Written in the stars

Sequel - Part 9

Cabir met Manik. During their conversation he asked about Nandini.

Cabir : "Any progress? Was Nandini able to remember anything?"

Manik : "No, she hasn't remembered anything so far."

Cabir : "Seeing your condition I remember those movies where the hero tries to remind the heroine about their past or try to make her fall in love with him again because she has amnesia."

Cabir : "In some movies, it is on a daily basis. The hero tries to remind the heroine or tries to woo her every day because she doesn't remember anything the next day. At least your case is better than that."

Manik : "Make her fall in love again? That is a good idea. If she doesn't remember her past, I can use that as plan B."

Cabir : "Oye Majnu, you are so desperate."

Manik : " I am desperate, yes. But don't compare me to someone who didn't get to live with his beloved. I don't want to be a failure. I will try everything I can do to get her back."

Cabir : "So you are going to make her fall in love again if she doesn't remember. And you think it is going to be easy?"

Manik : "I don't know how easy it is going to be. But I know that though she doesn't remember anything, her heart does recognize me."

Cabir(jokingly): "How did you know that? Did her heart tell you or did it tell your heart?"

Manik : "She did."

Cabir : "What?She told you?!"

Manik : "She didn't tell me directly, but I overheard her when she was talking to my photo."

Now that, Manik knew that things weren't as worse as he had thought and Nandu felt that there is a connection between them,  he decided to take the next step. There was not much he could do within the confines of his office. So he asked Nandu to join him when he had to go to client places. He couldn't ask her to just go out with him.

One day,

Manik : "My Uncle and Aunt's House is on the way. We will pay a quick visit."

Once they reached there, he asked Nandu to join him.

Nandu : "I don't even know them, how can I come? I will stay in the car."

Manik : "You don't have to worry about that. They are very friendly. I have already informed them that you will be coming with me."

Nandu agreed. It was actually Nandu's parents house and they wanted to see her. They had seen her at a distance after they came to know she was alive. But they didn't meet her since she didn't remember anything. Nandu felt some kind of an attachment, but didn't recognize them.

Another day, it was lunchtime when Manik and Nandini were done meeting the client. So they stopped at the restaurant for lunch. When it was time to order, Manik ordered for Nandu as he did in the past without asking her what she wanted as he knew her taste. He then realized his mistake and tried to cover up.

Manik : "Sorry, I went ahead and ordered for you without checking with you. You remind me of someone and I used to order for her. So I did the same as a habit. Would you like to order something else instead?"

Nandu : "That's alright. I would have ordered the same anyways."

Nandu wanted to ask something but hesitated and Manik sensed it.

Manik : "Do you want to ask something?"

Nandu : "If it is ok to ask may I know who I remind you of. I remember Mukti telling me that you mistook me for someone else when you were at the hospital?"

Manik couldn't tell it was her. He couldn't also tell that it is his wife. He didn't want Nandu to distance herself from him.

Manik : "She is my friend. She is the daughter of my uncle and aunt whom you met that day."

Manik : "But she doesn't remember me now. She isn't in touch with me as she was earlier."

During the conversation with Manik's aunt, Nandu came to know that they have a daughter and she is married. She didn't know that they or Manik were actually talking about her.

Seeing Manik sad,

Nandu : "You have your family and other friends with you. She might be busy and may get in touch with you soon. Till then you have memories of the time spent with her."

Nandu : "You are a lot luckier than so many others. See myself, I have only my brother. I don't have memory of how things were before, even with him."

Nandu tried to cheer Manik up, but became sad herself. How could he see her sad?

Manik : "It may take time, but you will get back your memories. Meanwhile, you can make new memories."

Once Manik got his guitar to office. He was strumming the guitar sitting in the balcony. Nandu came there to tell him his schedule for the day.

Manik : "Do you know how to play guitar?"

Nandu : "I haven't tried playing it. I don't think I knew earlier too. If I had known, there should have been a guitar at home."

Manik : "Would you like to try?"

Nandu : "No, I might end up breaking the string."

Manik : "We can always replace the string. Here, try it. "

Nandu hesitated at first. But after Manik showed her how, she tried it. She was able to get a hold of it soon. She hadn't forgotten how to play it.

Manik : "Looks like you have played it before, you have just lost touch. You can keep this with you and try to play if you want to."

Nandu : "No I can't take this, I will ask Bhai to get one for me."

Manik : "I have another one at home. You can take this now and return it when you buy a new one."

Nandu agreed. She had figured out something new about herself. She tried playing it at home.

Once on their way, he took her to the temple they visited on her birthdays. It is the same one he visited before his accident.

Manik : "Have you come here before?"

Nandu : "I don't remember coming here."

Manik : "It seems this temple is very powerful. If you make a wish here, it gets fulfilled."

Both Manik and Nandini prayed to God.

Manik was talking to God in his mind.

Manik : "I wish that we are always together like this."

Manik realized what he asked for.

Manik : "I mean ... not like this, let me be specific."

Manik : "I asked you to get her back to me or give a clue and you did. But she has lost her memory. She doesn't remember me, she doesn't remember us."

Manik : "I wish she gets her memory back and we stay together always."

Manik : "God, you fulfill wishes in installments. Are you worried that your devotees will stop coming to you if you fulfill their wishes completely?"

Manik : "If that is the case, I assure you that won't be the case with us. So please don't delay in fulfilling my wish. Nandini is a devotee of you anyways. We both will visit this place often. Now, you have two applications, please make sure that Nandu gets her memory back soon."

Manik knew that Nandini would be praying to get her memory back too.