The Second Bloom • 18+

16. Nandani? (Malini's POV)

After our morning conversation, we freshened up, and where having our breakfast, when my mother-in-law excitedly entered inside the house holding a girl's hand, approximately of my age, or maybe a little older than me.

I frowned looking at the girl, thinking who was she.

"Varun! Beta!" Maa-ji called out.

He stood up immediately, leaving his food behind, and I wondered, what must be the emergency that she called him in the middle of his meal, knowing very well that he has to leave for work after having his breakfast.

"Nandini?" he called out.

I stood up along with him too, obviously to investigate who was the girl 'Nandani' and why did my mother in law called my husband so excitedly.

I looked up, startled, trying to place the name with the face.

And then I saw her —a tall, slender woman, her skin glowing under the soft winter-feb sunlight.

Nandini stood at the doorway, smiling, as if she belonged here.

Her eyes sparkled with familiarity, and Maa-ji was already by her side, dragging her into the aangan like a long-lost daughter.

"Nandini beti, andar aao!" Maa-ji said, her voice very thick with affection.

"Varun! dekho toh kaun aayi hain !" She didn't wait for an answer, her excitement was very palpable as she called out to him.

I froze for a moment, watching, as Maa-ji ushered Nandini inside, filling the aangan with a new energy. Just why? Who is she?

It was as if Maa-ji had been waiting for this moment for years, her excitement felt almost infectious to me that it would eat me up.

But it didn't reach me.

My eyes moved to him.

His face, which had been solemn and distant just a minute ago, softened instantly at the sight of her.

I could see the recognition in his eyes, the way they lit up.

"Nandini! Tum wapas kab aai?" he asked, his voice was warmer than before.

Before I knew it or even realized it, he was standing in front of her, his arms open for her.

My heart sank as I watched him step forward and embrace her into a hug.

The hug wasn't short. Not at all.

It wasn't formal. It was filled with comfort and ease, as if they were slipping back into a past I didn't know about.

A past that didn't involve me.

I stood there, still, my fingers clutching the edge of my saree as if holding on to something would keep me grounded.

My throat tightened, a knot forming deep within my chest.

The smile on Nandini's face, the relaxed way Varun held her—it was as if, for that moment, I didn't exist in all three of their lives.

I was just a silent observer, watching the three of them interact with each other.

They pulled apart, but the connection lingered between them, invisible yet unmistakable by me.

Maa-ji stood beside them, her eyes brimming with pride and joy, as if she had reunited two halves of a whole. The hell.

"Nandini abhi abhi wapas aai hai aaj subhe," Maaji explained to Varun.

"6 mehne se apni Nani ke paas reh kar sewa kar rahi thi."

Nandini's voice was soft, soothing, as she spoke to Varun.

"Haan, Nani ki tabiyat kharab thi. Tumhe toh pata hi hoga, Varun."

"Haan, Hume toh bata kar hi gayi thi," Varun replied.

Maaji looked over at me, finally acknowledging my presence, though I doubted she saw the turmoil behind my smile. Tension apart, atleast she noticed.

"Malini," she said, turning to me, "yeh Nandini hai. Parosh wali Shanta kaki hai na? Unki badi beti. Badi hi pyaari bachhi hai, Varun ki dost hai. Bachpan mein dono khub saath mein khele hai. Humare liye toh parivaar ke hi tarah hai."

I nodded, my voice night be trapped somewhere in the back of my throat.

I didn't know what to say.

She looked at me with kind eyes, "Yeh?" She asked to my mother-in-law.

Suddenly, Varun shifted towards me with a wide smile on his face, "Biwi hain humari. Malini."

I gazed into his eyes and smiled but what I also saw was, a clear frown on her face.

"Biwi?" she looked at Varun and my mother-in-law, "Biwi...K-kaise?"

Varun chuckled, "Shadi kar ke, Nandini, aur kaise?"

She shook her head, "Nahi...humara matlab ..kab, hume kisi ne nahi bataya, tumhari shaadi hone wali thi, aur tumhara toh abhi shaadi karne ka koi iraada bhi nahi tha na, Varun."

She continued, as if talking to herself,

"Bahut achhe the, Amrit bhaiya. Bahut bura hua tumhare saath. Bechari...."

I absolutely hate this bechari comment these days, after knowing about his betrayal with me. I wanted to roll my eyes, but I stayed still.

"Waise, kaisa hai... Varun aur tumhara rishta?" she asked and my eyes widened.

"Ji?"

She immediately shook her head,

"Humara matlab, aise ...haalat mein tumhari shaadi hui.... Teen mehne toh hue hai shadi ko..."

I don't understand why do everyone want to enter inside my relationship and want to know about it more and more?

Isn't there a term called as privacy?

And doesn't she know that I'm pregnant?

Oh, Maa-ji wouldn't have told her.

Maa-ji had asked me to take precautions from telling about my pregnancy in early months to anyone else except FAMILY. It keeps evil eyes away according to traditions.

I really want to laugh. Maa-ji said she is like family, and she didn't tell her about my pregnancy.

I ignored the question with a small forced smile.

Maybe she thought I didn't wanted to speak up because it's not going good, that's why she spoke further, to herself.

"Koi baat nahin. Dheere dheere sab kuch theek ho hi jata hain."

I nodded.