'Married Strangers' || ✔

~Chapter 8~ Thunderous Picinc

"Nandini that was not a smart move." Manik scolded me for the third time that evening. Stupid of me? Oh please its he who needs to understand why I did what I did back there? How could I let my monster hubby stuck in any problems? Problems are only my patent he only needs to rescue me from it not to stuck in it and make me run for his rescue operation!

"Manik I simply cant let you die in this cold and dark jungle. What would I have answered your family if something did happen to you?" I remark, biting my lips on the very thought. I silently prayed for his well being forever to Aayiappa.

"And do you even realize how crazy would I have gone if god forbid something happened to -." He stopped in the middle of the sentence and I let my eyes widened on his sentence.

"Uh..I mean you are my responsibility Nandini your life is my priority here and for ever." He sighs and I smile inwardly. I for unknown reason felt content in that incomplete sentence. It had a meaning, my heart know that.

"Sorry. But I was scared. I thought I will never see you after that. In panic I did what I felt right." I bite my lips and with a sad guilty face apologize to him.

"Me too sorry Nandini, its just I got panic. When I returned and you were not in the car." He breathes in sharp, "... but I am happy we are together now." He says being really nice to me.

"Oh yes. You should be thankful to me for that." I giggled raising my imaginary collar up.

"Or should I be more thankful to the poor lizard who dare to sit on your duppata. If it wasn't him, I could have never found you that easily. He managed to get you scream so hard. You almost could have been heard from other side of world." He laughed teasing me in process.

This was the first time I got a chance to see his dimples. Aww! He looks so cute with those beautiful dents on cheeks, though they are very chotu sa... But what a sight, can I just pull his cheecks?  His eyes wrinkled and he imitates my reaction when he saw me after the lizard incident. I too smile shyly remembering how panic he looked when he heard me blasting my tonsils, the first reaction by him is always a hug. I make a note of it. Although it feels weird, of him to behave nice with me, but still I like this Manik more than the earlier one. I smiles looking at him. He raises his brow in arch for a question and I just nods in no.

After 15 minutes of walking through mud and unconstructed ground, I feel cold drop of water against my forehead. Oh please!! No more twist here. I pray as silently as I could but it came out in panic stilling Manik's amusement on my reaction.

I and Manik are running in jungle hay-via with no map , no sign boards no compass; it feels damn difficult to reach anywhere close to city or atleast out of this woods. The rain gets heavier and heavier and I can hardly see anything ahead of me due to the thick fog. Lightning flashes somewhere in sky and after that follows a loud thunder music. Shit!

We run for few more minutes, then finally Manik suggest us to take shelter under a big banyan tree. What the hell? Where are all those cute huts and houses which movies show when leads get stuck in similar situation.I cry out loud for sake and then I hear the clattering of my teeth. Damn! I am freezing in here. I need a hut , a roof to be safe but to our wonderful luck we don't see anywhere close. All I could pray to Aayiappa for not making the situation worse, by any snake or any wild animals presence. This much adventure is more than enough for life. I decide, No more trips to anywhere which route has jungle to pass through.

Few minutes later, I start to feel my body getting numb and before I could realize my head starts to spin...

MANIK POV:

I looked at Nandini, who constantly tried to keep her eyes open. She was shivering with cold I could see it. So without giving a second thought I stood right in front of her, taking of my jacket I placed it high on top of her head like a roof. She looked at me in surprise but didn't said anything. Her situation was getting worse and all the cell in my body started to dread for her. I tried to find atleast some place where she would be safe from water but there was absolutely nothing that caught my vision. And if it was any where near, it surely got hidden behind the thick fog.

What looked like hours, the storm finally has stopped. I felt pain in my legs for standing all the time. But neglecting my own shit, I felt worried for Nandini. She is takimg deep breathes, trying hard to keep her eyes open and hugging her body tight. Poor she, her condition had worsened every minutes and I prayed her Aayiappa to help her and get her safe through it.

"Nandini. Nandini " I called her name bringing the jacket down to my side. Oh damn! My hands felt sore. I groan and jerked my hands to get out the numbness and tickling out of it. Shit elbow hurts too.

"Hey Nandini. Are you ok?" I really felt worried for the girl she seems to be so quite now. Its then when my whole body went on alert and I took her petite form in my arms.

"She is cold as Ice." I realized as she is shaking terribly in cold.

She is wet and I still haven't figured where to go. Now what to do? I tried calling for help but finds no one near by. Her eyes were drooping, her breathes went shallow, her legs were giving up, she was about to faint ,when I took her in my arms. Sighing in defeat, finding no other option, I take the last option left for me to help her. She needs to get rid of those wet clothes and she need heat to warm herself up. I closed my eyes for a second, asking for forgivenes for my sinful act. Though she is my wife, but its ethically wrong to touch her without her consent!

"Nandini. I know you wont let me do this and this is wrong because you are unconscious. But it's the only thing left for me to help you. Please understand it when you wake up." I kissed on her forehead and then moved my hand to her kurti to toss it off her head. Then I slowly peel off her clothes and put them on trees for drying. Then I make her sit for a while and get a big leaf from a close by tree and help her to sit on it. She still needs help, she needs heat. I check for any dry branches or woods to use them as fire but all are wet due to rain.
I turn back to her and sat on my knees in front of my wife. I stare at her beautiful face. She looked pale and her teeth were constantly clattering. If I waste time thinking more, I would probably lose her. We have to get through this. I won't let her die. She has to live with me, we will turn old, we will have our sons daughters and grandchildren.

I let a tear slip from my eyes as I try my best to send prayers for her health to her Aayiappa. Finally, I gather all my courage and love for her to do it. I pick my shirt and toss it over my head and then I do the same for rest of my clothes. I still feel guilty to do this to her, it is her first and she surely might have some dreams for losing it. This is probably not the idealistic situation for doing this but it's her who is in stake and I am ready for all the blame she will put on me when she gets up.

I with a sigh drop a kiss on her forehead, "I am sorry love, please forgive me for this." I brushed her hair with my thumb, taking her side face in my palm I lean in to kiss her lips and silence the clattering of her teeth...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

What'll be Nandini's reaction?

Will it be end or start of something new?

Can Nandini forgive him?