Destiny's Gamble

Operation Nandini

Manik's POV

Smack! 

"Don't you dare ask why I slapped you." Ma warns, wagging her index finger in front of my face.

"I won't," I say, my head turned towards the floor. "It was a much deserved one."

"You deserve a thousand more." She raises her palm in the air once more. I shut my eyes, bracing myself for another tight slap. But instead of her skin making contact with my cheek, her hand cups the side of my head. 

"Manik, Manik, Manik." She groans in frustration, lightly tugging at the roots of my hair. "What have you done?" Defeated, I shrug with great effort. Since yesterday evening every action I make requires energy that my body doesn't possess.

"I-I don't know what came over me," I mumble. "I've got no excuses to defend myself. None." My mind takes me back to yesterday. "Seeing that brownie..." I trail off, unable to comprehend as to why I reacted with such heightened levels of rage. "I made her bleed," I whisper, my voice cracking. 

"That show of anger suddenly seems quite petty, huh?" Ma asks, watching me as if she's viewing a wounded animal. I nod my head. 

"I would take it all back in a second if I could." Tears blur my vision. "I miss her," I confess. Unable to keep myself sitting up straight anymore, I lower the left side of my head onto Ma's lap. "I miss her," I repeat.

"And rightly so!" Ma's excited tone makes me wince. "Now I'm going to ask you a yes or no question and if you answer incorrectly my palm will once again get friendly with your cheek. Understand?" I give a slight nod of my head. "Nandini left last night, and come today evening twenty four hours will pass since her departure. Have you made any effort at all to get her back home? Apologized to her by any chance?"

"No," I say. The shadow of Ma's hand falls on my cheek, but she doesn't slap me. Instead, Ma holds her palm hovering in the air, a look of utter helplessness on her face. Frankly, I'm okay with her slapping me because this pain is nothing compared to the one in my heart. My entire body is on fire; the flames languidly licking up all my organs as if they wish to slowly torture me.

"What should I do with you, boy?" Ma shuts her eyes, resting her head against the back of the sofa.

"I'm here!" Cabir announces, pushing open Ma's room door and stepping in. 

"Oh, thank heavens," she says gratefully. "Come here." She waves for him to move closer to us. "We need to become Manik's love professors for a while to get his lifeline back." Sniffing, I watch as Cabir stares at me unabashedly. My friend's usual smiling eyes immediately cloud over with concern for me. Regardless of  my state, I try my level best to bring a smile to my lips. Alas, my efforts are in vain. 

"M-Manik," Cabir stammers, suddenly seeming lost. "What has happened to you?"

"Heartbreak," Ma replies. "Get your butt here, Mister." Cabir obliges like an obedient child. He lowers himself onto the chair beside the sofa, turning his body to face us. 

"Bring me up to date with the cause of my friend's suffering," Cabir says. 

*****

"Why in God's name should Manik apologize first?" Cabir exclaims once he's heard the entire tale from Ma. He points an accusing finger towards me. "Look at his state. The poor man's crushed. Also, she's the one who decided to believe some fuckers and call him a fucking rapist."

"I'll call you a rapist now, what're you going to do?" Ma challenges Cabir. At once my friend's gaze lands on me, as if he's expecting me to back him up. I stare back at him blankly. "Saying the mere word doesn't mean Manik has automatically turned into one."