CHAPTER 36

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NANDINI

It's been two weeks since Aryaman saw me talking to Manik. That evening, I wrote a note to Abhi telling him about it. He said that he'll have a talk with Aryaman about it. That he won't allow him or anyone else to pressurize me into doing something that I didn't want.

The kind of support he was showing made me feel very happy and grateful to him. He's showing that I can trust him. That I can trust my family, and now I'm ready for it. I know now that if I request Mama Mami that I don't want to talk about my father, they'll understand me. They won't raise his topic.

I have decided that next week on Mami's birthday, I'll wish her properly. By speaking. From that day I'll start speaking again.

I've talked about this to Manik too. At first he was wary, that I was doing this under pressure since Aryaman knew that I talk now. But then I told him about mine and Abhi's conversation. He said that he'll support me in whatever I decided, and that he was very happy that I was healing.

My people are here to support me and that's all I want for now.

A knock disturbed me from my thoughts. I opened the door to find Abhi there.

"Nandini, umm, there's... there's someone who has come to meet you."

I gave him a puzzled expression. Who was it? And why is he looking so nervous?

"Just come downstairs. You'll get your answers."

I followed him down. Who could it be? Manik said that he had some work at the office, since Aunty has decided that she won't handle the office. Sahil Uncle proposed to Manik that he could try learning the ways of the office and once college gets done, then Manik can join the company at Uncle's former position. He had said yes because he didn't want Uncle's hard work to go in vain.

So it couldn't be him. Plus Abhi never speaks that way if Manik comes over to meet me. I practically have zero friends here. My thoughts came to a stand-still as I took in the person standing in the living room.

"Nandu?"

I was full blown hit with the nostalgia that came with being called by this name. Navi, my sweet protective Navi. I couldn't control the tears that came up in my eyes seeing her. Not caring about anything or anyone, I ran and took her in a tight hug, which she reciprocated immediately. Oh how good it felt having her here. Near me. God knows how many times since coming to Mumbai I had thought about texting her but couldn't gain the courage to do it.

We broke the hug and I sniffled. She chuckled at me. "You won't change. Same rondu Nandu with red red nose."

I gave her a fake glare. It felt good seeing her again. But how did she come to know the address?

I was giving her a puzzled expression. She must have understood my unsaid question.

"I texted you na ki I went to Mangalore and there I got to know that now you live with your Mama Mami?"

I nodded.

"I have a family friend who lives here in Mumbai. His parents had come to visit mine in Pune and he also came with them. We got along when we met. He was telling me about his friends, when he took Abhi's name. His full name, Abhimanyu Thakkar rang a bell in my mind and I asked him to show me his picture. When he showed me the picture, the guy looked familiar. So I asked whether his parents name were Rajiv and Saumya, as I remembered their names. Bingo. I was right there.

"He asked me how I know about Abhi and his family, and then I told him about you. And he said that yes even he knows you. It was Cabir. So we planned coming today. As it's a Saturday, I have an off from my college. Cabir made me establish a contact with Abhi and here we are.

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