Crossroads of love: Enstranged or Adultery?

The Depth Behind a Smile

As Nandini slept peacefully in his lap, Manik felt a wave of tenderness wash over him. He made a silent vow, a promise to himself to protect her, to ensure she never experienced the kind of pain he had endured. He wanted to be her safe harbor, her refuge from the storms of life.

As he gazed around the room, his eyes fell upon the bookshelf. A peculiar fascination drew him towards it, and he found himself lost in the pages of a novel. A particular sentence struck a chord within him: "The deepest scars are the ones hidden beneath a smile, where no one thinks to look, but where the pain never truly fades."

The words resonated with a familiar ache in his chest. He thought of Nandini, her constant smile that masked the pain he had witnessed. "She did the same as me," he realized, "smiling to cover what hurt the most."

A small sticky note, in Nandini's handwriting, fell from the book. It read, "Today, I finally met someone who shares the same pain as me. His name is Manik. I don't want him to go through the same hurt I did."

Tears welled up in his eyes as he read further. Nandini had written about the moment she saw him smoking, a secret she had kept from everyone but him. She believed, perhaps, she could help him carry his burden, just as he unknowingly helped her with hers.

It touched him deeply how, after just a few meetings, Nandini seemed to understand him on a level few others did. Their shared pain connected them in a way that felt profound and unsettling. It was as if their hearts recognized each other's struggles, a silent understanding that transcended words. 

After reading Nandini's sticky note, Manik found himself slipping into memory lane, replaying their moments together. Their first few meetings, her quiet strength, and the way their shared pain seemed to connect them from the very start. It amazed him how she had understood him so deeply after such a short time.

A sudden buzz interrupted his reverie. It was a message from his mother, inquiring about his whereabouts. He replied that he would be home in a couple of hour.

With that settled, he decided to head to the kitchen to make lunch for both him and Nandini.

****

He prepared lunch for himself and Nandini, his heart filled with a sense of contentment. As he set the table, he couldn't help but smile at the thought of sharing this meal with the woman who had stolen his heart.

After preparing a simple meal, Manik went to Nandini's room to wake her up. She stirred but, in her sleepy, playful way, clung to him, hugging him like a child before drifting off again. Smiling, Manik gently shook her. 

Manik: Come on, wake up. (He said softly.) It's lunchtime.

Nandini yawned and finally sat up, stretching as she rubbed her eyes. Together, they went to the kitchen and began eating. As they enjoyed their meal, Manik brought up the sticky note he had found earlier. 

Manik: I read what you wrote. (He said, his voice soft but full of emotion.) It really touched me, Nandini... how you could understand me like that.

Nandini looked at Manik, her eyes filled with a mix of surprise and vulnerability. 

Nandini: I didn't know you'd read it. (She admitted, her voice barely a whisper.)

Manik's gaze met hers, his heart pounding in his chest. 

Manik: You see parts of me that I didn't even realize were there... it's like you just know. (He said, his voice filled with a sense of wonder.)

Nandini (smiled gently.): Because I care about you, Manik. You're not as complicated as you think.