At night, Manik was changing position as he couldn't able to sleep. He had already started to miss the peace of her arms which were his heaven.
He heard the sound of opening of door and got shocked to find her on the door. He was looking at her without blinking his eyes and she passed him a beautiful smile , walking toward him.
"Tum yha , itni rat mein ( you here , late at night)" he said looking at her because he got shocked to see her late at night and then her words made him speechless.
"I am here at late night because i know you won't be able to sleep without me. Nightmare will not let you sleep" she said after sitting beside him , looking in his eyes.
"Like always nightmares will keep you awake at night. I know Loneliness will eat you  , the bad memories will make you cry and you will miss my arms. I came here to give peaceful sleep to the person who is my world and also i came here to change your nightmare into beautiful dreams" she told him the reason of her late night arrival. She was moving her hands in his  silky hair lovingly while speaking and looking into his eyes lovingly. Manik got lost , looking into her eyes and her words made him speechless. He had never thought that one day a girl would love him so much.

"Do your friend have permission to sleep with you on your bed ?"she asked looking at him and he just nodded his head because she made him speechless with her loving words. His eyes were glowing after seeing Nandini. She went behind him and hugged him tightly from behind as he was sleeping on one side. Her hand was wrapped around his chest tightly from behind and her both legs were above his legs. He happily entwined his hand with her hand. Their hands got perfectly fitted into each other, filling the space in between the fingers as like their hands were made for each other. He lovingly kissed her hand and she smiled broadly in response closing her eyes. Both closed their eyes , having peaceful smile on their faces. Like before , they both fell asleep in few minutes because they were in each other arms. Manik found his home in her arms , warmth of her arms were giving immense peace to him.

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Next morning both were sleeping peacefully in each other arms without any care. In morning, he was sleeping straight wrapping his arm around her and she was sleeping , putting her head on his chest. Their legs were entangled with each other and they were sleeping, holding each other hands. It was a beautiful view.
Neyonika walked inside the room to check Manik and got surprised after seeing the beautiful view in front of her eyes. It was like  two love birds were sleeping so peaceful in each other arms. She smiled happily and walked toward them. She covered them with blanket and then kissed their forehead. Seeing the scenario, she got tension free for his son from that day. She knew that Nandini would take care of his son perfectly. She left after blessing them with lots of happiness.

After sometime, Manik woke up. He was looking so fresh after sleeping peacefully at night. He smiled seeing Nandini, having so much love in his eyes. He kissed her head first and then kissed her hand lovingly. Nandini smiled in sleep , feeling his lips on her skin. He kept lying there closing his eyes having a peaceful smile on his face until she didn't wake up. He was getting immense peace in her arms, he never wanted to come out of her arms.
After an hour , Nandini woke up and smiled broadly, finding herself in his arms. She looked toward him and found him staring at him. They both gave each other beautiful smile and for few minutes got lost in each other eyes.

"Thank you for taking my nightmare away from me and giving me the hope of seeing beautiful dreams. In fact thank you for everything. Thank you for loving me unconditionally without any expectations. Thank you for coming in my life and showing me the right path. Thank you for bearing my craziness and my anger. Thank you for becoming my support system , thank you for seeing a hope in me , thank you for giving me new life" he was constantly thanking her for so many things from his heart and Nandini was going crazy listening his thank you. She was looking at him having smile on her face.

"Thank you for.."before he could thank her more , she cut him putting finger on his lips.
"Are baba , please don't make me so mahan(great). I love you unconditionally. I just want one thing from you that is your happiness. Haven't you ever heard that dialogue 'Madam dhosti mein no sorry and no thank you' so first rule of friendship in my list is never say thank or sorry" she laughed saying the dialogue and he got completely lost in her laugh. She stopped laughing when she found him , staring her and for few minutes , they again got lost in each other eyes.
Their eye lock got disturbed by Nandini's phone which started ringing. She came out of his arms and picked up the phone from table. She got busy in talking with her father and he went washroom to get fresh  after  giving smile to her.

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"Hello Aunty" Nandini walked inside Neyonika's room , greeting her. That time ,  Neyonika was reading magazine sitting on the sofa.
"Nandini , come here , sit with me"she asked her to sit with her happily. Nandini sat with her having smile on her face.
"You know , you gave me the biggest happiness of my life by giving my son back to me. Thank you so much"Neyonika said happily holding her hand and Nandini just gave her smile in response.
"I already started to see dreams of you and Manik marriage, bsh ab jaldi se ghar aajao meri bahu banke" when Neyonika talked about their marriage, Nandini became sad because Manik didn't accept her. He still loved Nandita more than her. He would never marry her.

"Don't you want to marry him , i mean don't you love him ?" Neyonika asked worriedly seeing her sad face.
"Aunty , Manik is everything for me. I love him a lot but sadly he will never accept me because he still love Nandita"when she spoke , a tear ran down from her eyes and she immediately wiped it. Neyonika was looking at her sadly. It was hurting her a lot but she was happy because Manik was getting peace and he was smiling.

