MaNan TS: Manik's hand amputation track.Last part updated (page9)

Rishab..she suddenly remembered and with shaking hands she took the phone and called Chachi

"H...hello...Chachi Rishabh kaisa hain? ...yeah... mein hospital pahunch chuki hoon...Room no 108? Haan mein aajaunji..woh teek hain na..thank god! ... so raha hain ? haan..I'll come in half an hour."

She glanced at the emergency room where Manik was lying. She couldn't leave him alone . She messaged the fab 5 abt Manik's condition trying to clear her blurring vision every few seconds. Her knees weakened and she dropped into a chair nearby.

She closed her eyes and Manik's image came to her mind. Every moment they spent in the farm house replayed in front of her eyes. The way he tried to calm her down. ..his cute antics to make her smile...the way he made coffee for her..the way he tried to trick her...the way he put the ice into her top...the way he sang for her and danced with her...she smiled through her tears. Why are you doing this to me Manik? Tumhe ache se pata hain ki I can't see you hurt...toh apne liye na sahi mere liye toh tum aapna khayal rakh sakte thae na?!

Aiyappa! I need you today...please Manik aur Rishabh ko jaldi teek kar dena ...please...please..please she tried to wipe her never ending tears...the image of Manik wiping her tears in the forest came to her mind...She gave up and broke down completely covering her face with her palms.

After what seemed like a long time she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Dhruv standing there along with rest of the fab5.

"Nandini. Are u alright? Manik ko kya hua?"

" main...woh.. Manik usse...usse high fever tha and he fainted. Uske haath ke chot se shayad infection spread hua hain" she said trying to keep her voice from breaking.

All of them were worried. "yeh Manik bhi na kabhi apne khayal nahin rakhta aur hamesha doosron ko bachane chale jatha hain" Mukthi said.

"Doctor ne kuch kaha hain kya?" Aliya asked Nandini

"No..Not yet.."

"Nandini..par tumhe kaise Manik ke barre mein pata chala? Tum uske saath thae kya?" Dhruv asked her.

" woh..main.." She stuttered... her mind too tired to find an excuse. She gave up and stayed silent. Cabir came to her rescue.

"Dhuv, woh saab chodo na we've to ask the doctor about Manik . I hope he'll be alright soon"

"Par Manik ko iske pehle aisa kuch nahin hua hain. God! I hope it's not something serious" Aliya said.

Nandini's head shot up...her tears threatening to fall any moment. " excuse me...I'll come back soon. Please keep me informed" she said to them trying hard to hide her tears...and walked away in haste.

She checked up on Rishabh . He was fine now. Chachi took him back home. Soon after sending Rishabh home. She ran back to the emergency room but stopped herself when she reached at the end of the corridor, she hid herself behind the wall so that she could hear what the doctor was saying to them, she just didn't have the energy to face another round of questioning.

"Mr. Manik ke saath kaun hain?" he asked. Nandini was about to answer when she saw the rest of fab 5 answering him all at once. Once again her eyes filled...this time she was helpless. She badly wanted to be with him. It felt like she had left a part of herself behind. She snapped back into reality when she heard the doctor's voice..

"...unke condition kafi serious hain. We've shifted him to the ICU. Unke haath mein jo infection hain it has spread upto his shoulder. If it worsens we might have to amputate his arm."

Nandini's felt the world around her stop. She didn't know where she was...she didn't know what she was doing...the doctor's words echoed in her ears...might have to amputate his arm..his arm..Manik...

Her knees gave up and she dropped to the floor. She didn't have any tears to shed because the agony she felt right now was beyond that. Every single moment when his hands touched her replayed in her mind. She wanted to scream but no voice came out of her mouth . She wanted to cry but no tears were left to shed. No..no..no...God ...not his hand...ap mere haath lelo ..but no his..pls..plss . she prayed her heart aching more and more every passing second.

On the other end of the hall the fab5 was shocked to hear the doctor. The doctor continued..

"Ek aur procedure karna baaki hain...that might be our last hope but usmein complications ka chances zyada hain. So before doing it I need you to sign this consent letter" the doctor said.

"complications ?!" Cabir asked worried.

