Contract or Covenant

Part 8

The person who overheard Nandini and Navya's conversation was none other than Manik. Manik had returned home and was on his way to their room. He heard Nandu and Navya talking about him, so he stayed outside and overheard their conversation. Once their conversation moved on to other topics he left the place. Manik went to the terrace, he wanted some time to himself to contemplate.

Manik's thoughts : "The impression I had of Nandini and her granddad was completely wrong. Nandini didn't even tell Mr.Murthy about me. She doesn't even know about the proposal and I thought she was behind it. I can't blame Mr.Murthy either. He put forth the proposal for his granddaughter's happiness like I accepted the same for my friends."

Manik's thoughts : "Navya is right, I had the option to back out if I wanted to. I chose to accept the proposal, now i have to figure out how to deal with it."

Meanwhile Nandu and Navya's conversation continued.

Nandu : "I was so busy in my own thoughts, I forgot to ask you. Why didn't you come home after the wedding?"

Navya : "I didn't want to become the third wheel between the newly married couple."

Navya : "Also I had to stay back home because a prospective groom and his family came to see me yesterday. It is such a torture Nandu."

Navya started venting out her frustration.

Navya : "Dress up like mannequin and sit in front of them. They scan you from head to toe using their eyes as scanner. Mom excepts me talk as sweet as honey even to their stupid questions. I don't understand if the groom wants to marry me or my job. There family wants a daughter-in-law or a person to do all their chores. If I am going to do everything, what will they do. If I have to fulfill all their demands even if I have many hands like my Matarani,it won't be sufficient."

Navya : "It is ok if their son has flaws, but daughter-in-law has to be perfect in all aspects. As though I am not human being but some god."

Navya : "Mom is all set to snatch my freedom. She is in a hurry to kick me out of the house. She feels that if I cross the age bar, then i will remain a spinster. Age bar seriously, she talks as though it is a government job and not a wedding."

Navya was talking animatedly and Nandu was chuckling listening to Navya's description.

Navya : "Nandu you are laughing at my misery. You got your Prince Charming even without having to look for him, so you won't understand my situation. I don't know how many more people I have to meet before finding my life partner."

Nandu : "Sorry Navya, I wasn't laughing at your misery. The way you were describing things made me laugh. I was also imagining you like your Matarani with many hands doing different tasks."

Navya's thoughts : "You at least chuckled, I don't mind even if it was seeing my misery."

Nandu : "I wish I had a brother. I could have made you my sister-in-law and freed you from all this torture."

Navya : "I thought you considered me like your sister, but you are talking about being a sister-in-law."

Nandu : "Navya, i consider you as my sister. I told so because I met you only a few years back. Soon, you will get married and go away from me. But if I had a brother and I could make you my sister-in-law, you would have stayed with me for the rest of our lives."

Nandu : "I will pray to Aiappa. I will ask him to send your life partner soon and free you of your torture. All the best for groom hunting!"

After some contemplating, Manik came to their room. Navya had left by then.

Manik : "Good evening!"

Nandini : "Good evening!"

Manik : "How are you?"

Nandini : "I am fine. How was your day?"

Manik : "Good."

Though they had spoken very little, Manik made an effort to initiate the conversation. A few days passed, there was an improvement in Manik's behavior. Seeing him trying to adjust, the doubts which Nandu had cleared slowly.

Nandu started doing little things for Manik like a dutiful wife. Things which she wasn't allowed to do, she delegated to the servants at home. She figured out his likes and dislikes either by asking him or observing him.

Manik tried to pretend as though everything was normal, though he was getting irritated by Nandini's gestures. Manik figured out that spending entire day at home without doing anything was difficult, so he starting working at Murthy Towers.

One day, Manik went to meet his friends at their practice room.

Cabir : "How is your married life?"

Manik : "It is so suffocating. I don't know how I am going to put up with it for so long."

Dhruv : "Why are you saying like that? What happened?"

Mukti : "Is she bossing over you because she is rich?"

Manik : "No, it's not like that."

Cabir : "Then what's the matter."

Manik : "I feel as though I am staying at a 5 star hotel. It doesn't feel like home to me. I feel I am not living my life anymore and she is interfering in my life all the time."

Alya : "What does she do?"

Manik : "I can do my things on my own, but no she can't let me be. She has to do it for me or she asks the servants to do it for me. She also asks a lot of questions."

Manik starts mimicking Nandu :

"Let me do it for you."

"Did you have your lunch?"

"What are your likes/dislikes?"

"What would you prefer to have for breakfast/lunch/dinner?"

Manik : "I pretend as though everything is ok, but it is so irritating."

Before anyone could respond to Manik, Manik's phone started ringing, but Manik didn't take the call. The same thing repeated again.

Dhruv : "Who is calling? Why are you not picking it up?"

Manik : "Nandini. She doesn't let me stay in peace here also. I will talk to her later."

Cabir : "Give it here, let me check why she is calling."

Cabir : "Hello Nandini! Cabir here."

Nandini : "Hello Cabir, why is Manik's phone with you? Is he fine?"

Cabir : "Yes he is fine. He came here to meet us."

Nandini : "Oh.. he is usually home by this time. He wasn't picking up his phone too, so was little worried."

Cabir : "His phone was on silent, so may be he didn't realize you were calling."

Nandini : "Oh..ok."

Cabir : "Do you want to talk to him?"

Nandu : "No..it's ok. You guys carry on. Bye"

Cabir : "Bye."

Alya : "It is a matter of few months. Please adjust for me, for us. Moreover, you should get habituated to it. Servants doing your work is the perks of being rich, so enjoy. Why are you bothered about it?"

Alya : "The only thing you need to do now is pretend to be a good husband, that's it."

Manik : "It is not as easy as you say. How am I going to pretend?I don't know what to do?"