Devil's Bride

Chapter 60

I was pondering over the last few hours when Manik's mother walked in with tray of food in her hand.

"Nandini, you haven't eaten since so long, have something." She said as she laid the food on the table which was near the bed. She helped me to get up as I was feeling weak. I sat on the sofa and she sat beside me. I looked at the tray heaped with food. It had all the food that doctor had told me to eat. She gestured me to eat and I tore the morsel of chapati. I ate slowly, consuming as little food as possible, the entire day had killed my appetite.

"Nandini, eat properly. You need to take your medicines." She scolded and I began to eat properly. She handed me a medicine and a glass of water when I was done with eating my food. I gulped the pills down along with water.

"It was one exhausting day. So many things happened in just one day." She said when we came back on the bed.

"True, but you haven't said anything about it. If you want you can share it with me. Sometimes it's good to let it out." I pinched her, I know she wasn't going to say anything about it but for a reason I wanted her to let it out.

"Mukti, addressed me mom, it was so good. I felt overwhelmed when I embraced her. It's been years, both of them never tolerated my presence around them. They never liked it. Thanks for giving it to me, Nandini. I'm grateful to you." She expressed. Her eyes were moist with tears yet her face lacked expression. She was a woman of few words, just like her son. She never allowed herself to express her emotions especially pain. Never let anyone come across her weakness. Never allowed anyone in.

"Do you still love him?" I didn't know what made me ask the question but I wanted to know about it. Can love last even after the strom?

"Who Vivek or Karan?" She said in a pained voice that tugged my heart.

"Anyone, I just want to know if you love someone or not?" I responded. I wanted to if she had the power to love someone or not.

"Well I love both of them." At my question one side of her lip curled up in a sad smile.

"I love Karan as my friend and companion. I loved the understanding and the bond we shared with each other. I love Vivek for making me who I  am today, I'm so thankful to him for walking out. Otherwise I would have been stuck in that circle. I came out, I moved on, I achieved things in my life, I discovered myself, all because of him."

"So you have forgiven him" I questioned, she took a deep breath as though preparing herself to say something hard.

"Long ago, I had to forgive him so I could move on in my life. Not all the times things stay the same Nandini, they change with time and you have to embrace the change." She answered with a weak smile. There's something about her that I admire, her strength I adore her strength and courage. She never accepted her defeat even after being pushed off. She stood back on her feet to fight back. She never gave up in front of the circumstances.

"Wasn't it painful?" I questioned, the weak smile she had on her lips faded and her face turned into a symbol of agony.

"Pain is a great teacher Nandini, happiness can never teach you what pain can, love doesn't make us heartbreak does," True, who would know it better than me. Pain has turned me into something I never thought I could be.

"Nandini, you didn't say anything about the confession I made, have you forgiven me for everything?"

"I haven't, I understand that your intentions towards me were pure but still you have no right to play with my life. You never told me anything until I find it out. You were beside me all the time and I respect your dedication but still I feel cheated."