In His Custody ✎ (MaNan)

✰ 43 - maps lead to you

Let's heal our hearts a bit from the wreck-ball that was the last two chapters.

I have so many comments from the previous chapter I can't wait to reply to! Please keep your feedback and thoughts flowing <3

⭒

Manik

The Malhotra Mansion.

How better to celebrate my fucking homecoming than... all alone, parading in my solitude?!

Cracking open a beer from the cooler beside the pool, I sat on a bar stool, flicking to the next page as a lit tube rested between my fingers.

21 October 2010

I am not sure if I have told you before, Babbu, but I have an elaborate night routine that consists of washing my legs, brushing my teeth, changing my clothes, praying to Aiyappa and writing in you before sleeping. Prior to this routine, most nights, I usually pack my school bag for the next day, so I don't miss anything I need the next day for class.

Thank God I do that, because I needed some maps of India for Social Studies and I almost forgot. Slapping my forehead at my absent-minded nature, I glanced at the clock. It was 8:53.

The shops would be open until 10 PM, the question was whom could I ask to accompany me?

If I bothered Chikkappa, I would playfully get advice from the both him and Chikkamma about how back in the day, kids would pull out their diaries first thing when they got home and check off the list of supplies needed for the next day. They would also make sure to sprinkle in some light-hearted taunts about kids these days have it easier.

Even if they usually meant it in good humour, statements like those often upsetted me. If they were my parents, it would have been a different scenario altogether, but they were already doing me such a big favour by raising me in Mumbai, that those teases felt like a reminder of how grateful I should be to them.

And I really was.

Abhi, on the other hand, was my blood, my brother. whom I could reach out to without qualms. Making up my mind, I nervously knocked on Abhi's door.

"What is it?" came his distant voice, perhaps from his bed.

"Listen, I need something from the stationary shop. Can you take me?"

He twitched his lips loudly. "What were you doing all evening, Nandu? I'm busy now. Ask Chikkappa, go." I sulked behind the door.

"You're just on your PlayStation, please come na?" He huffed and probably hopped off his bed, because thumps approached the door and he pulled it open, his earphone wire in one hand and a paused PS console on the other. Already in his nightclothes, he was seemingly ready for bed. I had almost forgotten he had played basketball for three hours this evening.

Maybe it wasn't a good idea to bother him either, but it could be worth a shot.

I blinked and pinched the skin on my throat. "Nandini promise, I'll do anything you ask if you help me this one time."

Feeling some kind of pity on me, or merely exhaustion from his long day, he softly said, "I'll get it for you in the morning before you go to school, okay, go to bed now." Quickly, he pulled me into a side-hug and pecked the top of my head while rubbing my shoulders. "Good night."

As I turned, Abhi's cheers and trashtalk were audible outside his room.

Slowly, I walked back to my room, hyperaware that I would be worrying about it the whole night and wouldn't be able to sleep. As I gently shut the door behind me, my eyes fell on my cupboard.