M A N I K
-I'll hold you in health and sickness // a close knitted circle
Right when I was about to give up, right when I about to let go of the dwindling ray of hope that flickered dangerously inside me, the blanket of blackness was replaced by bursts of light that pierced through the darkness. It was like the heavens had given Nandini another chance to live her life right, and her heart soared, mending itself once more. She was saved! Waves of happiness and relief washed over me, and if Nandini was awake, she might felt it soak right into her bones. Dizzy with exaltation, I closed my eyes and savoured the felicity that fizzled in my heart.
"When can we meet her?", it was surprisingly Cabir who confronted the doctor who gave an ebullient smile to all of us and indicated few hours before she would wake up. We all smiled and for the first time in days, I felt my heart beating and reciprocating with full flow of emotions. The felicity was unfathomable as we all let it soak us over. Cabir saw the glint in my eyes and came to hug me, to which I interchanged gladly.
"Told you, she will be okay", Cabir said and I passed him a genuine unspurned smile which wasn't short-lived as I supposed. "Dude, you better call Uncle-Aunty and tell them that you're doing fine. They've so worried about you the entire week, I tell you. I'm tired giving them your updates every now and then, so do the honour please", he remarked sarcastically with a contorted smile spread over his face. His smirk triggered my monsterous brain and I glared him back, to which he simply shrugged off with his dead humor. "At least you're good for something", I reprised back in Manik Malhotra's way but if you'd known Cabir you would probably conclude it was a futile attempt. He made faces and didn't react anything. I gave up eventually and he did his victory dance like the one Chandler always did.
I laughed and stepped back to call my parents who obviously were worried about me. We had a brief call where I repeatedly ensured that I was eating food timely, taking care of myself and Cabir as well. I ended my call shortly and as I moved ahead, I bumped into Samay. I'd already said we had called the truce but it didn't mean that I liked his hovering presence around Nandini 24x7, but I decided not to be rude anymore.
"Mr. Malhotra I'm glad that you've done so much already. I think we can take care of her now", he said.
"Excuse me?", I was unpleasantly shocked at the audacity as well at the hilarity of his words. It took me ample time to register on the fact that he was demanding, more like commanding something of that sort.
"He is right, Mr Malhotra. I guess that's your cue to leave. I can't let you be around my best friend anymore, can't let you be the reason that she feels remorse and pain. I guess her suffering has been more than enough", a figure reiterated from the back and I knew only Navya could've said those words. It had been the same with us - unrelenting, uncompromising and unclear misunderstandings between us. I could clearly see that it was going to be a long argument because I did understand their point of views too. They were being over protective and over possessive of Nandini and I was mentally grateful to god that she had people to back her. But it won't still undermine the fact that their arguing had a dull exhaustion to it, like they'd been over the same bitterness too many times before. Samay had a sneer in his voice to which I was skeptical, that extended to his eyes and Navya spat after every vent. Samay had been doing good with me the entire week, while Navya shunned every possible source of conversation between us.
"Hey, that's a bit harsh. Didn't you guys see how Manik was the entire week? He was there like a unbreakable wall standing in the front, taking care of everything. He did it with all his heart and he wasn't there just to see her being fine. He wanted the best of her health and I'm sure you all saw how Nandini was influenced by his presence", Cabir said in my defiance. I looked at his reddened face and mentally thanked myself to have found a best friend in him. We all would want to agree that every person needs a harbour, a good friend like him, only then life becomes surviving, not living. He was my emotional relief and one friend I knew I could count on.
