Strings Attached/Manan FF / CHAPTER 50 page 147/ 05th may - Page 56

"Abhi..?" Manik knocked his cabin door and slightly pushed it.

" Haan Manik.. come na." he let him in and gestured him to sit as he was on phone.

"What happened Abhi.? Nandini is fine na.?" Manik asked hesitantly and silently praying that all should be fine.

"Haan..she's fine.. don't worry.. Actually the doctor who treated her had to leave so he informed me all about her. And I called you because you know mera schedule kitna hectic hai. Main chahoon bhi to leave nahi le sakta. Tumne dekha na , she is here from so long and I got to spend just about 20 minutes with her. "he said sadly.

"It's ok Abhi. We understand. She understands. You need not feel guilty about that. Hum sab hain to take care of her. And you know that." Manik assured him.

"I know Manik. And trust me that's why I am so relaxed. And in her case, if I can trust anyone with all my heart it's just you and Cabir. You know her, she throws so much tantrums at times specially to take medicines and injections and it's only you who can handle her in my absence. Aur tabhi I have called you to tell you about her medicines, diet, dressings and whatever is there.

I know nurses hain and they will do this on time but I always prefer that apart from nurse; patients' family should also know about this.

And besides there are some tests which she has to go through just to make sure she's all fine. I want you to take care of all this as I know my duties won't allow me to do so." Abhi let out his worries in front of him.

Manik was more than happy to listen this from Abhi. Though they were friends but Abhi was Nandini's brother and Manik knew what place he held in her life. Seeing him putting his trust in him and giving his sister's responsibility which he was more than ready to take , just filled his heart with more joy and proud.

"Don't worry Abhi, Nandini will be all fine. I will take care of her and everything related to her. You don't need to worry at all." He replied with confidence, smiling at him and Abhi too smiled back.

Abhi started giving him all the details the information about her. While discussing they started moving towards Nandini's room. Abhi was holding a file which had details about her tests and medicines and Manik was keenly observing and listening everything like a school boy.

They entered her room and were still engrossed in the file and didn't looked up until they heard a loud voice.

"What the hell is your problem..!! phir se.?" It was Mukti who shouted looking at Abhi.

Manik and Abhi looked up with a startled look due to her sudden loud voice.

Manik , Cabir and Nandini were surprised to see her reacting this way. Abhi after gaining his senses back, smiled at her. But she gave him a deadly glare.

"Well I guess now I have to say that you are stalking me." Abhi replied in a flirting tone which surprised the three more and made Mukti an anytime soon erupting volcano.

"Get a life, I have more important and better works to do rather than stalking any random looser." She retorted in anger.

"ohh..hello..! what..? what's happening.? Chal kya raha hai..? And you both..? How do you know each other guys..? Abhi..? How do you know her..?"

This time Manik came between their nowhere leading fight and tried to find the reason behind this accusing session.

"How do you know him Manik.?" She asked him in surprise.

"Well let me do the honours of introducing myself to you. Hi...! I am Dr. Abhimanyu Moorthy ; Nandini' brother." And extended his hand for a hand shake.

This revelation left Mukti all baffled. The guy whom she thought was one random one was actually a doctor and that too her friend's brother.

She didn't knew how to react. She was mentally slapping herself for speaking so ill about him in front of Nandini.

All she wanted to do was hide her face somewhere in embarrassment.

After few minutes of self-accusing , she saw his hand forwarded towards her for a hand shake.

She hesitantly forwarded her hand and shook hands with him and replied in a soft tone this time.

"Hi. Mukti..Mukti Malhotra.. Manik's sister." And this time Abhi was surprised to know she is Manik's sister.

"Koi bolega..?? What's going on actually ?" Manik again asked as the two were becoming the mystery.

"Relax guys.. nothing big.. I'll explain." Saying this he moved towards Nandini and checked her first and then relaxing on the stool nearby he started to explain the things.

"guys.. you remember one week ago I went to Bangalore for the conference."Abhi started to explain and all of them nodded their head whereas Mukti stood there embarrassed.

"fortunately or unfortunately we both bumped into each other quite few times and she had this misconception that I am stalking her.

And when she saw me here today, she was again surprised I guess and the result is this outcome." Abhi explained and Mukti looked at him with surprise as he didn't told them the actual and full thing.

"what yaar..? when will you stop acting like lady bheem.?" Said Cabir encircling his hand around her shoulder.

"I am sorry guys... wo actually." Mukti apologised and started to explain the thing but Abhi cut her off in between.

"It's ok Mukti, forget it.. happens." He said with a smile to which she also smiled back.

...

