Manan SS: Tum Mile Chp24A,B&C/Page141 - Page 39

Chapter 14 A

Manik picked her up in his arms and walked towards their bedroom. Nandini snuggled in his protective embrace.Manik opened the bedroom door and placed Nandini on the bed. She was still holding his collars and looking into his eyes without blinking hers. Manik took her fragile hands in his strong ones.

"Nandini..!! Say something please..!!" Manik said worriedly.

"Manik..!!" Nandini said tightening her grip on his hands. "Please don't leave me please..!" Tears again welled up in her eyes. Manik became more worried.

"Acha..!! Shhh I am not going anywhere...!! Don't cry...!!" Manik said wiping her tears. Light flashed on the sky with a loud sound of thunder,making Nandini scream and she again hugged Manik. Manik hugged her back but now his worries has no limits Nandini's behavior was too much shocking for him.

"Nandini..!! It's just a thunderstorm..!! Why are you so afraid of it...!!" Manik asked lovingly but Nandini didn't answer to him and kept shivering and hide her face in crook of his neck. Manik didn't asked further and kept stroking her hair after some time he noticed that she had became normal he gently broke the hug,made her lay down on the bed and placed her head on the pillow. She was just looking at him as if she had fear that if she will close her eyes he will leave her. Manik looked at himself he was all drenched,he thought of getting changed. He was about to get up when Nandini again held his hand.

"Manik..! Where are you going?" Nandini tried to get up but Manik again made her lay down.

"Nandini I'll be back..!! Just going to change clothes..!! You sleep honey..!!" Manik said assuringly and she simply nodded. Manik quickly went to the bathroom to get changed. Now Nandini was again alone in the room. Again those bloody nightmares she jerked her head to get rid of the thoughts but in vain. She got up from the bed and went towards the bathroom,she heard the sound of the shower she sat down on the floor and leaned her head with the bathroom door,waiting for him.

Manik in bathroom was continuously thinking about 4R spell how to start. The condition of Nandini which he saw today was very miserable. Manik felt like his heart was stabbed when he saw Nandini like this. Those insecurities,those fears,those doubts of her were going to far. Manik really had to do something before those fear destroy his Nandini. Manik turned off the shower and wear his clothes. He opened the bathroom door. As Nandini was leaning her head with the bathroom door when Manik opened the door she lost her balance but before she could fall Manik immediately sat down and held her. Manik was surprised to see her there.

"Nandini..!! Are you ok? I told you to sleep na..! Then what are you doing here..!!" Manik asked worriedly again gathering her in his arms.

"Woo..!! Mjy da...!! Dar lag raha tha..!! So..!! I...!!" Nandini fumbled and left her sentence incomplete.

"Acha..!! Shhh..!! It's ok..!! Now come let's sleep...!!"Saying that Manik picked her up in his arms and walked towards the bed. He made her lay on her side and sat on his side,resting his head with the bed board. Nandini moved closer to him and held his hand. Manik give her an assuring smile to which Nandini moved more closer to him Manik slowly started running his fingers in her hair in order to make her sleep about half an hour passed she was still staring at the ceiling and was playing with his fingers.

"Nandu..!!" Manik called her lovingly.

"Hmm..!!" She said lost in her own world.

"You know I am not only your husband..!! I am your friend too..!! And friends share secrets right?" Manik started sweetly and for the first time in last thirty minutes she looked at Manik. "So I am just saying that if you want to share something..!! I am always there for you..!!" Manik ended up with an assuring smile that he really mean those words and looked deep in her eyes.

Nandini had never ever discussed her nightmares with anyone. And also no one ever consoled her the way Manik did. She was having those nightmares since she was of eight years and now she was 20 but still those nightmares were haunting her. Manik's soothing words were provoking her to share everything with him. Then she decided.

Manik was watching her face she was thinking something. Suddenly she got up and wrapped her one arm around his waist and placed her head on his heart Manik wrapped his arms around her.

"Manik..!!" She slowly lifted her head and looked in his eyes. Manik raised his eyebrows and sing her to continue when she got permission,she again placed her head on his heart and started.

"You know Manik..!! I wasn't like this..!! It all started when my parents died in a car crash..!! The weather was very stormy that night just like it is today. Me,Mama and Papa we were coming back from a family marriage. I always force my Papa to drive fast. And that night too I was forcing Papa to drive fast but he told me that because of heavy rain it was not easy but I was distracting him with my foolish talks. Then Manik..!! Pta ni kahan say aik truck aa gya. And it hit our car. After that everything went blank. I don't know when I woke up I saw Mama Papa..!! They both were drenched in blo..blood..!!" Saying all that Nandini choked and Manik kissed her hair. He kept quiet and waited for her to continue.

"Then I saw Mama she was breathing her last she called me close to her and said "Nandu Mama loves you honey..!! Papa loves you...!! Take care..!! We have to go..!!" And..!! And..!! " Nandini stopped.

"And..?" Manik said politely.

"And then she closed her eyes...!! She died...!!You know what Manik..?" Nandini was looking like a child tears were continuously rolling down her cheeks she looked at Manik.

"What..??" Manik inquired politely.

"I cried for a long time on that road..!! Calling for help..!! But no one helped me..!! It was night I was afraid..!! I tried to wake them up but they didn't responded me..!! They were dead Manik..!! They were dead..!!" Nandini started sobbing and Manik rubbed her back.

"Rishab bhaiya wasn't with us that night so he was alright..!! Me and bhaiya were left alone in this world..!! I craved for my Mama's lap my Papa's hug but they were not there..!! You know Manik that's why I hate rain..!! It took my parents away from me..!! That's why I am afraid of losing people...!! Everyone to whom I get close they left me..!!" Saying that Nandini hugged Manik and started sobbing.And Manik himself felt like crying now he came to know how much she was hurt from inside.

"That's why I am afraid..!! I don't wanna lose you..!! You are my everything Manik..!! You are the last person in this whole world to whom I trust..!!" Nandini said between her sobs and Manik was like feeling out of this world.

"Shhh Nandini..!! I promised you na that I'll never leave you...!! So you don't have to take any kind of tension..!!"Manik whispered in her ear. "Acha..!! What about that teddy Nandini?" Manik inquired.

"Woo.!! After Mama and Papa's death Bhaiya went to boarding school..!! I was left alone with my chacha chachi..!! One day I went to park with my Chacha..!! Chacha went out for some work and asked me to play..!! I was playing when few boys came and one of them snatched my teddy..!! When I tried to get it back he pushed me I fell down my knee was hurt it started bleeding and my skirt was also torn. And when I cried they called my tears crocodile tears..!! and they left,I was alone again no one was there to console me chacha came after sometime but those boys were gone. That incident made me less confident. I am afraid of new people..!!That's why i am afraid of going in parties..!" The pain of deprivation was all clear in Nandini's voice.

But Manik was happy now that Nandini has shared her fears with him.First step "Reassurance" was accomplished. Now it was time for rescripting to mold Nandini's bad dream in a good one.

"Acha Nandini..!! Get up and come with me..!!"Saying that Manik got up from the bed. Nandini become surprised.

"Manik..?? Where..??"Nandini said surprisingly.

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