As manik walked out of the shooting venue with empty pockets and shattered dreams his eyes stung as he wiped his brimming teary eyes.....he walked down the street as all his dreams and his brilliant performances appeared infront of his eyes with number of people praising him for it......but his reluctance in accepting offers when most of directors were ready to give him a chance considering his excellency at his work it brought his career at stake.....he regretted it....he regretted putting every offer down without giving a single thought.........he ruffled his hair as he sat outside a small dhaba........he was so lost in his thoughts when a waiter called him

Sahab Kia chaiye aapko (sir what's ur order) the waiter asked as he pulled out his notepad and looked at manik in a busy way......while on the other side manik's stomach growled as he looked around to see people having their meals.....it was past 5 and he didnt even drink water from the time he left soha's house

Pani mile ga he said with dried throat and the waiter ran inside to bring ice cold water for him while he waited patiently meanwhile checking his wallet....as he gulped two glasses of water straight the young waiter looked at him knowing that he must be very hungry

Sahab aur kuch he asked hoping to get some huge order considering his dressing.....it was still indicating of his gud background

Biscuit chai he said as his budget allowed him for that only and waiter made a face as he really thought about getting some big order from him.....but soon waiter shook his thoughts and quietly went from there.....manik feasted on his biscuits like it were some royal feast and spent a lot of time there....the crowd and noisy surrounding really helped him in venting out the hollow feelings inside him

At around 10pm manik entered into soha's house and he was planning to straight away went to his room which was upstairs without disturbing others but nandini who had seen him arriving mumbled loudly agye nawaabzade sarcasm dripping from her voice as she was irritated of her bhabhi giving extra protocol to a person like manik.....it caught soha's attention as she came out of kitchen and called him

Ao manik khana kha lo she could see how tired he was and manik just shook his head

Nhi he was about to add sth more but soha dragged him with her into lounge asking nandini to warm up food for him....and nandini irritatedly went into kitchen mumbling

Huh dramay she said in quiet rude tone as he was constantly denying to soha's offers even though they stayed awake for him to give him some food and there he was showing tantrums... and on hearing her statement manik pursed his lips a little more....it hurted his self respect very much but he had to bear it....he was staying in her home

Taking 2 or 3 bites just for soha's sake he pushed the tray back and soha asked in concerned tone

Manik Kia hogya hai....itne chup ho aaj khana bhi shi se nhi khaya she asked and manik halfheartedly stretched his lips to give her his fake smile

Nhi fit hn mein he said getting up and soha just stared at her brother who was quiet and serious so unlike him

M fine....go and sleep now he insisted giving a light pat on her head as he made his tone cheerful to satisfy her

And yeah kal se mere liye wait karne ki zaroorat nhi he then walked out of lounge and towards his room which was upstairs....his smile dropped as soon as he closed the door behind him and he lazily threw himself on bed.......zoning out he thought about his life.....it was beautiful he was happy cuz he had his relations with him......his mom was there to cheer him up to hug him whenever he felt low but now he was all alone.....he never felt weak while sharing his sadness and sorrows with her.....by even breaking down infront of her but she wasnt there this time.....he was all alone and wasnt ready to share his problems with others....it was building all inside him and was making him go crazy.......not even realizing he spent two hours straight lying like this and was ready to spend more time diving into his complex thoughts when a phone call disturbed him.....he shook his head blinking his eyes multiples time to come back to real while the phone was ringing in background...he ignored the phone call and instead went to bathroom to take a cold water shower to calm down his nerves....as he returned back into the room rubbing his wet hairs with towel he picked up his phone to see it was cabir who had called and delivered multiple msgs asking about his whereabouts

M fine....was busy so couldn't pick up the call....will talk tomorrow he formed a lie as he really didn't want to talk to anyone be it the person who was really close to him....who stood by him everytime but the sadness and hollowness inside him was eating him and then switching off his phone he laid down on bed

***********
The days went like this with him hoping every day for sth gud to happen but getting disappointed and broken at the end of day..... his patience was ending....he was feeling like a burden on soha's family and started believing that his dream and passion was nothing else but a dream....he had stopped taking calls of his frnds and his family

He had stopped by a commercial to buy things soha had asked him for...he was paying the bill when a person from behind placed hand on his shoulder and said with amazed tone

U r manik right he asked and manik turned around to find a guy from the town he was living with his family...manik sighed as he really didn't want to meet a person who knew him by his past reference specially when the particular person was nothing but a pain in ass but he had to be polite and hear him so he stretched his lips for a smile

App yahan rhte hai he asked and manik just nodded

Wese bhai mom always used to talk about how much u take care of ur mother

What??? manik asked rolling his eyes irritated as to what was the purpose of bringing this type of conversation here

I dont understand how people can leave their parents who sacrifice their lives for their children to only see their children leaving them at old age to pursue their dreams that man spoke in taunting tone and manik stayed quiet as he had no answer.....but he just wished for people to be a little considerate about others feelings b4 saying something so harsh.....that person didnt stop there only....he continued

Aunti's health is not well also from the time u left least interested in his thoughts manik was about to let it pass but the cmnts about his mother's health gave him chills as he got alerted

Kia??? He asked not sure if he heard right

Aapko nhi PTA....that guy fake surprised and manik frowned more....but instead of wasting more of his energy with a useless person like him manik bade bye to him and went straight into his room after handing things to soha........rubbing his face in frustration he called abhi.....the phone started ringing and the wait was killing him

Maa ko Kia hua he asked as soon as abhi picked up the call and it took abhi offguarded

Manik....what happened he asked in soft cautious tone

Bhai plzzz tell me is she fine his tone turned into pleading one

She is fine manik he didnt want to give manik more tension

U r hiding things from me he shouted in frustration as his life was already a mess....moreover the disturbing news of his mother was making him crazy

Cool down.....cool down okay her arm got fractured but now she is doing well he said and the news made him quiet......

