Flashback continues..
“Tum mujhe chhor ke toh nahi jaogi na?,” asked Anjali. “No,” Nandini replied and they had a hug. Nandini didn’t knew she had possessed her dead body that’s why they could touch each other. “If I wouldn’t have committed suicide, I would’ve been with you,” Anjali said as she parted away from Nandini. “Anjali, I don’t even know if you’re real, how can a dead person come back? I think I am going crazy,” Nandini said. “I am real,” she said touching her hand. “But I couldn’t touch you last time we met, then how can I touch you now?,” Nandini asked.
“Secret,” Anjali said. “OK listen, I didn’t wanted to scare you OK, I didn’t wanted you to feel alone, promises aren’t meant to be broken, so..,” she lifted her right hand closing her all the fingers besides the pinky finger. “We won’t separate ever,” she said. Nandini didn’t joined her pinky finger with hers. “Nandini,” she said clicking her fingers in front of her face and she joined her pinky finger with hers. “We promise to stay together forever,” they said in unison and smiled at each other followed by a bone crushing hug.
Present..
“I also don’t know why I did this,” Nandini said. “Its so unreal,” Manik commented. “I don’t know what was it,” she replied. “I think it’s real also and unreal also,” he said. “Same here,” she said. “Arey Manik, mumma papa didn’t came until now,” she said. “No tension, they might be discussing, oh and try calling me when Anjali comes, I really want to know what’s the matter,” he said and she agreed. “I will just come,” he said and got off the bed and went out of the room. After sometime he came back with two glasses. “Babe,” he said.
“Hmm?,” Nandini replied. He forwarded one glass to her and on seeing the liquid inside it, she smiled like a baby. “Chocolate milkshake, wow!” She exclaimed and drank it, he smiled seeing her happy and he too drank from his glass. “Thank you so much for this Manik, only you know how to make me happy,” she said. “I am happy that you’re happy,” he smiled. “Nandu you’re so cute,” he said pulling her cheeks. “Manik, let’s take a selfie,” she said and picked her phone, she smiled and he kissed her cheek, she clicked the pic.
They clicked more and more pics. Finally Varshini and Nandkishore came back and Manik went bidding bye to Nandini. “Nandu,” Varshini called. “Yes mom,” she replied and went downstairs. “Congratulations, your alliance is fixed,” she told her. “Yayyy,” she said like a child and ran to hug her mother. “I love you ma,” she said kissing her cheek but then suddenly her smile faded and seeing this, Varshini got worried. “What happened bacha?,” she asked. “Mumma vo Anjali or main humesha promise kartay thay na k saath rahengay, or shahdi bhi ek he din karengay, aaj vo nahi hai to mujhe achha nahi lagraha (Mumma Anjali and me always promised to be together and marry at same day, today she’s not there so I am not feeling good),” Nandini replied.
“Our loved ones never leave us, they always watch over us, remember I used to tell you in childhood about the stars that the smallest and the one that twinkles the most is our loved one,” she reminded her. “Mom I saw her,” Nandini told her everything. “Beta it’s your imagination,” she told her. “Mumma I could touch her I could feel her, I saw her footprints, the half promise sign was made on its own, this can’t be someone’s imagination or mischief,” she said in a convincing manner.
“I understand Nandu, I know you miss her a lot,” she said caressing her hair and went to kitchen, it wasn’t that she didn’t believe, she did believe her, but she was just too nervous to admit she is back. Nandini stormed off to her room and threw herself on the bed. “I know its not my imagination,” she muttered under her breathe and cried burying her face in her palms on the bed. “Lukk chhip lukk chhip jao na, lukk chhip lukk chhip jao na, aise chhup chhup mujhe satao na, aise chhup chhup mujhe satao na, o mere nanne munne pyaare pyaare raja, o mere nanne munne pyaare pyaare raja, aao mere galay lagjao na, lukk chhip lukk chhip jao na, aray aao na,” sung a voice. Hearing the song, Nandini lifted her tear stained face from the bed and a smile crept through her face as she recognized the voice. She looked up and a smiling face stared at her, she smiled back and got down the bed. “Anjali,” she said and wiped her tears and tried hugging her but her hands passed through her.
“Anjalii,” Nandini cried. “Relax, I am real but we can’t touch each other, I am a soul, you’re a human,” she said. “I love you, I want you again in my life, I feel alone,” Nandini said. “Sometimes life don’t go as we plan, but don’t worry, I will be with you always, stop crying else it will be difficult for me to go, smile for me,” Anjali said and she smiled. Anjali too smiled and disappeared. Later at night, Nandini was trying to sleep but couldn’t. She kept tossing left and right but didn’t got even a wink of it.
Manik entered her room by the window and laid beside her slowly. He clicked its fingers in front of her and she turned and smiled seeing him. “I knew you have difficulty in sleeping alone so I came,” he said and she smiled. “Thank you,” she said and pulled the blanket over them and she cuddled with him and slept. In the middle of the night, Nandini woke up due to constant piano playing of someone. She sat up holding her head and went to the store room and unlocked it. “Aagh,” she screamed.