NANDINI’S POV
Manik was parking the car in the garage and he told me to head inside.
But as I did, I saw Dadi and Mom sitting there. Both of them with stern expressions.
“Oh look. Madam has arrived,” Dadi taunted.
“Dadi?”
“What Dadi? Do you by any way look like a proper Malhotra daughter-in-law? No. Not at all. Just look at you. Is this the way you dress? Are you looking like a new bride? No. Does it look good that you come home so late?” she shouted at me.
I shivered at her loud voice. I looked towards Mom, but she was just looking at everything indifferently, as if she couldn’t be bothered any less.
I looked around but it seemed as if nobody else was home.
Dadi came towards me and tightly held my elbows. “What do you think of yourself? That you’re high and mighty because you work? How dare you think that-”
She was cut off by a loud voice. “Dadi!” It was Manik.
Dadi left her hold on my elbow but still was giving me the stink eye.
Manik came beside me and protectively took me in a side hug. His hug soothed my nervousness.
“Dadi I respect you a lot, but I won’t just stand back when you disrespect Nandini.”
“Manik, you don’t know the rituals of the Malhotra household. The daughter-in-laws of our house are not supposed to work.”
“Says who? Dadi it’s the 21st century. Women are equal to men in every way. In fact stronger than us. And you said that daughter-in-laws are not supposed to work? Why? If Nandini wants to work then we should support her. The same way we would support Mahi.”
“Mahi is different.”
“And how so? How is Mahi different?”
Till then Dad also came from outside. “What’s happening here?”
Dadi turned towards Dad. “Good that you came home beta. Tell me, does it look good that the daughter-in-law of the Malhotras, that too the elder one, is working?”
Dad scrunched his eyebrows. “What?”
“Tell Nandini that she can’t work from now on. She’s married. She should focus more on our home rather than working outside.”
Manik sighed. “Dadi this is not even a topic of discussion. If we can allow Mahi to work, then why can’t we allow Nandini? She is as dear to us and holds the same position as Mahi does. I don’t have any problem with her working, and neither does Dad. Right Dad?” Manik asked Dad who nodded in response. “And what will she do all day sitting at home? Servants are there to do every work that’s required. What’s wrong with her working?”
Dadi fumed. “Raj! Are you seeing the way Manik is talking to me? He’s disrespecting me.”
“Dadi I’m not disrespecting you. I’m just taking a stand for Nandini, my wife, to whom I’ve vowed to always support.”
“Maa Manik is right. Time’s are changing. Nandini can go to work and we all should have no problem with that. This is the end of discussion Maa,” Dad said to Dadi. He turned to us. “Manik? Nandini? Go and take some rest.”
I was shaken by everything that happened, so Manik led me upstairs to our room.
As I entered, I sat down on the bed, feeling hollow. The way Dadi held my elbow, it brought many memories of the beatings I faced in the foster home back to life.
Manik kneeled down on the floor in front of me. “Nandini?” He cupped my face.
I looked at him, and saw a pain in his eyes.
“I’m sorry Nandini. I’m sorry that you had to face this downstairs.”
I shook my head in a no. Manik has no fault in whatever happened. In fact, he toh stood up for me.
“Why are you saying sorry Manik? It’s not your fault. In fact, I want to thank you. You stood up for me in front of your Dadi.”
“You don’t have to say thank you for that. And I’ll always stand up for you, in front of anyone and everyone. I’ll always stand beside you to support you. You don’t have to say thank you for that. You’re my wife Nandini.”
“If I don’t have to say thank you then you also don’t have to say sorry. Deal?”
He cracked a small smile. “Deal.”
MANIK’S POV
I was standing beneath the shower, my mind still going over how I couldn’t protect Nandini from that disrespect and insult. She so didn’t deserve it.
The way Dadi had held her elbows, it burned something inside me, to see her getting physically hurt. I couldn’t protect her. I realized that I’m in the shower for too long so I quickly rinsed off and got dressed.
When I came out I saw Nandini having an ointment tube in her hand and gazing at her elbow.
I came near her and she looked up at me. I wordlessly took the tube from her hands and applied the ointment on her red elbows.
Seeing her elbow was such a slap to my face. I failed to protect her.
I felt Nandini wiping my cheeks and only then did I realize that I had teared up.
“Manik no.”
“I’m sorry,” I croaked out.
She shook her head and cupped my face. “Listen to me loud and clear Mr Manik Malhotra. You didn’t fail me. You didn’t fail to protect me. You stood by me and protected me when I needed you the most.”
“Nandini-”
“No Manik. I won’t allow you to be guilty of something you didn’t do. I just won’t. It. Was. Not. Your. Fault. Understood?”
How selfless can she be? My family disrespected her and yet here she is. She’s not at all angry with me.
I just hugged her tightly and vowed to myself. Never ever. Never ever will I allow someone to disrespect Nandini. I just won’t.
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So I'm back with a new story (HUMESHA YOURS ft. Our very own MANAN). Do vote and comment. Your honest feedbacks are most welcome.
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~Leha
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HUMESHA YOURS
FanfictionShe is a strong girl, with a traumatic past. Having faced a lot at a young age, Nandini has a hard time opening up to new people. Don't get her wrong, she wouldn't show a chink in her armour. For the world, she is this strong, independent and sweet...
