A Part, Yet Apart

Chapter 61- One for Me!

Nandini hugged him back tighter. ''I'm really sorry for over reacting yesterday'' Manik apologized. ''I'm glad you said sorry otherwise I can't keep calm in my room just sitting alone and idle'' she said looking into his eyes. ''I'm sorry too for not informing you before going out'' she said. ''I know you weren't expecting me to return home at that time, but I'm really scared when you go out alone after that accident'' Manik looked visibly worried. ''What if I tell him that I went out today?'' she thought to herself. ''Manik, I have a news for you'' she said. ''What news?'' he asked. They broke the hug but stood in close proximity. Nandini thought over a minute and spoke, ''actually news nahi hai surprise hai, uske liye kuch din wait karna padega'' she said. Nandini didn't want to take any money from Manik, so she couldn't say anything to him. ''Kaise surprise aur kab tak wait karna padega mujhe?'' Manik asked. 

''Don't ask anything, just be in the moment. I'm very happy today'' she hugged him again. Manik was surprised that she hugged him again. He cleared his throat to divert her attention. ''Why is Nandini all hugs today?'' he asked in a naughty tone but she was immersed in herself. ''You're the only one here to share my happiness with! What can be a better way than this cute and warm teddy bear hugs'' she said. ''Teddy bear hugs!!'' Manik said and suddenly broke the hug. ''Do you think I'm a teddy bear?'' he asked her looking himself in the mirror. ''Was it my mistake to not regularly go to gym?'' he asked her. ''Even if you have 6 pack and abs, I would still call you teddy bear'' Nandini teased him. ''Gym se yaad aaya, what about that Suraj? Inaya kept asking me if you like him'' Manik reminded. ''Oh God, I couldn't stand him for some time and how would I like him even?'' Nandini retorted. ''But then I met Vicky who saved me from Suraj that day'' Nandini said. 

Manik's face changed as he heard of Vikas from Nandini. ''Kya hua? Is something up with Vikas?'' she asked him. ''Kuch naya nahi, but as I already told you he went to other team. Inaya and Vikas aren't even on talking terms now'' Manik said. ''Vikas really likes Inaya, it was so evident on his face and words'' Nandini said. ''Inaya also likes him, but she never told him. Now that he is despising me, he is not even talking to Inaya'' Manik said. ''Why can't she just go and tell him that she really liked him?'' Nandini asked Manik. ''It's not always easy to confess your feelings Nandini!'' Manik said. ''Valentines' week aa raha hai and what is she waiting for! Inaya should propose him if she really love him'' Nandini said. Manik gave a sarcastic smile to Nandini. ''Can I ask you something?'' she asked him. ''Will you stop if I say no?'' he pulled her leg. ''So just tell me what you would gift someone on Valentines day?'' she asked him.

''Flowers, chocolates, greeting cards, candle light dinners log tho ye sab dete hai Valentines day pe'' Manik said casually. ''I'm not asking the gifts you give to your girl, generally kya dete hai apart from all that'' Nandini was expecting Manik would at least give a hint about gifting. Manik looked into her eyes intensely. ''Pyaar se badhkar koi taufa kya ho sakta hai that too on a Valentines day'' he said. Nandini fell in her thoughts when he held her hand and pulled near him. ''What?'' she asked him. ''What would you gift me on this Valentines' day?'' he asked in husky voice. ''Why would I gift you something?'' she said looking into his eyes. ''Shaadi ke baad pehli Valentines day hai, why wouldn't we take advantage of it'' he said with a sexy smirk. ''I'm going to my room, bye'' Nandini escaped to her room saying this. 

