Memories could be forgotten but not the friendship you had

(Affu)

People can forget the memories they had with anyone. Be it a friend or a lover. People can forget their love on finding another love but what about friendship? Can it be forgotten? No. Its something you can never forget unless you never loved your friend. Getting back to one's friend even after sleeping for an hour would be like getting back to him/her after ages. That is what friendship called. Truest!

Our Nest

Boys' Room

Manvik: Listen! I'm telling you once again. Its not good..

Prathik: To invade someone's privacy and personal diary is so not for everyone to read.

Prathik gave a sarcastic smile to Manvik.

Prathik: You've been saying the same for the past 15 minutes, bro.

Manvik: Then, why the hell are you hell bent on reading it?

Prathik: Because, it has all secrets that we need to know about Dad's and Maamu's relationship. Oh I meant, bro-bro relationship not the other way.

Manvik groaned loud before looking at Karthik, whose gaze was still on Cabir's diary.

Manvik: Karthik! Why don't you understand it? Its you who never interfered in anyone's lives more than me or Prathik.

Karthik looked up at Manvik, who looked curious enough to get a heart attack.

Karthik: Because, I'm meeting Dad for the first time in my life.

They frowned at him.

Prathik: So, we met him in our previous life or what?

Karthik: Oh come on! Why don't you get it? Everything. Everything that happened between Mamma and Dad are connected with Maamu. Mamma speaks with everyone belong to Dad's family. But Maamu doesn't do the same. At least, he would be having a good relationship with Dad's parents as they're Mamu's in-laws. Mamu avoids Abhi Mamu and Mukti Bua. Why? Why can't he have any kind of conversation with his wife's family when his sister can do the same?

Manvik and Prathik stared at Karthik, blankly.

Manvik: Okay! You have a point. I agree with it. But then, its still not good to read his diary, Karthik. If Mamu is keeping himself away from Dad's family then it definitely means, they have some problems with each other. So, interfering in their problem is like going against Mamu. Isn't it?

Karthik: Yeah. It is.

Manvik: But we never did that, Karthik. Maybe he never took our father's place but we love him for what he is for us.

Prathik: Unfortunately, he has a point, Karthik.

Karthik: He has a point. But, what about this?

He opened the diary and showed the picture that he got to see when they were in Cabir's room.

Manvik/Prathik: Holy muffins!

Karthik: Well, no! Its actually holy shit! I mean, apparently they don't give a damn to each other's presence but the picture says something else.

Prathik took the picture in his hand and stared at the smiling faces of Cabir and Manik. They looked different to the boys.

Manvik: This might be the first time I'm seeing Mamu smiling.

He spoke softly while staring at Cabir's picture and the rest two mirrored the same.

Karthik: And that's why I wanna go against Mamu. I can feel some kind of relationship between the two, which they're hiding. Why? What must have happened that they don't look eye to eye?

Prathik: Do you think it has to do anything with Mamma and Dad's separation?

This halted Kathik's questions and Manvik's reveries. They looked at him shocked, who was still staring at the picture.

Prathik: Point number one- Mamu avoids Dad. Point number two- Mamu seems to go all quiet when he's with Maami, who's actually our Bua too. Point number three- Maamu observes Mamma a lot, when Dad makes a conversation with her. Point number four- the entire Malhotra clan look at Mamu with disappointment.

He looked up at his brothers with his eyebrows raised.

Prathik: Can it be because..he has got anything to do with Mamma and Dad's separation?

The boys looked at each other without speaking anything.

Manvik: If at all Mamu cares about anything in the world the most, then its our Mamma. Even Ashu comes after Mamma in his life. So, he would never do anything to hurt Mamma. If we can see how much love our parents have for each other, then do you think Mamu wouldn't be able to see it?

Karthik: Maybe, he hates our Dad but not our Mamma, so he wouldn't hurt her. NEVER, EVER.

Prathik: He wouldn't hurt her but do we know the exact reason yet, Malhotras?

Karthik (annoyed): Fine. I'm going crazy.

Prathik: Bhai. Listen to my point of view. I never said that Mamu hurt Mamma but maybe, he has got something to do with Mamma and Dad's separation. The points that I mentioned back then, was the clue to it.

Manvik: But how can he even be the reason?

Prathik: We might need to go with Bhai's plan.

And he pushed the diary in the middle while opening the first page of it. They looked at each other before breathing out.

Boys: We're sorry, Mamu!

And they dug their heads in the diary to read or to be precise..to read about their Mamu's life history.

Terrace

Manik was watching them. Those stars which used to give him space until Nandini's arrival in his life. He loved watching them. He found them beautiful because unlike him, they aren't scared of darkness, instead they give light to the dark sky.

Manik: You know, you can sit beside me, Nandu.

