MUTUALLY MARRIED (#1)

TWENTY FIVE

Nandini reached home but was welcomed by silence. Cabir wasn't home yet from his movie date while her dad had a lot many meetings lined up for the day being the owner of the prestigious company. Martha the maid brought water for her and told her that there was someone waiting up to meet her. Nandini climbed up the stairs to her room only be welcomed by Manik's presence, who sat waiting for her.

"Oh it's you. I thought it's someone else." she spoke keeping her bag on the table.

"yeah it's me. Seems like you are not happy. " Manik said with a straight face.

"I thought you went for the movie well forget it you here so you want somethin?" she asked not paying enough attention to him.

"Yes i do." Manik answered.

"Okay so tell me what is it that you want?" she asked.

"You really are not into this wedding right?" Manik asked.

"Look Manik i have told you-" listening to his question Nandini turned to face him.

"I know. I know that second choice stuff but just answer me in a yes or no." he asked again.

"If you just have me then yes but if i am an option then no." she replied with a shrug.

"Option. Option. Option forget it Nandini." he snapped back this time clearly annoyed with her constant replies.

"Why should i forget it Manik." Nandini too raised her voice.

"Oh Nandini stop being so innocent even i am an option to you right. Then what is the problem? Moreover it's was an arrange marriage and you were ready for it." he said.

"Manik you are not an option and even i deserve love. You never wanted to get married to me in the first place then why now? Specially if it is just some arrange marriage for you." Nandini had enough of his drama and constant nagging.

"See again your 'i don't know' anything face. Nandini i saw you at the mall with that guy and it's fine if i am some choice to you which your dad gave." he stated as a matter of fact.

"Oh so you saw me and exactly what i was doing which made you think like this." she asked in a sarcastic tone.

"That's not the point Nandini. You know what you be with any guy i don't care, you get that!" Manik pointed his finger at her.

"Ofcourse why would you care about it and if that is the case then get lost from my room but not a word against me or anyone i am with." she warned him.

"Woah possessive, right miss Nandini Singhania. You know what i'll do you a favour because i am calling off this wedding." he declared.

"Fine you can do anything you want. Now leave." Nandini replied non-chalantly pointing at the door.

"I will and you'll regret this." Manik went out angrily while Nandini broke down in tears onto the floor. "Why Manik? Why couldn't you just trust me? You are not an option Manik Malhotra! You are not but no you couldn't trust me just once. You could have just asked me patiently and clamly but no you can't even do that." she wiped her face not wanting to cry over such a sick man ever in her life again.

On the other hand Manik angrily strolled down towards the gate when he banged into someone, it was the same guy he saw with Nandini at the mall.

"Are you blind? " he spoke in anger.

"Woah bro relax. It was an honest mistake." the guy put his hands up in defence.

"Honest mistake. You have made the worst mistake of your life." Manik murmured to himself.

"You said something?" the guy asked.

"yes back off" Manik snapped as he went away.

"Such a wierd guy." the man shrugged as he entered Nandini's room and found her on the floor sobbing silently.

"Nandini you left your purse in my car." he spoke entering but panicked at her sudden condition, "Nandini! Nandini! why are you crying?" he asked wiping her face.

"Rohan. Manik, he-" she hiccuped not able to form a sentence.

"Manik? who? that guy ? It was Manik?" he asked trying to pull her to the bed.

"He doesn't trust me." she sobbed in his palm.

"You get up first and tell me what's wrong?" he helped her sit at the edge of the bed offering her a glass of water.

"He-. He-" Nandini tried forming a sentence but failed. Suddenly her cell phone rang as Rohan too turned to keep the glass on the nearby table.

"Hello? What?" she was shocked by the sudden news as the phone slipped from her hands.

"Nandini is every thing alright? " Rohan came to her in a jiffy as he held her, "Say something!" he demanded.

"Dad." her voice was faint, " He suffered a heart attack. They took him to a hospital." she added gulping down the big lump forming in her throat.

