I NEED U TO BE THERE..... for a little more than Always!!

CHAPTER 5

I NEED U TO BE THERE...for a little more than always!!

Part 5-
The next morning, Manik and Nandini reached office and Nandini saw her schedule. There was a meeting in two hours and she had to brief Manim before that. She decided to instruct the team before going to Manik so that she can talk to him. She went down and had a final discussion with the staff.
Nandini: Ohk so i knw u all hv prepared a lot for this presentation and now i want this deal anyhow... Is that clear??
"yes Ma'am " came a reply from the team as she finished.
Nandini went back up to her cabin and waited for Manik's tea that she had ordered. As the tea came she walked straight to his cabin.
Manik:Come in Ms. Moorthy
Nandini: Thank u sir.... Ur tea...
Nandini kept the mug on his table and Manik said,
Manik: So i was waiting for u only... Have u thought anything for Dadi's bday.
Nandini: Yes sir... I have. But i was thinking if we could discuss that after this project, coz u hv a meeting to attend in an hour.
Manik: Oh yes of course, One thing first.
The started with discussing the presentation. It took them about half an hour to go through it completely.
They were still on the last phase of the presentation slides with someone barged into the room suddenly.
Mukti: God manik, I almost thought I forgot the code to ur elevator.
Saying so Mukti walked in followed by Aliya, Cabir and Dhruv.
Manik: Wow guys what a surprise!! How come u all r here today.
Cabir: Just wanted to see if Nandini is doing fine or not.
Manik gave him a Oh_really look while Nandini supressed her smile,
Mukti: come on yr..... Why do u expect anyone to come to your office, obviously to meet u.
Manik: Yeah right come on in have a seat.
All of them took there place on the couch, while Manik said,
Manik: Ms. Moorthy!!! First Lets get over with this fast.
Nandini: Sure sir...
Nandini continued with the presentation and was done in 5 mins.
Manik: Ohk then... I think its quite good. Well done!!
Nandini: Thank u sir.... I'll take ur leave now...
Manik nodded at her as she picked up her files and laptop to leave. She was about to come the door when manik called out,
Manik: Ms. Moorthy!!
Nandini: Yes sir?
Manik: I hope i'll be hearing the rest tonight. Same time, same place as yesterday.
Nandini smiled at him and said,
Nandini: I'll prepare for it sir...
With this she went out while Manik sat along with the others.
15 mins later, he heard a knock on the door and said,
Manik: Yes Ms. Moorthy..
Nandini entered the cabin pushing a food troley and served some food for all of them.  As she went outside, cabir asked
Cabir: How did u know that it was she who knocked??
Manik heard him and thought about it for a second,
Manik: Maybe coz she is the only person allowed on this floor.
Cabir: And what about when she knocks ur room door at home.
Manik: I don't get to know it that time cabir... Stop it now!! Enough of ur Manik and his ps stuff.
Mukti: Oh u guys change the topic...
They all sat for sometime enjoying after which Nandini reminded Manik bout the meeting and he had to go.
That evening Manik had his dinner and rested for sometime in his room waiting for the time when he had to meet Nandini. He hd told her to meet him at 10 pm. He was only 9:15 when he got up and moved towards his balcony. He looked towards the outhouse willing to find her sitting outside or if he could see her inside. But all the curtains were closed and neither was she out in the lawn.
He looked at his wrist watch and saw the time, 9:17. He sat there itself looking at his watch regurlarly.
9:20, 9:22,9:26, 9:30... Time seemed to be passing too slowly for him.
And with this he decided to go down. He reached there by the bench where both of them sat the other day and thought,
Manik: Should i call her?? Should i knock at her door. Have I really not visited my own outhouse from the past two years?? God i m impossible. I don't even remember how does it looks like from inside....
He stood there and thought for sometime when he finally decided to call her outside.
He walked closer towards the lobby, but before he could reach the door he passes her window and heard soft music playing inside.
And then he saw her sitting on couch in her living area folding her cloths in an organised manner in a pile.
Nandini: I just hope this time, this Monster thinks by his heart than his brain. Ayiappa plz don't let this Monster spoil Dadi's day. I really got understand his form of love and care. What is such hidden love good for??....
She kept a pile on a side and started with the other,
Nandini: Dadi is right god knows what is gonna happen to this Monster.
