A Part, Yet Apart

Chapter 94- Misconceptions

Nandini's POV:

He would be seen roaming around here but why can't I find him now. I have checked his room and asked Cabir if he had seen Manik. Out of nowhere, Manik has now found time to take a dip. "Manik, what are you doing here?" I asked when I found him. "What's wrong?" he asked swimming leisurely. Can't he take me seriously, for once at least. "Tumhare gharwale sab family portrait ke liye ready hai. Why don't you go and join them?" I said. "Did they send YOU to get me?" he asked least bothered to look at me or come out. "No, I stopped them. Go for a photo" I said. "I'm not going anywhere" he said casually. "Kya matlab! and why are you being ignorant?" I seriously can't understand this man. Whenever I dreamed about him, sapno mein bhi Manik aise hi apni manmaani karta tha. He always does this, jo mann mein aaya bol diya, kar diya. But why should I listen to him now. "Tumhe aana hi hoga, I don't have all day only for family pictures" I said. He finally came out of the pool and dried himself. 

"So, come on dono jayenge family photo ke liye" he said. "Why would I come in between your family" I was taken aback when he asked me to come with him. How could he ask me! "I'm not allowed to go for a family photo without you" he said. "I shouldn't have come to you, My bad!" Its definitely my mistake to talk with Manik. How could he expect me to go with him after all happened. I went back from there and by the time I went there, Aryaman went ahead and all family portraits were done. How could they just ignore Manik like he was not there. Strangely neither of the family members nor anyone raised any objection regarding it. "Navya, don't you feel there is something we don't know about this family" I asked Navya suspiciously. "Ha, when you went aside for Manik, Nyonika aunty went ahead like nothing happened" Navya said. "Chalo, leave it. There's a flower market nearby, we will go and order poola jada, garlands and mandap decor" Navya and me decided to go for some last minute shopping while Neha and Karthik had photoshoot. 

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Manik's POV:

"Manik" I saw Aryaman post lunch. "Did Nandini talk to you?" he asked. Shit! Nandini might have told everyone that she is coming to me. "Haven't you told her anything! she asked mom that why aren't you with us" he said. I never told Nandini anything or maybe she never let me tell her anything post our divorce. She wasn't ready to talk to me. I thought that was a phase but unfortunately that phase is still there in our lives. I've never wanted her to leave me, rather I wanted to be with her when uncle aunty died. I know it must have been so tough for her but then she built a wall across her which we could never break. I don't know why she had made her life so complicated that she herself can't even break the wall she built.

"Usse pata nahi tha. I've never told her" I said to Aryaman. I know Aryaman has many questions but I can't answer him anyhow. "Mom kaisi hai. Is she fine?" I asked him. "Kaise hoga sab theek! Kuch tho bol do na. Its not going to be okay until you or Nandini speaks. Don't you think we deserve to know what happened in your life?" he asked. "Aryaman, jaan ke kya karoge. The fact is nothing changes even if I tell you. Nandini kabhi wapas nahi aana chahti hai. I didn't wanted her to go away, wo apni marzi se chali gayi" I tried to explain again. "Ok, you didn't wanted her to leave, but why didn't you stop her? Why didn't you try to convince her" he asked. "Tumhe lagta hai maine usse convince nahi kiya? Don't you know how hard I tried to get her back. Eventually kya hua? She didn't even wanted to listen to me. Three months! I went to her, har roz, baar baar pucha maine, usse kaha ki ye sab mat karna but she didn't listen". It wasn't easy for me too, to let her go but Nandini said she had no reason to stay back either.

Disappointed with me, Aryaman left from my room, yet again. Life has become a full circle now. Phir se history repeat ho raha hai. Aryaman mujhse har roz puchta tha ki bhabhi kyu ghar nahi aa rahi hai, mom mujhse baat karna chod diya. Mukti slowly distanced herself and wo apni life mein busy ho gayi. What do I do? Maine job chod diya, Nandini ne mujhe chod diya. Phir se Bangalore lautne ke liye koi wajhe nahi mila and ghar pe rehna mushkil ho gaya. I felt separated from my own family. Apne hi ghar mein suffocated feel ho raha tha. That was when Inaya came to see me in Hyderabad. I was happy to know that she and Vikas were getting engaged. Even Inaya and Vikas had resigned after I left the job. By God's grace, Vikas has got an opportunity in Canada and they decided to move there after marriage. Inaya has introduced me to Cabir, who was an investment banker back then.