Chapter 58
He pulled her from behind him, into an embrace. "How, i mean how do u manage to do it everytime? " he lifted her chin slightly so he could look into her eyes.
"Do what?" She asked him, wide eyed.
"Itni si to ho, suru hotei khatam kho jati ho, I mean look at you, you don't even reach my shoulders and fir bhi you always come between me and my fears. Tell me how do you do it?"
"Kya matlab, suru hotei khatam ho jati hun? I am 5'2"" she deliberately stressed on the 5'2" part "Woh to tum coconut tree ho, to tumko sab dwarf hi lagte hain." She sniffed, trying to show her displeasure. The difference in their heights had always been a bone of contention for her, and he, who found it rather amusing, would never leave a single chance to tease her about it. Secretly however, they both found it cute. The fact that he could lift her anytime, pick her up, hang her over his shoulders or carry her in his broad arms made him feel all the more protective of her. They both loved how she had to tip toe on her feet and he had to lean over to kiss her, that unlike other couples, he couldn't wrap his arm around her waist when they walked together, he had to always place it over her shoulder. But her favourite part was that when she hugged him, she could directly listen to his heart. She had always loved listening to his heartbeat, for it had always been true to her. Even at a time when she used to think he was no better than a Monster, his heartbeat had given away his little secret. Under the shroud of darkness in a locked room, it had told her, that beneath the angry hood, he was a vulnerable boy who was as scared of darkness as she was of mice.
This was the first time after returning that he had teased her. She felt an unexplained bubble of joy.
"Arre, you didn't answer me Miss Tipsy, how do you do it everytime? Did you take a course in 'HOW TO BE A SAVIOUR?'"
"Oh yes, and guess what, you were my classmate in that course, who blatantly cheated and then topped." She frowned and he fell out laughing "So you should ask yourself, may be you know how this is done."
"I have already asked myself, trust me, but i could never really understand this strange connection with you. Let me be honest here, all this female attention that I get, kinda intimidates me. Even at the hospital where I was perhaps at my worst, they didn't spare me."
She rolled her eyes. "Are you trying to make me feel jealous for real this time?" She regretted as soon as she said it. She didn't even want to remember where this discussion had lead them to the previous evening.
He pulled her closer. "But I could never feel a connection with them. Forget connection, I couldn't even make a proper conversation. But one look at you at the Zurich airport and I don't know what happened. I was going to bang my fist but I saw your face and I just went into a trance."
"Zurich airport????" She was way too surprised to frame a full sentence. How had he seen her there when she had never stepped her foot outside the country.
"Oh on that joker's phone. His phone was lying near the restroom basin and you had rung him up. Since then till now, it hasn't changed one bit. Tell me why I feel like I have known you forever and every passing moment this feeling only intensifies?" He was playing with her traces now.
"May be we have met before, may be our paths have crossed, may be you have known me from a previous birth, who knows..may be we have been together since forever.."
"isiliye, this is why itni kitabein nahi parni chahiye, especially chick lit novels..such cheesy lines Nandini..woh kaunsi book thi.. 'A walk to remember' huh?" he liked teasing her, but somewhere he knew she was right, no matter how illogical or cheesy she sounded, he had felt it each time, that his bond with her had been ages old. As if he had known her for a 1000 years!
"Don't you mention that book, you cheater."
"Main kya karta, tum itni dumb ho, tumhe koi hint samajh mein hi nahi ata, jitne bhi ishare karo madam ka brain to apne hi wavelength pe chalta hai"
"Kaise hint??" She feigned innocent ignorance, though she knew way too well, what he was trying to tell her that day.
"Wahi jo kal koi yahan par scribble kar raha tha" Pointing to his chest, he whispered in her ears "Yaad aya ya demo dikhaun?"
She blushed red.
"Waise Nandini, ye sample tumhe mila kahan se?"
"Kaun sample??"
"Wahi, Neel Dixit... I mean I can understand, mere jaisa..ummm...charismatic boyfriend milna thora sa mushkil hai, par you could do better Nandini. Neel..chiii..usse to tapri wale kaka better hai.. Ya ...even chiraag. Yun to hamesha enclycopedia banke ghumti ho miss Murthy, Neel ke waqt brain transplant ke liye diya tha kya?"
"You are right, aisa samajh lo. Lets do one thing, lets call him here and push him off the mountain, wattsay?"
"Itni nafrat karti ho to why this engagement ?" Now Manik was serious. "Tell me what have you been hiding from me Nandu? Uske baad usko kahan se push karna hai, that we can decide."
"You trust me?" She asked earnestly and it clearly reflected in her eyes.
"You are even asking me?? Don't you already know??"
"Blindly?"
"Blindly..."
"Then have faith, I will tell you in due time."
"Ok...I won't ask you till you choose to tell me on your own. Just one friendly advice, don't try to be a savior in this case because trust me that guy is a dirt shit." If only he knew Neel's true colours. If only she had told him right away.
"Waise Manik, I think tumhe ek bari apne doctor se baat karni chahiye"
"What? I can't believe you are asking me to call her!!!"
"Shut up Manik." She punched in his stomach "har baat pe mazaak. You should tell your doctor about these flashes and ask what exactly is happening."
"Ok baba, I will call her sometime."