"Haan ... if anything goes wrong the patient may even become paralysed. It's just a possibility but can't be ignored"

They looked each other everyone having the identical expression of extreme worry on their face. They held hands for a minute. This was the time they had to be strong for Manik. They took the unspoken decision and Dhruv signed the consent gathering all his strength. He knew that his buddy wouldn't give up that easily. He just knew it.

Aliya and Mukthi were holding each othrer's hands and sitting on the chairs shedding silent tears. Dhruv just stood staring at the wall still not believing what he had heard. No...his buddy would be fine. Nothing was going to happen to him. He assured himself, a lone tear escaping his eyes. Cabir was pacing the corridor too disturbed to think straight. This was not supposed to happen. Manik was supposed to win back Nandini and live happily ever after...

Nandini... he remembered...he had to tell her.

He took his phone and dialed her number. He heard a phone ringing nearby. He followed the sound and found her. Oh no! She heard everything ..he realized. She looked as if her life had been sucked out of her. No tears..no expressions.. she was looking straight ahead. She didn't acknowledge his presence right in front of her. It was as if she couldn't see him at all.

Maybe if I had accepted his apology yesterday he would've gone to the doctor. Then this wouldn't have happened to him. It's because of me'..she started blaming herself. If only I hadn't been so stubborn he would've been here with me all healthy and happy'. Why didn't I do that?' She asked herself. She didn't see Cabir standing in front of her.

Cabir was really worried for Manik. But this state of Nandini was devastating even to watch. He tried to get her up holding her shoulders.

" it's me...he would've been fine if I accepted his apology before...he would've been fine. It's my mistake..."she was mumbling to herself.

Great!' Cabir thought now she is blaming herself.'

"Nandini aisa kuch nahin hain. Please understand. If this is anyones fault it's Harshad's not yours. Pls get a grip on yourself." He said trying to calm her.

She was now walking with him her eyes still unfocussed. Cabir doubted if she even heard him. He made her sit on one of the chairs. Aliya, Mukthi and Dhruv looked at her confused. All of them were deeply worried for Manik but Nandini... looked as if...as if she has lost herself. They looked at Cabir questioning him with their eyes.

He sighed and said "later."

It was almost an hour since they heard the doctor. Everyone was quiet. Not trusting themselves to speak.

Nandini was sitting like a puppet whose strings have been cut. It was difficult to notice even her breathing. Aliya felt the need to console her somehow. She knew what she must be going through. Even though all this while she had tried to ignore the growing closeness between Manik and Nandini knew she couldn't anymore. They were meant to be and there was no point denying it.

She sat next to her and held her hand. Still there was no response from her. She made her head rest on her shoulder. Physical comfort was the only thing she could give her right now. She felt wetness on her shoulder after sometime. Finally she at least cried. Nandini held on to Aliya as if her life depended on it.

Cabir was relieved. Thank God for Aliya. Mukthi and Dhruv looked at them, now more confused than ever.

The Doctor came out after some time. All of them jumped up anxious to know about Manik.

"We've done the procedure and now all we can do is wait. If this succeds he'll be fine. There won't be any need to amputate his arm. Let's hope for the best. Meanwhile one of you can go and see the patient for five minutes" The doctor informed and left.

All of them looked at each other. Dhruv wanted to see him badly. He was closest to Manik among the fab5. But even Dhruv couldn't help but see the pleading in Nandini's eyes. He looked at Cabir and Aliya and they nodded in agreement. Dhruv motioned Nandini to go inside.

"tha..thank you.." She said he voice breaking and rushed inside.

Mukthi just stared at the three in bewilderment. She let it go for now. She had a LOT to talk to Manik after he was up and about.

Nandini rushed inside but the sight in front of her made her stop in her tracks. Manik was lying unconscious in the hospital bed surrounded by many large instuments and tubes. She tried to calm herself down. She had to be strong for him ...for them.

She sat on the chair placed next to him. She gently took his hand in hers and interwined their fingers. She remembered the many times when he did the same but now the diference was that he didin't hold it tight as before. His finger remained flaccid. But she held on to him she wouldn't let him lose...

"Manik..." she whisped to him, her hand gently stoking his hair. "tumhe kuch nahin hoga. I won't let anything happen to you. Jab tum teek ho jaoge na then I won't spare you, Manik, for making me go through this!" She said trying hard to be angry through her tears. "You can't bail on me now. Not now. Not ever. Manik Malhotra main chahe tumse kitne bhi naraz ho jaun tum jaante ho na ki I can't let you go. Please Manik you've to be strong for me...for us. Please!" her voice broke and her tears blurred her vision. She gently kissed his hand and sqeezed it gently " for now I'll hold on for both of us" she whispered.

