Nandini Pov.

The house is quite.

As I sit by the pool at the very same spot where my brother used to sit everyday enjoying his beer or coffee and quietness.

I could never understand why would he spend his late nights sitting here dipping his half leg in water and staring at the late night sky.

Until now I realized

He felt the same amount of loneliness as I feel today.

I always had someone to look upon.

For me it was always him who I would look upto, share my fear with, shortcoming.

He was my support system I knew if ever anything goes wrong I will have him on my side, for each and every problem I face he will stand for me.

But for him there was no one.

There was no one, who he could rely on in his shortcomings.

He was always there for all of us.

But he would never share his burden and problems with any.

Even if we tried to asked or help.

He would simply smile and say I'm okay.

Even though he was never okay.

I thought life was unfair to me.

But it was always unfair to my brother.

He lived his life for others and never for himself.

He married a broken girl to give her happiness and love.

He took care and became only family  to a emotionally insensitive sister like me.

He always stood in thick and thin for an ungrateful friend who didn't even think it was important to attend his funeral.

I'm sure he must have got to know by now that Doha or the f*$k Soha cheated on him and he was no one to the girl he called his daughter.

And he must have blamed my brother for all this afterall you need someone to take out your frustration on.

No doubt he would sit here stargazing to find Appa.

And if Appa would have being here he wouldn't have, had to become so big early, loaded with so many responsibility at such a young age and could have enjoyed a carefree and happy life as he would have or had someone to look upon.

I kept staring at the stars without blinking as fresh warm tears felt from my red burning eyes.

I'm in his shoes now.

And now I understand how ungrateful I was all along to Abhi bhai.

I could have being less brat and more of someone he could for once depend upon.

I'm sorry.

How long I sat there sipping on his beer I can't remember but it was long enough as I have completed three cans already.

Until Arnav came and sat beside me.

Arnav: You should sleep Nandini now.
He said moving my hair from my face which were stick on my skin due to dry tears.

Nan: I can't.
I said taking another sip.

Arnav: In such situation you either end up being a complete disappointment or you end up coming out stronger and wiser from it.
He said cupping my cheeks.

Nan: I was already a disappointment Arnav. It doesn't matter now.
I chuckled moving away.

Arnav: Nandini....
He started to say but I stopped him pushing his hand away from my now dizzy self.

Nan: You should go back. I won't ever be the Nandini which you loved. I....I can't..... (deep breathe)....You're wasting your time. Forget and move on. Just like the selfish way I did.
I mumbled the last part covering my face with my hand as I cried loudly.

This is not the way I wanted this to end.

I didn't want anything of this, I wanted my brother forever with me.

I wanted my kids to have a fun loving uncle.

I wanted him to be with me.

I felt Arnav taking me in his tight embrace I fought to be let free until I gave in and cried on his shoulder keeping my strong grip on him.

I cried rambling about bhai and why did this had to happen until I slept on his shoulder as he kept on caressing my hair.

Mukti's Pov.

I'm definitely sure you must have heard the quote 'Love is blind'

Well in our case.

Love wasn't only blind but deaf and mute too.

Nandini's was blind to notice pain and love of Abhimanyu and Manik.

While Abhimanyu was deaf to hear a single word against his sister.

And Manik was mute for the sake of his love.

Nandini thought that it was completely okay to one day suddenly decide she wanted nothing doing from anything related to her past, her family, friends, relations and even love.

She decided to start a new book rather than a new chapter or before starting a new book she overlooked the one which was still lying open waiting for her.

Prudent that's what you may think of me.

That was what I always was....but

No

I was just a pawn dancing on everyone's action.

Abhi didn't think once about his decision which would have definitely led to many consequences.

He knew that jerk was of no good.

That man was worse then a monster.

Even after what happened with Manik....he still kept continuing to tame the bull.

He was just making sure of his sister's safety and her happiness all over again.

Maria was in custody of Soha from past one year and now in a day care for children's under judicial custody from past six months.

Until court decision for after what happened with Soha.

And I was a puppet.

I sat on our bed as I recollected my last night here spend with Abhimanyu.

He was so stress from past few months until that day he decided to forget everything and just spend sometime with me.

Forgetting his responsibilities and problems he wanted to relax and have his peace of mind.

I enjoyed my evening with him.

He made dinner all by himself specially for me although I volunteered helping and you know better until now how he must have reacted on my willingness to help.

