Maturity is learnt, not blessed with!

(Affu)

When people differentiate you from someone, by pointing out the level of maturity you both hold, it's important to let them know that being immature isn't because you're born with it, but you never had any experience in life to be mature. Being mature isn't a gift from God, its learnt due to certain phases of life, and that will always make you a better person.

Our Nest

Nandini's Room

Anjali: Pari, please stop crying. Chup hoja, beta.

But all Nandini did was crying. She wasn't crying loudly like how she did after throwing herself on the bed, the moment she got inside her room, but now her cries have turned into silent tears.

Anjali: You'll fall sick if you don't stop crying, Nandu. Chup hoja.

She grew worried seeing Nandini crying silently. While praying to God, her gaze fell on the figure standing at the door, looking at Nandini. Anjali patted Nandini's head before heading towards the person.

Anjali: Tu hi sambhal usko, Cabu.

It was Cabir. She patted his head too, and walked out of the room. He walked ahead and got settled on the bed, beside Nandini. She opened her eyes on realizing there was someone sitting beside her.

There was a silence between them.

Nandini: Bhai!

Cabir just shut his eyes tight and listen to her.

Nandini: Aapko yaad hai, when Mamma slapped me for taking Dad's name, I'd called you up crying. You too cried with me, but didn't stop me from crying. You listened to all my complaints regarding how bad Mamma is. You asked me to let all my tears out, and asked me to not even flinch the next time she raises her hand at me.

His tears made its way out on remembering his baby sister's phone calls who will obviously be wailing for getting thrashed by their mother.

Nandini: Kya wo yaad hai aapko?

She sat up and faced Cabir, who stared at her all teared up. He nodded his head in positive.

Nandini: Sirf Mamma kyu, koi bhi hurt kiya tho complaint karne keliye aapke paas aayi thi, then why would I not come to you if at all Manik had hurt me?

Cabir: No, no, no doll. Bhai ko galath math samajna.

He held her hands in his hold immediately and then wiped her tears.

Cabir: Uss dine..uss din, you got your nightmare. I'd seen that same vulnerable 15-year-old doll in you..mein..mein darr gaya tha. Socha, what if those nightmares return to you again. You'd tried to harm yourself once in childhood. Khona nahi chahtha tha tujhko, doll. Nahi kho saktha. You are my first child, not just a sister.

They cried while staring at each other.

Cabir: Isiliye..I wrote to your doctor, and his reply was to ask Manik to control his anger. You were always scared of someone's anger, right. Isiliye, mujhe laga Manik ko bolna hai to control his temper whenever he's around you. But he was a lot possessive for you. That guy..your friend whom Manik had fought with..Manik was behind him. Even though I'd asked him to leave that guy, it didn't happen, he started to lie to me. I'm not blaming him, you know. Pehle pehle, bohath gussa aaya tha uspe, that he started to hide his doings from me, but then I realized, he loved you so much that he feared he might lose you one day.

He hit his own head with his fingers to show how helpless he felt, while Nandini stared at him, crying.

Cabir: Pagal hogaya tha mein. Kisko chunu? Best friend, who was always my brother or my sister, who was my first kid? Selfish bann gaya tha mein, I thought Manik would never be able to control his anger that he might hurt you in future, unintentionally hi sahi. I was scared. Kithne saalon baad mila mujhe tu, I couldn't just think about losing you. I took an impulsive decision. I..I just..I'm sorry, baby. Bhai ko hate math karna, marr jaunga Bhai. Ma..

Nandini: Bhai, stop it.

She hugged him tight, who cried on her shoulders while asking her not to hate him ever. She too cried while patting his back to calm him down.

Nandini: Bhai, you were mistaken.

She broke the hug and cleared his tears away.

Nandini: That nightmare I got..it wasn't because of Manik.

He stared at her dumbfounded.

Nandini: Haa, ye sach hai, that I was scared after witnessing Manik's anger on that day, but the nightmare was on him getting harmed by my friend. You know how insecure I am whenever I feel happy and Manik was my happiness after you. Watching him getting harmed is the last thing I would ever want to see before I die, aur uss raath, mera nightmare was on it. I thought Manik might get harmed due to his temper one day.

Cabir stared at her blankly before running his fingers throughout his face, harshly.

Cabir: Ye mein kya kar diya!

He clenched his fists too tight, that his hands turned red. Nandini held his hands and opened his fists to rub his hands.

Nandini: It was a mistake, Bhai. Sach tho yeh ha ki, I'm scared of people who get angry, but not Manik's.

He looked up at her, who bobbed her head at him.

Nandini: Ek din, I fainted when I saw him shouting at his employee. I'd gone to meet him in his office, but he was having a bad day and he didn't notice my presence. I remembered..I remembered Mamma, when I saw him shouting at his employee. I blacked out, and the next time I opened my eyes, I had him sitting in front of me, crying for me. Uss din ke baad, wo kabhi gussa nahi kiya. Pehle se hi mujhpe kabhi bhi gussa nahi karthe the, aur uss din ke baad, he never showed his anger out. He controlled his temper whenever I was around him.

Cabir had his head dipped in his palms, all guilty.

Nandini: Galathi situation ka tha, Bhai. Neither I told you why I was so scared after the nightmare, nor Manik and you had a proper discussion over the issue before you took the decision.

He raised his head up, and their eyes were teary again.

Cabir: Do I deserve to be forgiven?

