"He went into depression after you went. Didn't come out of this room for one month, no food, no water..just drinking and crying for you...we only heard a sound from his room, he was scratching his hands with broken glass and faint due to blood loss. We tried to make him ok but he didn't. One day suddenly at night he ran outside, saying you called him. Before we reached him, he got into an accident. Due to his mental health, he went into the back of his life...he is now mentally 5years old boy." Aliya said crying, hugging Dhruv. Mukthi and Cabir looked away.

Nandini looked at Manik tears who pouted at them, "Maa why cry cry?... Alu bady ..no scolding Ma." Manik said angrily.

"No Manik..she is not scolding me," Nandini said, holding his hands.

"Haan ma." Manik obeyed cutely, hugging her.

"I don't know what you do nandini, he has to be old Manik soon. Stay in the manik room!" Mukthi said, and left behind Aliya and Dhruv followed.

Nandini looked at Cabir who looked at Manik, "Please bring him back." He said and left. Nandini stood in tears seeing him.

"Maa..come...me show Mani toys." Manik pulled her into his room which was filled with toys, he made her sit on the bed, started explaining his toys filling her lap.

Nandini continuously eyed him as if he came from another planet.

"Ayyappa what I said? What did you do? I told you to take care of him but...I can't see him like this Ayyappa." Nandini looked down, biting her lips.

"Ma..thichh car..me fav..red car..se..zooooooom." Manik said giggling.

Nandini cups Manik's face, making him look at her, "Manik listen..baby why are you like this? Please be my Manik ..please."

Manik looked at her with pouty face, "maa..no cry cry..Mani no like..pleachhh." he asked cute face, Nandini smiled whipping her tears.

"Ma red red." Manik said pointing to her arms, she saw blood in her arms due to Mukthi pull, her nails may be pricked.

"Nothing baby, it's just paint..I will wash and come." Nandini said, Manik nodded happily.

Door knocked, Nandini walked to see the servant standing, "Mam this is for you."

Nandini saw an ointment and juvie.

"Who gave this?" Nandini asked.

"Sorry mam ..They said not to say." Servant said and left. Nandini followed the servant who was going down, she saw him talking to Cabir and Mukthi.

Nandini nodded with a smile, she knew who might give. She walked into Manik who was eyeing juice licking his lips.

"You want." Nandini asked, Manik nodded no with pout.

"Why baby..But seeing your face I thought you wanted to." Nandini asked, sitting beside him on the floor.

"No..muku scold..as no juice at night." Manij said with a grumpy face, making her laugh.

"Aww!! From now on no one will scold you, you can eat anything." Nandini said, pulling his cheeks.

"Really Ma...choco, icecream, juicy, cookie..all." Manik said excitedly.

"Yeschhh Manik." Nandini said, Manik hugged her tightly and said "thalq yhalq Maaa."

Nandini smile, saw Manik yawning cutely.

"Manik sleeps." She said, he nodded and crawled to bed and struggled into the pillow. Nandini kept all the toys, and stood seeing him.

"Maa." He called patting the place beside him. Nandini went and lay down beside her.

Manik circled his hands around her waist and pulled her, still his touch making her shiver, after a long time they were together, once difference he was not in the right state.

"Maa nini(sleep)" Manik said, yawning again, Nandini caressed his hair slowly. Manik slept in a minute feeling her warmth. Nandini was admiring him.

While caressing his hair, she felt uneven skin between her fingers. She removed his hair from forehead to see a mark, from his forehead to left ear.

"Ayyappa." Nandini's eyes became tears, she slowly lifted herself, checked him fully. First neck, fill his sleeve which has many marks.

"Aliya said right..he was torturing himself." Nandini palmed her mouth from crying.

She pulled his sleeve and lay down, she didn't have the strength to see more. Manik mumbled something in sleep and hid his face more into her chest.

"I have to change him. Ayyappa I don't know what and all he did. I am no longer going to believe you..You don't trust me Ayyappa." Nandini spent the whole night seeing manik from time to time and slept unknowingly.

Next day.

Manik was first to wake up, his eyes got his Nandu Ma, he became so happy after so many days she was with him.

He hugged her tightly, and giggled which broke Nandini's sleep. She absorbed the surroundings and looked at Manik, who was playing with finger and ring.

"Manik." She called.

"Ma....gooly moling Ma." He said kissing her cheeks, Nandini first startled then composed seeing his condition.

"Good morning Mani." Nandini kissed his forehead and sat on bed, Manik lazily sat leaning on her shoulder.

"Haw..no lazy boy Manik..get up and bathe." Nandini said, arranging the bed sheet.

"Ma..no..no..Mani nini again." Manik ssid laying on bed again.

Nandini glared at him, "No..get up or else no toys or cookies for you." Manik sat on bed with a jerk.

"No no..Mani cookie, juicl all manik's" Manik said grumpy pout.

"Then go and brush and bathe." Nandini said, he pouted and ran into the bathroom leaving a smiling Nandini behind.

After a few seconds, Manik called, she ran as if something happened but she turned immediately seeing him.