He spoke out loud and soon enough, the vacant place beside him was filled by her. She entwined their fingers before looking in the sky,to watch over the moon. Something connected them. The moon and Stars. She loved to stare at them for she thinks they're to be called protectors like how Manik and her sons are for her.

Nandini: I thought you slept.

Manik: I did. But then..I woke up.

Nandini: Why don't you say that you couldn't sleep for a lot of time?

Manik kept silent.

Nandini: You forgot your birthday!

Manik: Hmm.

Nandini: I don't find it so casual like how you do.

Manik: And why is it so?

Nandini: Because, you used to count days to reach your birth date.

Manik: Thab akela nahi tha!

She turned to face him, who was still looking in the sky.

Manik: We all were together 10 years ago, Nandu. And that was more than enough for me to wait for my birthday. Because I knew, I was going to celebrate it with him. Par pichle 10 saalon se hum ek saath nahi hain.

Nandini: Manik.

Manik turned to look at her.

Nandini: You know there's a saying. Try until you feel like you worth something bigger. Mein ye nahi kahungi ki Bhai ko ek chance dho, kyunki mein wajah nahi janthi. According to Bhai, you've befriended Harshad while according to you, he doubted your friendship with him. Ismein mera koi lene dena nahi. But I want you guys back. I want to see ManBir back together. Kabhi Bhai se nahi kaha kyunki wo kuch sunne keliye taiyar hi nahi tha par tum sunoge na. You both are nothing without each other. Just nothing!

He took her in a hug and she hugged him back knowing, he needed it well.

Manik (thought): You should never know the truth, Nandini. Never!

Flashback..

"Manik, let go off me." Harshad struggled to get out of my grip but I knew, my eyes were digging holes through his body to kill him right here. I choked him hard to stop my tears which were ready to flow. Its just because of him, my best friend isn't here. Its just because of him, I had to ask my Love to leave me. All because of him. "You don't deserve to live!" I yelled while banging him on the wall and raised him up in air with my grip tightening around his throat.

"Ma-ni-k..we c-can ta-talk." he breathed hard and I threw him on the ground. "We can talk? After messing my life with everything you can, you wanted to talk? F*** off, Harshad Saxena!" I punched him hard in his face and grabbed his collars to punch him again. "Stop! Enough of it, Manik Malhotra. I know I hated you. I hate you for everything you have, be it your sister whom I wanted to be mine or your girl whom I used to flirt with. But that doesn't mean, I don't play fair. Tell me what I did and then you're allowed to fight me." He yelled and I pushed him away. "You took my best friend away." I shouted and he stared at me, frowning. "You took my love away." I yelled and grabbed his collars again.

"Trust me when I say it, I would have given all my wealth to you in return of my best friend and love. You forgot to play fair, Saxena. If Cabir and Nandini aren't with me, then its your fault. You did your old dirty tricks so that you could get the new business deal. And you expect me to stay calm. To hell with it, Harshad. Tum nahi janthe ho Manik Malhotra ko." I yelled and he held my collars back and this time, I didn't see jealousy in his eyes but rage. "I might play tricks to win but there's something else which I do too. I show it out what I play. Rewind everything I'd done to you. Did I ever stay inside after playing tricks to win in any game?" he asked and I stepped back while pushing him away. He was right. He might play the most dirtiest trick but once he does something, then he also confesses that he did it because he expect me to fight him while solving the problem that he caused me.

"What did you say to Cabir?" I managed to ask. "What am I supposed to say?" he asked and I ounched in the wall. "What did you say that he thinks that we're friends?" I yelled out loud in agony. My best friend didn't trust me. That was the most heartbreaking truth of my life. "Cabir thinks that we're friends? Are you crazy? You're busy punching me just because of your stupid assumption." I didn't let him speak again that I held his collars again and pointed the gun I had in my pocket, at him. I'm ready to kill him too.

"Manik! Stop. Its a gun." He stuttered. "Anything for my love and friendship." I spoke on his face while aiming at his head. "Listen Manik. You can be calm. Trust me, I don't know what you're saying. I haven't met Cabir for the past one or..two months? Yeah. I didn't meet him for the past months." said him and I knew my grip on him would have loosened. He didn't meet Cabir for the past few months?! "You can trust me. I won't lie to you. I might even want you dead but you'll know how I play to reach you till your death." he said making me to look at him and I knew, he was saying the truth. I stormed out of his office and drove to my Mansion.

"No. This cant be happening. Why did Cabir lie to me?" I paced around my room and I stood still when my gaze fell on the portrait hung on the wall. I took it in my hands to caress her picture. "You're away from me to solve this puzzle, love." I blinked my tears away and kissed Nandini's picture. "His mail address." I remembered Cabir saying he had proofs that I befriended Harshad and if he needs to have proofs, then it should pass through his mail address, right? I took my laptop and logged in to his mail ID. We had shared password for all our accounts.

