of the pain of losing you. He portrays himself happy in front of us. He can fool the others but not me. I know him inside-out and Nandini, mein ab usse aur hurt aur pain mein nahi dekh sakta... please Nandini, help him out."

I shatter into thousands pieces after hearing the pain I gave Manik. But can I forgive him for leaving me alone, when I was pregnant? He never knew though. If there was any other way I could tell him, he probably must've come running to me. "Nandini, you've hurt him equally."

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(So quite a long update. We spent our entire weekend writing this part so please give feedback, else this will be the last post. Thanks. Bye.)