Her head was resting on top of his chest as his hands were holding on to her. Both of them rested in a comfortable silence absorbing the soothing effect from each others presence.
"Nandini?", Manik's soft voice whispered and Nandini just nodded.
"How was I back then?"
His sudden question made Nandini prop herself on her elbows and look at him.
"What do you mean?", she asked him.
"How was I like before all this happened? By the amont of changes that I am seeing and the nasty nightmares I guess I wasn't the same as I am now. And I am just curious to know myself.... Umm like u know how I acted, behaved, my stuffs and all, like I want to know myself and I know I am probably talking all rubbish and yet I just can't stop....okay I must stop yet am not doing and uhhh....its so frustating God!!!", he huffed as he met Nandini's wide eyes with the tinge of amusement in them and the next moment she burst out laughing.
Manik dumped his head in the pillow grumbling.
"You're an idiot.", she ruffled his hair.
"I am a cute idiot", he peeked out a little just to show his stupid grin.
Nandini rolled her eyes at him but couldn't stop smiling.
"You're my cute idiot", she replied kissing the tip of his exposed nose.
"Stop making me fall for you, U are already married", Manik chuckled.
"Yes Dumbo to you", Nandini mumbled pressing her nose into his shirt inhaling the Cologne of her man.
The silence spread wrapping them in a comfortable yet hollow atmosphere.
"We will find her right?", Nandini asked in a low voice breaking the silence.
She heard the deep sigh that Manik exhaled making her head Bob due to the movement.
"Yes we will. Let's hope for the best.", and Nandini could feel Manik's arm wrap tightly against her frame.
"Where is ish?", Manik asked suddenly remembering he didn't have an opportunity to meet his boy.
"Mom took him away on her way back from the office".
"What office? Is she into something?", Manik enquired.
"Yeah she is taking care on the business as you are off duty. She had been managing the things.", Nandini replied.
"Yeah she used to do that even back then during dad's absence.", Manik sighed closing his eyes seeking escape from the reality a little.
.........,...................... ............................
Harshad tucked Mannat in a small bed with dirty covers as the bell rang. A smile crept up lighting his haggard face a little. He exactly knew who the guest was.
He switched of the lights and bolted the door leaving Mannat alone. The dosage of medicine is going to keep her asleep for a while. He stumbled and tripped his way to the door.
As soon as he opened the door Soha faced a complete stranger. The cool handsome actor at whom girls swooned has miraculously transformed into a dead man. His face was full of beard and his hair in a mess. The clothes were baggy and soiled with stains of alcohol on them. A stench reached her nose and she crunched it with irritation.
"Welcome my love," Harshad greeted in a filthy manner giving her a faint grin.
"Where have you kept the girl?", Soha asked at once, not wanting to do any beating around the bush.
"Woah slow slow lady. Won't you ask how am I?", Harshad smirked.
"No I won't. Just give her to me okay?", Soha tried to keep her temper down. She had left Harshad one year after her divorce with Manik. After loosing several film offers due to his drinking habits, Harshad turned into a complete drunkard. And dealing with him became a difficult task for Soha. Thus at the end she gave up on him breaking off her ties with him.
There was one time that Harshad had come upto her all sobered and all. They spent a weekend at the outskirts of the city. During the whole venture he had been the perfect gentleman looking after Soha. She even considered giving him another chance. But the moment he proposed some ugly plans to destroy Manik and his family she politely refused him telling him she left her old ways.
And the complete transformation occurred. Harshad within seconds turned into a ugly monster growling and throwing things at Soha. She escaped all by her luck that night. That's when she realised that Harshad had been going through some ailment. On further searching she learnt that severe drinking and smoking caused him cancer of the 3rd stage and it was in such a stage that it was beyond recovery.
The failure the loss and the cancer all together took a toll on him and he became a victim of depression slowly turning into a sadist and a sociopath. And all his rage concentrated on the one and only Manik Malhotra and he wanted Soha to be his accomplice.
Soha politely asked Harshad, " all this will harm you only Harshad. Let go off all the grudge and hive her up to me. This ain't going to help you. Revenge will ultimately burn you down."
Harshad shook his head and looked back at Soha with amusement.
"Are you back with Mr Malhotra again? Right?", he whispered giving a shaky laugh as he produced a gun from his back pocket pointing it straight at Soha's head.
She stilled at once knowing very well what Harshad was capable of doing.
"Harshad....", but she was cutoff as Harshad in a fluid action pressed a stained cloth to her face. The sweet fragrance crept into her body making her faint in the arms of his.
This was a diwali update I guess. Anyways enjoy. Keep voting and commenting.