I surfed through the mails which he got for the past one month for now. "Dr. Mathew" I read that particular mail address and I frowned. Which doctor could mail him now. I opened the mail. "No." I muttered on reading it.

All of a sudden, I felt myself getting weaker with the realization. I remember him asking me to forget about that guy Sam, who held my girl's hand as Nandini is scared of anger. I remember lying to him that I didn't do anything to Sam when I'd beaten him up and made sure that it didn't reach Nandini's ears. I remember him behaving weird after listening to my conversation with my assistant which I thought, he never understood that I was talking about getting Sam under my control. But he might have not known about why I was behind that Sam again.

"He did it on purpose." I breathed out loud while falling on the floor.

There's no Harshad in between us.

There's no lack of trust in our friendship.

There's no betrayal in between us.

But just a brother!

That was the day I started to forget about Cabir's existence, though, somewhere down the line I knew, I would have done the same if at all I was in his place.

Flashback ends..

Manik and Nandini were too much in themselves that they didn't notice three pairs of eyes looking at them. Their gaze was fixed on Nandini.

Garden

Cabir: I can't stay where Manik stays, during our birthday.

Cabir muttered to himself while pacing from here to there. He punched in the nearby tree to remove his frustration.

Cabir: I'm done with it, Manik. I'm done with it.

He leaned to the tree to keep his head on it.

Cabir: Why did you do it, Manik? Why? Just because of your possessiveness, I thought my doll won't be safe with you. You could have shared about your insecurities with me on that day.

He started to punch in the tree without an end while crying silently.

Flashback..

"Okay. That's it. I can't keep it anymore." I spoke out loud before standing on my feet and looked at Manik, who was working on his laptop. "Kya mathlab? Hua kya hai tujhe? Is everything okay?" asked him while getting up and I nodded in negative. "No. Everything is not okay. You shouldn't have done it. You shouldn't have. Wo darr gayi thi aur..aur..she was crying in her sleep. She was.." He held me by my shoulders and made me sit on a couch. "Relax. Pehle teek se bolo. Kiske barein mein bath kar rahe ho tum?" he asked and I let out a sigh. "Doll." I said. "What? Nandu? Kya hua usko? Why was she cr.." I interrupted his rants while making him sit beside me.

"Wait up! Don't go all hyper. Its just..she got her nightmare again." I said and he looked shocked. "Wh..what? Phir se?" he asked and I knew he was on the verge of breaking. I sighed and nodded in positive. "But how? She..She was fine right? In fact..tumne teek kiya tha usko na..phir kaise?" he asked and I looked at him.

"You remember me telling that she can't take anger?" I asked and he nodded in positive. "Then you should remember that you were behaving like a bull yesterday with that Sam, in front of her." I said and realization dawned upon him. "Shit! How could I?!" He stood up while cursing. I stood up and made him to sit again. I knelt in front of him and held his hands. "Cabir! I swear! I didn't mean to par tum mere gusse ko janthe ho na. I really can't hurt her, and you.." he was going all hysteric and I smacked his head to make him stop his rants. "She's fine now. It was the first time she might have seen you all angry, isiliye wo darr gayi hogi. But, its not something to be worried. I have even mailed her doctor to know what should be done henceforth. Par yaar, ye nahi ho saktha. Tumhara gussa. Usko kabu mein rakhna hi hain tujhko. Jab tumne mujhse kaha that you loved my doll, bas ek cheez maanga hai mene tujhse. To never vent your anger on her. Your anger is something I dread of and you promised me that she would be an exception. You will stick with it, right?" I asked with hope filled in my eyes and he looked at me helplessly. "Buddy yaar, tu kaise bathein kar rahe ho. Tum mujhse maang rahe ho. I..I..I'm sorry yar. Par nahi, aage se nahi hoga. I'm not going behind anyone now. Nandini keliye kuch bhi kar saktha hun yar. I'm sorry." I simply hugged him with a smile. I'm relieved now that he would forget this issue and would control himself if anymore such issues arise in future.

"Thank you." we both said together while breaking the hug, only to chuckle. We smacked each other's head muttering 'pagal' and then resumed our works. "She's fine now, right?" he asked with guilt and concern filled in his eyes, and I nodded in positive, gladly. "She just needs you for now. Don't worry, buddy." I said. "I will meet her today." he replied back, with a smile.

I'm happy, now! My doll will be happy with her monster forever! My best friend would have a control on his anger and will be happy hereafter.

I'm really happy, now!

Flashback ends..

Cabir: I'm sorry, buddy.

He kept crying while leaning to the tree.

Next day

Anjali: Sab log chup kyu ho?

She asked while looking at the kids as she could see they weren't looking well. Alishka and Naila were trying to gain the boys' attention, who were simply looking in their plates.

Adyant: Kyunki sab khana khaa rahe hain.

Anjali: Like I didn't know!

