Nandini silently sobbed for her family as Cabir finished telling her everything that happened.

"Shhh....Gudiya bas...bas...mat roh. Tujhe paata hai na mujhe teri ankhon mein aansun bilkul pasand nahi hai." Cabir wiped hertears away. 

"Cabir! Nandini! Chalo guys!" Manik called from the jet.

"Lets go...ab tujhe sab yaad aa gaya na. Toh hum dono milke Manik ki yaadasht bhi vapas layenge." Cabir said to Nandini.

"Nahi bhai...abhi nahi." Nandini replied. (Note: From this point on, Nandini has her memories as Jhanvi but she will still call Cabir as bhai and will only call him veerji in special moments)

"Kya? Kyun?"

"Kyunki main chahti hoon ki Manik mujhse utna hi pyar kare jitna pyar Paras mujhse pichle janam mein karta tha." Nandini explained. 

"Woh karta hai Nandu....Paras aur Manik toh ek hi na."

"Haan bhai...par woh abhi bhi Aliya ke pyar mein andhe hai, ab agar uske yaadasht aane ki vajah se woh mujhe aapnayenge....toh kya woh pyar sacha hoga?"

Cabir stayed silent.

"Manik aur mere kismat mein agar ek hona likha hai toh mujhe pura yakeen hai ki Manik ko mujhse pyar hoga....uski purane yaadasht ke aane se pehle. Aur hume uske samne Aliya aur Dhruv ki sachai bhi toh laana hai. Toh pls, abhi hum Manik ko kuch nahi bolenge."

"Thik hai...jaisi meri behen chahti hai, vaisa hi hoga!" Cabir replied. They then went to the jet and returned home.

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

"EEEE!" Navya squealed & hugged Nandini tightly. "Im so happy! Tumhari Jhanvi vali memories vapas aa gayi!"

"Nav...ya...can't...breathe..." 

"Oh....oops, sorry sorry." Navya grinned sheepishly.

"Its okay..." Nandini smiled. 

"Vaise....Cabir ne bataya.  Tum Aliya aur Dhruv ki sachai samne laana chahti ho na? Toh plan kya hai?"

"Abhi toh thoda wait karna parega. Jo bhi hua uske baad Dhruv pakka underground chala gaya hoga. Toh unn dono ke khilaf koi saboor nahi milega hume." 

While Nandini was talking with Cabir & Navya, Manik was in his room feeling feverish.

"Baby..." Manik called out to Aliya who was busy texting Dhruv on her phone. "Aliya!"

"Huh?" Aliya looked up. "Kuch bola tumne Manik?"

"Woh..tabiyat thodi karab lag raha hai. Wahan drawer se dawai doge?" Manik asked. Aliya opened a randon drawer and took a bottle and then handed it to Manik. "Aliya...this is rat poison!"

"Oh..." Aliya, still busy talking to Dhruv just took the bottle back and took another random bottle to give to Manik and then walked out. Manik sat on his bed shocked as he stared at the bottle of digestive pills in his hand, "Meri tabiyat kharab hai aur yeh dhyan toh kya...theek se sunn hi nahi rahi hai."

"Manik." Nandini who had entered the room called out, bringing him back from his thoughts. "Tumhare paith mein gadbad hai kya? Kuch galat khaa liya tumne?"

"Kya?"

"Woh...digestive pills?" Nandini pointed to the bottle in Manik's hand.

"Oh...nahi woh, mujhe bas thoda fever hai toh-"

"Bukhaar?" Concerned, Nandini sat down beside Manik and felt his forehead. "Kaise ho gaya?"

"Im fine Nandini...bas thoda sa hi bukhaar hai." Manik explained.

"Thoda sa bukhaar kya hota hai? Bukhaar bukhaar hai." Nandini replied sternly manking manik smile. "Aur by the way, bukhaar mein digestive pills kaun khaata hai? Chodo, main dawaai deti hoon."

Nandini grabbed the digestive pills bottle and put it away and then opened another drawer and took out some medicine for fever. Manik held out his hands expecting her to hand him the bottle but instead Nandini opened the bottle her self and took two pills out. Then with her other hand she poured a glass of water and sat back down beside Manik.

"Lo." Nandini held the pills infront of Manik's mouth. Not knowing what to do, manik just stared at her. "Manik muh kholo!"

Manik obeyed and opened his mouth so Nandini could give him the pills. and then she made him drink the water.

"Oops! Sorry!" Nandini said as a bit of water spilled down his chin.

"Its okay." Nandini took her dupatta and started wiping the water. Manik grabbed her hand stopping her. "Nandini...seriously its fine. Dont stress."

"Acha abhi..soh jao. Kal tak tum bilkul theek ho jaoge!" Nandini made Manik lie down and tucked him in.

