A Part, Yet Apart

Chapter 98- The After Effects

Tara's POV:

As we sat for the breakfast, watchman marched into the drawing room. "Ma'am ye app ke liye" he handed it over to atthamma. "Uncle aap delivery boy nahi ho na, ask the delivery/courier boys to come inside and give it" Aryaman said. "Koi delivery boy nahi babu, Nandini beti has come to give it" he said. "Nandini?" Mukti asked with a surprising look. It's been a month since atthamma is discharged and ever since she is back home, no one talked about Manik bava or Nandini. Atthamma opened the cover and found two bangles in it. "Usne kaha ki isme sone ki cheez hai isliye wo khud aayi hai wapas dene" he said. "Maine usse khud aapko dene ke liye kaha tha, par wo chali gayi" he said. "Itna sab kuch hone ke baad bhi aapne usse ghar mein bulaya? Uncle mom ki ye haalat ussi ki wajhe se hai" Mukti said. She didn't leave her mom after she is discharged. Abhimanyu would come on weekends or whenever he is free to see Mukti and their son. 

"Tara, keep them inside in the safe" Atthamma gave the bangles to me. I have never seen them before here. "Whose bangles are they?" I asked out of curiosity. "Tara, do what you've been told" Aryaman said with a cold stare and left for the office. After Mavayya and Aryaman left, Mukti sat with atthamma in her room. I was left all alone and decided to cook something to kill the time. "Bhabhi" I heard Mukti calling and went to her. "I know pregnancy starting weeks are so exhaustive, you can go home if you want to" she said. "Not that I'm asking you to leave, you might crave for Aryaman's attention too but I can clearly see he is off" she said. "No Mukti, I heard from Aryaman and Abhimanyu that you are cancelling the Singapore trip you've planned 5 months before" I asked her. "Haa mom theek nahi hai na" she said. "I can look after atthamma, don't you trust me with her" I asked holding her hands. 

"No Bhabhi, you should be taking rest now, mom ka responsibility main tumhe saupna nahi chahti iss time pe" Mukti said concerned. "Don't worry, you go on that trip, I will take care of her" I said. "Ha Mukti, Tara is right, main apna khayal rakh lungi, please" Atthamma said. "Ok, if you insist" she said looking excited. At least someone is getting lucky tonight. Aryaman would come home tired and his mood seemed off whenever I tried to talk to him. Mukti left in the evening and there is a dead silence at home. "Tara, let's have dinner beta" Atthamma called. "I'm waiting for Aryaman" I told her. "He will eat when he come back, but you should not delay eating. Let's eat before it is late" she said and we had dinner chatting about some random topics. "Atthamma, can we go to hospital tomorrow. I have taken appointment" I said. "But why all of a sudden? I'm fine now" she said. "Ha but it's been a month since we've had a checkup, just a general visit" I said and Aryaman came.

"Yes mom, that's actually a good idea, you should go with Tara" he seconded me. "Ok, I'll go. Come freshened up now, Tara is waiting to have dinner with you. You should spend time with her in the first trimester, don't work till late night" she said. He nodded and we had a quick dinner after he came. No matter, how busy everyone is, we had made a ritual that at least one meal per day should be with family but why these family dinner or lunches if no one talks about what's within their heart. "How long will all of you stay mum like this?" I asked as we entered our room. "What do you mean?" he narrowed his eyes at me. "Don't you know what am talking about. Kyu iss ghar mein koi Nandini ya Manik bava ke baare mein baat nahi kar rahe hai?" I asked him. 

"There's nothing to talk about them" he said making himself comfortable on the bed. He laid back with quilt over him. I pulled it over because I need to talk to him. He can't ignore me. I've stayed silent since a month hoping that he would speak when he is okay but no, this isn't something it looked like. I sat down beside him. "I know atthamma, mavayya and Mukti were still the same, they weren't really talking to Manik bava. But you! You were talking to him, you had every other detail about both of them. You've helped Nandini and what happened now?" I asked. "You're asking me after you know what they actually did! They really fooled us" he said bitterly. "You know I was always there with them yet never doubted that might just be acting to make us trust their relation" he said. "They shouldn't have lied to family" I agree with him. "Why aren't you speaking to Manik bava now?" I asked him.