MaNan FF - Angel In Disguise

#31- Deluged With Emotions

#31 - Deluged With Emotions

3:30 PM

"Okay kiddos, time for power nap!"

Nandini announced to the kids who returned with her from the mess after lunch. Sprawling, prowling and goofing around were the natural characteristics of the children here, and even those who had joined them as a quiet, aloof child, couldn't help but mix with the crowd. The kind of liveliness this place and the children here held was insurmountable- just one of the reasons why Abhi made sure Nandini should know about this place, lest he never makes it out alive to bring her here.

The children's dorm was a corner of the orphanage holding a spacious room with set of tables and equipment for children's meals on the ground floor. The stairs lead to the humongous dorm room, with more than thirty single beds, one for each child. Attached to this room was a considerably small empty room with two single beds, used by the child who catches any viral sickness. This simple place was given a human touch- the walls- and even the ceiling, were decorated with hand paintings, stars, cartoons and vibrant colours. Nandini instantly realized how all of it screamed Abhi's touch and magic, after all she has grown up with him.

Though everyone was allotted their own bed space, all the children had gathered near Nandini and were just tagging along everywhere. Since nobody was listening to the poor caretaker in Nandini's presence, Nandini decided to recite them a story till they fall asleep.

All through his lunch, where he was sitting among fifteen other oldies, the only thing that clouded Manik's mind was Nandini. Nothing new, but he continuously wondered what she was doing, whether she had lunch or whether those notorious kids troubled her enough to be left starving. His mind had gone on a solo trip to Solomon Islands, until the same old lady shook him out of his daydream.

"Beta... itna bore hogaye humare saath?" she asked. The rest muffled their laughs as Manik stared at her like a lost lamb.

"Nahi ... woh...Nandini abhi tak aayi nahi?" he asked to change the subject.

The ones who were muffling now burst out laughing.

"Oye main boliya si na, munde nu pyar-shyar hogya ae!" the old chap with a turban sitting on the other end spoke in between his laughs.
(Oye, I told y'all na, this man's in love!)

Manik was totally oblivious as to why everyone suddenly started laughing. While he was dancing in daydream, the oldies at the table had been arguing in whispers and indirect statements about Manik and Nandini, and whether or not they felt something for each other. They finally decided on asking Manik about this, but Manik asking about Nandini had proved all their theories right in one flick.

He looked at Anita who sat among the old ladies trying to control her smile.

"Miss Anita, why are they laughing?"