MaNan ff: Tera Ban Gya ✔

Chapter 35

Reluctant to disrupt his solitude, Sheetal remained standing by the terrace door, his rigid posture leaning against the parapet until she finally made up her mind.

Breaking out of his reverie, his peer was on the periphery of his awareness when he felt his mother's soothing touch on his tense back, and he let out a sigh "Life can be so unfair, don't you think?

Seeing the gloom in her eyes, Sheetal managed a faint smile "I knew this would disturb you, Manik. That's why I hesitated to approach you."

"Manav's subject no longer haunts me, Maa," he chuckled bitterly, his face contorted into a grimace "It's just terrifying to think that his blood runs through my veins."

"Yet you didn't turn out like him," Sheetal said with a sad smile, her hand caressing his back as she searched for his gaze "And I'm grateful for that, beta."

"But did it ever cross your mind that I might become like him?" Tilting his head, his tough facade slowly fading, Sheetal could only offer a warm smile before shaking her head "I have complete faith in how I raised you."

Reaching for his face, her palm cradling his cheeks tenderly, Manik couldn't have asked for more as he yearned for comfort and reassurance from his mother at that moment "You've been everything a mother desires in her son, a sister seeks in her brother, and a wife finds in her husband, beta. I'm certain that one day, you'll also be a wonderful father."

Manav had passed away, yet the memory of his relentless cruelty and brutality towards them remained hauntingly vivid. 

As he stood in front of them at the Dasaswamedh Ghat, he addressed the young Shloke as 'Manik.' 

He saw Manav in the adult Manik, who held Shloke in his arms.

The way Manav's weary eyes sparkled, as if visualizing all that he had lost during his years of hostility, his trembling arms reaching out for Shloke, whom he saw as the younger version of Manik.

Seeing Shloke become frightened by the dishevelled stranger and burying his face in Manik's embrace, hesitant and anxious, Manav glanced around the ghat until he spotted the cotton candy vendor.

His son loved those candies.

Stumbling and faltering, he used the pennies he found in his tattered shirt pocket to buy one. Nandini instinctively gripped Manik's arm when Manav offered the candy to the little boy.

Seeing his Nanhi's apprehension and the old man's indifference, Shloke shook his head, refusing the candy. Manav looked dejected and then glared at Manik as if blaming him for scaring the child.

"Stop...abusing...him...Manav!"

Those were the only words he could muster before succumbing to a fit of coughing, his breathing accelerating until he coughed up blood, his face contorted in severe cardiac pain before collapsing in front of a bewildered Nandini and a startled Manik.

He was rushed to the hospital.

Manik accompanied him in the ambulance despite not wanting to, his face revealing nothing as Manav barely took another breath.

His eyes were blurred as he glanced at Manik, who sat staring blankly at him.

Removing the oxygen mask, Manav struggled to speak through his coughing.

A melancholic smile appeared on his pained face as he weakly called out, "Man...ik! My...son!"

Manik blinked, remaining motionless as Manav coughed once more, seemingly remorseful for all his past actions.