"Okay Nandini you need to relax. We'll leave right now. Come on get up." he said in a soft voice helping her.

"But dad-" Nandini's voice was broken.

"He'll be fine trust me." Rohan blinked at her in assurance as they both reached the hospital together where they met Mr Singhania 's assistant.

"ma'am ! ma'am you cant go in." the poor guy tried to stop her.

"How is he?" asked an extremely worried Nandini.

"Can't say anything , the doctors are still inside." he informed.

"Rohan he needs to be fine." Nandini cried as she hugged him.

"Nandini you have to be strong. You are his brave daughter right." he rubbed her back to calm her down.

"If something happens to him then i won't be able to live." Rohan helped Nandini to sit on the nearby chairs while she was all in tears, crying hysterically and holding his hand tight when the Malhotra family arrived. Manik rushed towards Nandini but held back when he saw her holding someone's hand.

"How is he?" Mr Malhotra asked.

"Nandini look i am here uncle will be fine." cabir came and sat beside her.

"doctors are in so for now we can't say anything. He just suddenly started feeling uneasy and then the next second he just collapsed on the floor." the assistant explained.

"How long has he been in there?" Manik asked taking the charge.

"For about an hour."

"Cabir, he'll be fine right?" Nandini asked between her sobs.

"I said, he'll be fine." Cabir stroked her hair.

"I'll get you some water." Rohan said geting up when Nandinit ugged at his hand.

"No please don't leave." she requested.

"Nandini i am just going to go and get some water for you. Just 5 minutes." he tried to leave again but Nandini denied.

"You be here with her, she needs you right now. I'll go and get it." cabir said as Rohan sat beside Nandini again while Cabir left. Rohan hummed Nandini to calm her down while Manik's eyes was set on them.

"He is her childhood friend. Just got back from london yesterday." Cabir spoke.

"I don't care now." Manik replied in a monotonous tone.

"What do you mean that you don't care." Cabir becamse defensive but before Manik can reply suddenly the doctors came out.

"Nandini the doctors are here." Rohan informed her who had her eyes closed as she laid her hea don his shoulder.

"Is he fine?" she asked springing up from her seat in an instant.

"Nandini, my little one, he is fine now. A bit weak but let's just hope this doesn't worsen or we'll have to operate. Okay. Take care i'll be back." the doctor informed as he left after patting her head.

"Can i?" Nandini asked the nurse.

"Yes you can" Everyone went inside. Nandini left Rohan's hand to move forward as she sat beside her father.

"Dad" she hugged him.

"Princess. Why are you crying. Look i am fine." Mr Singhania stroked her hairs as she sobbed into his chest.

"I can definitely see how fine you are. The doctor said that you have to take care of yourself well now." she complained him like a small kid.

"yaya i will" Mr Singhania laughed at her adorable face wiping away the tears.

"You scared us buddy." Mr Malhotra said taking the other seat.

"How was my acting?" Mr Singhania joked.

"Oscar worthy uncle." Rohan tagged along with a laugh.

"Exactly. Moreover i won't die so soon because i still havent' seen my little princess get married. Manik and Nandini now it's on you to get married soon before i say a final goodbye." Mr Singhania said.

"Dad don't say this." Nandini said in anger.

"Let him say his dialogues Nandini. He's always been this dramatic. And moreover you want to see ther wedding right?" Mr Malhotra addressed his friend, "Then i'll get them married in a week from now." he said.

"What? But dad a week?" asked a surprised Manik.

"See even Manik feels that a week is too long." Mr Singhania tease but suddenly started coughing as Nandini handed him a glass of water.

"Please stop speaking an dhave some rest. The wedding can happen later on." Nandini said.

"No No i am completely fine. Now after a week you both will get married. Won't you?" her father asked with hopeful eyes. Manik looked at nandini while she looked at her dad and said, 'Ofcourse as you say."

"That's like my girl." Mr Singhania beamed with a smile as Manik and Nandini glanced at each other, remembering the day's incidents.