Manik just watched her. "Aliya aur isme kitna farak hai na? Ek taraf Aliya jisne murke bhi nahi dekha when she knows I dont feel well, aur ek taraf Nandini hai. Maine humesha iske saath kitna burra behave kita phir bhi mera itna khayal rakh rahi hai. How did I never realize ki iska kitna bada dil hai?"

"Manik...sleep!" Nandini said as she saw Manik watching her. Manik closed his eyes and Nandini lay down beside him.

"I know ki tum Aliya se pyar karte ho Manik...lekin main toh tumse pyar karti hoon na. Main apna pyar nibhaungi aur mujhe purra vishwas hai ki ek na ek din tumhe bhi mujhse pyaar ho jayega." Nandini thought to herself as she fell asleep.

The Next Day...

Nandini woke up and saw Manik sleeping in the awkward, diagonal position that he always does, almost falling of the bed. Chuckling to herself, Nandini got up and moved Manik back into place and then checked his forehead. As she leaned over him, Manik opened his eyes and came face to face with her.

"Wof...main...woh..woh...fever...check..fever check kar rahi thi." Nandini stammered, getting startled. "Theek ho gaya."

"Hmm...I feel much better too." Manik smiled. Nandini nodded and turned to leave but Manik called out to her again. "Nandini....thanks."

"Dawaai dene ke liye?" Nandini asked. "Meri jagah koi bhi hota toh yahi karta, Isme thank bolne ki kya zaroorat hai?"

"Har koi nahi karta." Manik replied, thinking of Aliya. "Just....thanks."

"Manik!" Nyonika knocked on their door. "Nandini!"

"Haan Ma!" Nandini went and opened the door. "Ji Ma, kuch kaam tha? Mujhe bula liya hota."

"Nahi nahi, vaisa koi kaam nahi tha. Bas Manik ko dekhne aayi thi." Nyonik replied. "Manik beta, kaisi hai tabiyat ab?"

"Theek hoon Mom. bas thoda sa bhi bukhaar tha ab bilkul theek ho gaya hoon."

"Acha hai." 

"Ma...aap kahi jaa rahe hai kya?" Nandini asked, seeing her all dressed up.

"Haan beta, woh kuch dino mein karwa chauth hai. Humare yahan bohot dhoom dham se manaya jaata hai. Har saal, main, Ma, Ananya aur Shruthi milke khud invitations dene jaate hai sab ko. Pura din ka kaam hota hai isi liye itni subha subha tayar ho gayi hoon. Vaise iss saal tu bhi chal sakti hai."

"Par Ma...agar hum sab bahar jayenge toh ghar pe itna kaam hai woh?"

"Beta uske liye toh naukar hai na...tu kyun chinta kar rahi hai." Nyonika said.

"Nahi nahi Ma, aap log jaayiye. Main yahi, ghar pe rukhta hoon." Nandini replied.

"Thik hai...jaisi teri marzi."

"Mom..aap sab iss saal jayenge kaise? Matlab driver toh chutti par gaya hai na, aap ne hi toh kal bola tha." Manik asked.

"Oh haan! main toh bhool hi gayi!" Nyonika looked worried. "Ab kya hoga? Arjun aur Dev toh pure din meeting mein busy rahenge..."

"Aur Dad?"

"Tere dad ki toh pichle kuch dino se tabiyat kharab hai." 

"Kya? Kya hua Dad ko?"

"Bhagwan hi jaane. Maine toh kitni baar kaha hai Raj ko, healthy food khaana chahiye, walks pe jaana chahiye, regularly doctor se check up karwana chahiye...especially at his age par nahi meri sunni kaha hai." Nyonika ranted. 

"Ok dont worry Mom, Im Dad theek ho jayenge, aur agar aaj raat tak theek nahi hue toh hum doctor ke pass leke jayenge." Manik assured Nyonika. "And as for today, main aapko leke chalta hoon."

"Nahi Nahi....pura din ka kaam hai aur teri bhi toh tabiyat theek nahi hai."

"Mom...Im fine now....hai na Nandini?" Manik turned to Nandini for support and she nodded. "See? So Im taking you, its final!"

"Acha baba! Thik hai...tu leke chal. Pehle tayyar toh ho ja!" Manik nodded and went into the washroom to get ready. "Nandini...tu zara Raj ka khayal rakhna."

"Haan Ma, chinta mat kijiye..main pura khayal rakhungi."

-----------------------------

Note: What did you think?

Do you think Nandini's point about wanting Manik to love her before his memory comes back is right?

MaNan are coming closer and Manik is slowly realising Aliya's selfishness and next chapter, something big will happen, any guesses?