Nandini watched as Dadi helped Manik settle in a chair at the dining area where everyone was settled for dinner before she took one of the seats beside him and Daadi took another. She carefully observed everyone as Riya Aunty served dinner and while she had her food, she saw from the corner of her eye as Dadi started to feed Manik.

Niharika observed everything, noticing how the new bride ignored Manik before smirking as realization dawned on her that Nandini might be forced into this marriage. Her mind automatically started working in every direction as she planned to have Nandini on her side, leaving that mental piece alone with that old woman.

"Nandini beta," Niharika called out sweetly with a fake smile plastered on her face, making Nandini flicker her eyes to her in question. "I apologise from everyone here that we didn't welcome you the way you were supposed to. It just took us by surprise."

Nandini nodded with a tight lipped smile while Dadi stared at them suspiciously and Manik silently played with the food on his plate.

"So, I would love to know about you. Did you work anywhere before your wedding?" Niharika asked.

"Yeah," Nandini said, a smile lightening up on her face as she recalled back to the only time when she truly felt free. "I worked as a teacher in an orphanage."

Niharika forced a smile with a nod as if pleased with her answer, despite the disgust at Nandini's selfless act. Soon, everyone caught up on Niharika's plan, except Dadi and Manik, and eased Nandini in a conversation about her job, acting as if they truly cared. Manik stared with a pout and his eyes shining in betrayal as Nandini's laughter rang out in the house when she picked up and played with that small boy, Jaspreet.

"Dadi. Mereko yaha dinner ni karna," Manik said as he turned to his Dadi, his bottom lip wobbling, letting the old woman know that he was seconds away from bursting into tears.

(*Grandma, I don't want to do dinner here.)

Patting his cheek, the old woman forced a smile before she asked Riya silently with her eyes to bring Manik's food upstairs. They both got up, Manik holding his breath as he watched his Nanni Mumma with hope that she will turn to him and stop him but she continued to talk with the bad uncle with a smile who calls him mental all the time.

He immediately wiping the tears that escaped his eyes, remembering how his Dadi taught him to be strong in front of bad people and turned around, leaving them behind.

•••••

A smile was etched on Nandini's face as she retired to her room, remembering the dinner with everyone. She sighed in contentment at finally having a feeling of belongingness after her parents death.

Nandini froze outside Manik's door as he sniffed while Dadi pleaded, "Please eat it, Manu. Don't you want to become a healthy boy like your Papa?"

Manik shook his head and sobbed, "No. I want my Mumma and Papa. Unko bolo woh dono vaapis aaye aur Manu aur uski Dadi ko leke jaaye. Mere ko ni rehena yaha pe. Please Dadi. Unko bulao naa!"

(*Tell them to come back and take their Manu and his Grandma with them. I don't want to stay here. Please, call them na!)

"Acha mai unko bulaungi lekin aapki Nanni Mumma ka kya? Fir woh agar apne baby ke liye royi toh mai kaha se laungi?"

(*Okay I will call them. But, what about your Nanni Mumma? What if she wants her baby? Who will I give her?)

"Woh meri Nanni Mumma nahi hai," Manik shouted, startling Nandini, her heart filling with immense regret as he gibberishly added, "Woh bohot buri hai. Woh bhi mere ko mental samajh thi hai tabhi toh un sab ke saath itna bate aur dinner kar ri thi." Manik gritted his teeth as he spoke his next words, "Uss Jassu ko toh apni godi mai lekar khila bhi rahi thi. Aur uchi uchi has bhi rahi thi. Mere saath toh kabhi nahi hassi."

(*She isn't my Nanni Mumma. She is very bad. She also thinks that I'm mental that's why she was talking and having her dinner with everyone out there. **She even played with that Jassu in her lap and even laughed loudly with him. She never laughed with me.)

"Nahi beta essa nahi hai. Abhi woh nayi nayi hai toh usse pata nahi ki ache log aur bure log kaun hai. Jab Dadi unhe samjha degi naa jese aapko kiya thi, fir vo aapse bohot pyaar karegi," Dadi explained, praying that it will be true.

(*No it isn't like that. She is new to this house and have no idea who are good and bad people here. When I will tell her the difference like I told you, then she will love you a lot.)

Nandini felt her heart break, and it was proved as Manik nodded his head and whispered, "Thik hai. Agar woh buri hoyi toh aap rona mat. Mai bhi nayi rounga. Hum dono strong strong haina."

(*Okay. But, if she is bad don't cry. Even I won't cry. We both are strong, right?)

Dadi nodded, hugging him tightly and pressing a kiss on his forehead while she tried to swallow past the lump in her heart as her pain escalated when she realized that their is a possibility that once again her Manu will be left alone. All because of her.

•••••

Nandini silently went into the room, going through every conversation as she freshened up. Her eyes met Dadi's, who was busy taking her medicines, and watched Nandini apprehensively.

Nandini silently sat beside her on the edge of the bed, her fingers playing with the bedsheet as she mumbled, "I heard the conversation between Manik and you. Can I please know how and what is happening to him?"

"Why?" Dadi snapped, unable to control the anger as she recalled how Manu cried and slept empty stomach because of the hurt she caused.

"So that I can understand him and help him, if it is possible," Nandini answered genuinely and added in a small voice, "To protect him."

Dadi stared at her for a moment, breathing out a sigh and replied, "He is twenty eight years old. When he was twenty three, he was going to Jaipur for a friend's wedding with his parents and on the way they had an accident. Collision with a truck. His parents passed away on the spot and Manik was injured on his head. He woke up a month later but with the mental illness.

On inquiring, the doctor informed that to block the grief of losing his parents, he behaved like a five year old, a time when they had gone out of station due to some work for a month, leaving him to his Dadi. But, since she passed away due to heart attack a month later, he assumed me to be his Dadi, even though I'm his Nani. Leaving it aside, I did everything that I could think of to help him recover, from taking medicines to going to pandits, but nothing helped. It's been five years since and now, even the medicines has started to take a toll."

Dadi passed me a bitter smile and said, "But, do you know what is more painful than watching my grandson succumb to death? It is staring at humanity ending when I watch my own family taunt him about his illness for mere money and a house that his father left him. So, as the feeling of helplessness and desperation gripped me as I saw that innocent soul crying his heart out, unable to comprehend why everyone hated him, except me, it made me search out for someone.

Someone who can shower him with love with only love as an expectation. Someone who can laugh as innocently as he does. And that search led me to you. Laughing as if you're the happiest despite the pain in your life."

I shook my head, unshed tears lining my eyes, my hands lowering her hands as Dadi joined her hands as she whispered, "I'm tired, beta. I know it is selfish of me to ask you of this but please take care of him and make him happy." Nandini froze, her world turning upside down at Dadi's next words, "Please let him live the last year of his life without shedding tears."

"Last year?" Nandini murmured, wondering if she heard it wrong.

Dadi stared at her in confusion and numbly said, "The doctors have declared that they can't keep him on his medicines his whole life. It has started having more negative impacts instead of positive. And soon without medicines, they have said that his brain will start damaging if he isn't able recover."

"And how will he recover?" Nandini asked despite knowing that their isn't any possible method that will help him.

"Only God can save him now," Dadi said with tears lining her eyes as she stared at Nandini with hope and asked, "You will make him happy, won't you?"

Thank you for reading! Please do share your views on this chapter and don't forget to vote if you liked it.

Also, I was slightly conflicted between introducing the concept of breastfeeding or not. Can you share what you would like and I will consider accordingly? Thank you!

Hopefully, see you soon! Take care :)