It's okay", he was whispering in a soft voice, rubbing his hand over her hair and she was silently crying.
After a while when tears dried up, she opened her eyes, finding herself in a protective hold. She raised her head and their eyes met, standing so close in a small gallery, with all cuddled up in his arms - awkwardness had to come, but before she could even get nervous, he smiled, "are you alright now?", his eyes were sincere and arms still holding her budged her to hide herself in them again, but unfortunately she had gained enough senses to realize the situation.
She nodded and stepped back and mayank removed his arms. Wiping off tears, she was now too nervous to even look in his eyes, "it was a bad idea", he said and she again looked at him with a confused expression.
"listening to kids was a bad idea", he sighed and Nupur took a deep breath.
"I don't think so , atleast I am out of the delusion that I was successful since the past five years", she said and with that moved past him. Mayank wanted to stop her, but honestly, he didn't know how to console her, because, he himself had been hit by a lightening jolt.
Rahul's broken voice was echoing in his ears, all these years he was thinking that maybe Rahul doesn't needs a mother, but how wrong he was ' he considers himself unlucky that his mother is not with him. Great Mayank Sharma! ' you couldn't even read ur child!! .
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In another corner of the home, Nupur was all cuddled up in the corner, with a picture hugged close to her chest and eyes constantly brimming with tears.
"tum dekhna Nupur I'll make sure my child never misses me, never!", nitesh was lying in nupur's lap, caressing her swollen stomach - his baby.
"really, but you travel all the time, he is always going to miss you "
"mummy",
and there Nupur was shaken out of trance, she wiped her tears and hiding the picture on the sofa cushion, she looked back, "gi beta?"
Although pranav was here to crib that he wants a yummy cheese cake for his snack but seeing her mother like this, he got hell scared,
"mummy tum ro rahi ho?', he asked taking a step towards her and she smiled fully, "nahi beta, meri ankh main kuch chala gaya tha, 'acha chalo main ap ko ap ka favourite cheese cake bana k deti hon"
Pranav was about to resist on the first part of her statement but the offer in the second part made him forget everything, "haan! Haan! , chalo mummy, main ne rahul ko bataya k tum world ka best cheese cake banati ho!!"
Praanv was literally jumping and as they both reached kitchen, Rahul was already there and then started the cooking session, with both the boys troubling her a lot my spoiling things, but she made sure she handled them well, by involving them in the baking.
Seeing those two angels smile and enjoy, she did forget all the pain she was feeling. She just wanted them to stay blessed always .
The cheese cake was ready and both the kids loved it, to the extent that a demand for everyday baking was issued.
Sending the rest of the day with children when finally at dinner time it struck Nupur that Mayank was no where since afternoon!!
She quickly went in the room and searched the whole home, but he was no where. A wave of tension passed through her but she ignored thinking he must be out of some work or something.
Serving dinner to the children and making sure they both slept properly. She went back to her room and changing herself in a comfortable night attire, she came in the balcony, holding nitesh's picture.
The time was passing and with every passing minute, her mind was drifting on strange thoughts - MAYANK WAS NOT HOME.
Finally coming inside and putting away nitesh's picture in the cupboard safely, she reached for her cell phone. Although she was nervous., but it was midnight and she was really tensed.
Picking up the mobile she was about to dial his number when the click of the door alarmed her. She turned only to find mayank entering, holding his coat in his hands, with shirt sleeves folded up till elbows and face showing clear signs of tiredness, but ignoring all that Nupur smiled - because he was home.
"Finally, main ap ko call karne wali thi, u got late today', she rushed towards him and he smiled lightly, "yeah , I am sorry, just got to caught up, bachen so gaye?", he asked, placing his coat away and now digging in the cupboard for sutiable change.
"hmmm, umm .. dinner?"
"umm, no thanks, I had a meeting, so dinner main ne kar liya hai", he said sweetly and went to change.
He returned after a nice shower, feeling fresh, and found Nupur sitting on the sofa with a tray in front of her and the edible item in it looked like a cake.
"cake!", he announced his arrival and nupur smiled, 'haan , wo actually aj main ne bachon k liye cake banaya tha, tu I saved a piece for you", she said nervously, as mayank was now seated beside her, 'looks yummy", he took the plate in his hand and ate a spoonful.
Nupur was carefully observing his expressions and sensing the nervousness something struck him.
