#How bad could a meeting with your ex go? As bad as an ice cream melts into a kid's hand that he doesn't stop crying for ages #

"Manik is doing well."

I looked up at her, halting the marathon my fingers had been on while pinching at the inside of my palm.

"I did not ask, Navya!"

She nodded her head at my answer. "I know! But I thought you'd like to know about his health." I stared on, before looking away.

"If that's why you're here, then I'd like to stop talking." I stood up and started to arrange my office files in the cupboard. "Are you mad that I listened to your conversation with Annu?"

I held my breath as well as my emotion before turning around.

"No, Navya!" I turned around to face her, who stared at me questioningly. "But I don't know why would you like to talk about someone I don't like to talk about. Yes, he was taken to the hospital. So what? Anybody can get into an accident. And yeah, it was because he climbed the tree to save my daughter and I'll forever be grateful to him. But that's it. That's all he'll be for me. Someone who saved my daughter's life and I knew nothing bad had happened to him because I was there. So why are you here talking to me about him as if you do not know that I do not like him? In fact, he's one person I hate the most."

I stared at her expecting an answer to my outburst. I must have looked like a mess with the way I was breathing hard in anger.

"Okay, okay. Relax! I'm sorry." She stood up to move towards where I stood. "It's just that, I thought you'd want to know how it went with him at the hospital. You always cared about everyone. Even if that person never did good to you, you'll be praying for their wellbeing. I just thought you wouldn't ask but you wanted to know. I'm sorry."

Her eyes held sincerity and I heaved a sigh of relief before turning towards the window in my room. I walked towards it and stared out, in the night sky. The stars in there shone bright and stared back at me. And two of them stood out, shining more brightly and I smiled at them.

"That is right, Navya." I breathed out after a few second of silence. "But that was the Nandini you knew about. That was the Nandini who loved everything and everyone around even if they don't. That was the Nandini who died five years ago."

I wiped the stray tears and looked back at the two stars shining brightly, as if they were smiling in assurance.

"Nandini!" I felt her hand on my shoulder and I looked back at her. "I'm not here to talk about Manik. But from whatever I heard from your conversation with Annu, I know that your husband is not in the picture."

I bit into my lips and looked away hoping that she doesn't notice the discomfort on my face.

"But he should be, Nandini. Not for you but for Annu. She needs a father. I know that because Naman cannot grow up into a man without his father. Just like Annu needs a hero by her side, to be her hero. And I admit that I don't know if he's still—-alive or you guys are divorced but I'm just talking about what you told her. That's wrong."

I clenched my fists before turning towards Navya, masking the emotions on my face with a smile.

"No, you're wrong, Navya. Unfortunately, That guy is very much alive." She stared at me with her head nodding to what I said. "But would you really want a man, who abused his wife to be her father? Would you really want a man, who raised his hand on his one year old daughter to be her father?"

The hold that she had on my hands loosened, and she stared back at me silently. Her gaze had softened and turned sorrowful. And when she realized the meaning behind what I said, her face broke into a scowl.

"He hurt you?" She questioned and I felt uneasy with that question, for I was going to lie on her face. "That's not the situation anymore. We're way past that phase of life. All I'm saying is I don't want him to be my daughter's father."

She stared on before looking away and letting out a sigh of agony.

"I-I'm sorry, Nandini. Bina kuch jaane mene patha nahi kya kuch nahi socha..aur kaha. I'm sorry, Nandu!"

I smiled half heartedly at her before looking at the watch around my wrist.

"It's dinner time. Call everyone and come for dinner."

And I left the room, for it was suffocating enough with the lies around.

***

"I'm not hungry. And No, I'm not gonna listen to any of your threats like- Cabir is gonna kill me. I'm not scared of him." I stated while looking at the plate in my hand, and then at Dhruv.

"Why are you so adamant, Manik? You need to take some medication for your cut. Have you forgotten that now?" I shrugged and waved my hand in air before logging in my laptop.

