Zehnaseeb

49. Reunion

Nandini was wailing loudly while hugging Manik. She was screaming, she was shouting. Her knees went weak and she fell on floor while Manik immediately held her and sat along with her. She was crying hysterically. Manik was hugging her tightly. He kept kissing her hairs now and then while rubbing her back. He was crying silently along with every single person present there. Her cries, her screams were heart wrenching. No one could imagine the amount of pain she was going through since so long.

Ansh couldn't see her like that. He turned back and started sobbing keeping hand on mouth. Mukti, Dhruv and Aliya was consoling him. Abhi was also crying badly holding the knob of door while Cabir, who was standing beside him crying silently, gave him a side hug. Manik looked at them with his teary eyes and gestured that he will handle. Everyone left from there unwillingly.

All were hurt, sad and emotional seeing Nandini like that but it was necessary. And somewhere they were happy that she let out her pain. Her silence was a way more disastrous.

After wailing for nearly an hour, Nandini felt drain out. She was tired. Her sobs subsided. Manik felt it and broke the hug slowly holding her in his arms.

Her eyes were all puffy, swollen, blood red. Tears were still flowing. She looked at him like a kid while blinking her eyes. He gave her a faint smile and wiped her tears. He could feel her eyes dropping. Pecking her forehead, he gently picked her in his arms and headed towards her room. Nandini was clutching his shirt tightly in her fist while hiding her face in his chest.

Entering in her room, Manik carefully placed her on bed. He was going to take comforter when she held his hand tightly while looking at him with her heavy eyes. Manik smiled at her softly.

"Let me cover you, Golu. I am here only." But she never left his hand. He sighed and lied down beside her. She immediately hugged him and closed her eyes.

Manik kissed on her hairs and took her in his embrace. He kept on patting her head softly and she slept in no time. After confirming that she is sleeping, Manik adjusted her on bed and covered her with a comforter. He caressed her face lovingly and gave a peck on her lips muttering a quick 'I love you' before leaving the room.

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Manik entered in his room and bursted out crying loudly. He couldn't cry, and show his pain infront of her. But he was dieing inside seeing her so weak, so vulnerable. Her each cries were tearing his heart apart. But he could do nothing. He felt so helpless. His love is in so much pain but he can do nothing to reduce it. He can not change her past. He can not give her parents back to her. He can not undo those three years which she suffered.

He looked at himself in mirror and gritted his teeth in anger. Taking a long stride towards it he broke the mirror with his fist shouting loudly.

He dropped on floor near by crying. Blood was flowing from his fist. Soon he felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked back raising his head. He hugged the person from his waist while crying.

"I am such a looser. I could do nothing for her. She is in so much pain and I can do nothing to make it go. Just nothing. I hate myself. I so hate myself for being so helpless." Said Manik while crying.

"Calm down, Manik. You can not be weak now. Not atleast when my doll needs you the most. And you are saying you didn't do anything? Do you even realise she just reacted hearing your song? She let her pain out infront of you. She felt that warmth, that protectiveness in your arms. She broke her walls because of you, Manik. You did it, Manik. Your love did it. You aren't looser, you gave her strength. You made her believe that you are with her always and she can trust on you forever. And She trusted you, Manik. You won. Your love won. And you can only take away her pain by your love. Only you can heal her, Manik. Only you." Said Abhi smiling with tears while patting his head. Manik broke the hug looking at him when he felt someone was holding his wounded hand.