The nurse came and asked her to leave. Gathering all her strength she let go of his hand trying hard to ignore the pain in her heart. She slowly walked away praying to her Aiyappa with all her might.

Outside the ICU all the others were waiting anxiously. They saw Nandini coming out.

"he ..he is sleeping." She said and walked over to sit down. Now all they could do was wait. Each minute weighed heavily upon them. Whenever any doctor or nurse came by all of them jumped up to enquire about him. The wait was killing them.

After what felt like eons, the doctor came and said " He's fine now. We've succeded in saving his arm. We've to keep him admitted for a few more days. After a few physiotherapy sessions his hand will be perfectly fine."

They breathed a sigh of relief. Nandini felt her heartbeat return. She was smiling through her tears. Finally Aiyappa had answered her prayers...She just closed her eyes and leaned back overwhelmed by the relief washing over her. Now she knew that there was no denying it, they were two halves of a whole. There is no way that she can be away from him.

Manik felt his senses return. He tried to open his heavy eyelids but light blinded him. He was desperately trying to recognize his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was Nandini's words in the farmhouse...

Nandini...where was she? He wondered sudden panic gripping him... "Nan..Nandini.." he tried to speak through his dry throat...

He saw a nurse fussing over him. So he was in the hospital now... but where was Nandini?

Nandini had refused to go home and was adamantly waiting for Manik to wake up. She so wanted to give him a piece of her mind.

"Aap mein se Nandini kaun hain?" the nurse asked. Nandini almost ran to her. "The patient is asking for you."

As soon as she got in Nandini rushed to him and sat beside him taking his hand in hers.

"Manik..." His eyes snapped open when he heard her voice and was relieved to see her alright...well almost all right... her eyes were red and puffy and she was very very pale. It looked like she had been crying for days...

"Nandini.." When she heard him she felt another wave of relief wash through her. How much had she yearned to hear his voice in the past few hours...

"Shh.." she stopped him and helped him to a glass of water "You need rest Manik."

"Nandini but kaya hua? I can't remember" he said frowning.

""Tumhare haath ke chot se infection spread ho gaya tha and you were unconscious for the last five hours"she said skipping the rest of the story.

Now that she had made sure he was fine, anger was getting hold of her thoughts now.

"But it was a small wound na" he said.

Small wound? How many timed did she ask him to get it dressed?!.That was it . He asked for it. She thought. So much for controlling my anger!

"Manik Malhotra don't you dare speak a word about it . Do you have any idea what I've gone through these five hours. Maine kaha tha na tumse to get it dressed. But tum toh kisi ke baat sunthe he nahin ho na. This is your first and last warning Manik, if you do something like that to me again...then I'll...I'll.." she was trying to come up with an appropriate punishment when she saw him smirking at her...

"What?" she asked.

He shook his head. His jungle billi was on the roll. He felt a warm feeling fill him. It was the first time that someone was scolding him for not taking care of himself. He felt...loved.

" Why are you so worried for me?" he asked.

"Manik we are not talking abouth this right now" she said.

" Yes. We are"

"I was not worried" she said. "I was..." 'half dead' she thought.

"Acha?! Then why are you here?" he asked not planning to let her go so easily.

She narrowed her eyes at him and she suddenly smirked thinking about something. " You know what Manik. I think it's high time that you stop questioning me and start finding the answers for yourself"

His eye brows furrowed in confusion. He saw the rest of the fab 5 entering the room. Each with different expressions on their face. Aliya was smiling down at him, Dhruv looked as if he was angry but a smile touched the corner of his lips. Cabir mouthed the word 'sorry' to him grinning goofily. Mukthi was downright glaring at him.

"Manik WE have to talk" Mukthi said.

Nandini was trying hard not to smile. "Yes. YOU guys have a lot to talk about.." She leaned down and kissed his forehead right in front of them. With a final smirk she left .

Manik gulped and looked at his friends. Uh ho. He was in trouble!

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Okay this OS turned TS has a second and last part updated in Page 9