NEVER IN A FOREVER (Manan)

38

Nandini

I sighed as I entered my new home after removing my shoes and threw them in the big shoe rack lazily, which actually felt like a home that made me feel safe.

“Hey mom” I said, greeting Maa kissing her cheek. She greeted me back but a frown was etched on her face.

“What is it?” I asked her hesitantly.

“Why are you late?” Maa asked softly.

“Extra classes as exams are just two weeks away and there was assignment submission and correction today. With presentations, submissions, classes and study hours at college, it was hectic” I explained but I knew I’m not the reason for her worries as I called her from Navya’s mobile and told her before the driver came back to the university to pick me up.

I thought Manik was coming and I hoped he would but I was disappointed.

“What’s wrong Maa?” I asked again.

“It’s Manik” She said with an exhausted sigh and my heart rate picked up.

“What happened to him?” I asked as I kept my bag on the couch even though I had an urge to run to our room and check if he was okay.

“Glasses shattering and things breaking sound was coming from your room” I was half way on the stairs to our room when she finished her sentence but she stopped me.

“Don’t go Nandini, he is angry. I don’t know what, but it is not the correct time, he might hurt you” the uncertainty in her voice said he would definitely hurt me if I went into the room.

My hands immediately started to sweat but I’m not going to run away. He is my husband and I can't leave him stressed or in pain, that’s not what we took oaths for.

“I’ll handle him maa” I said before going towards our room without hearing her reply.

Dhruv was standing in front of the room door, which made me more anxious. “Bhabhi,” He said nervously.

“What happened Dhruv?” I asked, there was no sound of anything breaking now so I assume he might be quiet now.

More like a volcano erupting to burst. My subconscious mind taunted me but I ignored it, I’ll worry about it later.

He didn’t meet my eyes and I knew what he was thinking. I’m not asking about why he is outside our room door but why Manik got angry, or more like the reason for his weird behaviour.

Dhruv lowered his eyes and said “I saw him in the store room and tried to talk to him but he refused to talk to me and I could hear the shattering voices until a few minutes ago.”

“What did you guys talk about?” I asked, feeling like an intruder. I’m so tired and I don’t know if I could handle what was there on the other side of the door or what Dhruv would say or anything, but I’m sure that is as bad as I don’t want to imagine.

So I’m not doing that until I want a full blown panic attack. It doesn’t always have to be about me.

“I can’t tell anything Bhabhi, it’s Manik’s place to tell” Dhruv said and it confirmed whatever the thoughts I was having the whole day. I had an urge to go check the store room first rather than going to Manik but that would be a bad idea.

“I’ll take it from here, go rest” I murmured to Dhruv as he looked so tired, dull eyes, messy hair, and the complete exhaustion of the whole India is on his face.

“Are you sure?” Dhruv seemed hesitant, which just filled me with more nervousness.

My husband is not a freaking monster you all, I wanted to say but then decided against it as I remembered about Madhyam and a shudder ran down my spine.

I just nodded my head and opened the door after a moment's Dhruv left and closed the door behind me. It was seven and the sky was dark and there was no light in the room. Is Manik even here?

“Manik” I called out, my voice came breathless as darkness scares me and he knows that. There was no response. I thought he was not here and instantly turned away to go out of this room when I heard a sound of something glass moving.

“Go away Nandini” Manik said, his voice sounding so distant and cold that it would be enough to freeze a damn desert, but nope, Nada, I’m not leaving him.

“I’m not leaving,” I said firmly. “Leave” His voice sounded a bit more loud, but still lost, as if he didn’t belong here.

“I said no Manik '' I said sternly and walked towards the bedside to the switchboard when something pierced my foot. Damn I shouldn’t have removed my shoes, I could feel the thing piercing my foot but I cared less at this moment.

I walked to the bed carefully trying not to hurt myself anymore and was about to turn on the lights when he said “Don’t turn on the lights” but I ignored him.

“I’m turning the lights on Malhotra” I warned him before turning on the lights and it took us a few moments for both of us to see the hurricane there. Shit.

The room was filled with broken things and glass pieces. Manik was there in the middle of the mess, his back leaning to the bed. Glasses, plastic, vases, flowers, bedsheets, marble stones, every single thing. Did his ex come here or something?

“Manik” My eyes turned horrified when I looked at his hand. His hand was looking better this morning when I applied the band-aids and it was filled with blood. Red. Dark red. Blood on his hand, on his white shirt that made my heart run faster than ever.

I walked to him and stood in front of him, careful not to make any noise or hurt myself and he glared at me.

His eyes red like blood would come out of them if he glared anymore. His shirt crumpled, his hair messy, his face filled with pain, guilt and regret. I don’t know what happened but the look on his face sliced my heart right through.

I don’t know what happened suddenly but I was sure he’d kill me if I even breathed in his direction but like my body has its own brain, It knelt in front of Manik and I found myself straddling him and wrapped my hands around his neck hugging him tightly and he stilled.

Don’t push me away please.