Hi readers,

I am back with update as promised. I think this is the longest update of mine so far.

Enjoy reading and don't forget to read the author's note even though I know most you won't read.

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I heard his song 'significant other' alias my alarm tone and my hand automatically reached my mobile but my phone didn't ring but Manik's mobile is ringing. He kept his own song as his ringtone, such self-obsessed person. But yeah, who won't set that as ringtone, such a beautiful voice and song and I started to drown in the song and come out once the call ended.

Does Manik too forget attending the call by enjoying the song?

I searched for his face and see a statue sitting without any emotion.

The mobile again rang but Manik didn't even move and I read caller id shows the name Mrs. Malhotra but Manik didn't attend the mobile nor cut the call.

I guess it is his mother.

May be may not.

His face as usual plain void of emotions which now days not hard to decipher. There was hidden love in his eyes when he see that caller ID.

This continues another 3 times that Manik neither attended the call nor cut the call. It was so irritating and I snatched mobile and attended when it rings for fifth time and put it in loud speaker.

"Thank god Manik you attended the call. How are you my son?"

Son? So confirm it is his mother. I could feel the longing in her voice for her son. What is wrong with both of them?

"Manik, Manik, is everything fine, why are not responding" She started to panic and I pinched him.

"Yes" that's all he said. She talked with him like she is talking to five-year baby, like he ate the breakfast, slept yesterday properly or not.

How much we grow we are still baby to our parents. But Manik's mother's voice shows craving to hear his son's voice but I could hear is yes or no from Manik despite what her question is.

What is wrong with Manik?

She spoke to him even Manik show no interest in talking with her but I could feel deep down he was happy to speak with her and listen to her voice. After like a year, Manik cut the call.

"Why is that ego Manik?" I asked him what wanted to ask but he was taken back as he didn't expect this question all of sudden but as expected he composed him and understood the reason behind the question as usual.

"I really don't want to speak to her Nandhini"

"Do you think I will buy this?" I raised my eye brow. Manik know very well that he too wanted to speak to her then why this drama. I know I am not in the position to advise him, one who is not speaking to her father for more than 6 years but I have my reason though others find it silly and I could saw that Manik's mother want her son so badly.

"If you didn't like to speak with her, you should have cut the call or switched of the mobile. And when I attended the call and put it in loud speaker you should have become furious but I felt you relaxed once I attended the call. Why?"

He reminded silent which irked me that I raised my voice, "Manik, can't you understand her longing of mother who badly crave affection from her son?"

"I have my reasons like you have. Don't push it now" He raised his voice that he is not to ready discuss it anymore.

So this is my cue that I need to stop. We cannot expect someone to open up and share their story even though you did share, right?

"Okay so, call me in the evening when you are ready to leave. I will be in guest room"

I rushed to my guest room and pain melt down sometime was setting back into my heart again.

I shouldn't have raised my voice.

I shouldn't have expected him to share his pain. He didn't share it with his friend who he considers as his family for long and it is absurd on my part to expect to share to a person who hardly knows.

I know that but still it aches. Stupid heart.

I called Amms to divert my mind but unfortunately my mother attended the call. NO, I can't speak to her now. She could easily figure out my vulnerability in my voice and I will cry which I don't want do now.

"Amma, I will call you in 10 minutes" I didn't wait and disconnected the call.

Who I am playing with, she is my mother who knows me very well.

She called me and I pour out everything ofcourse excepy I being alone with Manik in his guest house, she listened to everything calmly.

"Nandhu, I don't have to advice you, you are grown girl and know to handle things better. Everyone wants their own space in life. Every finger in the hand is not same, some people will share both their pain and happiness with other even no one ask for it but some people keep those with them selve not because of they don't wanted but because they don't know how to and have many other genuine reasons for not sharing. When he feels like sharing and when felt you are worth sharing his story he will come around eventually. Expectation is part of a every relationship, even you restrict you heart not to expect but end of the day we are humans and our heart ought to expect in any relationship. Now your expectation from him to share his pain is not wrong but be thoughtful that he needs his time to trust enough to share his pain"

"Thanks Amma" I disconnected the call.

I heard and knock and Manik entered the room without waiting for my response.

Does he hear my conversation with my Mom?

"I shouldn't have reacted such a way" So is this kind of apology?

"Manik, I totally understood..." He didn't allow me to continue.

"You are right." He paused.

"You are right that I wanted to speak to her but I cannot still digest that she is the reason for my father's death." I was stunned, how can this possible. To say frankly, I didn't even know his mother's name but I find it strange that I have strong feeling that she can't be reason for her father's death.

"Yes, it seems difficult to accept but she is reason for my father's death" He paused and look at me expecting me to say something but I don't have any.

"My childhood time is when my father and mother together were the best part of life that I wanted to cage it somewhere safe and sound. It was like golden days of my life" I could sense the happiness and content while he speaking.