It was afternoon when Mukti left with Cabir and Abhi resumed his duties.

Due to the effect of medicines which Abhi made Nandini eat after lots of pleadings, she was sleeping and Manik was lying on the couch kept in the room for attendant.

Cabir returned after sometime and they both ate lunch that Cabir bought for them whereas, Nandini was still sleeping.

She woke up late in the evening and found Manik and Cabir sitting on the couch, looking at something in laptop and talking in low voice not to disturb her sleep.

"You both are still here..?" she asked them which bought their attention towards her.

She was trying to sit up but Manik didn't allowed her to sit instead raised the level of the bed from the head side.

"how are you feeling now.?" Cabir asked.

"fine.!" She replied with a smile but she knew she was not fine.

"why are you guys still here.? Go home I am fine. Bhai is here, don't worry. Go home and rest." she said lazily rubbing her eyes.

"we are not asking your permission to stay or not. Just be quiet and rest." Manik said to which she made face looking at him and Cabir giggled.

"what..?" he asked him as he didn't noticed her making faces. Cabir nodded his head in a no gesturing nothing but again giggled as she again made face looking at him which again was not noticed by him.

He rolled his eyes and went towards the washroom leaving laughing Cabir and Nandini who still was making faces on his bossy attitude.

...

Cabir was sent back home after lots of convincing from both Manik and Nandini.

At around 8 p.m. a nurse came with her dinner which was a vegetable soup. She instantly made a bad face looking at the soup.

As soon as Manik picked up the bowl she panicked and said, "Manik no.. please.. this hospital food tastes yuck..and moreover you know na I don't like this soup and all..."

"Nandini ... It's just a matter of few days, then you will back home. And this soup is healthy.. you can't take heavy food right now.. come on.." He said and filled the spoon with soup and blew air from his mouth.

"Nahi Manik no.. I won't have it..." She nagged like a child.

"Come on Nandu... Don't be stubborn. Have it.. then you have to take medicines also. Chalo .. take it." He took the spoon in front of her mouth but she didn't open it .

Manik kept on pleading her and she kept on nagging and didn't took the soup.

He knew she was stubborn but this time she was making it more difficult.

Manik was now getting bit irritated. He again made an attempt to feed her but this time, she used her hand to push the spoon and accidentally the soup fell on her banged wound.

Since it was hot and fell directly on the wound, she hissed in pain which made Manik lose his temper.

"Nandiniii..!! stop behaving like a kid ok..!" he shouted on her for her careless and started wiping the soup.

She was taken a back with his shout.

She too became angry as he was not listening to her and forcefully making her drink that soup.

"And you stop behaving like a monster..!" she retorted back with equal anger and jerked his hand away.

"Fine.. don't listen to me. I am going." saying this he kept the bowl on the side table and stood up.

"who is stopping you monster, door is open.. go... !!" she said frowning and turned her face.

He walked out of the ward. Just when she heard the sound of door being opened and closed she turned her face again to search him.

"Hawww...!!! He actually left..?? Monster ... Bada wala monster ..!!! Aiyapaa.." She talked to herself and accused Manik in his absence by making faces.

After 15 minutes, Manik entered the ward with a bag in his hand.

He found her sitting in the same position when he left 15 minutes back. The soup bowl was kept as it is.

He sighed and nodded his head in disbelief, thinkin how stubborn she can be.

She looked at him from the corner of her eyes but said nothing .

After a while, a ward boy came with the fresh soup and took back the previous one with him.

Manik came and sat on the stool beside her bed. She was waiting for him to say anything but he kept quiet and smirked seeing her stubbornness and tantrums.

When he didn't said anything, she decided to break the silence.

"I am not talking to you.. just go." she said without looking at him. Her face still turned around.

"Fine... Don't talk ... then I will take back this chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, and eat it myself." he said emphasising on each word as that was her favourite ice cream.

She instantly turned her face and her eyes sparkled as she saw the big tub of her favourite ice cream.

She forwarded her hand to hold the tub but he moved it away from her reach.

"Ahhann...!! Not like this... First soup then ice cream." he said raising his eyebrows.

"It tastes yuck.!" she made a sad pout and said.

"Toh you have your favourite ice cream with you. It will remove the soup's taste." he said , picking up the bowl again and bought the spoon close to the mouth.

She still made bad face and gave a pleading look to him.

"Come on, be a good girl. It's just one bowl of soup and imagine you will get this full huge tub." he again managed to bribe her with her favourite ice cream as this time she drank all the soup which he was feeding her all the time.

Wiping her mouth after her dinner, he kept his promise and fed her ice cream too.