U should have told me he complained in sad tone she is still my mother he sounded hurt

She didn't want to get u worried as u cant come to meet her he stated the fact as in no way raj was going to let manik enter there and this made manik went quiet

I wanna see her...m videocalling u he said as he knew raj must be outside home at that moment so he could easily call and talk to her....abhi didnt object as manik ended the call and instead video called abhimanyu

******
On the other side soha sensed sth wrong with his behaviour.....he was tensed....he didnt even eat anything but went straight away into his room.....she wanted to go behind him but she was making his son asleep so she asked nandini instead to give him some coffee or tea and nandini obliged as though she was arguing him from the moment he entered into their house she saw his eyes which were telling tale of his sadness......she remembered the gud times during their trips , the moments where he was actually very gud to nandini and she regretted him taunting now and then but that was bcz she unknowingly started loving hers and manik's bickerings

*********

As soon as the call started manik saw abhi and nyonika sitting on nyonika's room.....she with other hand held the phone and brought it near her face and smiled but manik couldn't reciprocate seeing a bandage over her forehead and her arm covered in pop

Kesa hai mera beta she could see him tensed

Theek he said as tears made a lump in his throat.......

He kept staring at her arm and nyonika on sensing that smiled broadly at his concern as she said in soft tone mein theek hn manik

She said but it couldn't help manik as hearing her words he pressed fingers on her eyes and collected few tears which were threatening to spill out......it caused his eyes to brim more with tears and he just rubbed his face roughly as he cleared his throat.....he wanted to be with her wanted to take care of her when she wasn't feeling well but he couldn't....he was very unlucky

Maa will call u in a minute he said in hoarse tone and with red face..without waiting for her answer he cut the call and palmed his face as his heart cried at his helplessness......the tears kept falling on his palms but no voice came out of his mouth

*******
Pouring the tea she ascended the stairs and found the door to his room was open.....as she took forward steps she saw him sitting on bed palming his face......worried she tapped her finger on door and it alerted manik who quickly wiped his tears and looked at her with his red eyes and a similar coloured face......she stood their shocked at his state while he marched towards washroom without even wasting a single second....spending quiet gud time there so that she leave the room he came back only to see her sitting on bed while the hot cup of tea with some snacks were present on side table........he stood at the door step of washroom not knowing what to do when she called him

R u okay in concerned tone

Yes....jao yahan se he said in stern tone as he didnt want her to get any idea about what was happening

What happened manik....u can share with me she said in more empathetic tone and manik just turned his back to her and said

Nandini plzzz more stern tone but instead of getting scared nandini went to stand infront of him and palmed his hand

May be we can find a solution together she said and manik frustatedly sat on bed with her following him with a little hope that he would let his guards fall and tell her his concerns.....she sat on a chair and waited patiently for him to say sth....meanwhile his phone ringed multiple times which he cut without wasting a single second.....nandini saw name of bhai appearing on screen everytime the phone ringed and wondered why he wasnt talking....

I can go if u dont want to talk infront of me she suggested but still manik didnt say anything....he wanted some alone time but then he didnt want to be rude to her too by asking her to go away so he just kept quiet

Manik is everything okay....is ur family okay???? She was getting scared by seeing the lively manik like that

Maa is not okay he said in heavy tone and nandini felt sadness seeping down her heart as she felt his pain....her own mother died when she hardly knew what a mother actually is and she used to miss her alot

Go and visit her she suggested and he shook his head

I can't he was opening infront of her....may be he was tired carrying all the baggage alone

She will be okay.... I'll pray for her she said in consoling tone and manik gave her a soft stare

So tell me u must be enjoying doing acting and all she tried to lift up her mood by talking about his passion but it did more damage

M a failure....I think agha g was right I m nothing without him.....m not even better at a thing which I love the most and always thought about me as an expert in it he remorsed over his existence......he felt like sharing everything with nandini might be it was bcz of her kind nature

Everyone faces hardships during struggling phase.....gud times will also come.... she said and manik only pursed his lips more...sensing that not doing anything to contribute to the expenses was making him feel bad she said

So u r free now a days she said and it felt like a sharp knife stabbing down his throat....he felt as if she was mocking him

Can u help bhaiya in finance manik looked at her thinking as if she was pitying on him and that was the only reason he didnt want to share anything.....

His accountant did a fraud and from then bhaiya doesnt trust anyone and daily eats up my mind to do the calculations to counter check everything......it would be great if u do some help she played with words in such a way that they really needed manik

Should I tell bhai that m retiring she asked again making bechara face and manik finally smiled as he nodded his head

Yass she exclaimed getting happy that she succeeded in putting smile on his face ye to thanda hogya she said pointing at food in the tray and manik said its okay....I dont wanna eat anything....u can take it he said in a much relieved tone and nandini frowned

Means all my effort is wasted she said and manik just bit his tongue

Mein dobara leke ati hn...meanwhile talk to ur mother and yeah stop pretending so strong infront of her.....its okay she ain't gonna judge it she said in a strict tone as if they were gud frnds from ages and manik smiled as he picked up his phone while nandini held the tray marching towards the door.....as he was dialling the number he looked at nandini and mouthed

Thnku nandini he said with a smile and she smiled back in return it's okay

So that's it.....how was the update....I know I took so long to update but that's bcz I was unable to handle 2 stories at a time
Hope so it helps in refreshing ur mind 🤭