Manan ff : The Manager

chapter 23

Malhotra Mansion.

10 : 00 am.

Lazily Nandini raised her heavy eyelids, only to find Nyonika smiling at her lovingly.

Nandini's head was comfortably placed on Nyonika's lap.

Nyonika ( smiling ) : neeind pura hua? ????

Still in a drowsy state, Nandini smiled a bit and said " good morning maa. .."

Nyonika lovingly caressed her hair. While, Nandini looked at her surroundings, in a daze.

On realising, exactly where she was, Nandini abruptly sat up.

Nyonika ( concerned ) : kya hua Nandu? ????....tu utth kyon gayi? ???...

Nandini ( tensed ) : agar main bed pein hu. ...toh Sir kaha soo rahe hai? ?????

On seeing Nandini's concern for Manik, Nyonika brightly smiled.

Pointing towards something, Nyonika said " udhar dekh. ...."

Turning her head, Nandini found Manik sleeping peacefully on the sofa, cuddling the cushion.

On seeing Manik like that Nandini's eyes became moist and she was all set to cry.

Nandini, with a choked voice said " I am sorry. ... I am so sorry maa. ...meri wajah se Sir ko sofa par soona padda! !!!!.....please aap gussa maat hona. ...."

Nyonika ( chuckled ) : gussa? ?????....arrey I am toh proud of you. ....

Nandini ( confused ) : matlab? ????

Nyonika ( teasingly ) : arrey. ...shaadi ke pehele hi tune aapne hone wale pati ko sofa taak pohacha diya!!!!. ....aur shaadi ke baad toh ekdam bedroom ke bahar hi kar degi! !!!!

On hearing this, Nandini started to giggle and said " maa. ...aap bhi! !!!!!"

Nyonika ( smiling ) : aur nehin toh kya! !!!!.....kam se kam tu mere iss nalaayak bete ko line pein toh layi! !!!!.....arrey. ...main toh iss ke baap ko sudharte sudharte thaak gayi! !!!

On this comment, Nyonika and Nandini again burst out laughing.

Seeing the clock, Nandini said " accha maa. ....main filhal nikalti hu. ...aap Sir ko aaj rest lene ke liye kahiyega. ...Studio ane ki koi zarurat nehin hai. ..."

Nyonika ( teasingly ) : jaisa Manik ki boss kahegi. ....bilkul waisa hi hoga! !!!!

On hearing this, Nandini chuckled. While, Nyonika had a good laugh.

7 : 30 pm.

Manik was pacing to and fro in the living room, muttering harmless abuses.

Manik ( pov ) ( pissed ) : pure duniya ki usse fikar hai. ...lekin meri. ...meri toh usse koi parwah hi nehin hai! !!!!.....subha mujhe bina baata ke chali gayi!!!!. ...abhi taak ek phone call bhi nehin kiya! !!!!.....aur upar se. ...madam ko ghar ane mein bhi late ho raha hai aaj ! !!!!. ....matlab. ...meri toh koi chinta hi nehin hai usse! !!!!

Exactly at that moment, Nandini entered the living room, looking exhausted.

One look at Nandini's face and Maniks anger went down the gutter.

Giving Nandini angry glares, Manik said " kaha thi tum? ????.....itna late kyon hua? ????....aur tumhara phone kaha tha? ????....ek call nehin kar sakti? ????....pataa hai tumhe dekhe bina main kitne tension mein tha. ..."

On realising what he said, Manik nervously looked at Nandini, who was staring at him with shock.

Manik stared stammering " mera. ....matlab. ...woh. ...main. ..."

Well, Maniks stammering session was interrupted by Fab4, who came running inside the house.

Manik ( concerned ) : kya hua tumlogo ko? ????....aise kyon bhaag rahe ho? ?????

Mukti ( panicked ) : Manik television on kar. ....aur news dekh. ...

Manik ( confused ) : news? ????

But looking at fab4's scared faces, Manik immediately went and switched on the television.

All the news channels were showing the pictures of Fab5 ,with a caption ' COPYCATS '

Dhruv ( frustrated ) : buddy. ...Harshad Saxena ne Fab5 pein case file kiya hai! !!!!.....ki humare saare gaane copied hai. ....

On hearing this, Nandini immediately looked at Manik, only to find him staring at the floor, blankly.

Without uttering a word, Manik left from there.

Maniks silence was exactly the thing, which Nandini feared the most.

Manik has always been an impulsive soul, with a devil -may - care attitude. But his silence was one thing, which scared the shit out of Nandini.

Yes, Nandini was scared of Maniks silence. ....because she knew. ..his silence only meant. ...that he was dying from inside. ...

Keeping her thoughts aside, Nandini hurried towards Maniks room, only to find him lying on the bed with his eyes closed.

Nandini calmly went and sat beside him.

Sensing Nandini's presence, Manik shifted his head on her lap.

Fully aware of Maniks inner turmoil, Nandini massaged his head.

While, the tears which Manik had been holding till then, started rolling down his eyes, wetting Nandini's jeans.

For the first time, Nandini was feeling helpless.

She was cursing herself, for not being able to protect Manik.