Nandini: Bhai. Manik and you matter a lot to me, I can never choose one of you. Isiliye, mujhe koi aitraaz nahi, aap mujhe Manik se alag kiya, but he was hurt Bhai. He always relied on you, and the same person had broken his friendship with him, took his happiness away. Mujhse forgiveness nahi chahiye aapko, because I don't mind you taking decision on behalf of me in my life, but you'd hurt him. Usse baath karo, mujhse nahi.

She cleared his tears again.

Cabir: You can't be this good to me. I had hurt you enough, doll.

Nandini: You did, Bhai, but you always had that right. I was just sad for my sons, but I know, they might have already understood the situation, hain na.

He nodded at her, making her to smile.

Nandini: My sons will always be my pride, Bhai. Always!

Cabir (smiled): They sure are!

Nandini: Ab kya karoge aap?

Cabir: I know what to be done!

He stood up to leave, while she stared at him with a faint smile. He bent to kiss her head and cupped her cheeks.

Cabir: Maybe you won't say it, but Bhai had hurt you a lot, and I will mend my mistakes. I promise.

And he walked out of the room.

Nandini: Life is unpredictable!

She muttered to herself while staring at the portrait of Manik, she had under her pillow.

Boys' Room

Raj: When did you realize that you can create music?

He asked to the boys, who were arranging their guitars in the walk-in-closet. People usually have walk-in-closets to keep their dresses or accessories but the boys had it to keep their musical instruments, and lyrics books.

Manvik: Um..we don't really remember, but Mamma says that we used to play with her kitchen utensils when we were babies, when we were 2.

Prathik: Oh yeah, she says that, utensils make horrible sounds if we play with it, but we used to make soft music with it.

Karthik: Well, we still use her spoons, though.

And they laughed, while the Malhotra couple stared at them all amused.

Nyonika: Wow! So, music was always in you.

They smiled at her, while getting settled on the bed. Nyonika stood up and walked ahead to sit beside them.

Nyonika: Aren't you guys upset?

They did expect the question.

Prathik: Are we supposed to be?

Raj: You are.

They just shrugged their shoulders at their grandparents.

Prathik: Like we said, we were upset in the beginning, but then Mamma always taught us that humans do make mistakes, and if you don't have the heart to forgive then maybe, you'll never meet anyone in the future who will have the heart to forgive your mistakes.

Raj and Nyonika were too proud to claim the boys as their blood.

Nyonika: So..even I could be forgiven, then?

They looked at her confusedly. She smiled faintly.

Nyonika: Unknowingly, I'm also a reason for your parents' break up. Manik's over possessiveness for Nandini was because of his childhood. I couldn't provide him the needed love that he started to cherish the limited people he had in his life, more than required. Nandini keliye kuch zyada hi protective tha wo, just because he was scared to lose her love, like how he missed out on my love. I could have chosen him over my country, but I never did. Wo meri galathi hai.

The boys could see traces of tears in her eyes, and they just looked at each other.

Manvik: You must know that we are not good with tears. I mean, Mamma never showed her tears out;hence we never had to console her.

She smiled while wiping her tears. Raj too blinked his eyes to shoo the tears away. Prathik looked at his brothers, who were too uncomfortable. They are not kids boys with words. Speak only if they like to, or else, just don't let them feel awkward. Let them be how they want to be!

Prathik: Okay, we do know that there are a lot of people to be blamed. If you are blamed, then even our maternal grandparents could be blamed. If not for their cruelty, Mum would never had gone through depression that Mamu wouldn't have decided to take her away from Dad, fearing that he might hurt her. We can blame Mamu for his protectiveness, we can blame Mamma for listening to whatever her boyfriend and brother say, we can blame Dad for leaving everything to destiny instead of searching for Mamma, we can blame Maami for not able to get in contact with her brother and let him know, we can blame DJ for not letting you guys know about the truth. A lot could be blamed, but we prefer the situation to be blamed, because humans are ought to make mistakes, not to be perfect.

He spoke too gently, and ended with a sigh. Having reserved brothers, he has to speak a lot. While the elderly couple were too overwhelmed with Prathik's words.

"Mamma!" Karthik muttered before running towards her, followed by Manvik, which broke the reverie that Raj and Nyonika were going through.

Prathik: What the hell! You came so fast!

And he too ran towards her making her to hug the trio. She bent to kiss their heads affectionately, as she did hear what Prathik said. She cupped Prathik's cheeks and then stared at the rest two of them.

Nandini: Mamma is too proud of her sons! A lot proud!

And they smiled. That's all they needed. When her eyes glistens and shines at the same time, while claiming herself to be proud of them makes them all happy and giddy. They grinned before kissing her cheek.

While, Nyonika and Raj stared at them with a happy smile. She can only be the perfect mother for their son's kids.

Nandini looked up to see Raj and Nyonika approaching her. She smiled at them, who kissed her head and patted her hair.

Nyonika: Thank you!

She looked at the boys and then at Nandini, she smiled while looking at them.

Nandini: Thanks to your son, Mom.

Nyonika smiled back at her, and the couple walked out leaving Nandini with her sons.

Garden

Manik was staring at the stars while sitting on the bench. The dark night looks so beautiful with the moon and his protectors, the stars. Just like how Nandini described them.

Manik: Even the night has started to complaint.

He turned to his right.

Manik: But you didn't start speaking, Dhawan!

(The men sorting out their issues.)