"But I was not blessed to have those days to extent. Both my father and mother had misunderstanding but they tried their best to hide it from me. But day by day it started to become worse. I was close to my father than my mother. My father and I stayed in Pune where as my mother stayed in Mumbai taking care of Malhotra industries. My father and I were so close that he knows in out of me, he never made me miss my mother that he filled the space as both mother and father. My mother is also affectionate but she prioritizes her carrier more than family. My father is my first best friend. I sometime forget he is really my father and both shared lot of nonsense and silly stuff which mostly father and son never do. He is not only friend to me but also to Fab5. Alya and Cabir are so close my dad and I can say my father's death equally them affect like me. When I broke up with my girlfriend, I was so broken inside. He was supportive and understanding that time who bring back that carefree old Manik again. He was always there when I need a shoulder to cry he was my friend, my mother who I missed that badly and also a father who no one can have them their life. I am proud being his son. I miss him so much"

Manik started to sob silently.

"Manik, its okay, its okay" is that all could say and rubbed my palm on his back to soothe his pain. Manik relaxed and continued.

"Though she is spend so much time in her career but my father and mother's love for each other never faded away. She used to come to Pune in weekdends and spend two days with us or my father and I go to Mumbai to weekends sometimes he alone go. He never misses a weekend not even once I remember. I always look up their relation and I wanted to love my wife like father did my mother."
I sat there hearing without uttering a word.

"In this world beautiful things won't last forever, my father and mother started to develop difference and they started to drift apart. One day, I heard my father and mother are arguing and mother started to storm out of the house and my father came after her but she was so fast and went away. He was in hurry to stop my mother that he slipped and rolled down the steps and his head hurt so badly. In that state too, he tried calling my mother but she didn't pick up call. I heard the loud sound and came after to see my father bleeding but trying to call someone. I try to pick him but he refused that she wanted to speak to my mother and refused to come to hospital, I was 19 years and felt so helpless to do anything other than trying to call my mother in my mobile but still she didn't pick up. I pacified my father and brought him to hospital but it was too late to save his life."

He again goes silent and I waited for him to continue. The pain of losing a person we love is always too much to bear. Manik is more strong than I thought.

"If she would have picked the call, we would have saved my father and he will be with me now. She is the reason, she is the bloody murder" he shouted.

"But Manik, what is wrong in your mother's side?"

"Seriously Nandhini?"

"Seriously Manik, you think your mother is to be blamed here. Just think from her side, you have fight a person and walked away from them and you received the call from the same person, what you will think? Any normal person would have avoided like your mother did"

"I can't believe you are supporting that lady who care about anyone but herself, a selfish business women. Okay fine, she avoided my father's but why she ignored mine?"

"Manik, she would have thought that your father is calling from your mobile as she is ignoring his call. Why are you not accepting it."

"Why I am even explaining these to you though I know even you very well know that your mother cannot be blamed. It is just your ego"

"Nandhini stop it, I am not egoistic"

"You know what, your mind has already realized that there is nothing wrong in your mother's part but your heart is not ready to accept that."

"You are speaking rubbish, shut your bloody mouth"

"I am not going to shut my mouth. Not now until you realize that you are angry on yourself not on your mother that you could not save your father when he was struggling for his life to save. You hate your helpless state that you obeyed your fathers word rather than carrying to the hospital, just accept it. And you are angry on your mother not because of she didn't attend the call but for the difference created between your father and mother. Deep in your heart you believe that your mother is reason for the drift between your parents"

I shouted that I don't want to shout not at least now, not in this the tone which will hurt him but I could not stop myself. I don't regret what I said but the way I told him. He didn't say anything but kept looking to my eyes, now I need to repair what I damaged.

"I am sorry but can't you feel the pain of your mother, you only lost your father but your mother lost her husband and her son who started to hate her even she can be barely blamed for it. She needs you Manik. I am not right person to say this but give her chance she deserves. She may have her own reason to argue or fight with your father, it's her life and you cannot conclude without hearing her side."

He hugged me and started to sob badly but I didn't stop him this time. This is much needed actually. Every one need to vent out what's bothering them. How understanding and how a person able to think clearly, every person has some weak point and he could not think normal at some time. Manik is deep thinker and understanding person but he could do think straight when it comes to his father. He might have loved his father moon to back.

After like hours, he stopped his sobs and look into my eyes and I understood he accepted the truth to some extend but he need time to accept the whole.

"By the way, you copied my alarm tone and kept as your ringtone. Such a copy-cat"

Initially he give 'you are impossible' look but after resisting he smiled faintly but I felt contented which I now wanted to see very much.

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The guest house part is finished here and I find that the time Manan spend in guest house is like a roller coaster starting with their fun food fight their small cute fights, both sharing their past. They slowly started to feel comfort in each others company which is very much needed in any relationship. I may give many emotional part though you may don't like them but I feel this is very much needed now for their strong bond and you may expect the same in upcoming updates. Whatever you feel please post them in comment box.

11/11/2017