Soon after that , another session of pleading took place and this time for medicine.

Thanks to Manik's stars , that session ended up soon and she took the medicines which made up drift into sleep soon.

He was relaxing on the couch recalling all the events that happened since morning.

His awkward meet with her when he banged into her, his hand cut, her pain seeing him in pain, fire , her unconscious state, his realisation of his own feelings and every thing else. Drowned deep in thoughts, he soon drifted into sleep.

AT CABIR'S PLACE...

Cabir was lying on his bed, with eyes closed and recalling the morning incidents. The day was tough and tiring for him as well.

Seeing Nandini in that condition and Manik going through everything all over again, he was mentally drained out.

Trying to compose himself and relax his mind, he was bought out from his thinking process from a call. Without looking at the caller, he answered the phone still keeping his eyes closed , "so, finally Aaj kisiko meri yaad aa gai.."

The caller on the other side , smiled ; to be precise, blushed hearing his talk but said nothing.

Breaking the silence , Cabir said ; "jab Kisi ko phone karte hain Navya toh Kuch bolte hain, aise chup nahi rehte."

She smiled again and other side Cabir opened his eyes.

"Kaise ho.?" She spoke up.

Taking a deep breath, he replied ; "Thoda bura hoon.. isiliye to ab tak Mujhe meri wish poori hote nahi dikh rahi."

Listening this , her expression changed from happy to sad. Fighting with her turmoil and blinking her eyes more than required to stop the tears from finding their way out, she kept her silence.

Sensing her awkwardness he changed the topic immediately and asked, "so when are you planning to shift here."

Listening him , she smiled at him and said , "is someone missing me..?"

Chuckling at her talks , he nodded his head at her naive nature.

"Do I really need to answer that..?" He asked in a soft tone full of love and care.

"Next week." She replied smiling.

"I am desperately waiting..!" He answered her back quickly.

Feeling nervous from his talks , she decided to divert the topic and asked ; "what's wrong Cabir.? Tum Bahut tired lag rahe ho.? Office mein zayda kaam tha.?"

Relaxing himself on the pillow , he answered, "Office kahan ja paya Yaar..! Aise mein I didn't felt like leaving them alone." Unaware of the fact that Navya is still unknown from the unfortunate mishap that took place in the morning.

"Leaving alone..? Whom Cabir.? Kiski baat kar rahe ho .? Has anything happened..?" She asked him curiously.

Listening her, Cabir sat up straight and asked , "Navya did you had a talk with Nandini today..?"

"Nandu se..? Nahi toh.. what happened..?" She asked all confused

Sighing in disappointment, he slapped his forehead and narrated her every thing about the accident. As excepted from a true friend and a sister , she burst out in tears.

"Navya..Navya.. relax ... Stop crying..please.." he pleaded her but she was constantly sobbing.

"Nandini ke saath itna Kuch ho Gaya ...Aur Hume Kuch bhi nahi Pata... Kaise friend hain hum." She managed to say between her hiccups.

"Navya please stop it. You are not at fault. No one informed you then how would you know. Stop accusing your self and please stop crying . Nandini is absolutely fine now." He tried to calm her down. But she kept on shedding tears.

"I am coming tomorrow.." She spoke after minutes of crying .

"No Navya . Don't panic " he answered.

"But Cabir.." She tried to say but was cut off in between.

"Do you trust me.?" He asked and she sniffed from the other end but said nothing.

"Answer me." He spoke again.

"As if you don't know the answer." She replied in a low voice.

"Then just relax. Hum Sab hain yahan.. infact Mukti is also hear. Nandini will be taken care of.. don't worry.. Aur waise bhi next week you are coming , so just relax. Okay..!" He finally managed to calm her down.

"Hmmm...!!" She just hmmed from his talks.

"Hum tumse baat mein baat karte hain.. abhi hum Nandu se baat kar lein." She said.

"Nahi.. abhi nahi.. I am sure , she must be sleeping right now. Kal call karna." He replied .

Both talked for sometime and he tried his best to cheer her up in which at last he succeeded and finally called it off.

AT MANIK'S PLACE :-

Mukti was sitting in the balcony lost in thoughts of Abhi. She was confused as to why Abhi didn't told them the actual thing.

Though she was thankful to him for not speaking the truth but still was in dilemma as she behaved rudely to him every time they met but still he managed to save her from her brother. Knowing Manik too well , she was not willing to reveal those things to him.

Recalling the moments she unknowingly bumped into Abhi and the way he always smiled at her ignoring her rudeness, "Pagal.." came out from her mouth and she smiled on him and his talks.

...