Manik smiled listening to her talking to herself when suddenly he heard her saying,
Nandini: Ms. Moorthy, can't u ever be on time... U are 5mins late.
Manik's eyes suddenly grew larger as he understood that she was mimicking him.
Nandini: Go get me an Earl Grey Tea, remember it should be made with at most perfection.
The right amount of sugar and it should neither be too hot nor too cold... Understand.
And listening this he immediately started laughing, he laughed out loud but thankfully nandini dropped a container on the floor at the same time making his voice not audible to her. He kept his hand on his mouth and walked back towards the lawn.
He went to the far end of the garden not willing Nandini to think that he was waiting for her. He left out his laughter when he reached there.
Manik: Oh my god, seriously this girl is unique. So different in the front, u can actually never tell whats on her mind when she is in front of u. I can't even imagine that she was actually mimicking me.
He laughed out loud and then controlled his laughter. When he suddenly realised something,
Manik: What am i doing?? She is my secretary and i should technically be angry at her for this. Why do i find it funny?? Why was I so restless to come down here? Was it bcoz of Dadi's bday or-
And he couldn't say it further. He was not actually able to believe what the truth was. He turned around and sat on the grass.
Manik: No this is not possible. I can't feel for her. I know she is the best employee i hv ever had but thats it she is an Employee. I can't feel for her in any way.
He immediately got up and walked back inside the house, he was about to walk up the stairs when he heard his dadi's voice,
Dadi: Manik.... Son??
Manik turned around and saw her standing by the table with a glass of water in her hand.
Manik: Dadi... Why are u here?? U could hv callled it in ur room na...
Dadi: Its good to do some small small things ourselves.
Manik: Come I'll take u to bed.
She smiled at her and slowly walked her to her room. As he put her to bed, she asked,
Dadi: Son is everything Ohk?? U seem confused??
Manik: Ohh yes nothing....
Dadi: U sure??
Manik: I was actually confused how do we actually decide.... Who is the person we can share anything with, or who is the person we trust any particular work upon. And who we can blame or not blame for things that went wrong.
Dadi smiled at it and asked him to be comforatble by her side.
Dadi: Manik the only answer to all ur questions  is TRUST. Trust matters the most in our life. U can share anything with the person whom u trust completely. And if u trust someone, even if that person goes wrong, u don't blame them, coz u know what went wrong was the situation.
Manik thought about her words and immediately his thoughts became clear.
And he thought to himself, 'Yes, thats it... I trust her and thts the reason why i depend upon her so satisfactory.'
A smile of relief came on his face when dadi said,
Dadi: But son there is a very small line between trust and blind trust. For example, u tell me do u believe whatever i say to u.
Manik: Obviously dadi.. All my life, its u only who has shown me the right path.
Dadi: Son.... This is blind trust. U trust me so much that u don't realise that i too can be wrong sometimes.
Manik's pov, 'Do i hv blind trust upon her??
I do know whatever she does is always up to the mark and she does it all right. But i do keep a check on her for that... Ohh who am i kidding upon. I never check on Nandini, she handles the office as well as this house on her own will and in fact its she who keeps a check on my schedule.
Manik: No dadi...
Dadi: yes.... And do u know what that is...
Manik: What??
Dadi: Love...
Manik didn't understand her and asked,
Manik: Love???
Dadi: Yes my child.... Love is nothing else but trust... If u trust them with everything, then u love them truly.
Manik's pov: 'That means I m in Love with-'
Manik: Shit!!
Dadi: What happened??
Manik: Dadi I'll see u later... Actually i just remembered some important work.
Dadi: Ohk!!
Manik got up and rushed to his room,
Manik: No way... I cant be in love with her. How can I love her, she is Nandini... No she is Ms. Moorthy. She is an employee.
He lied down on his bed thinking about how cn it be possible? And he didn't realise when he fell asleep. A few hours later he stirred up from his slumber and checked the time, it was 2:50 am only. He tried to get back to sleep but failed, so he picked up his guitar and moved out of his room. He walked up to the terrace and sat there on the edge to play but before he could start his eyes fell down towards his garden and he saw Nandini sleeping on the bench outside.
Manik: Shit... How can I forget that i had called her out??