Contract or Covenant

Part 5

Nandu : "No Daddu. I would have been happy to marry him if I was fine. How can I marry him knowing that I won't live for long? Why will Manik marry me? He just helped us that day,he may not even remember who i am?"

Murthy : " I can talk to him and give it a try. I want you to be happy. He seems to be the reason for your happiness. When you are happy just meeting him once, I am sure you will be a lot more happier with him beside you."

Nandu wasn't ready to agree, but her grandad tried to convince her.

Nandu : "I will agree on one condition. You should tell him the truth about my health condition. You won't force him to marry me in any way."

Murthy : "ok, done."

Nandu was sure that Manik would not agree to marry her. She couldn't deny her Daddu repeatedly and see him sad so she agreed.

After receiving Nandu's consent, Murthy decided to talk to Manik. He asked his personal assistant to set up a meeting with him. Manik was informed that Murthy wanted to meet him, but the reason for the meeting wasn't disclosed. Murthy wanted to meet Manik personally and talk to him about Nandu.

When Manik met his friends,

Manik : "Alya, I got a call from your office to meet Mr.Murthy. Any idea why does he want to meet me?"

Alya : "I don't know. I had submitted your resume sometime back,may be they called you for an interview."

Manik : "Oh ok. But the P.A didn't tell me it was for an interview."

Alya : "There can't be any other reason right. Take your certificates with you when you go to meet him."

Manik reached Murthy Towers. Whenever he had been there earlier, he used to just wait for Alya outside. Last time when he helped Nandu was the first time he had stepped into the office. Manik was directed to Murthy's cabin. After the initial pleasantries, Murthy showed Manik Nandu's photo.

Murthy : "Do you know her?"

Manik : "I don't know who she is. I met her a few days back in front of your office. But why are you asking me about her?"

Murthy : "She is my granddaughter Nandini. Thank you for helping her that day!"

Manik : "You are welcome!"

Murthy started explaining about Nandu and her heart condition to him. Manik couldn't understand why Murthy was telling him about her.

Murthy : " I want my grand daughter to spend her last days happily. Her happiness lies in you. She loves you, can you please marry her? I know it is too much to ask, consider it as a request from a helpless granddad."

It took a while for Manik to understand what Murthy was expecting from him.

Manik : "Sorry Sir, i can't. I don't understand how you expected me to make such a huge sacrifice and marry a sick girl who is going to die. She may be your granddaughter, but she is just a stranger to me. If she was a close friend or a close relative, may be I would have agreed to it thinking that I am fulfilling her last wish. But she is no one to me."

Murthy tried requesting Manik, but that didn't work. Murthy was a successful business man, so he tried to use his business tactics. Murthy had got information about Manik and knew about his background.

Murthy : "Please Manik. I can give you anything you want in return. I can give you a job here, i can transfer the ownership of one of my companies to your name. Even if that is not sufficient, I can transfer my entire property to your name if you stay with my granddaughter till her end..."

Murthy : "You need to be beside her as a loving and caring husband. If physical intimacy is a concern then you don't have to worry about it, her health condition restricts her from it. You can take time and think about it."

Manik(in anger) :"There is nothing there to think about it. You are a businessman and might see everything as an asset which you can buy, even people. Maybe I don't belong to a high class society and am not as wealthy as you, but i do have self-respect. You are trying to put a price tag on me, but I am not available for sale."

Murthy : "I didn't mean like that..."

Manik didn't wait for Mr.Murthy to complete and left from there. Nandu's granddad felt dejected and helpless. He felt he failed. What was the use of all his power and status if he couldn't bring happiness in his granddaughter's life?

Manik walked out from Murthy's office fuming in anger. Alya who was waiting to know why Murthy had called Manik followed Manik. Once they were outside the office,

Alya : "What happened Manik? Why did he want to talk to you?"

Manik : "How can he bring up such an absurd proposal? What does he and his granddaughter think of themselves? Just because they are rich, they can buy anyone."

Alya : "First, cool down and then tell me what happened in there."

Manik told Alya about what Murthy discussed with him. After sometime, Manik left from there and Alya got back to her work. Alya was physically present at work, but her mind was busy thinking about Murthy's proposal for Manik. She started forming her own ideas regarding the proposal. Alya did research on how much Murthy's company and property was worth. She also managed to find a photo of Murthy and her granddaughter from one of the old magazines.

In the evening, when fab5 met for practice, she brought up the topic again.

Alya : "Manik, did you think about Murthy's proposal?"

Manik : "What is there to think about it?"

Cabir/ Dhruv/ Mukti : "What proposal?"

Alya explained everything to them. She also showed the magazine with the photos and also explained how much Murthy's property was worth.

Manik : "I don't know why did I even help them that day. If I had known they were like this, I would have stayed far away from them."

Alya : "Manik, i think you should think about Mr.Murthy's proposal."

Manik : "Even you are talking like your boss..."

Alya : "First listen to me. This proposal will solve all our problems."

Alya : "You are trying for a job that will suit your qualification from a long time, but haven't got one still. You wanted to get your land back which has been mortgaged, but have no idea how to get it back. If things continue like this, you may lose that land."

Alya : "We are playing in small orchestra, we can try something on a much bigger scale and become famous. It will help all of us. We will have everything i dream of - a huge mansion, cars, lot of luxuries. Our future will be settled."

Manik : "So you want me to become the scape goat in all this. Even you think, i will sell myself to fulfill our needs. We can achieve everything without accepting this proposal too, it will just take time. We may not end up having a life as luxurious as Murthy's, but how does it matter?What are we even going to do with so much wealth?"

Alya : "Yes it will take time...how long we don't know. We might grow old by the time we achieve it and we may not be in a position to enjoy it."

Mukti : "Alya, you are asking him to marry? Weren't you upset with Manik just because he carried the same girl when she was unconscious?"

Alya : "Yes, i was upset then. But think, he has to marry her, not live with her forever. She will be dying in a few months."

Manik : "Alya, it is marriage we are talking about. It is not a play where i am playing part of husband for few minutes. It is real life, i will have to stay with her till she is alive."

Alya : "I agree you have to marry her for real. But after that you just need to play a part of caring husband, not for few minutes but for a few months. Mr.Murthy and his granddaughter are trying to use you for their benefit, we will use them for ours."

Dhruv : "However absurd it appears, Alya has a point."

Mukti : "I agree."

There was no response from Cabir, so everyone looked at him. Cabir was lost in his thoughts and was smiling to himself.