Nandini
These 9 days have been the most hectic days of my life. My shift starts from morning 8'o clock to evening 6'o clock which makes me reach home around 7:30. The most irritating thing of these 9 days have been the difference between the timing of Chicago and Mumbai. It frustrates me to hell. The difference of 10 hours and 30 minutes sucks. When Manik is free, I have to rush and when I am free-- he is busy. Knowing Manik he is on very thin thread of patience which could break anytime.
We are chatting as much as we can, trying to talk as much as we can but my job wants me to submit my phone while I am working which is another thing Manik hates and he is seconds away from blowing up. Nyonika Mom told me that he is so frustrated about not being able to spend time with me that he have almost shifted to office. Sometimes he doesn't come home and other day Dad have to get him forcefully. Not finding Mukti there is a whole different story-- and this all makes me feel so guilty. He tries to show me that everything is fine but I know it isn't. Above all everyone asks about everything related to wedding to him which angers him more, but as it was solely his decision to send me here and handle everything himself-- he tries his best to not fire someone from the office or kill Cabir and Alya or shout on our parents. The best he can do.
As we have two days a week off for each the doctors, I have my Monday's and Tuesday vacant. Leaving me to laze around home with Mukti and on these days I try to handle Manik and my families as much as I can. Mukti and I had a movie night last night and around 2 in the morning I thought to call Manik who had his lunch break. We talked till 4:30 in the morning and then I went to sleep.
It was 11 in the morning meaning it was around 9:30 in India. I thought of calling him but then it wasn't his off today. He also have to go for his fittings so I just left him a message to call once he is free.
"Nandu.." I heard Mukti's sleepy-shouting voice from the side bedroom making me get out of my own bed and head inside her room. We both thought to share the room at first but then I had to talk to him late night, so Mukti shifted to the other room.
The flat was amazing. With 5 bedroom it was more of a house then a flat. The interior were modern and amazing as Manik travels here frequently with his friends to spend some time out of India. There is also a branch of Dhruv's business here, so Dhruv also uses this same flat whenever he visits.
There was 3 bedroom upstairs and one bedroom, hall and kitchen downstairs. Mukti forcefully made me take Manik's favourite room. Taking the other room herself.
(Nandini's room.)
I headed inside Mukti's room to see her going through her phone. Her laptop spread open on the bed.
"Here. Alya send some designs for your wedding dress." Mukti said when I sat down beside her. She pushed the laptop to me.
"Did Manik choose something.?" I asked looking at the pictures. They were all very good. Either I loved them all, so I was confused or I wanted Manik to choose with me, so I just sent them all to my Whatsapp.
"No. She didn't show him. She said maybe you would want to ask him.?" She asked looking at me and I nodded smiling.
"Yeah. I'll send him." I said and she shut down her laptop. The maid came and informed us about the breakfast and us being lazy that we have become living alone nowadays, we told her to bring it here. This past week was a chaos but Mukti supported me, she calmed me down when I missed him and my home. She kept in touch with everyone from my family as well to keep them updated because I was busy all the time. We became best friends. Mukti enrolled in some meditation classes online, to calm her anxiety issues and clear her head. She talked to me. She was trying to heal.
We both left the bed to freshen up a bit. As our lazy ass was not in a mood to take a bath we settled down to gobble the food.
"Hey babies." We both snapped our heads to the door from the Netflix series as soon as we heard Cabir's voice. There stood all four of them, Mukti and I literally fell down the bed to run to them. He was standing behind Cabir, Alya and Dhruv. I pushed past them all and threw my self in his arms. Before I could register anything I had my legs wrapped around his waist.
"Shhh." He whispered in my ears when my breathing didn't seem to calm. After 5 minutes when I finally realized that he really was here and I am not dreaming I peeked up to look at his face. Something struck me making me look at our position, I was clinging to him with my legs wrapped around his waist and he was holding me so that I don't fall down, as soon as I realized I blushed unwrapping my self from him, stood on my legs.
