MANAN- Strings of love

45. Truth

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     The puffed-up cheeks and the narrowed eyes of Shikha stared at me. She was still angry with me but as I was hospitalized Gunjan has brought her. I had no strength to say something. I think it is only an apple I ate yesterday afternoon and today as Aliya was excited I didn't have my breakfast.

    "Sorry" still having the narrowed eyes, Shikha's words were really hard to process. "It's ok Shikha but you need to understand, you are just 3 you can't work before 14. If you work the uncles from mole and me will be behind bars." I said as I took her small a bit cold hands in my hand.

    Now when she looked up her eyes were glistening with tears. "Hey what happened? I told you it's ok next time don't do it." I said as I wiped her eyes. She nodded and sat on the chair beside the bed telling me all the things that happened in the kinder garden.

   What more do I want other than her smile? Just seeing her makes all my fatigue disappear. "....then Lakshmi said that you will be married and the teacher said they will definitely come to your wedding." I was still smiling when I caught her words.

    "Wait, how did Lakshmi get to know about my wedding?" Well, the wedding is canceled. "I told her." Shikha's words made my BP high. Ok Nandini happy thoughts, think about beautiful butterfly sitting on this bed. "Why did Lakshmi told that to the teacher?" I asked still thinking of butterfly as I didn't want to suffer from BP as well now.

   "You didn't listen to what I told you! So platinum words are... What is the opposite of repeated?" Shikha asked. "Not repeated?" I said, well I not a scholar in English. "Yes, platinum words are not repeated." Shikha's words made me confused. "But that is golden words are not repeated right?" I asked since I have heard many times.

    "Lakshmi's papa said platinum is costlier than gold so I thought using that," she said, I still can't believe she is just 3 as the way she talks. I still remember Attige eating a lot of ladyfingers, green vegetables. "Fine, but I need you to learn alphabets, numbers, colors, vegetables, and everything," I said.

    Then she continued her story which I half-listened and I didn't know when I drifted to deep slumber. There came Harshad with Gunjan "As today there are a lot of patients for the doctor he told that your discharge process will take place tomorrow." I groaned hearing it.

   This hospital smell is almost making me puke and depressing with all the white walls. "It's ok, Gunjan will be staying here." I just shook my head. "Harshad, I am not handicapped I am just admitted for low sugar and dehydration. As you saw already 3 bootles of glucose are already over I think. I am perfectly fine." I said only to be scolded by Gunjan and Harshad.

   Finally, with all the arguments it was settled that Harshad is going to be with me. I just sighed and wanted to sleep.

   I was woken up by the ringing of the phone. Harshad ran out of the room to receive the call. I was about to go back to sleep when a figure entered. I thought it to be an intruder, was about to scold him when I saw the face of the man that made my heart beat abnormally.

   "What are you doing here?" I asked with my voice was hoarse. "Wanted to talk with you ." he said and sat on the stool placed beside my bed. "Why are you avoiding me or should say my calls?" This was the question that I dreaded to answer.

    "Manik there is no need of talking. You and I were together because of Aliya and Druv then we were together to find the traitor in the secret factory so we are done now." I said and avoided looking at him.

   "Well, I am not done. I want to spend my life with you, stay with you forever. In short, I love you. Now common unblock my number so we could talk without the presence of Hulk." Manik's words made me want to answer everything.

   "Manik this is not easy. If it was about me I would have said yes the moment you kissed me but I have a girl whom I promised to protect her. You know when my Anna or when I lost my family I didn't know what to do? There was a thought in me where I could jump from the bridge and end it all ."

   I still remember that horrible night that shook my world. "Then I saw the little girl who was crying with me. Just imagine Manik if something happened to me who is going to take care of her? I know now I have many people in life but till when will they care? Even they have family, one day they will have their babies and Shikha will be left out. Now Shikha will feel the same thing I felt one that day. So Manik, just save our time by going separate way."

   I thought he will go away after all this but "So you love me and if I ask ready to marry me?" Oh god! "In all these, you only got that?!" I asked in disbelief. He had this small grin which made him look cute and also prevented me from venting out all my anger.

   "Nandini! I wanted to tell you a truth. You, Anna, was tested at various level of loyalty, bravery, and courage. Your family was selected in place of the 4th family which quit. There was this agreement which stated that his family will continue working for 5 generations. " I just wanted to shout from all the frustration now.

   "You like it or not you, Shikha, and our upcoming generations are already into this." All the frustrations, tensions, and anger came in the form of saltwater from my eyes. Now how will I protect Shikha? Even if I run away from this country problem will never leave my back.

   "Hey, now don't cry. I know the truth is bitter but the truth is truth." This man was adding salt to my wound. "Manik, how will I protect Shikha? I don't know what to do?" still weeping in my situation I said the words. 

  "When I am here why do you worry. I promise I will protect Shikha as well as make her strong so she can protect herself. You need to relax, I will take care of everything. The first thing you need to do is unblock my number. I want to talk a lot." he said and ran away from the room.

  I quickly wiped my tears to avoid further questioning from Harshad. I heard Harshad coming and sleeping the bed at the corner. I was still worried about Shikha's safety. Even after dying my Anna never let me sleep without worry, pig, idiot, stupid, mad.....

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Character's opinion

Lotus_dream : When did you meet Nandini's anna?

Nandini's Attige : I worked in one of the Malhotra's branch and then Abhi's company came for a project where I met Nandu's Anna

Lotus_dream : So was it love at first sight?

Nandini's Attige : No, it was love after he asked me sorry for first time.

Lotus_dream :  Why did he ask sorry?

Nandini's Attige :  He dropped his coffee on my formals on the first day in my office. I had fought over hi, but he told me that it was my fault. Then I made his life living hell where he found me cute and I found him annoying.