Reality Ever After

Part 10. Lovers' Quarrel

Manik and Nandini were shocked to find Amms standing in the living room at Manik's house at 5:30 am.

Nandini - Amms.... aap yahan? Iss time pe? Aa...aap yahan kya kar rahe ho?

Manik put Nandini on her feet and suddenly realised what state of undress both of them were in. He was in his boxers and a vest and she was in his shirt with the shortest of her shorts which were not even visible with his large shirt. He knew Amms had put two and two together and was just scared of her reaction now.

Nandini - Amms. Woh main Manik ke ghar pe.

Amms - Hume laga tum Alya, Mukti aur Navya ke saath Navya ki help kar rahi ho but tumne humse jhoot bola. I need an explanation Nandini.

Manik - Woh Amms.. Nandini...

Amms - Manik. Maine yeh sawaal Nandini se poocha hai. Iska jawab Nandini degi.

Nandini - Haan Amms. I stayed over at Manik's. And this is not the first time.

Amms - I'm very disappointed Nandini. I didn't expect ki tum humse jhoot bologi.

Nyonika - Manik. What the hell is this? I didn't know that tum Nandini ki family se jhoot bol rahe the all this while. Do you even know what it means for a girl in our society to live with a man without a marriage.

Manik - Listen, don't make a scene here? You have got nothing to do this. Please leave.

Nyonika - Manik. Don't try to run away from your mistakes. Is this what I have taught you? Tumhe toh iss situation se koi farak nahi padega because you're a guy. But can you imagine the kind of things people will call Nandini? She'll be labelled as a slut.

Manik - Mind your language Ny... Not a word against Nandini.

Nyonika - Exactly Manik. You should've thought about this before you both started sleeping together. I understand you'll have all the teenage hormones and you both are in a relationship but this is not acceptable. Just look at both of you. We have servants in the house. And you think they don't notice anything and that they don't gossip?

Manik and Nandini finally understood this was one of Nyonika's cheap tricks to break them by involving Nandini's family. She was the reason why Amms was in his house and she was now adding fuel to the fire to provoke Amms.

Nandini - Nyonika Ma'am. That's enough drama for this morning, don't you think? And don't blame Manik for the reason I'm here. I'm here because I want to be here. I'm here because I love Manik and I don't think you have the right to interfere with what we do behind closed doors.

Nyonika - Really? Are you saying we don't have any rights even as parents?

Nandini - Don't even try calling yourself a parent Nyonika. You're the mother who frames her own son in a murder trial. So let's not even go there. And to answer your other question, Manik and I are adults. We have the complete right to decide if we want to have a physical relationship or not.

Amms - Nandini. Is this the way you talk to your elders?

Nandini - I'm sorry Amms. But I can never have any respect for Nyonika. And Amms, I'm sorry.

She walked up to her grandmother and held her hand.

Nandini - I'm sorry that I lied to you about staying here. Mujhe laga ki aap comfortable nahi honge about this. And I really regret lying to you. I'm sorry. But like I told Nyonika Ma'am, I don't regret any part of my relationship with Manik. I love Manik and I'm here because I choose to be here with him. Manik is going through a tough time. And mujhe uske saath rehna zyaada important laga.