MaNan : Aching Smiles|| COMPLETED

18. Conscious Uncoupling!

~ Sometimes some unknown feelings make you restless, while at times, it's what you know that makes you so~

The clock striked 9 at night and Nandini got up from her bed, fidgety with anxiousness but she knew Manik too much to know that he didn't remember this time either.

Perks of knowing someone for too long.

Taking wide steps, she climbed the stairs to his room, and pushed open the door to find Shiwali and Manik sitting on the bed. It looked like they were discussing something really important. But why did Shiwali had such a pensive look on her face then? It didn't go out of her notice either how they had both stopped talking, looking at each other before staring at her, and it did sting her, but she chose to be quiet.

" Actually, I am sorry to disturb but what's the plan for the night?", Nandini lowered her eyes as she spoke, and then raised them later to find two pairs of confused eyes looking back at her.

With Shiwali she could understand that she might not know, or not remember, but how can a son forget his mother's birthday every year? She wondered what had happened all these ten years, and how did he make it up to his mother?

"Manik!", Nandini glared at him, squeezing her eyes, with hands on her hips, and Manik gulped.

This irritated, angry look of hers was a very reserved one, used only on a few occasions, and as his mind quickly scrolled through memories of what this look stood for, Nandini got more angry and picked up a pillow and threw at him.

"Ouch!", He yelped, even though he had dodged it, and it made Shiwali chuckle lightly, but she stopped as soon as she watched Manik and Nandini exchange another look, the one shared between a hunter and it's prey.

" It's mom's Birthday, isn't it?", Manik spoke abruptly, stopping Nandini from throwing another pillow at him, and Nandini smiled dramatically, while Shiwali opened her mouth in shock.

Manik smiled in return, happy to finally remember the occasion, but it irritated both the girls, who threw two more pillows at him, this time on point, making him yelp for real before sharing a high five this time.

For a second to Nandini and Manik, world seemed a happy place. A paradise where they were all happy, content and comfortable with each other, just like before. But as soon as their thoughts drifted to 'before', their mind snapped back to present, wiping the smiles off their faces. They looked at each other for something more than a second, and then lowered their eyes, simultaneously.

" So, what's the plan?", Shiwali's voice broke the silence, and Nandini looked up, at Manik who was looking at Shiwali with a silly smile.

"Balloons, stationery items and a huge cake!", Nandini's face curved into a huge smile, as she heard Manik speak, and she immediately lifted her eyes to look at him, who was already staring at her. They both could see their childhood seeping in through this one memory, and they both knew that it would always be the special one for them.

" Maa loves writing, and balloons. That's why!!", Nandini clarified, when she saw Shiwali confused and Manik agreed.

Soon, Shiwali bid bye in front of Pakhi, and Manik and Nandini both ate in superfast speed, pretending to be extremely tired and sleepy. Pakhi pouted at both of them, but her children paid no attention, and went off to sleep, or so she thought.

Because at exact 11pm, Nandini came down pretending to have water, and opened the main gate to let Shiwali in, with all the necessary things for the decoration. She then gave a miss call to Manik who came down too, and all the three started with the work.

Since the lights of the hall was off, they had to work in flashlights, especially taking care to not flash it towards Pakhi's room. Now, both Shiwali and Nandini were extra cautious, because they knew Manik was afraid of total darkness. They both ensured to always keep some light in front of him, and even if Manik noticed the effort, he stayed mum.