|| ENDLESS LOVE || -- A MaNan FF

|| Chapter Seventeen ||

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"Please don't hurt him..pleaaase..please..NO..Aryamann..please..."  I beg and pray.

I was tied to a pillar and a lady was holding my head to watch as they kicked and thrashed my husband. I shut my eyes and desperately hoped for a miracle. "Get up Manik...Manik, get up..please...you have to...for me, for our babies."  I implore with all my strength.

Still unconscious.

I shout at the top of my voice - "Maaanikkk!!!"

No response.

I wail and weep - every muscle of my body froze at what was happening in front of me. People around me were laughing. There weren't any tears left in me. I bang my head to the pillar behind me unable to see the horrifying image in front of me - Aryamann was standing over Manik who was beaten black and blue - there was blood everywhere - Aryamann was holding a gun at Manik - point-blank. There are going to kill him. They are going to kill him right in front of my eyes. Aryamann's face was filled with perverted pleasure as he turned and looked at me screaming in helpless agony. "On three.."  he announces.

One...

Two...

Three...

I hear a gun shot.

..

..

..

"NOOO..."  I open my eyes. I was panting and gasping for breath, my heart was racing faster than a freight train and my mind was numb. I looked around frantically. To my greatest relief, Manik was sleeping - like a baby - in our bed, in our room, in our house and we are both safe.

Tears roll off my eyes as reality hit me with relief. I leaned in over Manik and gently kissed his forehead running my fingers over his hair. He is here, in front of my eyes - hale and hearty - my Manik, my world. Thank God! I close my eyes and pray to almighty for letting it all be a dream.

I climb out of the bed and walk into the bathroom. I look at my face in the mirror as I splash water over it - it was pale and expressionless. 'It's just a dream'  I tell myself. I grab a sweater and slip out of the room to check on the kids. They are fine. Everyone is fine.

But, my head was flooded with images from the nightmare and I am pretty sure that I would not be able to sleep after seeing something that disturbing. I walk into the garden to get some fresh air; it was still dark and there was a cool breeze going through my hair. My mind was calming down as I wandered around aimlessly in the garden. After a few minutes, I settle down in front of the swimming pool looking at the reflection of the moon and the stars in the water.

I finally understood why Manik wanted to protect me from the explosive information - it is overwhelming and draining. My mind was drifting off in so many directions, images of the distant and recent past kept coming back to me. I started remembering all the things he said when he first saw me in India - his anger, his confusion, his outrage, his desperation and most importantly his pain. I could see it all clearly and vividly.

"You denied me three years of their life. Who the hell gave you the right to make that decision huh? YOU BROKE MY TRUST NANDINI!! You really hurt me, you thought that I could cheat on you? Why would I cheat on you? I couldn't even look at anybody else. Why did you run away? You couldn't come to me once? Didn't all your love make you question your spectacular theory even ONCE? Do you realize that because of this stupid misunderstanding of yours, you have driven us to different parts of the world? I was ripping myself apart everyday for the last three years. You have denied me some of the most precious moments of my children's lives??? I am NEVER EVER forgiving you for this Nandini, NEVER."