Let Me Love You ✨|| Completed

17. Engaged, Are We?

~ When you realize that you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want 'The rest of the life' to start as soon as possible~

That night marked a new beginning in the relationship of Manik and Nandini and the change in both of them was quite visible to their families too. Padmini and Nyonika quite a few times, talked to each other about it on phone,  laughing at their respective children and their behaviour. Nyonika sometimes pouted and complained how still they don't behave like couples. Neither they both were seen messaging whole day nor any late night long calls were heard. But then sometimes, love does not need late night conversations but it can nurture well on the pillars of understanding and care.

It was already two months since Manik met with Padmini with his mother and now since even Manik's dad, Raj Malhotra also knew about Nandini and also he approved of her even without meeting, the families wanted to atleast have them engaged as soon as possible. Hence, with mutual agreement, The Engagement date was decided to be  finalized ASAP.

Manik was too happy with the news while Nandini was a little anxious and scared with the decision. She was sceptical about leaving her family and going to an all together new environment. In her scaredness she called up Manik one night before the priest was to be called for the finalization of date.

" Manik!", An anxious Nandini spoke, her heart beating faster.

"Nandini?", Manik was a happy mix of surprise and shock for Nandini rarely called him on her own.

"Umm...actually I wanted to ask something!", She spoke hesitantly and he frowned.

"Yes, say?", He asked confused with her anxious voice.

"I would continue to do my job right?I mean since I am going to be a Malhotra wife, you won't expect me to leave my job na? And my salary, if I gave it to amma, just like now, it won't be an issue right?", She aksed all questions in a go and Manik was astounded. Everytime this petite girl managed to hurt him in someway or the other, although unknowingly, but every damn time instead of making it an ego issue, he tried to understand the depth of her insecurities. For the world she was indeed a normal, middle class and practical girl, but deep inside her, there was another Nandini, the one others had no idea about and the one even she herself didn't know properly. And he wanted to know exactly that Nandini.

" Nandini, when I say I am marrying you, I am accepting you as a whole. Your individuality is a priceless jewel that you are meant to sustain! So, your job is your choice, always and do whatever you feel like with your salary! No boundation or forceful approach from our side, I promise!", He explained her, again and she listened everything but didn't speak a word. She just hummed and though to others, it might seem rude, Manik somewhere knew she was just overwhelmed. He had grown good at reading her.

As they kept the phone, Manik couldn't help but wonder what had made her this way- so aloof and so skeptical about others, especially men. Sometimes he desperately felt the need to uncover her thick veil but he knew it wasnt right. She was too fragile though she portrayed herslef as strong! And obviously needed to be handled with care.

Exactly three days after their phone conversation, Padmini was dolling up her daughter for her engagement ceremony. The engagement was to be held in a private ceremony with only the immediate familes in Malhotra mansion itself and after a month, the wedding date was finalized. The wedding was going to be the Malhotra style - a big, fat indian wedding kind of wedding but the engagement ceremony was going to be a simple affair. Nandini looked at herself in the mirror and was actually astonished at the beauty gazing back at her. She never took time to dress herself up and today, when all these years were compensated at once, she was definately looking like a angel descending down.