She smiled sarcastically at him before turning to the kids.

Anjali: Mein pooch rahi hun na kiddos, kya hua?

This time, boys looked up at her and faked a smile.

Manvik: Nothing, DJ.

Anjali: Then, why are you all silent?

Manik and Nandini were observing this too, but they also knew, their sons wouldn't like to share unless they're pestered about it. And bugging them to open up in front of the entire family, isn't a good idea.

Prathik: Ah, DJ. Its just..we have our concert coming up.

Manik: Concert?

He looked surprised and this time, the boys had a genuine smile on their lips. Their father would be watching them singing and that was more than enough to bring that lost smile on their lips.

Karthik: We have a band!

Manik beamed in joy and Nandini touched his foot with her's under the table to control his excitement on seeing Adyant's gaze fixed on Manik. Manik turned to look at her with his eyebrows raised and she looked at Adyant before looking down in her plate.

Manik grinned at Adyant.

Manik: Wo..I just..love Music.

Adyant: Oh! Mein tho kuch aur hi soch liya.

This made everyone to snap their heads at him.

Anjali: Kya soch liya?

Adyant: Why should I share? That's something only I need to know.

She made a bad face at his acting skills.

Manik: Nahi..aap sachmein..kya socha tha?

Adyant: Nothing important!

And he started to eat making Manik and Nandini to go restless. Now they realize that they need to confess the truth to Adyant as he's unaware of it or they thought so!

Nandini: Bhai!

Cabir looked at Nandini, who was staring at his hand in confusion.

Nandini: Why are you eating with your left hand?

She stared at Cabir, who was holding the spoon in his left hand and he looked at her fumbling. He wasn't a lefty!

Cabir: Um..nothing.

Nandini: Kya mathlab? Aap right hand use kyu nahi kar rahe ho?

He tried to hide his hand and on seeing it, Nandini held his right hand as she was sitting on his left.

Cabir: Ouch!

Nandini: I'm sorry, are you hurt?

She spoke while hissing and then stared at his right hand which had a glove.

Nandini: Yeh kya hai.

Cabir: Doll, bola na kuch n..Ouch.

He hissed while taking his hand away.

Navya: Cabir, usse dikhao tho sahi.

She too looked at him in worry making him to stare at her. Meanwhile, Nandini removed the glove from Cabir'a hand only to gasp.

Nandini: Bhai!

His hand was plastered and everyone's attention went to him.

Manik/Abhimanyu: Cabir!

They stood up immediately and were on his sides.

Nandini: Bhai. Yeh..yeh kya hua aapke haath ko.

Her eyes were filled with tears while caressing his hand. The white plaster had blood patches and that made the atmosphere thicker.

Adyant: Oh my God, cabu, kya hua?

Anjali: Chot kaise hui beta?

Mukti: Kiya kya hai tune?!

Navya stared at Cabir teary eyed and she was debating with herself to go to him or not.

Alishka: Daddy! Is it paining?

Boys: But, how did it happened?

Cabir: Guys, listen to me! I'm fine. Its just a cut.

Manik: A cut? Are you freaking nuts?

Abhimanyu: Tujhe ye cut dikh raha hain? Ithna khoon dikh raha hai plaster ke upar se. What the f*** were you doing with your hand? Karate tere bas ke baath nahi hai na!

Mukti: Shut up, Abhi. Cabir, dikha haath.

She took his hand and removed the plaster while Navya passed the ice- cubes to her, yet she didn't look at him. Nandini stayed by his side, weeping.

Nandini: Mukti, dhyan se.

While Cabir didn't know how to react. All these 10 years, it was just Nanidni, his grandparents and the kids who showed his worries out, Navya used to mask her emotions well. He had missed his friends whenever he gets hurt.

Cabir: I'm fine.

Mukti: Shut it, Dhawan!

Mukti yelled making him to be quiet.

Raj: Mukti! Usko dard lagega, so stop being violent.

Nyonika: First aid kit laathi hun mein.

Mukti kept ice on his wound making him to shout.

"Mukti dhyan se." Manik, Abhimanyu and Navya spoke out loud.

Nandini: Tu thoda gentle hoja na. Its paining for him.

Mukti: Haa tho kisne kaha iss joker ko apne aap ko hurt karne ko. Hamesha wahi karthe hain na. Ya tho khudko ya phir doosron ko hurt karthe hain.

She tied his hand with another plaster and ran to upstairs while wiping her tears. That was the moment, they realized what happened. They were being themselves. Maybe only that was needed. One getting hurt and then rest of them will join together to be on his side. Cabir stood up and left home while Nandini stared at his retreating figure teary eyed before running behind him.

Manik: He's hurt!

He looked at Abhimanyu, who nodded at him and they both also rushed behind Nandini but they were also watched by the boys, who this time, had a different determination in their eyes.

To be continued..