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By the time Nandini came out of her room, she saw Manik fuming in anger. She couldn't possibly see any reason for his anger out of the blue. ''Is something wrong?'' she asked scared but he did not reply. Her phone rang and it was Nyonika who called her. ''Hello'' Nandini spoke in a low voice. ''Nandini, Manik kaha hai, he isn't picking up our calls'' Nyonika's voice wasn't clear. Manik didn't react even when Nandini had put Nyonika on speaker. She looked around and found Manik's phone is broken and fell on the ground. She understood that he might have broke it. ''Manik is in washroom, I'll tell him to call you once he come out'' Nandini lied to make her feel better. ''No need Nandini, just wanted to check on him, take care'' Nyonika hesitated to speak. After Nandini cut the call, she sat beside Manik and put her hand on his hand. ''Why did you lie to mom? Bolna chahiye tha ki maine apna phone tod diya'' Manik said sarcastically and took his hand back. 

''Itna gussa! Kyu? Did something happened?'' Nandini asked. ''Mukti apni ghar chod ke wapas aa gayi'' Manik said. ''What do you mean wapas aa gayi?'' Nandini didn't get him. ''Exactly Mukti apni ghar chod kar wapas mom ke paas chali aa gayi and that Abhimanyu didn't even cared about it'' Manik vented out. ''So did you try calling Mukti and ask what happened?'' Nandini asked. ''She isn't ready to speak but nor did Abhimanyu. All the way Mukti came out and he didn't even have any explanation for it'' Manik complained on Abhimanyu. ''Galti kisi ki bhi ho, par Mukti ko aise aana nahi chahiye tha'' Nandini said and it triggered Manik. ''What the hell, Abhimanyu ki galti hai and I know Mukti very well, do you think she'll just walk out without even speaking to him?'' Manik was disappointed with Nandini. ''Maine aisa nahi kaha that it's Mukti's mistake, but I think husband and wife should sort their own problems, aise ghar se bahar aa gayi tho problem aur badh jayega instead of clearing misunderstandings'' Nandini said. 

''Tum bhi mere mom ki jaise baat kar rahi ho na! All you guys want is just keep it low so that 2, 3 din ke baad sab bhool jayenge. My sister would never take any hasty decisions and something big would have happened and that's why she left home'' Manik had Mukti's back. ''Manik, this is between a husband and wife. It's better you don't interfere, isse matter aur bhi complicate ho jayega'' Nandini tried to explain but Manik banged the door such that she thought that it might have broken too. Nandini knew that Manik would need some time to think about it. She waited for him at the dinner table. She dozed off on the dining table waiting for him. She woke up when she heard a thud sound on the table. She suddenly stood up from the chair when she saw him. ''Why aren't you sleeping in your room?'' he asked. ''We didn't eat yet and most importantly we should sort out a few things before going to sleep'' Nandini said. ''I'm not hungry and just go to bed'' he said recklessly and she stopped him. ''Aise kaise bhook nahi hai, please eat something. Don't sleep on empty stomach'' she forced him to sit. ''Late night dinner table pe white sauce pasta that too being served cold'' Manik said as she served him. 

''It was your mistake to come home late'' she ordered him to eat without any tantrums. ''One more thing, don't assume anything about Mukti and Abhimanyu, they had a love marriage, jo bhi problems hai unke beech, let them solve by themselves, tum yaha upset hone se waha kuch nahi hoga'' she said. ''Iss baar baat sirf ek choti si jagda nahi hai Nandini'' Manik opened his mouth to say something but she put her hand on his mouth to prevent him from speaking further. ''I understand your concern, but please give them some time and if you really want to say in between them, listen to both sides'' she said. Manik gave a thought and ate his dinner in silence. After a moment, he caught her watching him eat. ''Aise kyu dekh rahe ho?'' he asked her. ''Whoever girl marries you, she'll be the luckiest one'' Nandini said. ''Why?'' he raised his brows. ''Because you know how to clearly differentiate between the relations. You know very well how to treat the women in your life. Any girl who would get you will be lucky'' Nandini said. ''And what about you? You are already married to me?'' he asked. ''What about me! Even I will feel lucky if I find one like you'' she said. 

''One like me but not me?'' he asked holding her hand.