A Part, Yet Apart

Chapter 64- Knowing Each Other

''Satyanarayana Vratham?'' Nandini asked shocked. ''Andar aao pehle'' Manik got a shocked Nandini inside. They didn't stop anywhere until they reached their room. ''Why is mom adamant on doing something or the other?'' Nandini asked, still shocked. ''Har ghante kuch naya plan kar rahi hai mom, looks like hum khud aake mom ko chance diya'' Manik strolled in his room. ''We thought we're manipulating our parents, but now I feel like they are manipulating us. First engagement, wedding and then now this vratham. And they won't even listen to us'' Nandini is worried. ''Nandini, I really don't believe in all this, I'll ask mom to cancel all this'' Manik said leaving the room but she stopped him. ''Stop it Manik, will they listen if you go and ask them to stop. Did they ever listen? Instead they will force us to do whatever they ask'' Nandini asked. ''So are you ready for this?'' Manik asked. ''How can I be? This vratham is so sacred that all newly weds will do this. How can I fake it?'' Nandini held her head. ''I'm sorry Nandini for being so helpless'' Manik felt guilty for she charged him of their marriage. He felt responsible for playing with her beliefs and emotions. 

''Manik, I don't blame you for this, ye sab karne ka decision hum dono ka hai. Sorry, I've just over reacted'' Nandini said looking at Manik's dilemma. ''Ab karna kya hai?'' Manik asked taking her hands in his. Nyonika just then opened the door and saw them. ''Manik, Nandini'' she entered inside with a wide smile. ''Can't believe that you actually went to a temple'' she said surprised. ''And mom, I feel like you're just taking an advantage and doing whatever you like. You very well know that I don't like doing all this'' Manik said in an intense tone. He turned to Nyonika. ''I've come here to speak to Mukti and you're not even letting me near her'' he said. ''Ha wo tumhara behen hai, you can talk once you're free'' Nyonika covered up. ''Please mom, stop this pooja right now'' Manik said. ''Maa, I wonder how Mukti must be feeling right now. Even she is newly married and hum dono yaha pooja kar rahe hai tho wo'' Nandini expressed her concern.

''Aisa kuch nahi hai beta, Satyanarayana vratham is a must for all newly weds. Mukti and Abhimanyu had done this vratham at their home. Mukti ne hi mujhe ye idea diya kal raat ki hum vratham rakhenge aaj'' Nyonika said. ''I hope you listen to whatever you spoke just now mom, unbelievable'' Manik snapped at her and went out. Nyonika's face instantly turned colorless. ''Maa, please Manik ko galat mat samajna, he didn't want to make you feel bad'' Nandini tried to explain but she interrupted. ''I'm glad that you're taking his side Nandini, please make him understand that this vratham is important and get him ready. We'll be waiting down for both of you'' Nyonika said and went out from there. Nandini is in a fix. After about 20 minutes, Nandini and Manik got ready and came down. Nyonika felt happy as she saw Manik in pattu pancha finally. ''Mera Raja beta'' she kissed on his forehead and Manik wondered how his mom didn't lose her cool after whatever he said to her. ''You look like a bride again Nandini'' she said putting a kaala teeka behind her ear. ''Shuru kare?'' Nyonika asked Nandini.

Manik and Nandini obediently did whatever they were told to do. Manik's expressions were still grumpy and he was confused to see Nandini doing anything and everything his mom asked her. After what it felt like an eternity, Manik and Nandini finally made their way into their room after the lunch. "Are you for real? Tumhe ho kya gaya hai. You were complaining until we got out of this room and baahar jaate hi mom ke saath hehehe kar rahi ho" Manik angrily said. "I didn't want to hurt her, anyway we can't stop what's happening here" Nandini replied innocently. "Nandini!" Nyonika called her again. She excused himself and went again to see Nyonika.