I turned back to see them all smiling and not like teasing smile. A genuine smile. I hugged each of them as Mukti greeted him. He pulled me to himself and we all headed back inside. We moved the now cold breakfast plates aside and settled on the bed. He took the bed rest support making me lean back on his chest.
"Why was I not informed about this.?" Mukti said glaring at her twin brother who just rolled his eyes.
"It's known as surprise for a reason. And even Manik didn't know about this-- it was elders idea." Cabir filled us in making me look back at his face. "No one could stand Manik's coconut face so Nandini's father planned this." He continued making me chuckle at Manik glaring at him.
He wrapped his arms around my stomach nuzzling in my neck, while our friends talked about Manik being rude and angry at everyone from these few days and all of them making fun behind his back.
"So Arjun Uncle called us for dinner 2 days back... the wedding invitation was his duty so he wanted us to choose the designs. Manik as usual arrived late-- and he straight away went to Nandini's room and slept hugging her pillow. When Neha Aunty went to get him for dinner he was sleeping-- she came down and started scolding Arjun uncle about how her son was so sad just because Nandini isn't here." Dhruv filled us in about how the plan of surprise came up. I could actually imagine my mother fighting with Papa infront of everyone.
"She said that she will call you here on your off days but Uncle insisted that it would be better if we all go and visit as you will have to report back on Wednesday." Alya completed, we all indulged in talking randomly-- after a while I noticed Manik's soft snoring in my neck. I tried turning to face him but his hold was too tight for me to move.
"Guys lets go somewhere else-- I think Manik needs to sleep. He haven't slept properly in last few days." Cabir said making everyone face us.
"No. I'll....ummm we'll go to my room." I said as blush covered my face but they didn't tease me just nodding at me. I wiggled a little more this time making his eyes shot open in confusion. He looked at me and then around the room... as everything downed to him he ran his hands through his hairs.
"Manik lets go.. sleep in your room." I said holding his hand. He looked at me and then nodded, untangling us he stood up holding his hands out for me to take and we both headed to the room locking it behind us. Manik had some clothes here in the cupboard so I got shorts and t-shirt handing it to him. "Go change, then sleep. I'll get you something to eat." I turned to go but he held me.
"I don't want anything. Please just stay with me, I am really very tired-- I need to sleep." Those were the first few words from him and I felt all the more guilty. We might not have confessed anything but this distance made us both realize that we have really accepted each other with love. That too just in a short span of time.
He went to the washroom to change and I closed the curtains of the room to fill in the darkness, he cannot sleep with light. I messaged Mukti telling her to inform our parents about Manik sleeping and not to call any of us. I want him to rest as much as he can till the time he is here. I settled down on the bed pulling the duvet on my legs waiting for him.
"Nandini hand me a towel and my other garments.. its in the corner drawer." I heard his voice. Not knowing what the other 'garments' were I looked in the drawer to see his undergarments. Picking up a pair with the towel I knocked on the door, he took the clothes and then closed the door again and I made my way to the bed again.
He entered in with a towel in his hand ruffling his hairs. He was just in his vest and shorts. I almost groaned when he threw the wet towel on the floor and headed to the bed, he slept down pulling the duvet over him.
"Control your wifey mode for somedays." He said almost in a whisper when he noticed my glare for throwing the towel on the floor. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me down to the bed, tucking me in his arms. He gave me a small peck on my lips and soon he was deep in sleep.
~~~
Manik
My eyes flickered open when I felt someone kissing my head. I looked down to see that someone to be my little fiancée. She smiled at me nuzzling her face in my chest when she noticed my eyes on her. I had the best sleep today. Couldn't wait to wake up to her kisses all my life.
"What's the time.?" I asked my voice heavy and groggy from sleep. She turned around picking up her phone she showed the time to me.
"We have been sleeping from last 5 hours .??" I asked her shocked, she chuckled at me rubbing her nose with mine making me smile.
"Lets go niche.? Its dinner time already." She said and I nodded. She stood up from the bed making me miss her warmth instantly. I shifted a little up taking the support of the bed and winced closing my eyes when she turned the lights on, throwing my t-shirt to me, she opened the bedroom door.
