Manan FF: Connected Hearts

21. Is it her?

"Nandu, we missed the route" Manik spoke looking here and there in the forest. She looked at Manik with a smile

"I am so happy for that" she spoke making Manik confused

"Don't look at me like that because the moment we are back we have to behave as only friends and the moments when I want to hug you and be with you I can't do that" she spoke and he looked at her with are-you-serious look which made her shrug her shoulders.

"What happened to the girl who is always afraid that someone will see us and all?" Manik asked to which she gave him a sheepish smile making him shake his head at her madness.

They were on a tour in south Africa when they thought of going for a trekking in forest. To give privacy to Abhi and Mukti and to have privacy for themselves they divided into groups. Manik and Nandini took a wrong direction in middle which made them lost in their route in middle of the forest.

"Manik" Nandini spoke jumping like a kid who got her favourite chocolate

"What?" he asked smiling at her seeing her cute face. She asked him to bend down and when he did, she kissed him on his cheeks making him shock and blush at same time.

"Why did I receive such a pleasure?" he asked Nandini to which she again gave him a kiss on his jaw

"You should stop if you don't want me to show you my power" he spoke to which she started to walk silently and then they started to search for an exit from the forest but they couldn't find anything. It was dusk which made Manik worried of their safety

"Manik I think we need to find some shelter now" she spoke, and he nodded his head looking here and there. Manik then found a light source at a distant in his eyesight

"Jaan I think there are some people living here in some distance lets go and see if we can get any help" Manik spoke and soon they reached the camp area and found out that it was tribal village.

"I think we can easily get their help" Manik spoke and soon they entered inside the village but then they were stopped by one person

"What are you doing here?" (using English as tribal language for easy understanding) the other person asked Manik

"We lost the way, we need help" Manik spoke and the person nodded his head at him

"Come with me and only if the head accept, we will help you" the person spoke, and they moved towards the head of the village and Manik held Nandini hand in his as he wants to protect her.

"Sir, these people want help to cross this forest" the person spoke to the head to which the head looked at them

"How did you reach this deep into the forest?" the head asked Manik and Nandini, Manik described them all the things they experienced today which made the head nod his head at them.

"Are you married?" the head asked again seeing them holding their hands. Manik was about to say no when Nandini spoke before him

"Yes sir, we are married, and we are here for our honeymoon" Nandini spoke making Manik look at her with shocked face but then he covered it immediately when he saw that Nandini pinched his hand in their entwined hands.

"Ok going out now is not safe, we will drop you till the end tomorrow morning" the head spoke and soon both were shown their cottage for the day.

"Why did you say like that?" Manik asked once they were alone.

"I used to see these people customs during medical camps and these people think that without marriage getting into relation is sin and some even will go to extent to kill them so we don't know about their culture so let's pretend that we are already married" she spoke to which Manik nodded his head at her.

When they woke up the next morning and came out from their cottage, they found some festival going. Manik stopped one of the persons from the tribe

"What is going on here?" he asked him

"This is the festival of married couple, and we believe that once they are married during this festival they will be together forever and even in the upcoming many lives" the person spoke and then left from there.

Soon they were gathered at the centre of the village and the head forced even Manik and Nandini to get married and having no other choice they married in the style of the village.

They were then escorted to the clearing of the forest and all the way both were silent. They were drowning with many emotions inside them as they were experiencing new things.

"I love you jaan and don't leave me ever" Manik spoke and he held her hand but then she removed her hand from his hold, moved back and moved till he can't reach her.

"Nandini" he shouted and woke up from his sleep, made him realise that she is indeed not with him. He then tried to sleep but ended up looking at her picture all night long.

They reached down at 8 in the morning and unwillingly ate their breakfast in silence because they were having a mixed emotion inside them. Soon they reached the hospital where the body was kept.

"Good morning sir, this way please" the inspector spoke showing them the way to mortuary. Each step they took towards the mortuary made them break their heart break into pieces and these pieces will only be fixed by Nandini.

"Sir, because of the rain and being buried in the mud... the body was already decomposed to 25%, the face has swollen and the face cut has changed, so we need you to identify based on the things we found along with body and also the birth marks on the body" the inspector spoke giving them a mask to cover themselves from the smell. The four people entered inside the mortuary and moved towards one corner where the body was isolated and placed in fluids.

"These are the things we found along with the body" the inspector spoke and gave him a cover which contains the things. Abhi took them and opened it to find Nandini's bracelet, chain and a nuptial chain inside it.

"The bracelet and chain belong to Nandini but then this nuptial chain... Manik did you tie it to her?" Abhi asked showing the nuptial chain. Seeing it Manik had tears in his eyes and nodded in yes making the inspector look at them with sympathetic smile.

"Sir, we can confirm the body now" the inspector spoke and removed the cover of the body making all of them shock and look at the body with a confused face.