"After seeing you both sleeping on the bed together, I thought.." she got silent for a moment and then continued.
"I thought, he accepted you because he had never shared his bed with someone else after Nandita. Not even with me. That's why , I thought.." Neyonika words made Nandini little happy that he shared his bed only with her.
"He loves me Aunty but for him it is not easy to forget his first love. He want me in his life but then he thought what if Nandita will come then what will happen. You don't worry Aunty , Now I won't let him fall down and he will get all the happiness which he deserves" Nandini said squeezing her hand to assure her that she would be there with his son.
"My son is so lucky that he got the girl like you in his life , Who loves him selflessly without any expectation . Seriously you are an angel for us and specially for him. Hope one day you will get your true love" Neyonika blessed her putting hand on her head and she gave her small smile.

"Isn't it hurt?" suddenly Neyonika asked looking at her when she was about to get up from sofa.
"You are like my mother, so I won't lie. It's hurt , it's hurt a lot. My heart breaks into million of pieces , every time when I use to think that Manik is not mine , he belongs to someone else. Dil rota hai aur akhai bhar ati hai (my heart cries and my eyes get teary)" she said and tears started brimming in her eyes and Neyonika felt bad after listening her words.

"But i am happy because at least, he is giving chance to his life. He is trying to live his life. From starting , my motive is to give him happiness , not to get him. His one smile is enough to give me immense happiness and also to mend up my broken heart. So i am happy"she said and a big smile came on her face when picture of his smiling face came in her mind. Neyonika was just looking at Nandini unbelievably because for the first time , she was witnessing the true love. The girl who was sitting in front of her that girl loved his son truly.

Manik was listening their conversation, standing on the door. He felt pain in his heart listening her words. He felt like , he was using Nandini. She was doing a lot for him , giving her all time to him and in return he was only giving her pain. He was not understanding that what he should do to make everything fine. He didn't want to cheat Nandita at any cost but his heart was dying to accept Nandini. He left from there sadly.

He walked inside his room and found Cabir waiting for him. Cabir hugged him and he hugged him back.
"Cabir , you came on right time. I need to share something with you" Manik said when they settle down on sofa.
"You can share anything with me , Manik" Cabir said with small smile.
"I am in love with Nandini but I can't accept her because I don't want to cheat Nandita. I had promised her that i will never give her right to anyone , i will come to save her and we will live together forever. It is not easy for me to break her promise , i just can't break her promise by accepting Nandini love" Manik shared his problem with him looking at him helplessly but Cabir's words shocked him.

"Manik , i was quiet till now because I don't want to hurt your feelings but this is the truth that Nandita is never going to come back , it's been 16 years and we have no clue about her. So move on , Manik. God has given you the golden opportunity by sending Nandini , accept that opportunity or else you will regret" Cabir said in serious tone and Manik was looking at him widening his eyes. Listening that nandita would never come back , it broke Manik's heart.

"Shut up , Cabir"Manik shouted angrily getting up from the sofa.
"How could you say that my Nandita is dead. Cabir , she is not dead because our heart connected to each other , if her heart will stop beating then my heart will also stop beating . She is still alive , i am sure" Manik said with full confidence looking at Cabir. His words showed that how truly he loved Nandita.

"You are crazy Manik" Cabir said after getting up. "Why can't you see Nandini's love. She is giving you happiness , she is giving you peace. Why are you not thinking about her. Accept her Manik before it get late and also accept that Nandita is never going to come back"Cabir said  making Manik hurt again by saying that Nandita was never going to come back.

"No , she has to come back"Manik started constantly saying this while Cabir was trying to make him believe that Nandita was never going to come back. That time only , Nandini walked inside the room and got shocked to find Manik condition.
"Manik , she is never..." Before Cabir could complete his word , Nandini shouted cutting his words.
"Cabir , please stop it"Nandini shouted while walking toward Manik and Cabir looked toward her sadly.
"Nandini , will Nandita never come back?"Manik asked from Nandini like small baby who was asking about her mother. Nandini felt like crying seeing his condition.
"Manik ,nandita will come , she will surely come. We both will find her" Nandini said holding his face looking deeply into his eyes.
"Nandini , why are you giving her false hope"Cabir said looking at Nandini but Nandini ignored his words and kept looking into Manik eyes.

Next moment, Manik started crying hugging Nandini tightly. Nandini eyes also got teary and she hugged him back tightly and his next words made her cried more.
"Kash ki tum hi meri Nandita hoti (i wish , you were my Nandita)"he said crying badly , hugging her more tightly and Nandini also cried hugging him back.
"I also wish the same"she said in crying tone. Both were in pain , they loved each other but couldn't accept each other.

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Love Mehak