She entered inside the bathroom and as if they all were waiting for us outside, my friends walked in making me groan internally. When we left in the noon they were calm knowing I and Nandini need some time... but now their teasing's will start. I know my friends very well to know that they are about to give me hell.
"Or Manik baba... how's life.??" Cabir wiggled his eyebrows at me. Everyone settling down around me on the bed. Ignoring him I leaned down to pick my phone.
"So now you'll ignore us?? After spending half of the day with your BABY... you are ignoring your first wife." Mukti and Alya chuckled hearing Cabir's last line and I made a very bad and irritated face at him. Just as I was about to say some great words to him.. the bathroom door pulled open. She smiled at them all and picked the towel from the floor placing it inside the laundry bag she headed to us. I pouted right there in front of these idiots when she sat down on the vacant seat beside Dhruv. Them all chucking at my face.
"Sir dinner." The maid knocked the door making us turn to her.
"Bring it here in the room. If they can have it on bed we can also." I teased both of them and they had the audacity to roll eyes at me.
"Keep doing this and one day your eyes will fall out." I said when the maid left us alone.
"Better if it stops you from saying silly things." Nandini commented making me raise my eyebrows at her. So the cat got tongue.
"We don't eat in bed daily. It was my day off." She replied pouting at Mukti like saying her to support her. But what made my day was when Mukti elbowed my stomach saying to stop irritating her. Nothing could beat the happiness of your family loving and supporting your wife more then they ever supported you. I am the happiest man alive.
"Lets eat niche... you'll mess my bed." She said back making me smirk.
"Last I remember this bedroom was mine... how come its yours now.?" I chuckled at her as she narrowed her eyes at me.
"Because I am going to be your wife.. so jo aapka hai wo mera bhi hai." She stood up saying this and we all chuckled at her pouty angry face as she stormed out of the room. We all followed her to the dining table to see her already seated waiting for us... glaring at nothing in particular.
I sat down beside her wrapping my arms around her shoulder and pulling her to my chest. She tried to wiggle out but when I kissed her cheeks, she bit down on her lower lip blushing and hid her self in my chest when our friends chuckled at her shyness. Everyone started to serve themselves and I pushed my plate aside keeping Nandini's plate in between us.
I focused on eating as everyone else asked Nandini about her work and everything else. They also informed her about what was going back in India. After dinner Alya wanted to sleep so Dhruv and her headed off to bed. We four came back to the room.
"So are tou guys sharing the room.?" Cabir asked making me throw my pillow at him. He cannot keep calm. He needs to know every damn thing.
"Ofcourse...why won't they.?" Mukti rolled her eyes at him who showed his tongue out. Real mature Cabir. Real mature.!
"Umm...I can take the other room if you want.?" Nandini asked making me looked down at her worried.
"No. If you aren't comfortable with me being here... I'll take the other room." I said smiling to her. I do not want to make her uncomfortable.
"I..I mean I won't mind if we do." She said softly making me smile wide.
"I won't tell anyone. Promise." Ofcourse Mr. Cabir Dhawan had to tease us. Ye marega mere haath se.
"Cabir we are not horny teenagers. So shut up." I replied back keeping his leg with my feet.
"Ayyeee.." He shouted rubbing his leg and fake crying. Melodrama.!
"Manik leave all that. Here look at these and choose. You both have slept already so complete these all stuff while you are here." Mukti said showing me her phone and I groaned. Mukti in her work mode that too for my wedding is bad. "I am sending you all the designs. Choose the wedding lehenga and the reception dress, everything else is decided." She completed looking at Nandini and she nodded. Girls and their shopping.! That too wedding shopping. It's a nightmare for me.
"Cabir come on. You are tired you need sleep." Mukti pulled him up by his collar and dragged him out like a animal. He shouted good night to us and some abuses to Mukti, who paid no heed to him.
Nandini stood up closing the door and came back to bed with her laptop. She settled it in between us and opened the pictures.
After 145534 hours we finally decided the one dress she was going to wear. She sent it to our mothers, Mukti and Alya. I kissed her forehead pulling her to my arms, we fell asleep.
•~•