Next Morning

Nyonika entered the room to see Manik sleeping next to Nandini on the bed, holding her close to him. The two of them looked so peaceful, Nyonika just stopped to admire them.

"Haaye...nazar na lage mere dono bachon ko." 

Nandini woke up hearing her and looked at Nyonika.

"Oh Im so sorry beta...utha diya maine?" 

"Koi baat nahi Ma." Nandini replied. Nyonika suddenly hugged her. "Ma? Kya hua?"

"Im so sorry Nandini....meri vajah se tumhari yeh halat hai. Meri hi parvarish mein kami hogi...jo Dhruv aisa nikla." Nyonika said sadly.

"Ma..." Nandini protested. "Kuch bhi aapki galati nahi hai. Dhruv ne jo kiya uske zimmedar woh khud hai aap nahi. Aapne toh Manik aur Dhruv...dono ko ek jaisa parvarish diya hai na? Par dekhiye...dono mein kitna fark hai. Agar galati aapki parvarish ki hoti toh dono hi aisa hota na?"

Nyonika nodded in tears and Nandini felt bad for her.

"Main jaanti hoon ki aapne apna ek beta khoya hai...par aapke paas Manik toh abhi bhi hai na? Aur Ishaan, Riya...woh dono jitne Chacha Chachi ke bache hai utne aapke bhi hai na?" Nandini consoled her. Nyonika wiped her tears.

"Sahi keh rahi ho tum Nandini. Ek taraf agar maine Dhruv jaisa dhokhebaaz bete ko khoya hai toh dusri taraf mujhe tumhari jaisi itni pyari aur samajhdar beti bhi toh mili hai. Tu mere liye bakki bachon se kam nahi ho."

Nandini smiled and hugged Nyonika.

Ahem!

Nandini & Nyonika turned to see that Manik had woken up.

"Kya baat hai, saas bahu mein itna pyar ke mujhe hi bhool gaye?" Manik asked. "Not fair."

"Acha bachu....jalan ho raha hai? Ki teri Ma teri biwi se zyada pyar kaise kar rahi hai?" Nyonika playfully asked.

"No...Of course not Mom." Manik chuckled. "In fact, main toh bohot zyada kush hoon aap dono ko dekh ke."

Nandini tried to sit up straight in the bed when she realized she couldnt move her legs. She tried and tried but it just wouldnt move.

"Manik...Manik! Mera pair...mera pair...." Nandini looked at her legs in a panic.

Nyonika & Manik looked at her concerned.

"Kya hua Nandini?" Manik asked. "Dard ho raha hai pair mein? Mom...kuch pain killers do na."

"Nahi...dard nahi ho raha hai."

"Phir?"

"KUCH NAHI! MUJHE KUCH MEHSOOS HI NAHI HO RAHA HAI....MAIN APNI PAIR HILA NAHI PA ...MANIK YEH KYA HO RAHA HAI? MA....KUCH KARO PLS...MERA PAIR..." Nandini screamed. She was freaking out while Nyonika & Manik were in shock.

"What..."

"Ma...pls kuch karo. I cant move! DO SOMETHING!" Nandini shouted sobbing. Manik pulled her into a hug.

"Shh shhh....shant Nandini...shant. Mom..." Manik looked at Nyonika.

"Beta main abhi kuch tests karti hoon...tum bilkul chinta mat karo thik hai? Hum hai na? Tum pls shant raho...itna tension sahi nahi tumhare liye." Nyonika assured her. She then left teh room to prepare for the tests and looked back to see Manik console Nandini. "Bhagwan kaare woh na ho jo main soch rahi hoon...."

*****************

Nyonika stared at the reports infront of her unable to read it out loud. The rest of the family and Nandini's family had arrived and were now waiting.

"Nyonika...kya likha hai?" Neelam asked. Nyonika looked devasted.

"Mom...boliye na kuch." Manik said. Nyonika couldnt bring herself to say the results but still took a deep breathe.

"Na...Nandini....is...p...p..paralyzed." Nyonika said. Manik's whole world came crashing down as she heard this news. He glanced at Nandini and saw she was on the verge of breaking down. He held her hand to give her courage.  

"Kya?" Neelam whispered.

"Accident mein....Nandini ki spinal cord pe bohot zyada chot lag gayi aur uski vajah se....Nandini phir kabhi chal nahi payegi."

Nandini gasped and buried her face into Manik's shirt sobbing as he rubbed her shoulders.

"Par Nandini..." Nyonika put the reports down and sat infront of her. "Tum bhi doctor ho na...tumhe toh paata hi hai ki kabhi kabhi chamatkar bhi hote hai. Hum....hum dusre doctors ke second opinion lenge...specialists ko dikhayenge. Sab...sab thik ho jayega Nandini."

Everyone tried consoling Nandini but it wasnt much help and soon she fell asleep crying. Manik stayed with her while the others left.

*******************

Nandini woke up thirsty and saw Manik was asleep on the chair beside her. She looked to the otherside where a glass of water was kept. Nandini reached out towards it but couldnt reach. She looked at her legs in frustration and then leaned towards the glass more. Just as she was about to fall off, a strong arm caught her around the waist and pulled her back.

"Manik..."

"Kya kar rahi ho tum Nandini? Kuch chahiye toh mujhe bolo na." Manik said.

"Paani peene ke liye bhi kya main tumhe pareshan karungi haar baar?" Nandini asked sadly. Manik understood how she was feeling.

"Apni biwi ki madat karne mein pareshani kaunsi?" Manik said. "Tumhare liye Nandini...main apna jaan bhi de sakta hoon, yeh toh pir bhi bohot hi choti cheez hai."