"Dekho, mumma papa jaane ki baat kar rahe hai" Nyonika said in a complaining tone. "Amma Nanna wants to go home maa, they already told me" Nandini said. "Nandini beta, jab tak tum yaha ho, let them be here" Shrikant asked. "Main sirf Amma Nanna ko nahi, apne ghar ko bhi miss kar rahi hu papa, I'll just go and spend some time there" Nandini said to Shrikant. They smiled. "Let me call Manik, he'll drop you" Shrikant said but Nandini stopped him. "Manik is tired and wo abhi so raha hoga" Nandini said and bid bye to her parents. Nandini walks in the garden and finds Aryaman there. ''Aryaman, what are you doing here?'' Aryaman panicked as he suddenly heard Nandini. Nandini observes that he is hiding something. ''Kuch nahi bhabhi'' Aryaman said stammering. ''You are hiding something, kuch tho hai'' Nandini could sense that something was wrong with him. Aryaman didn't have energy to stop her and in a blink of a moment, she took a box from him. She saw that the box have tablets. 

''Tablets? What are they for?'' Nandini asked and Aryaman hesitated. ''Akele baith ke tablets chupa rahe ho, I should talk to Manik first'' she said hastily. ''Bhabhi, it's not like what you thought. Koi drugs nahi hai'' Aryaman stopped her. ''Phir kya hai ye'' Nandini demanded an explanation. ''Sleeping pills, and I'm using them on doctor's prescription'' Aryaman said and Nandini is still doubting him. ''And why were you hiding it from everyone?'' Nandini asked. ''Sab pareshan hoga if they come to know that I'm using them. Already Mukti ke liye sab pareshan hai'' Aryaman said. Nandini seemed to calm down when she heard Aryaman. ''Mukti aur Abhimanyu ke beech kya hua hai? Manik is here to talk to Mukti but no one will let him do that. How would we find a solution if we don't know what's the problem'' Nandini said. ''Mukti didn't tell anyone at home. Mujhe sirf itna pata hai ki kuch bada dhamaka hua hai, Abhimanyu didn't even come after Mukti came back'' Aryaman said. ''Bhabhi, please iske baare mein kisiko kuch mat batana and I'm not doing anything wrong. Believe me'' he said and she nodded yes. 

Nandini didn't knew what's going on there. She sat there silently for about an hour for peace of mind. ''Nandini, aren't you feeling cold'' Nyonika asked. ''Haa maa, main bas andar jane wali thi'' Nandini said and her sight fell on a beautiful rose in the garden. ''Can I take this?'' she asked Nyonika. ''Of course, ye tumhara bhi ghar hai and you don't need to ask me'' Nyonika warmly smiled at her. She went to her room and put it on the dressing shelf. Manik was fully awake by then and is immersed in his laptop. ''Where have you been all the while'' he asked without looking at her. She sat in front of him with the rose in her hand. ''So, you were in the garden!'' Manik smiled looking at her. ''Happy Rose day'' she said. ''What Rose day?'' Manik asked in confusion. ''Starting from today is a Valentine's week. So this rose for the Rose day. Iske baad propose day, chocolate day, hug day, kiss day aise hote hai'' Nandini explained. 

''Rose day pe rose tho tumne diya hai. Are you going to hug on hug day and kiss me on kiss day?'' Manik winked at her. ''Then the rose is mine'' she quickly put it in her plat. ''Arre the rose is mine and you can't take it back'' Manik said. ''Manik, who is your first love?'' Nandini asked him. ''Mere baare mein kyu jaan'na hai tujhe'' he asked her. ''Bas aise hi, I should know about the person I'm living with'' she said. ''Same applies for me too, so who's your first love?'' he asked her. ''Abhinav was the only person in my life. Kehte hai na bachpan ka pyaar. I can't really say if I loved him or not. Life was so good, he has been with me since years and just one day and everything is destroyed'' Nandini's smile vanished. 

''Manik, do you think I've destroyed it all when I cancelled my engagement'' Nandini asked Manik.