"Nahi, abhi call karo na, abi to zurich mein shaam hi hogi, please karo na."
On her continuous insistence he rang up his senior doctor in Zurich and narrated to him the sudden flashes he had experienced in the past couple of days. The doctor confirmed what Manik had been suspecting all the while. He was slowly but steadily regaining his memory. However, the doctor also gave him a cautionary warning, that he shouldn't stress his head trying to dig in his past. This was an involuntary process, according to the doctor, and could only happen if and when a patient stayed in close proximity to the things or people from his past life. If he tried too hard, he might lose more than just his past, he might begin to forget even his immediate present.
This wasn't something new, even while at the hospital, he had been warned again and again not to stress his mind. The only piece that didn't fit in the puzzle was, which thing or person from his past was he now close to? What had been the trigger? Could it have been Nandini? 'Oh common Manik, how can you even think it could be her? Had she had any clue about your past, she would have told you the first thing.
Of all the things he admired in her, her innocence topped the list. She couldn't lie, she was too innocent for that. Her expressions of joy were as spontaneous as those of grief were heart wrenching. She couldn't wear masks like him, she couldn't pretend. He loved that she was untouched by the darkness of the world, that she had retained her goodness despite living under the same circumstances that had turned most people bitter, including him.
Nandini heard what the doctor told him. She had almost decided to reveal everything to Manik, but this warning from the doctor scared her. What shall she do, she prayed to Aiyappa to guide her.
"You know Nandini, before meeting you, I used to like the stars alone."
"And now?" His words had pulled her out of contemplation.
"I love that" he pointed at the sunrise "And I love this" He rubbed his thumb over her lips "And I love this too" he ticked her tummy.
"Manik!!!" She ran away inside.
"Wait, Nandini!" And he ran after her, as she returned to the bedroom and her cozy bed, making way for the two of them. No matter how much she blushed or denied, his touch unsettled her as much as her's did to him. Just as their hearts were bound together, and their souls were conjoint, their bodies too were attuned to each other. And the spark they both felt, the waves of passion that swept them, were too strong to ignore.
"Waise where did you get the heating pad from?"
"What do you think I was doing on the video call? Chatting with my non existent girlfriend??? No Miss Murthy, I was instructing my manager to buy this stuff. He got the package delivered at your doorstep."
"Oh that!!! O to woh yeh tha?"
"Dimaag ki batti jali?"
"Shut up"
"What shut up?"
"This" and she started ticking him all over.
"Waise aaj ka kya plan hai miss? kal se week start and I will be gone"
"NOOO, tum yahi reh jao na mere paas"
"Wooow...Nandini, itna pyaar!!!..whats cooking in your head?? Fir se kuch gadbad to nahi karne wali ho."
"Shut up aur mujhe sone do, with my cuttly wuttley teddy bear." She wrapped him completely and put her leg over his, as if he indeed was her personal life sized teddy bear.
"Acha? really????" Now it was his turn to return the favours.
And thus began the customary pillow fight between the monster and his doll. Perfect way to start a special day. No matter how old they grew, they would always be like a newly-in-love teenage couple.
**************************************************************
Collective replies:
ac2000: Ranbir should get a job. He is highly qualified. And about Manik, Well lets c, what happens to his flashbacks.
@monstermanik: LEts c how the others are going to react to him
@desaik: Thanq
@payal94: Lets hope for the best
@asselashah: updated, so now u can read more
@keeprak: Thank you so much buddy for your patience and ur faith in me :)
@aaska5: Lets c what happens next
@siyaaali: :)
@rockstarlover : :)
@vaanii078: Thanks a lot
@shoanna:How hav you been? Thanks for being so understanding. Yes I will take off whenever I feel too exhausted, may be tomorrow.
As for approaching these channels, its not gong to be that easy.Corporates I know their attitude. So I have little to no expectations but I would just do my work, put in my share of efforts and leave the rest for God to shape up.
@thamannamanan1: You are right, two many scattered dots. Lets c how the writer joins them by drawing lines or curves. But the good thing is that these beads were once part of one necklace and hence it should not be impossible to tie them up together :)
OH u love the rain as well, so that explains y u love 1_drop_of_rain so much :)
@passionatepuja :R u bengali? chalo sice u have already pakdaoed ur kans, so I should also forgive u :):)
I loved the little moments u loved. I loved ur sorry, ur wish to see it on tv and ur prayers for me. love you :):)n u too take care
@Doyel:I cant express in words what your comment means to me. The fact that u have been with me since day one and that i could drag you out of hibernation means the world to me.
thanks a ton for caring and your concern. Yes i have to step back every once in a while to cm back stronger.U can install wattpad on your mobile. Its much more accessible than IF. But its completely upto u and ur comfort level with technology.
I wont mind if u dont comment regularly, but whenever u do, please make it this long and this cute.I dont always manage to reply back, especially on the forum. I used to reply to each of the comments earlier an dI am sure u must have noticed, but with increasin readership and increased comment count, it gets more and more difficult. But I read every single word and appreciate u from the core of my heart. Keep the love coming :) Ur name says u r from bengal.. is it???
@jesse93: Acha Manik ko Nandini se alag karke Mumbai bhej dun???
@Manansamkhan : Ur wait is over
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