'ummm, Nupur, tum ne khud taste kiya hai"?, he asked seriously and in a minute Nupur expressions got intense. It suddenly struck her that she hadn't tasted the cake, she was too caught up with handling the mischief of the boys that tasting the cake was completely forgotten
"ummm, nahi ..wo .. main ne taste nahi kiya .. kyun? , thek nahi hai?", she was truly nervous and mayank directed the spoon towards her, "tu karo taste",
She was apprehensive, but mayank's stern eyes made her believe that there was something wrong with the cake, so she took a bite from the spoon.
As the cake collided with her taste buds, she started to chew it slowly, making sure she tasted every particle, buts he wasn't able to find anything wrong, "ye tu .."
"bohat bohat acha hai, and you were going to miss it", he smiled and received the mirror reaction from Nupur.
"thank you", she said smiling and mayank had finished his plate.
"You cook really well", he said, going to the bed and Nupur could just smile.
Reaching the bed, he again took out his pills and gulped down two of them.
Seeing this sight everyday used to run shivers through her body, but that experience of asking wasn't that encouraging that she should go again, but seeing him taking these pills every day was also not acceptable, she had to do something.
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Next night, going through the similar routine, Mayank opened the drawer for his pills but the drawer was empty!.
He checked the other drawers of his side tables, but they were also empty. Getting amazed, he searched the rest of the room, everywhere possible but there was nothing anywhere. This had never happened before. His first urge was to ask nupur about his pills, but she was against asleep. Today she had slept early, saying that her head was aching so waking her up was not appropriate.
He breathed deep and decided that he should bring a new bottle, so consequently, he started searching his car keys and they were also not visible!!.
"What the hell!!", he mumbled under his breath and was amazed at how come his things were vanishing. Today, after returning from office, he placed his keys in this key stand, as every day and today it was empty.
There is surely something wrong, he thought. His head had started hurting with the urge of the pills and in addition to that, the irritation was making his mood bitter.
"something wrong"?, nupur's asked in a sleepy voice and he thought that his ray of hope had woken up. He rushed towards her and sat by her side, "nupur meri medicine nahi mill rahi hai, tum ne dekhi hain?", he asked in a desperate voice and Nupur slowly sat up, "ap kaunsi medicine letey ho?", she acted strange.
"leta tu hon, sone se pehle"
"oh!, wo tu sleeping pills hain", she said normally and mayank got amazed at her tone.
"haan, meri sleeping pills nahi mil rahin hain, have u seen them?", sterness now evident in his voice,
"nahi", she said and lied down again, while mayank got irritated, "aur meri gari ki chabi",
"dekhiye agr aj nahi mil rahin tu so jayen na, kal nayi le ana ap", is main problem kiya hai"?
"problem ye hai k mujhe neend nahi atai hai!", his voice was getting stiff.
"ye kiya baat hoyi k neend nahi ati hia, are u addicted?", this time her voice was stern and the last word solved the mystery for mayank.
"oh!, tu tumhare pass hain,right?", he asked observing her expressions and she breathed deep, "dekhiye raat bohat ho gayi hai, so jayen", she was about to switch of the light but mayank held her hand, "Nupur stop behaving like children, meri pills do!", he glared but nupur wasn't the one getting scared with glares, "merey pass nahin hain", she jerked his hand and lied down taking the blanket over her and Mayank took a deep breath to calm his anger, "please Nupur"
This time his voice was weak and it struck every chord of her heart, she sat up immediately to find mayank with a weak expression on his face, "mujhe sach main neend nahi ati ' please..", the vulnerability on his voice brimmed her eyse with tears and she held his hands, "kyun neend nahi ati .. kiya problem hai .. ", her own voice was low.
"pata nahi, but now I can't sleep without them , main ..
"ap ne kabhi koshish ki hai?", she looked in his eyes and he lowered them, "nahi ' per..
"tu aj kar k dekthtey hain .. please..", she pressed his hands and he looked back in her eyes. She smiled and got up from the bed and arranging the pillow. Mayank was just looking her with wide eyes, as she sat brought him a glass of warm milk, "ye pi lijiye, is main main saffron dala hai, meri dadi kehti thi k ye neend k liye bohat acha hota hai"
"nupur..", mayank wanted to resist but his head was hurting so much that he didn't even had the power to argue, so quietly drinking the milk, he lied down and Nupur sat beside him.
His eyes were wide opened and Nupur smiled and slowly leaned upon him. She placed her palm over his forehead and then brought it down to his eyes and closed them.
After that she started pressing her delicate fingers over his forehead and the pain which mayank was feeling that will burst his head, started reducing. Her rub was hypnotic, and he cuddled more close to her, as the warmth he was getting was filing every void of the past five years.
Chapter 7 - Page 37
Edited by Fantasia. - 14 years ago
Cricket
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