A Thousand Encounters

Chapter-8

"What's wrong with this beauty?" Her grandpa shrugged his shoulder saying that. Nandini pecked on his cheek for needed support.

"Why nobody told me she too is going?" Manik mumbled still stuck with his share of catastrophe. 

"She had to come, Manik. After all, it's her father's party," Colonel Singh answered looking admiringly at Nandini. 

Ground seemed to slip under his feet as he joined the dots. Nandini was daughter of Madhav Murthy. He felt infuriated at latest Revelation. 

"Colonel, I think I am feeling a little wobbly so," He said, "Maybe I shouldn't come."

Colonel looked at him all worried and said, "Son, it's just a little anxiety. Nothing else. Relax."

Nandini's mother and father looked at each other literally blaming each other for raising such stubborn daughter but then kept it only to eye daggers. 

"FINE," Mr Murthy said almost yelling and walked away. 

Nandini smiled victoriously and then turned to greet Colonel Singh and his wife. Manik folded his arms on roof of ambassador to get a shield from her. 

"Is that Cadet Malhotra?" He heard her asking and he closed his eyes. He looked at her with a daub smile and she looked darker than ever. That gleam in her eyes screeched for upcoming trouble. 

 "Such a pleasant surprise," She cheered joining her palms. 

Manik who by then had touched whitest shade of pale, looked ever so helpless. 

"Such revelations," Manik too returned a shady smile seeing Colonel and his wife adoring their little greeting session. 

"You are coming with us in my truck, Manik," She declared.

"Nooooooooooo," He almost jumped in shock and then calmed down looking at his worried temporary guardians. 

"I mean, I shall just stick by Colonel. He needs someone who can drive," He explained.

It was time for Nandini's mother to make it worse. 

"They will be coming with us," she uttered and then looked at confused couple, "Come on Sahiba, you cannot be serious about traveling in this old lady." 

Colonel seemed to take a bullet in his chest listening insult of his ambassador. Sahiba clutched his hand to make him get a grip over his over sensitive heart. Nandini chuckled a bit. And Manik stood there with 'This can't be happening' written all over his face. 

"Yeah sure," Mrs Singh assured and they walked behind Mrs Murthy. 

"So it leaves you and me," Nandini said folding her arms. 

"See, that's why I said stop missing me already. It brought you this close," She quipped and pressed her lips to look serious.

"You know what, I am not coming in that stupid truck of yours," He declared and walked behind Colonel.

"Manik, You go with her. It would keep me assured that she is safe with kind of driving skills she has," Mrs Murthy said as she returned and bumped into Manik. 

Nandini walked close to them and stood posing as most innocent soul on earth. 

"Would you please?" Mrs Murthy insisted. 

Manik looked at Nandini and then at her mother with a helpless expression. 

"Okay," He said in low tone and Mrs Murthy thanked him with a wide smile.

"God loves me so much," Nandini said looking at flustered Manik. 

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