"I have had juice and croissant. That would be enough for the medicine. You guys need to stop worrying about me." I muttered out loud before typing in the response to the mails I received.

"I can't, with your persistence." I heard Dhruv sighing out loud to which I only nodded. " Excuse me?" I turned towards my left to see her. Annahita.

"Hi, Maneek!"

I smiled at the way she pronounced my name. There's something about the way kids take my name. Like how Naman calls me Maani Chachu!

"Hi, Annahita. How are you?" From the corner of my eyes, I could feel Dhruv drilling holes at my face. Probably with the way I talk to her, considering who she is.

"Good. Are you okay? Did you take medicines? Mamma always says that medicines are very much important for our good health."

I smiled. Nandini has changed a lot. The person who insisted on home remedies rather than the medication has become dependent on them.

"Oh you must be on time. Maneek here thinks that a glass of juice and croissant would be enough to take his medication." I glared at Dhruv before sighing out loud. "Yes, that would be enough."

"But you would get tired. It can also cause stomach pain." I stared at the little girl in surprise. "Mamu told me."

I hope it's not that nosy Mamu of hers!

"Very true!" I heard Dhruv muttering and his grin visible in those words. "I know right!"

Great! All my friends are here!

"Okay, listen up. I'm not so new to medicines. I can handle them very well."  I turned towards Annahita and smiled. "Whatever your Mamu said was for kids. I'm a grown up. I can handle the medicines just with whatever I had."

"You are wrong. Mamu used to tell the same when Mamma takes her medicines without food."

I heaved a sigh before nodding at her. She moved towards the plate that I kept aside and handed it to me. "It's good you don't have to drink that green juice Ma used to make for me. Be thankful!"

I stared at her wordlessly as my brain took me back to the memories where she used to make healthy bitter gourd juice for me, which I used to spit out before she could find out.

"Eat na!" She nudged bringing me out of thoughts. I nodded before taking a bite from my plate.

"Now that's interesting!" I heard my friends which I ignored.

***

"Uh, hi! Excuse me?"

With a thudding heart, I stepped inside the living area where everyone were seated. Everyone as in; Manik and his friends!

"Nandini!"

My gaze got shifted to one person. Cabir, who stood up on seeing me, the most unexpected person at the living area of the wing they were staying at.

"Hi Cabir!" I managed to smile at him, who could only nod at me with a flabbergasted look on his face. "I'm here to meet Mr. Malhotra. Is it the good time?"

My questioned wasn't answered but I was met with faces that looked as surprised as one when they see sun in the night!

"It is."

With my throat tightened with emotions, I looked towards my left to have a look at him, who had a laptop on his table.

"I'm sorry for bothering you, but I think it is only right if I come here in person to apologize." I stepped a little towards my left so that I'm facing him but from at a distance.

"I-I don't get it."

"Annu..." I began and he suddenly looked at me in interest. "Wo mereliye bohath important hain. Usko right and wrong ke difference nahi patha and that's why you're in this condition today. If she hadn't climbed that tree today, then you wouldn't have gotten hurt. I know my excuses seem to be that of an irresponsible mother who pampers her kid a lot but she's still a kid for me. So I don't think she's at fault in here. But I am. That's why I wanted to apologize to you. I'm really sorry."

He stared on.

Others stared on.

While I simply stared at him expectantly and all he did was to look down but what I noticed was the way his fists were clenching and unclenching.

"Like you said, she's a kid. So galath nahi hua. Jab baath bache ke hai tho...kuch bhi galath nahi hai." He looked up at me, with a faint smile gracing on his face. "Aur ye baath mujhse zyada koi nahi samajtha hoga."

And I felt that prick in his heart, for it was my heart that bled and not his.

"Thank you!" I looked at others and smiled faintly. "Good night!" And I looked back at him for some reason, and got to see him staring back at me with his gaze softened.

Just like old times.

Stop, Nandini!

"Good night!"

And I left the place hoping that I did not leave a peace of my heart with him like every time I bade a goodbye to him.

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