"Manik...main phir kabhi chal nahi paungi." Nandini cried. "Apne patients ko treat nahi kar paungi....kisi ki madat ke bina washroom nahi jaa paugi, kapre nahi badal paungi...kuch nhai kar paungi! Yeh kyun ho raha hai mere saath? Kyun!"

Manik pulled Nandini into a tight hug. "Bhagwanji kyun kar rahe hai aap yeh sab Nandini ke saath? Kyun itni pariksha le rahe hai? She doesnt deserve this."

The next few days while Nandini got better in the hospital. Everyone visited her daily. Manik stayed the nights and he took very good care of her. Everyone made sure to keep her distracted from the fact that she cant walk and even Nandini tried to stay happy for the sake of her family.

Still, she would see patients walk home with their spouses or family members, she would see the doctors and nurses and just feel very sad.

"Manik...yeh kuch office ke papers hai. Tum bohot waqt se aaye nahi na...toh I brought them here ta ki tum sign kardo." Rehan handed Manik a file. Manik took the file and started signing the papers. "And listen....Harshad ka na kuch paata nahi chal raha hai. He seemed to have disappeared."

"Aise kaise? Tum logon ne sab jagah dhunda?"

"Haan...uske ghar pe, uske office...everywhere par kisi ko nahi paata where he went. Jis din Dhruv ka parda fash hua ussi din woh nikal gaya."

"Chup raha hoga mujhse....lekin Manik Malhotra se kab tak bachega? Keep our men on high alert." Manik told him, handing the file back.

"Ok...aur haan tumhe ek meeting ke liye aana hoga mere saath."

"What? Rehan you know main Nandini ko nahi chod sakti. Tum Cabir ya Abhi ko bhej do.....or maybe Dad can go." Manik refused.

"Nahi Manik...tumhe jaana hoga. Its important....vaise bhi, Riddhima toh aa hi rahi hai and Nyonika ma'am bhi apne rounds pe hai. Bhabhi akeli nahi hogi."

"But-"

"Manik." Nandini spoke up. "Chale jao Rehan ke saath. Important hoga tabhi woh bol rahe hai."

"Are you sure?" Manik asked. Nandini forced a smile and nodded. "Ok...par Rehan, jaise hi meeting khatam, main yahan vapas aa raha hoon."

"Ok Boss." Rehan replied. Manik kissed Nandini on her forehead and left with Rehan as Nandini looked on sadly.

"Manik meri vajah se kaam nahi kar paa rahe hai. Sabko apna kam chodke meri khyal rakhna hai...yeh sahi nahi hai." Nandini mumble to herself.. "Main....sab pe bhoj ban rahi hoon..."

Rehan, who had forgotten a file in the room returned in time to hear her say that.

"Bhabhi...kya bol rahe ho aap?" 

Nandini looked to him startled. "Rehan...tum-"

"File bhool gaya tha...par aap bataye...aisi baatien aap soch bhi kaise sakte hai? You know Manik loves you so much....pura parivaar apse kitna pyar karte hai. Aur jinse aap pyar karte hai woh kabhi bhoj nahi ban sakta."

"Abhi shayad nahi...par ek din ban jaungi. Rehan, patniyon ka kam hota hai pati ka seva karna, unke zaroorato ko pura karna. Manik office mein busy rahenge aur phir ghar mein aane ke baad mera khyal rakhne mein? Ghar pe sabko kitna kaam hota hai par koi kuch nahi kar payega kyun main kuch nahi kar sakti akele...."

"Bhabhi, jo bhi apne bola hai na patniyon ka kaam? Woh patiyon ka bhi kaam hota hai. Its a two way street. Dono ek dusre ka khyal rakhte hai na? Aapko abhi ke liye thoda zyada attention ke zaroorat hai....toh isme galat kya hai? Thats what families are for. Aur Manik toh vaise bhi mauke dhundte hai aapke saath rehne ke...so this works out for both of you." Rehan explained gently. "So bhabhi...just throw all these stupid thoughts out of your head. Aur Manik ke samne mat kehna...uska gussa toh aap jante hi hai."

Nandini nodded. Rehan smiled and left the room with the file.

===============================

Teaser:

"Haha ha! Dekho toh....yeh toh apahij hai!" One man laughed as Nandini was wheeled towrds the car.

"I know...Boss toh Mafia King se Caretaker King ban gaya!" Another man whispered laughing. Nandini felt her eyes tearing up.

PUNCH!

"HOW DARE YOU!" Manik heard him and punched the man. Then he turned and punched the other man as well.

"B..B..Bos.s...m..main..."

"SHUT UP! MERI BIWI KE BAARE MEIN WOH SAB KEHNE KI HIMMAT KAISE KI TUM DONO NE? HUH?" Manik shouted. Nandini wheeled her wheelchair over and grabbed Manik's arm. 

"Manik! Jaane do....pls, just leave it." Nandini begged. Not wanting to stress Nandini, Manik let them go and took Nandini to his car.

**************************

"Maddy....chodenge nahi na uss ladki ko?" Aryman asked.

"Of course not. Look at us...this happened because of that B*TCH!" Madhyam shouted. Bothe the brothers had ugly burn scars across their bodies and face."Vaise sunna hai she's wheelchair bound now, phir usse kidnap karna zyada asan ho jayega."

"But...Manik humesh uske saath hoga na?" Aryman asked.

"Dont worry bro, Ive planned evrything...do hafte baad party hogi. Ussi party ke beech hum Nandini Manik Malhotra ko kidnap karenge."

-------------------------------------

Thoughts? 

How do you like Nyonika & Nandini's bond?

Do you think Aryaman & Madhyam will be successful?