NEVER IN A FOREVER (Manan)

17

Manik

I lied to her when I told her that it was a joke, I was so fucking furious when I heard what Mukti said.

What if he convinced her to actually run away if she didn't use her brain correctly? I just wanted to make sure she was actually giving a chance to this marriage and damn I'm already proud that she didn't make me regret this.

I don't know how I slept off, with the fact that the day has been so busy and hectic. I turned to Nandini who was already asleep and I don't know when I slept off staring at her.

______

The next morning, I woke up and stretched my hands as I sat on the bed, only to find the bed on her side empty. I turned and looked at the clock by night stand and the time was just 6. OKay where did she vanish this early? Isn't she tired?

I yawned as I stood up from my place and searched the whole room. She isn't even in the washroom. I checked the balcony, and she wasn't there either.

Panic settled in me. Is she okay? I checked the whole floor out of the bedroom and all. Pulling my hair annoyingly, I walked to the second floor and entered the guest room where Nandini's friends were staying. She isn't here either.

My heartbeats started rising fastly. I walked to Mukti who was sleeping soundly and patted her arm slightly. She didn't move a muscle.

"Mukti?" I called out but she is  as awake as dead. God knows how Nandini found this kind of friend. Aah, she looks like Kumbhkaran now.

"Mukti your painting is spoiled" I raised my voice and she immediately sat straight. Wow, this is unexpected.

"What did you say?" She gritted her teeth, as if she wasn't sleeping less than a minute ago.

"I can't find Nandini" I admitted worriedly only to see her yawn.

"You'll find your wife at your terrace. She loves terrace views in the morning. Go give a kiss to her" She said drowsily and pulled her duvet on her head and slept off.

I looked at her with an open mouth. Damn Nandini seriously should look into her friend's quality list. I stomped my feet to the terrace and it felt like I was breathing again.

There she was, in a baby blue punjabi suit, with her hair open and a cup of coffee in her hands sitting on a chair around the table looking at the sunrise with a diary  and laptop on the table. 

The sun was just coming out and the golden rays were falling on her face giving her an aesthetic look. Damn I never found anything this beautiful.

"Good morning Mr.Malhotra '' Her voice was filled with happiness that I could feel the smile in them.

I'd pay millions for my mornings like this. I'm surprised that she felt me being away too but damn me if that didn't make my heart flutter.

"Good morning Mrs. Malhotra '' I chuckled as I walked to her and sat on the chair opposite to her. She was glowing like the moon.

She looks... Divine. A smile rested on her lips as blush settled on her cheeks that I'm slowly getting obsessed with.

"Why did you wake up early?" I asked as I remembered why I came in the first place.

"I couldn't sleep and thought about writing something until then, '' she said, lifting her eyes up to me.

"I was worried when I found the bed empty"  I told her and she frowned.

"But I kept the sticky note on the night table that I'm on the terrace" She said, pressing her lips together. I might have been so lost that I couldn't see anything else. I thought and shook my head.

"Sorry for getting you worried" She said, a look of regret passing on her face.

"Can I get a cup of coffee?" I asked as I felt sleepy again.

"Sure. Go freshen up I'll make it until then" She said and closed her laptop and diary. I grabbed them.

"I'll take them to our room" I said and she nodded her head.

"Project?" I asked as we fell in step with each other to our room.

"No, just some poems and some random lines' ' She admitted as she stepped down the stairs carefully. Wow.

"Poetry?" I asked and she nodded her head.

"I love writing stories and poems. I feel-" She tried to find the right word and frowned, stopping in between. "Alive" She completed after a moment, her eyes twinkling.

"That's impressive. So when are you planning to publish them?" I asked as I opened our room door and let her in.

"I'm not planning on it. It's just a hobby, ''she said, looking away before walking to the closet.

I frowned at the sudden change in her stance but didn't press on it as she took out a casual for me and kept it on the bed and walked away without looking back.

I got freshen up and set my hair wearing the red shirt and dark blue jeans that she took out for me and walked inside the room and found the coffee at the teapoy near the sofa but she was nowhere.

"Nandini" I called out and heard her voice from the balcony. I grabbed the coffee and walked to the balcony and found her sitting on a chair and sat opposite to her and looked at her. She was kind of dull.

"What's wrong?" I asked and she shook her head. I frowned as I took a sip of coffee and my muscles instantly relaxed at the caffeine.

"Do you want to publish your stories?" I asked her and she gave a hesitant nod.

"Then who is stopping you?" I was surprised that she said it was just a hobby when her eyes were twinkling on the terrace.

"Mom and dad" She mumbled slowly and I almost grumbled but kept quiet for a moment.

"Let the world feel the magic with your words Nandini" I said softly, grabbing her hand with mine and she instantly looked at me.

"They won't approve" She shook her head. "You are my wife and you do what you want, not what others say" I said sternly and drank my coffee quietly.