Written in the stars

Sequel - Part 14

Soha's thoughts : "Once Nandini leaves, my path is clear. I will have to figure out a way so that I can occupy Nandini's place in Manik sir's cabin. Let me see how he will resist me when i will be around him all the time."

While Soha was in her dream world, Nandu had been thinking about what Soha said.

Nandu's thoughts : "Soha seems to have misunderstood Manik. I have seen only care and concern for me in his eyes."

Nandu's thoughts : "Why is she telling me all this? I have seen myself how Soha was behaving around Manik. Manik never payed any attention to her. Why would she try to get closer to him, if she has such a low opinion about him?"

Nandu's thoughts : "Something is fishy. What is she trying to do? She wants me to quit the job or move to a different department. She was Manik's personal assistant before me. Does she want to get her position back, is that the reason?"

Nandu's thoughts : "Or is she jealous of our closeness? She has been trying her luck on Manik for quite sometime."

Nandu might have lost her memory, but she was smart enough to not fall in Soha's trap. Neither Nandu's mind nor her heart was ready to accept anything against Manik.

Nandu : "You were Manik sir's assistant before me right. Then why didn't you quit the job after knowing about him."

Soha was taken aback by Nandu's question, but didn't show.

Soha : "I couldn't quit the job. It was important to me, I have a family to take care of. So I asked for transfer to a different department and you came in my place."

Nandini : "Hmm.... Your opinion about Manik sir isn't right. You may have been here longer than me, but you don't know him well. You might have heard some rumors, I think there is no truth to it. I can talk to Manik sir and figure out what happened in the past. It will clear your misconceptions and put an end to the rumors too."

Soha : "No no ... don't talk to him about it. If he comes to know that I told you about this, he will surely fire me."

Soha : "It's fine by me if you don't believe me. I told you about it because I care for you. I thought I should warn you before it is too late."

Next time, when Nandini was playing the guitar she remembered Manik telling her to try singing. She tried to sing and it didn't take long for her to figure out that the other voice in the recording was hers.

Nandu's thoughts : "Manik knew me from before the accident. Why didn't he tell me then? What could be the reason for keeping this information from me?"

Nandu was lost in her thoughts.

Nandu : "Whenever I heard that recording in the past, i felt that those weren't just words. It felt as though they really meant it. Does that mean that we loved each other?"

Nandu : "Is that the reason I feel that there is a connection between us? Is that the reason for the way I feel when he is around me?"

Nandu's thought process came to a halt when Abhi called her.

A few days later, on their way home Manik and Nandini got caught in heavy rain. The road was blocked because of fallen trees. After checking the situation,

Manik : "The roads have been blocked and they aren't going to be cleared till tomorrow. So we will have to find a place to stay for the night."

Manik and Nandu started walking, looking for a place to stay. Nandu began to feel cold and Manik sensed it. Manik took off his jacket and covered her with it. Due to the blocked roads, rooms were filling fast. They managed to get just one room. The receptionist said that the chances they would find rooms in another hotel was very  less, so Manik payed for the room. Manik dropped her to the room.

Manik : "Here, take the keys. Fasten the bolts. Call me immediately if you need something. Don't go out on your own."

Nandu : "Where are you going?"

Manik : "I.. I will probably stay at the reception. Or may be in the car... it's not far from here."

Nandu : "Why do you want to stay there? We can share this room."

Manik was definitely fine with it. Why wouldn't he be? She was his wife. But he hesitated because she didn't know that and he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable.

Nandu : "What are you thinking? Are you scared to share the room with me? I won't do anything to you."

Manik : "Are you sure? You are ok with it."

Nandu : "Yes. I trust you. I know I am safe with you."

They both were lying down with their eyes closed. But both were busy in their own thoughts.

Manik's thoughts : "She wants to know about her past. She does feel a connection between us. She trusts me enough to share a room. May be I can go ahead and tell her about our past and see if she can remember."

Manik's thoughts : "No, I can't tell her here. Don't know how she will react. I may not be able to get to a doctor if required in the current situation. It is better to check with Abhi and then tell her."

Nandu was remembering all the past events since she met Manik :

Her erratic heart beats when Manik met with the accident, Manik holding her hand when he was unconscious. His family and friends staring at her as though she was a ghost and Mukti's words : "Sorry he mistook you for someone else."

She had seen him looking at her with mixed emotions. He knew a lot of things about her though she hand't told him. His words : "She doesn't remember me. She isn't in touch with me as she was earlier."

How she liked being around him? How she felt safe with him? How he cared for her? Finally the photo she saw in his wallet.

Nandu had seen a photo in Manik's wallet when he was paying for the hotel. Manik didn't realize about it. It was Manik and Nandini's photo together. He was back hugging her and their faces were touching each other.

Manik had left his wallet on the side table when he had to use the bathroom. Nandini opened his wallet to confirm what she saw. She wanted to make sure she wasn't imagining or her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.

Nandu's thoughts : "Manik knows everything about me. He knows me from before the accident for sure, the photo says it all. But why am I not able to remember anything? Why isn't he telling me anything? What is stopping him? Should I ask him? But how?"

They both looked at each other, but at different times.

The roads cleared and they got back home.