Manan:Hamesha. Forever.

17

Nandini was stunned. Listening to the whole truth she was stupified. Manik looked at her. He chuckled seeing Nandini's shocked face. Gently, Manik tapped on Nandini's lower jaw bringing her out of trance and making her close her mouth.

Manik: uske baad Cabir and Mukti ne bohot sunaya mujhe. Aur maine gusse main sab bola. Uske baad bhi unn dono ne bohot pitaai ki meri. Literally maara. I remember I had a cut on my lip. And you know maarne ke baad dono ne milke marham-patti ki thi meri. Uss waqt bhi kameeno ne purposely wounds pe zyada pressure daala so that I always remember what a stupid person I am!

Manik giggled at the memory.

Manik: while Dhruv and Alya gave me a very long lecture. That day we promised each other that no matter what it's all for one and one for all and hence forth no hiding anything. We had realised that secrets would break us.

Nandini hugged him tightly. He too hugged her back.

Manik: aur main tumhe yeh sab isiliye nahi bata raha taaki tum mujhe maaf kardo. Bas share kar raha hoon.

Nandini simply smiled. There was a knock on the door. Manik opened the door and smiled Abhimanyu and ruffled Rishabh's hair. They both walked inside and sat on the bed. Abhi and Manik sat near the foot board while Rishabh lied down in Nandini's lap.

Abhimanyu and Rishabh looked at Manik and Nandini and sighed seeing them smiling. Manik looked at Nandini who smiled in return. He secretly blew a kiss and winked at her seeing her pink cheeks. Nandini glared at him which obviously had no effect on Mr. Dheet Malhotra!

Their random conversations were interrupted when Chachi came to call them.

Chachi: arrey baccho aa jao maine na aloo aur gobi ka parantha banaya  hai.

Listening to parantha all four of them rushed to the door and then started fighting as to who would go first. Amidst the fight Nandini sneaked and ran down. The three boys were quick to follow her league. All came running down while Chachi was setting the dishes.

Chachi: arrey Manik! Beta um yahan baitho main tumhari liya na specially punjabi style main paaranthe banaya hai. Aaja!

Nandini Abhimanyu and Rishabh were gaping at Chachi. Manik smirked and sat down on the chair while Chachi herself served Manik and then started feeding him too with so much love.

Manik was looking at Chachi with so much love. Chachi kept feeding him with so much love. Sometimes she ruffled his hair making Manik giggle while sometimes she scolded Manik for eating messily and dropping food bits on his shirt. Other times she herself cleaned Manik's face with her stole.

Two paranthas down Manik eyes for a fraction of second cane in contact with Nandini who was looking at the duo with so much love and happiness. Manik smiled at her. When Manik looked at Abhi and Rishabh he smirked. Both the brothers were glaring at Manik.

Abhimanyu hit Nandini on her head.

Abhimanyu: usko ghoorna bandh kar......mann toh karta hai gala dabba doon uska.....Yaar yahan USA se aaya main....woh bhi itne time baad aur saara pyaar isko mil raha hai.

Rishabh too banged his hands on the table. Nandini giggled seeing her two brothers jealous of Manik. Manik too was giggling inwardly. Abhi was about to take a parantha from the plate when Manik beat him to it.

Manik: Yeh saare mere liye hai! Dare you touch them.

Abhimanyu: tu koun hai mujhe rokne wala.....

Before Abhimanyu could blast more Manik interrupted him, intentionally troubling him more.

Manik: tera hone wala saala hoon main. Haq banta hai mera!

There was a momentary silence on the table. Nandini and Chachi were looking at each other wide eyed while Rishabh's eyes kept oscillating from Manik to Abhimanyu who were smirking at each other.

Abhimanyu grabbed Nandini's hand and pulled her in a side hug.

Abhimanyu: hone wala hai na.....toh hone wala hi banke reh jayega tu.....zyada hoshiyaari dikhayi na toh meri behen ka haath dunga nahi tujhe. Samjha!

Manik: main toh samajh gaya lekin tu bhi samajh le ki tu agar izzat se iska haath ni dega toh bhaga ke leke jaoge main usse lekin leke toh main ho jaoga phir chahe uss paar ya iss paar!

Abhimanyu gritted his teeth. Manik's smirk widened. Both were looking at each others face like arch enemies. Rishabh who was still looking from Manik to Abhimanyu and back to Manik. Shrugging his shoulder he simply pulled the plate from between the two amd started eating the parantha.

Chachi and Nandini burst out laughing. While Manik and Abhimanyu were looking at Rishabh with their mouth open ajar. Acting totally ignorant to the glares he was getting from Manik and Abhimanyu, Rishabh kept eating the parantha. He finished the entire aloo parantha.

Sighing in defeat, ManBhi looked at the their empty plates and then at the one single gobi parantha in the plate in between them. Rishabh was looking at them and Sneekily extended his hands to snatch it again. This time Manik was fast enough to grab and run away. The other two hot on their heels chased Manik all around the house.

Chachi and Nandini guffawed  heartily and then Sighing walked into the kitchen to make more paranthas. The three boys were still arguing with each other chasing each other. Finally a bad day had ended on a good note with everyone smiling.

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I hope you guys liked the update.
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Special Thanks to adarart for the new cover. I so love it.💙😻