MaNan SS - Your Senior (Sequel to My Senior)

15. HER First Gift

"Jii uncle..." Aarush smiled before touching their feet to take blessings.

"Umm...You know him already...!?" Manik asked and Aarush sat beside his mother while Ritika stood beside her aunt and Aadhavan explained how Aarush has helped him when he visited Mumbai.

While Aadhavan was busy telling his wife how good Aarush was, Manik leaned to Nandini's ear and whispered "Yeh tera beta na...did something useful for the first time...Impressed her family even before impressing her..."

Nandini nudged him to be quite and smiled at the Nairs.

"Mr.Malhotra...We don't have any problem with their relation...When he can take care of an unknown person, I can imagine how well he takes care of his wife and family...You have brought him up so well..." Aadhavan said and stood to hug Aarush followed by Manik while the house filled with smiles.

Once they got settled and were served sweets for taking the next step, Nandini said "Toh Bhai sahab... We'll take your leave now...and we'll call you once we talk to pandit ji and fix a date for their engagement..."

"Jii bulkul..." Aadhavan said with a smile and Aarush touched their feet before leaving. Ritika hugged her aunt and uncle and left after saying that she will come after her exams and the function.

Once they returned to Mumbai, Nandini called priest to come home the next day.

"So Pandit ji...Next month Ritika ko exams hai...Aap dekhiye uske baad when do we have a muhurath for their engagement..." Nandini said handing the priest the kundalis of Aarush and Ritika.

The priest made some calculations and said "Thik 2 months baad...on 10th, there's an auspicious time for them..."

"And 11th toh Aaru ka birthday hai..." Nandini said with a smile.

"And exactly after 10days, 21st ko he will be leaving to London..." Ritika said sadly making Manik and Aarush chuckle at their ladies.

"Toh yeh mahurath pakka karein...!?" The priest asked and everyone agreed with a smile. Nandini quickly informed to Ritika's uncle and aunt about the engagement date.

While the elders were busy with invitations and other preparations of their engagement for the whole month, the younger couple concentrated on Ritika's exams.

Once she got free from her exams, there's 3 weeks left to properly get her dress designed. Her aunt and uncle came a week before and up on Malhotra's insistence, they stayed in Malhotra Mansion itself making it a little difficult for Aarush and Ritika to sneak out and have their time.

The day before engagement, once the preparations got final check, Nandini called Ritika.

"Jii Amma" She came correcting her dupatta.

"Chalo... Let's go for a small shopping..." Nandini said dragging her to the car.

"Amma par all the engagement shopping is done na..." Ritika asked getting into the car.

"Engagement shopping is done but...Aaru ka birthday shopping is not..." Nandini said with a smile and continued "So as you already know...I'll take Aaru ka birthday dress every year...and I got so busy with all the preparations that I didn't shop for him...I think tum bhi kuch nahi liya hai...So thought we can do it together..."

"Done" Ritika said with a wide smile and soon they reached a mall.

Once Nandini has taken a shirt and matching trouser for Aarush, Ritika went on from shop to shop to find something that's worthy to gift him as it's his first proper birthday with her. Last few times, she stayed in hostel saying that she was in native and didn't get to meet him on his birthday.