1 Year Later

Nandini was about to cook in the kitchen when two arms slid around her waist and she felt someone kiss her neck.

"Manik....kya kar rahe ho?" Nandini didnt even need to turn to know who it was. "Koi dekh lega na?"

"Kaun? Hum dono ke elava sirf deewar hi hai yahan." Manik replied.

"Matlab?" Nandini turned to asked.

"Matlab yeh...Jaaneman, ki main abhi abhi Harshad ko airport chor ke aaya hoon. So we...have the ENTIRE penthouse to ourselves." Manik affectionately rubbed his nose against Nandini's nose.

"Airport? Main samjhi nahi...kahi jaa raha hai woh?"

"Well he told me he is going on a business trip lekin main airport pe Soha ko dekh liya so they are prob going on a trip. Who cares? They can have their fun and we can have ours." Manik scooped Nandini up and placed her on the kitchen counter.

"Aah..." Nandini flinched in pain as Manik touched her arm.

"Nandini....kya hua?"

"Uh...kuch nahi....tum kya bol rahe they abhi?" Nandini tried changing the subject. However, Manik grabbed her right arm and gently lifted the sleeve of her kurti. He gasped, seeing her arm was burnt badly.

"Yeh kab hua? IM GONNA KILL THAT BASTARD!" Manik shouted angrily.

"Nahi Manik...pls...tum kuch nahi karoge! Im fine! Dard bhi nahi ho raha hai...pls Manik tumhe meri kasam!"

"Kab tak?" Manik asked Nandini, tears in his eyes. "Kab tak yeh sab bardasht karogi tum? Aur kyun? Jaan....you know I love you right?"

"Of course Manik." Nandini assured him.

"And you love me?"

"BOHOT!"

"Phir hum yahan kyun hai? I know Harshad wont divorce you lekin...hum bhaag sakte hai na? Change our names and just go far far away....Harshad humme kabhi dhund nahi payega."

Nandini got frustrated & pushed Manik away before hopping off the counter. "You think I dont want that? Tumhe kya lagta hai Manik....mujhe pasand hai yeh roz roz ka torture? Pyar tumse karti hoon par duniya ke samne I am Mrs Nandini Harshad Malhotra....yeh mujhe pasand hai kya? I would love nothing more than to just disappear with you. Mujhe tumhare saath jeena hai...tumhari wife banna hai....tumhare saath family banana hai lekin I cant! Main itni selfish nahi ban sakti ki apni khushi ke liye apni family ko khatre mein dal doon."

Nandini looked at Manik. "Tum samajh kyun nahi rahe ho...yahan rehna meri marzi nahi, meri majboori hai."

"Im sorry." Manik softly wiped her tears. "Im really sorry Nandini. Tumhe hurt karne ka irada nahi tha mera. Bhool jaata hoon main ke tum akeli nahi ho mere tarah.....you have an entire family that you need to think about."

"Manik....tum bhi akele nahi ho. Bhale hi hum dono duniya ke samne ek nahi ho sakte lekin I will always be with you no matter what." Nandini hugged Manik. Suddenly she felt nauseous and ran to the washroom.

"Nandini!" Manik went after her in concern. Seeing her vomit into the toilet Manik knelt down and held her hair, rubbing her back. "Are you ok? Yeh....achanak se ulti kyun hone lagi?"

"Paata nahi...." Nandini told him.

"Pichle hafte bhi chakkar aa rahe they na tumhe? Doctor ke paas gayi?"

"Nahi....woh baad mein thik ho gayi thi iss liye nahi gayi." Nandini admitted.

"Uff Nandini...you really need to take care of yourself." Manik told her sternly.

"Uske liye tum ho na." Nandii replied cutely. Manik could t help but smile.

"Acha chalo...Doctor Sinha ke paas leke chalta hoon main tumhe." Manik helped Nandini stand up.

****************************

"Congratulations Nandini....tum Ma banne wali ho." Doctor Sinha informed Nandini with a smile. Nandini just sat there in complete shock....unable to process the information. "Tum yahan akeli aayi ho kya? Aise time pe toh Harshad ko tumhare saath aana chahiye tha."

"Woh....business trip pe gaye hai." Nandini managed to speak up. "Manik....mere saath aaye hai. Bahar hi baithe hai."

"Well thats good....tum abhi ghar jao and rest. Thoda diet badalna hoga kyunki ab tum do logon ke liye khaa rahi ho...lekin other than that sab thik hai." Dr Sinha said. 

"Th...Thank you." 

As Nandini left the doctor's cabin, she didnt even notice Manik waiting outside & just kept walking.

"Nandini rukho....kaha jaa rahi ho? Dr Sinha ne kya bola?" Manik asked, as he caught upto her. Nandini, lost in her own thoughts kept walking and Manik followed her. "Nandini?"

They were in the parking lot when it started raining badly. 

"Sh*t....lets get to the car." Manik grabbed Nandini's hand to run to the car. Nandini didnt budge and Manik turned around to see her crying which made him very concerned. "Nandini...kya hua? Maine zayad zor se pakra kya? Dard ho raha hai? Bolo na kya hua? Roh kyun rahi ho? Pls say something...you're scaring me."

"Sab...sab khatam ho gaya Manik. He is going to kill us! Harshad hum teeno ko maar denge!"

"Nandini...aise kyun- ek minute.....teeno? Teeno kaun?" Manik was confused. He slowly looked down and saw Nandini had a hand over her stomach....finally his eyes widened in realization. "Wai...yo- your.....preg- Matlab....hum....main....main papa...papa banne wala hoon?"

Nandini slowly nodded and Manik hugged her tightly. "God...Im so so happy! Hum...Ma baap banne wale hai and-"

He let go of Nandini seeing her still crying. "Nandini....tum khush nahi ho? Tum...tumhe...yeh....yeh bacha...nahi...chahiye?"

"Manik...yeh humara bacha hai. Hum dono ke pyar ki nishani....of course Im happy!" Nandini assured him. "Lekin....mujhe darr bhi. Dr Sinha ko lagta hai ki yeh Harshad ka bacha hai because Im harshad's wife....but Harshad knows that cant be possible. He spends every night with Soha. Usse paata chalega toh kya karega? Im scared for our baby."

"Hey....dont worry. Main hoon na? Mere hotey hua na tumhe, na humare baby ko kuch hoga. I promise." Manik said. "Lekin abhi iss barish mein rehna sahi nahi hai. You will get sick....lets go home. Hum kuch sochenge. We will think of a way out."

To Be Continued...