Sorry guys! I know... another excuse! This one is common... called as writer's block! I just couldn't get the scenes out of my head onto the paper. So figured that I should catch up on the tons of sleep that I'd been missing on lately. Quite satisfied as of now but not enough. But enough to make my head work a bit normally again. So here we are with the next. Enjoy ;)
~ CHAPTER FORTY-SIX ~
"What?!! Me... Yaar..." Manik couldn't believe what Cabir just said. He tried to hide his anxiety in vain. The very idea of sitting with Nandini in the same room... and that too after all this... seemed daunting. Yes. He wanted to set things right. But just didn't know how. And even if he did find out, he didn't have the guts to face her so soon.
"Yes? Any problem?" Cabir stood with his hands cradled on his hips and raised an eyebrow.
"That's not a good idea..." Manik was in protest mode now. Quiet protest.
"And why's that?" Cabir continued to probe him.
"It won't work yaar. Just... try to understand." He was getting really frustrated now. For each and every thing, Cabir kept on trying to dig at him. This guy should have joined the CBI. What the hell is he doing in HR? And that too as a Public Relations Officer?
"And why shouldn't it work? From the way I see it, you're on suspension for three days. She's going to be on leave for three days as well. So rather than go home and mope around, you might as well stay back here and do something worthwhile. Feel good about the whole thing. Moreover, this is a golden opportunity for you to set things straight. Good karma?"
Manik tsk-tsked. "Cabir. She'll... freak out if she sees me. And that's not good for her, remember?"
"Why should she freak out when she sees you? Did you try to eat her up in the stairwell?"
Manik sighed and looked away. Well... literally... yes.
Cabir's eyes were doing the X-rays already. Something did happen! "Manik, what happened in the stairwell?" There was something in his voice that gave Manik the chills. It had the same tone and frequency of the time when he had wanted to meet him outside the hospital gate.
"I screwed her! Happy?!!" Manik yapped in frustration.
Cabir was absolutely stunned at Manik's statement.
"Cabir! What's wrong with you? Told you before, right? I just tried to scare her. That's it!"
"Oh..." drawled Cabir. "So you mean to say that you just jumped out of nowhere and yelled PEEK-A-BOO?"
"Cut this crap!" he hissed.
"Dude," Cabir gave a couple of gentle pats to Manik's arm and led him to Nandini's room. "See listen. Jokes apart, you'd better sit back in here. Unless you want to sleep in my i10 car and get bitten by mosquitoes? Moreover, considering your size, sleeping in an i10 is not a good idea at all. By morning you'd be arthritic. Makes sense?"
"That's perfectly okay with me," said Manik desperately. "It's just for a night..." He was ready to sleep in any position just to stay away from Nandini. He had been such an asshole that the very thought of facing her... looking into her eyes filled with questions and hatred was beyond his tolerance. He wasn't even sure how she'd react. But whatever it was, he really didn't want her to suffer another seizure. He still hadn't managed to get the last one out of his head. And he probably wouldn't be able to for a very long time.
"Ah-ha. Nah-nah." Cabir refused Manik's offers as he opened the door to Nandini's room and led him inside. "Maybe okay with you but not with me. You be in here. See, there's a nice cosy couch in here. Make yourself comfortable."
"But Cabir..." Manik wasn't ready to give in that easily.
"You're the HR Officer, Manik. You should be inside. I am the Public Relations Officer. So I should be outside. In public." Cabir paid no heed to Manik as he shoved him into the room.
"That's just ridiculous..." Hissed Manik.
"Shhh!" Cabir gestured to shut up and pointed at Nandini. They paused before her bed and took a good look at her. She was in a very deep sleep. So deep that it almost looked like she would never get up.
"She looks quite worn out," said Cabir with concern as he watched her closely. "Let her rest well. I'll be downstairs in my car. Call me if you need anything."
"Cabir..." Manik was having a tough time in controlling his anxiety. "Buddy... see look ... try to understand... if she comes around... or if she gets another attack... I don't even know what to do."
"Let the doctors and nurses worry about the attack for now," said Cabir with one of his crinkly smiles. "All what you need to do is to just be there by her side. After all... you're our shepherd. And we... your sheep?"
Manik sighed in defeat as Cabir gave a gentle pat to his shoulder and walked out. He allowed that simple fact to seep in as he sunk into the couch - there was no option. He made this mess. He had to sort it out. What made his heart skip several beats was this... if she came around... how was she going to react?
*********************
It was around six in the morning when Cabir walked into Nandini's hospital room looking all tired and groggy. He had slept in the car downstairs which wasn't a pleasant experience at all. Sure, comfy seats, air conditioner etc. but a bed is a bed. And nothing could match up to the comfort a cosy bed could provide.