He drank whisky while I drank ice tea and we spent sometime in pool until we had long romantic night which was continued in our bedroom.

Our own sweet time together in each other arms.

Until just in snap of fingers everything changed forever.

The shirt which he wore for dinner is still lying here on bed the same way used and untouch until I decided to put in on.

The strawberry chocolates on side table half eaten while few which he had were just licked clean of chocolate with strawberry still there in the container.

And any other day I would have screamed yuck and thrown them but today was not any other day.

His used glass and bottle of whisky stayed on the oak table near the couch.

As I stood wearing his unwashed white shirt from the bed and smelling the whisky from his glass.

I saw the roses which he had brought for me had already died. The dark red colour have dried and turn into black and grey.

And simply I don't have guts to touch anything in our room.

I can still feel his presence and if I touch anything it will led to losing a part of him which I can't afford.

His after shave smell, his opened perfume bottle, his used hair brush with few small hair still stuck in it.

His wet towel lying on the arm chair which has dried until now.

His case related papers scattered all around the mess he created before leaving.

His alarm clock still ring from past two days at the same time.

His clothes lying randomly in closet and few on the floor.

His unwashed shirts and trousers put in the basket.

In short my husband is gone, his soul body and blood but his habits, things, routine are still lying here in parts scattered all around with my future without him.

You may think what kind of barbarian way he must be living by the way I described and precisely

He and not we....ofcourse I was organized except once in a month he would decide to organize my closet.

I laugh and cry at the sametime recollecting the past beautiful movements which have now turn into memories, sweet bitter memories.

He would never do those routine again

The tears won't stop.

I'm so drain crying but still I can't hold myself.

I describe the room state in which we lived it remind me now it's just 'me' and not 'we'.

Remembering those last minutes I feel unbearable pain.

My heart bleeds thinking of those early hours of dawn when he got the phone call and he decided to leave like a hurricane without waking me up.

But I did wake up from the amount of less noise he tried to make starting with falling of my make kit from dresser, using my kajal pencil as a pen to note down some number and name.

And then crusing loud enough while making me realized what he did.

Until framing me and accusing that I would half murder him for this act.

Complaining about me not doing the
laundry from past two days was second with other growling of the room being a mess.

Well he had OCD to be precise which had being cured by me as he realised if he doesn't get used to my pattern he will surely end up just cleaning the house 24/7.

So sometime these break down were the least I could expect he would try to put things in place but knowing once I wake up they will end up being where they are he had given up hope and decided to live with it along with such minor breakdowns.

And his daily complaints would comprised of the amount of hair I had on my hair brush which he decide to clean everyday before leaving.

And at that movement I so didn't want to open my eyes.

He being so strong, athetic and beautiful had done wonders on my tender, weak body yesterday.

But unwillingly I opened my eyes to watch him wear his blazer and comb his perfect gorgeous hair while wearing his wrist watch.

I don't clearly remember but I did grumble alittle about the lights and him using my brush and his fallen small hair on floor which they weren't but just to annoy him.

I did need to have an upperhand just in case.

I did shout at him for getting up so early and rushing God know's where at this hour while he sprayed his perfume and looked at me through the mirror

As being a pro for getting annoyed you see especially at him I kept on grumbling.

And I did see him rolling his eyes from the dresser mirror with a small smile playing on his lips.

He didn't answer to my questions about where he was going at the early hour of the day.

He simply walked up to me kissed my forehead,cheeks and peek on my lips whispering.

And as I quote

"Mukti, I promise, I won't keep you waiting this time for long. I will not trouble you anymore atleast I will try not to, wisely I believe I can't promise on that one." (He chuckled)
"And trust me I love your grumpy mood more than anything. I will be back soon until then take care of yourself and just incase.....I mean"

He said keeping a hand on my stomach.

I frowned at him with a bad face.

Mu : 'Ugh'
I groaned.

While he laughed and said

"I love you Mukti Abhimanyu Murty. Sweet dreams love."

He decided to tell me sweet dreams and he slept with it.

If I would have know that I was seeing him alive for the last time I would have hugged him and never let him go.

I feel so pathetic.

All I could say at that time to him was

'Switch off the lights before you leave'

Those were the last words I got to tell him.

And look at the irony,

He indeed switched the lights off for me.

I can't see a ray of light without him.

My world has turn dark forever.

And I'm left all alone here in this room with his fragrance which will fade over time and will turn my soul void filled with emptiness.

To be continued....

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Happy Reading.