Janam Janam (Life after Life)

Part 10

The person Nandini saw was none other than Aryaman, Aarav's best friend and cousin.

Nandini's initial reaction after seeing Aryaman was fear. She rushed to her room immediately.

At the family gathering, when Manik and Aryaman met, Manik had mixed feeling towards Aryaman. Manik didn't know why he felt like that for Aryaman. Aryaman was shocked to see Manik, since he looked exactly like Aarav.

Aryaman came to know that Manik was Raj's son. Aryaman and Manik had met before, but Manik was little then. He hadn't met Manik after he grew into a young man. Aryaman had heard that Manik looked like Aarav, but what he didn't know was that they looked exactly alike.

Nandini was in her room. The scenes of the dreadful day, the day she died in her previous life, flashed through her mind. It took a while for her to calm down. Once she calmed down, she started thinking of how to proceed further since Aryaman was here now.

Nandini's thoughts : "Should I talk to Aryaman and find out if he knows anything? It is so many years, will he recognize me? What if he recognizes? Whether he recognizes me or not, he may not tell me anything, even if he knows something."

Nandini had a small hope that she might be able to find out something at least from Aryaman. She didn't want to ruin the only chance she had. She didn't know how long Aryaman would stay there, so she couldn't waste time. She had to think of something quickly.

Nandini avoided coming in front of Aryaman till she could think of something. It was difficult since Aryaman was staying in the same house. Since the house was very big and also lot of people had gathered there now, Nandini was able to manage, but she couldn't continue like that for long.

Nandini was keeping a watch on Aryaman's actions from a distance. Nandini observed that Aryaman was observing Manik now and then. Aryaman appeared a little nervous too around Manik, this made Nandini's belief more stronger.

Aryaman had been observing Manik for quite sometime, he didn't have the slightest idea that someone else was watching him. Initially he was nervous seeing Manik, but as the day passed he began to relax.

Aryaman's thoughts : "Manik just looks like Aarav since Manik is Aarav's nephew. He definitely doesn't know anything, so there is nothing to worry. I was getting tensed unnecessarily."

Nandini was in her room, thinking of how to get the information she was looking for, from Aryaman. She came up with a plan and decided to take Cabir's help to implement it. She was short of time and had to implement her plan as quickly as possible. It would be difficult for her to setup things on her own in such a short time.

Meanwhile, Manik had been trying to analyze his feelings.

Manik's thoughts : "I feel there is a connection between me and Nandini from the time I met her, but I don't know the reason for that. That day when Nandini was rolling down the hill, I was terrified. I felt that I am going to lose her. I felt as though I have been through the same situation earlier too, but when?"

Manik's thoughts : "....and Nandini, she is up to something. I have no idea what she is trying to do. Why was she interested in that room?"

Manik's thoughts : "....and when I went to that room that day, I felt as though I have lived there earlier though I haven't. Uff....so much confusion. What shall I do?"

Manik's thoughts : "I have to go to that room once more.... I might find some clue there."

Manik goes to that room that night. He looks around the room, everything in the room looks familiar to him. His eyes fell on a painting on the wall. He stands in front of the painting. Don't know what prompted him, probably it was his subconscious mind, he takes off the painting from the wall.

There was a secret locker embedded in the wall, where the painting was. He opens the locker and finds few things inside. Manik places the painting back on the wall and takes everything he found to his room.

Next day, Nandini told Cabir that she wanted to talk to him about something important and they went out together. She explained Cabir everything she had found out in the past few days.

Cabir : "Are you serious? I still can't believe it."

Nandini : "Yes...I am. I know it is difficult to believe, but it's true."

Nandini : "Now, I need your help to implement my plan."

Cabir agreed to help her. They immediately started thinking about the details of how to execute the plan. They also got items needed for the setup that was required for producing the desired effect for the plan to work.