Forever And A Day || Completed

20. High Tides!

~  A true and honest relationship is two flawed people, refusing to give up on each other~

Nandini was mortified, wanting the earth to swallow her up when she heard Mrs. Chatterjee say that. She looked up at her, big doe eyes filled with tears; guilt and regret shining in them. Mrs. Chatterjee took a step forward and rested her palm on her head, patting her twice.

" Don't beat yourself up for this Nandini. It's not your fault, if Manik didn't tell you", she tried to console Nandini who felt guiltier every passing second. He did so many things just to make her smile when he himself was in such acute pain, and she had not even had a hint of it.

" I didn't tell him either, but that didn't stop him from holding me", she muttered, not wanting to show how much she was hurt this time. She thought in all these months, there had been progress, that Manik had opened up to her, but all her fantasies were crushed with the truth today that Manik still had not let her enter his personal space. He still preferred to tackle his battles alone, that she was meant to share his smiles and not his tears.

Mrs. Chatterjee sighed, watching the contemplating look on Nandini's face. She knew it was not anger this time, it was hurt. Nandini was hurt not only at her own incapability to be there for him, but also at the way he had not even bothered to share such an important day of his life with him, and it was clearly etched all over face.

" Nandini, Manik has not talked about it with anyone, all these years, not even me when I pester him with it. You can't expect him to change suddenly, can you?", Mrs. Chatterjee spoke softly, well aware of the tears that were beginning to roll down her eyes.

" He could have at least told me about it. I won't bother him unnecessarily, I thought he knew that. But he smiled for me, made me dance and all happy stuff, while he was himself what, sad?", Nandini didn't mean to snap but she did, regretting it immediately, but before she could apologies, she saw a chuckle left the old lady.

" And what makes you think that while he was making you laugh, and smiling with you, he wasn't happy?", One question and Nandini could feel her eyes dilating like wide saucers. Her face immediately softened, her eyes twinkling at the prospect.

" Do you think he was happy?", She questioned to be sure, her heart beating faster than usual.

" Well, I know that you make him happy. You make him want to live life king size, and watching you smile, is his favorite pass time. He forgets the world in your smile", Mrs. Chatterjee laughed, a little tease in her voice, an attempt to lighten the environment.

It worked though, as a red hue started to creep up her cheeks, and an adorable smile formed on her lips, the exact one Manik doted on.

" Maybe, he actually felt better in all those moments that he was trying to cheer you up. And Nandini, Manik told you to smile on your mother's birthday right? Why do you think he will want to make you sad later by his own burden then? Sometimes it's not about the lack of intimacy or trust that forces people to shut off, it's just the inability that had formed out of being called out names for sharing", Nandini's eyes snapped up at that, and something at the back of her mind told her it was all because of those people he called his friends, which reminded her about her pending talk with Mukti.

" I know he hasn't told you the whole thing, even I know bits and pieces of it, but Nandini when you are hurt for being you, trust me that's the worst kind of hurt, and Manik had suffered exactly that", Mrs. Chatterjee had a very sad smile on her face, a mother's smile for her son's pain.

Nandini extended her hand to hold the lady's hand, and squeezed it, giving her a smile of his own. She didn't verbally reassured her because she did not really know what to say. But it was enough of a gesture to convey that she was there for him, and would always stay.