He stood naked, Nandini closed her eyes tightly.

"Ma bathy bathy." Manik said seeing his Ma turning around.

Nandini then realised he is small, he can't bathe.

"Mani you be ehre. I will call Cabir or Dhruv ok." Nandini tried to leave but Manik held her hands from behind.

"Ma no..You bathy me..pleachhh." Manik said hugging her, she felt his naked body on her.

She looked at the towel beside the stand, she took it and gave it to Manik, "Baby wear this around your waist...means hip."

Manik whin, "Mani please." He took it and after a few minutes, he said to turn.

Nandini slowly turned to see him standing with a towel around his waist.

"You sit on the chair." Nandini said, Manik sat playing with water. Nandini helped him to bathe, for her it was difficult. It's not the first time she saw him naked. Don't know why after many days she feels shy.

She saw many marks on his body, hands, legs, her eyes became state but didn't say anything.

"Manikk.." she glared at him, throwing water on her. He giggled seeing her face.

"Ma..anglyy." Manik palmed his mouth and giggled.

Nandini smiled and bathed him, whipped his body with a towel and moved out with Manik behind.

They saw Cabir standing, and Nandini looked at him.

"Ha..I came here to help him in bathing, I see you done." Cabir said.

"Cabill Ma bathy Mani." Manik said, hugging her from behind.

Cabir nodded, "You go out, I will help in dressing." Nandini looked at him, who looked down.

Nandini slowly left, Manik called her but she didn't turn as she knew Cabir would manage.

She went down to see servants arranging breakfast, Aliya and Dhruv sitting on chairs.

They saw her but didn't say anything. Nandini stood and Manik came.

"Maa." She turned to see Manik coming down running, he was still the same, tall, handsome, but angry and attitude was missing.

"How am I?" He asked, showing his dress.

Nandini smiled cupping his face, "Veryy handsome Manik." Manik giggled and hide in his face on her neck.

Everyone looked at it with a smile, "Sit, let's have breakfast." Nandini made him sit, sat beside her.

Mukthi and Cabir came to sit in front of Manan.

Nandini looked around for all the salad, juice, and bread. Manik always likes heavy breakfast.

"Why all light one?" She asked the servant who looked at fab4.

"Doctor said healthy food should be given, he is weak." Aliya said with a neutral face.

Nandini saw Manik making a face looking at salads, bread.

"Ma no no green green." Manik said, making a yuck face.

"But Manik is healthy." Mukthi said, Manik nodded no, looking at his Ma for saving him.

"Wait, I will come." Nandini said, going inside the kitchen. Fab4 looked at each other.

Manik sitting on a chair, banging spoon and fork on plate making sound. Nandini after a few minutes came with two bowls.

Fab4 saw poori and chicken curry, as Manik liked.

"Are you mad? His health is important. You're giving an oily one." Aliya shouted.

Nandini served Manik, who licked his mouth, and Nandini fed one, making him moan.

"Ma..yummy..." Manik said smiling.

"His mind is only mentally 5, not his body...You guys know manik always likes to have heavy breakfast...health is important. But eating only gives him energy..not salad or bread." Nandini explained softly, and became busy in feeding Manik who was talking about his favourite.

Mukthi was about to say something but Cabir held her hands. He nodded no and concentrated on food. Mukthi sighed and continued eating.

After eating Manik was sitting on the couch watching cartoons. Nandini just sees him.

"Why did you say anything to her?" Mukthi asked Cabir.

"You see manik happy na..seeing her. Leave it Mukthi, hurting her what you will get." Cabir said.

" Hurting her?..Cabir, you know I saw her as my sister. I am getting happy to hurt her. I saw Manik suffering. It's all because she left na.." Mukthi said in tears.

Aliya held her, "Mukthi see I know..But she is here for Manik. So please stop this..." Dhruv said.

Mutkhi nodded and went to her room, Aliya followed her.

"Did you give medicine to her yesterday?" Dhruv asked Cabir who looked at him in shock.

"Comeon Cabir, I know about you. You still care for her even without saying." Dhruv said smiling, looking at manik and Nandini.

"I do.." chair looked away. His phone ping a message, he took to see.

"What happened?" Dhruv asked Cabir who saw the phone continuously.

"Navya came..." Cabir said and walked out. Dhruv sighed and walked to mukthi room. He know two best friend going to meet now.

"Ma thichh..dorimole..nolbita.." Manik said about his cartoon to Nandini who was listening silently.

"Nandu." She heard someone calling her, looked up to see her best friend standing with tears.

"Navya.." she stood up looking down, she didn't even say a word to her before leaving. Navya ran and hugged her tightly, crying. Nandini responded back.

Cabir looking at them, Manik pouting seeing his Ma attention went to someone.

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

Hey Amazing people

How are you all?

I know I am late but what can I do? I am very busy with all the chaos going in my life. I am so thankful that you guys wait.

Do comment, vote and follow me for more updates. Thank you so much guys for 92 followers it's almost 100 please do it quickly *cute pout*

Shinigflies✨