83• I can never ride the bike

James and Mia, Manik's parents, arrived in the evening to meet Nandini. Vicky, a domestic servant, came into Nandini's room to inform them of their arrival.

"Ask them to come upstairs," Manik ordered, and Vicky left after nodding at him.

Manik strolled towards Nandini and sat beside her, a bit nervous about meeting his mother, and Nandini was just smiling with delight because what she had wished for was finally happening. She was on cloud nine.

James and Mia entered the room. While Manik and his mother exchanged glances, James dashed towards Nandini, smiling with glee.

"I'm so glad to get my daughter back." James squealed, hugging Nandini.

Mia strolled towards her and asked her, "How are you, dear?"

"I'm feeling so sluggish as if there is no energy left in me." She told her, taking a deep breath.

"Don't worry, you'll feel energetic with time," Mia reassured, placing her hand on Nandini's face.

"You know, Nandini, Manik stayed with you twenty-four hours, leaving his races and all of his work," James told her.

"Manik, now you should again start racing and going to the office," Nandini suggested to him, and his hands started quivering at the mere thought of riding the bike, which Mia noticed.

"You guys talk, I'm just coming." He excused himself and dashed out of the room. He didn't want his kiddo to notice what was going on with him because he didn't want to stress her.

"Mom, go after him and talk to him. It's the right time." Grinning, she advised Mia. In her enthusiasm, she didn't see why he left from there. She assumed he didn't feel comfortable because of his mother.

As Mia nodded, Nandini gave her a thumbs-up. Mia smiled at her before rushing after Manik. She found Manik, pacing across the hall, trying hard to fight back his anxiety attack. He had no idea that someone was aware of his misery.

"Manik." As she approached him, he immediately hid his hands behind his back. He didn't want to show his weakness to anybody.

"What-what are you doing here?" He asked her, stammering.

"I noticed inside that your hand began to tremble when Nandini talked about race-"

Even though she had been apart from him for a long time, being his mother, she could still feel his son's sorrow, because a mother and son are intimately connected by the heart.

He shouted, cutting her words. "You saw wrong. I'm alright; nothing is happening to me. You go inside." He freaked out because he was afraid she would find out about his condition.

"Manik, just relax." As she placed her hand on his face, he closed his eyes, losing himself in the warm touch of his mother for a few seconds. She looked at him affectionately and caressed his stubbles, relaxing him with her soothing touch. A lone tear trickled down her cheek because she had been dying to adore her son for years.

"I don't know what is happening to me." These words automatically slipped out of his mouth, showing his helplessness.

But as soon as he realised he was baring his vulnerabilities in front of someone, he opened his eyes and shoved her hand away. "I'm fine, just go." He stood, turning his back to her.

"Manik, you're just afraid of riding the bike after that accident," Mia told him, placing her hand on his shoulder from behind.

"No, it is nothing like that. I'm not afraid." He answered after turning towards her and then dashed outside. She hurried after him; she could feel his pain.

As he sat astride the bike and turned it on, the memories of that dreadful night began to haunt him, and his breath became heavy, and he began to sweat. "Manik..." Nandini's scream echoed in his ears.

"Fuck, no! Stop." Tears streamed down his cheeks as he yelled, shutting his eyes and clenching the handlebars. Mia silently cried, seeing her son's condition.

"No, this can't be possible. I can ride the bike." He opened his eyes and tried to combat his terror, but the flashes of that accident stopped him.

"I can never ride the bike again as before." He gave up and sobbed in agony, resting his head on the windscreen of the bike. The thought that he would never be able to ride the bike again was shattering his heart; he lost the most precious possession of his life.

"Manik, you'll ride the bike again. It'll just take some time for you to heal from the trauma. You'll be fine, my son." She consoled him, rubbing his back, and he raised his head and stared at her with his sorrowful eyes.

He squeezed his eyes shut to compose himself and wiped his tears. "Just don't tell Nandini about all this. She has just woken up from the coma, and any kind of stress is dangerous for her."

He was going through so much, but he was still thinking about his kiddo, and that is what true love is.

"Don't worry." Mia blinked her eyes at him in assurance.

"We shall go inside now." He said, stepping down from the bike. Mia gave him a slight nod, and then they walked inside.

They were climbing upstairs when Mia uttered, "Manik, I want to apologise to you." He stopped and looked at her. She continued, "I know what you have grown through in childhood because of me, for that a sorry isn't enough, but still I want to apologise."

"You don't have to apologise for choosing your happiness, and I have forgiven you already. I think we should do a fresh start, forgetting about the past." As Manik suggested, she nodded at him, smiling faintly.

"I think you're right. We should make a fresh start, and Manik, now I'm here for you. You can share with me anything without any hesitation." She spoke, placing her hand on his bicep.

He nodded and went towards Nandini's room, and she followed him.

***

"I'm curious, Dad, what they must be talking about," Nandini exclaimed with excitement, without even having the slightest notion of what the love of her life was going through.

"Thank you so much, Nandini, for this miracle. Manik coming face to face with his mother is still so unbelievable for me." James uttered, shaking his head, and a smile didn't leave his face.

"Dad, never underestimate Nandini. She has the power to do miracles." She self-praised and tittered.

"God bless you, my daughter." He petted her hair and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Manik and Mia entered the room, and seeing a precious smile on his kiddo's face, he came to a halt. 'My pain is nothing in front of the happiness of getting back my kiddo. Nothing matters to me if she is with me. Her smile is enough for me to keep me alive.' He thought while his intense gaze fixed on her. Her smile was like magic because it took his mind off the pain of losing his passion for riding his bike.