Cabir had two cups of tea in his hand which he had purchased from the vendor outside the hospital. In addition, there was a plastic bag hanging from one of his arms. He went up to Manik who was asleep on the couch and struggling to stay in an upright position with his head nodding from side to side. "Bro..." Cabir kept the cups aside and gave a gentle tap to Manik's shoulder who woke up with a start.
"Good morning," Cabir smiled as Manik groaned and straightened up on the couch. "Uneventful night?"
Of course, Nandini was still asleep. She never came around throughout the night.
"I've got you some tea," said Cabir as he handed over some toffees to Manik. "Here. Keep the sweets. The vendor didn't have any change."
Manik raised his eyebrows questioningly. "Toffees? For me? Seriously?"
"Yeah. Why? What's wrong?" asked Cabir innocently. "You're not diabetic, are you?"
"Of course not!" snapped Manik. "But toffees? I mean... seriously?"
"Why? You wanted chocolates? I'll get you a bar of Cadbury's if you want."
"Geez..." Manik made a long face as he kept the sweets aside.
"It's not as bad as it looks Manik," said Cabir. "Or are you scared that you'd lose your macho image just by eating a toffee?"
Manik sighed and took a sip out of his tea.
"Anyways. Here's the plan," said Cabir. "It's around six now. I'm going to head home, get freshened up and return with Mukti."
"Mukti?" asked Manik. "Does she know?"
"Yeah," replied Cabir, "I had a chat with her last evening. So she has volunteered to watch over Nandini in the morning. Her absence has already been Okayed by Mukherjee. So... once we're back, I'm going to take you home. Then you can do whatever."
That sounded relieving to Manik. Finally... he can get away, hopefully before Nandini wakes up.
"I'll get Dhruv to pop in for the afternoon," said Cabir. "Then Mukti can probably take a break."
"Dhruv?" Manik looked up in alarm. "No. Not him."
"Why? What happened?"
"Buddy, I need you to do me a favour," said Manik quietly. "When you get to the office, tell Dhruv to get that system updated by hook or crook. I really need that done. You know... last evening... when I tried to look up Nandini's details nothing was there, in spite of me pushing him to get it done. Do you know what this means?"
"Hmm." Cabir was listening with a serious expression. He knew that the system information was really important indeed. And it had to be up to date at all times.
"Yaar... there are so many who had joined lately," said Manik with a worried expression. "Many of them work on the site where there's a high risk of an accident. And none of these guys have their insurance so far. If something goes wrong, then we're all screwed. The company's going to face a huge loss. So... I really need you to push him. Make him understand. It has to be up. Let him concentrate on that. Only that!"
"Don't worry bro," assured Cabir, "I know what you mean and I'll get him to do it. Cool?"
"Thanks man," replied Manik.
"Chalo," sighed Cabir and crumpled up the empty plastic cup in his hand. "I'll make a move. And take this..."
"What's this?" asked Manik as he took the plastic bag from Cabir's hand.
"It's a pack of instant oats," replied Cabir. "If Nandini comes around, try and get her to eat it."
"Wha... But..." Manik looked like a bachelor who was being entrusted with a toddler. Manik Malhotra... the guy with the golden tongue who could handle anything and everything under the sky really didn't know what to do in a situation like this.
"Any problem?" asked Cabir with a very grim expression. Of course, he knew that Manik was indeed having a problem with all of this. And honestly, he was enjoying himself.
"How will I..." Manik was speechless. I have to feed her???!!! No! Oh no-no-no no!
"Oh that's simple. You just need to heat up some water in that kettle, pour some into this bowl which I've bought..." Cabir pulled out the metal spoon and porcelain bowl from the bag and showed it to Manik. "Mix in the oats, stir it and voila... it's ready!"
Manik was breathless! He simply couldn't digest any of these ridiculous instructions.
"What is it?" asked Cabir in a serious tone. "You look as though I've asked you to change her diapers or something?"
"No yaar... I..." Manik seriously wanted to get up and bolt out of the room.
"See look bro," Cabir gestured at Manik to calm down. "Making oats is no rocket science. Just pour some water, mix in the oats and its ready. What's so hard about that? Oh... and yeah... make sure that it isn't too hot when you feed her. Her tongue is all cut remember?"
"But Cabir I..."
"See ya soon!" smirked Cabir on his way out. "Ta-ta!"
Manik was totally lost as he sat there and stared at Nandini. She was still asleep. Mukti... please come fast... I really need you now...
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