And we hit 100 chapters✨
Feels nothing but surreal!
It's only because of the love you all shower to this story! Your comments,message boards messages (not all of them hahaha coz some ladies plan here to make me emotional) and your DMs to top it all!
I love you all so so much💗
Thank you for being there and please continue to do so 😙😻
I'm not ending this story anytime soon, don't worry you guys❥
And thank you God,for this gem of a show🧿💗
100th chapter.
Kuch special hona chaiye na?
Something that I wanted to see very badly, Chachji and Manik- conversing ✨
Here it is! Hope you like it!💕
Couldn't think of anything more special than this to hit 100th🧿💟
And it's Manik Malhotra's POV!!!!!🙉
✿
Saturday Saturday kardi rehndi hai kudi,
Saturday Saturday.
My ears blasted with the noise of this song because Navya was singing along too for some reason. Shouting* actually,not singing.
I came up on the terrace so that my ears can stay alive.
We were having a party,a mini get together type because we hadn't had it in the long time + to celebrate Nandini recovering.
Everything was finally settled to dust.
I was feeling happy after a long time, genuinely happy.
I felt someone beside me as I sipped on my drink looking up at the sky.
"Cabir?!" I asked,still looking up.
On not getting any reply I turned towards his side only to be shocked.
Chachji ! ! !
I had the sip in my mouth.
Nice,this is how I'm going to die. By choking on alcohol.
I somehow gulped the sip and smiled nervously. I hid the glass behind me,
Until I saw he had one in his hand too.
Wow. Chachaji drinks.
"Only very rarely" A strict answer came. Damn did I say it out loud.
"Just like Nandini" He said. He knows Nandini drinks? Fuck. Should I save my wife here?
"Nandini..she- she never drinks chach--"
"Tere jaise do paal ke chhod diye hai duniya mein,sab jaanta huh mein" He said.
My wife is going to have a meltdown if she gets to know that her chacha knows she drinks. Although Nandini drinks once in a blue moon. Last time she drank was probably 2 years ago.
I heard him laugh.
It was actually always awkward between me and chachaji. I realized that me and him have never really had a proper conversation.
It's always been comfortable more with chachi than him. Also, I'm scared if he still dislikes me or what.
"Aao beta,betho" He said sitting on the railing type place and looked above.
I sat beside him consciously.
I didn't know what to do with my drink.
I didn't want to drink in front of him,out of respect.
Ya whatever,out of being afraid.
It was unusual for me to be so casual with chachaji or to see him being so casual. Maybe he was this casual and I just never got a chance to see him like that.
I looked up too.
He sipped on his drink again.
"Nandini daat ti nai hai tumhe? For drinking?" He asked, teasing me.
Oh dear God. This is so awkward.
"Bohot time baad aaj touch kiya alcohol Chachaji,I don't drink otherwise" I told him.
He laughed.
Why is he laughing so much.
Maybe this is how he actually is.
"You know, Nandini ke Papa. Mere bhai.." he started.
"Mere sasur" I said, chuckling as he laughed along too.
The awkwardness was going away,slowly.
"Tumhare sasurji ofcourse" He said, smiling.
"Woh humesha kehte the,Nandini ki shaadi ke baarein mein. Jabse woh born huyi,mein aur wo humesha discuss karte the ki hum kaise Nandini ko kahin nahi jaane denge. Kabhi bhi shaadi nahi karvaenge" He said, smiling- looking up as if looking for his brother in all those stars.
I didn't say anything and waited for him to continue.
"Mere bhai se zyada toh mein protective tha Nandini ke liye" He chuckled, probably remembering those days. "Meri bhabhi humesha hume bolti thi ki ek din aayega aesa ladka jo Nandini ko tumlogo jitna khush rakhega,tab it's only fair ki hum usse jaane de. Usse apni Zindagi jeene de,par mein aur tumhare sasur humesha bolte the ki yeh nahi hone wala" He continued. I smiled listening to him.
There's just something very magical about listening to your elders narrate stories of their times, specially when it's about your sasurji.
"Humne Nandini ko itna khush rakhna shuru kiya aesa sochke ki usse koi ladka kabhi itna khush rakh hi nahi payega" He laughed at his old times. I chuckled too. That was the cutest thing. I wonder if Nandini knows all this.
"Nandini ko hum sikhate the ki shaadi karna galat baat hai. Karni hi nahi chaiye" He was smiling all the while.
I smiled, being confused.
"Tum jab baap banoge na tab pata chalega. Tum to humse bhi kuch zyada hi over protective banne wale ho mujhe already pata hai" He said putting his hand on my shoulder patting me.
I laughed. "I think so too. Meri beti huyi to mein pagal ho jaunga" I said truthfully.
I'm scared of how much I'm going to love and protect my baby.
I already know she/he will like their dad more. Nandini is going to be hitler for them. Don't tell her now, she'll kill them. Shhh.
"Abhi se sochne lage na ki kya karoge bache hone par" Chachaji said reading my mind or I think it was too obvious from my smile.
"Hum bhi aese hi the. Jab bhi Manglore mein kisiki shaadi mein jaate the toh Nandini ki shaadi ke baarein mein sochte the. Sochte the kitna royenge jab humari gudiya chali jayegi. Kitna bhi hum koshish karlete ki Nandini shaadi na kare; hume pata tha yeh duniya ki reet hai. Par humne socha tha ki Nandini jahan shaadi karke jayegi wahin hum ek ghar le lenge" Chachaji said laughing. His eyes got teary, remembering old times.
"Phir humsab ki life mein yeh haadsa ho gaya ki Nandu ke amma appa chale gaye,hume chodke" His voice cracked a bit.
It breaks my heart a little everytime.
My Nandini didn't deserve that.
"Saare sapne toot gaye humare. Sab kuch barbaad ho gaya. Meri beti ko kitne taane padte the ki she's a bad omen. She's a bad luck aur kya nahi. Amms ne kabhi yeh sab nahi maana aur soch liya ki Nandini ko Mumbai bhejenge,padhne ke liye. Humare paas" He said.
I want to kill those bastards who called her a bad luck.
"Bhaiya ka bhi sapna tha ki Nandini koi bade sheher mein jaake padhe" He said. Thank you sasurji.
"Mujhe bohot darr tha ki meri 17 saal ki bachi aur usse bhi chota humara rishu kahin yeh sheher mein toot na jaye. Yeh sheher jitna deta hai usse kahi zyada le leta hai. Aur mere dimaag mein toh tha hi ki Nandini kisi ladke ke chakkar mein na padd jaye" He said the last line looking at me.
I chuckled and looked down.
"Phir tum ghar aane lage. Nandini harr baat mein tumhara naam lene lagi. Tum the bade aadmi aur hum sab chote log" He said teasing me.
"Aesa kuch nahi hai chachaji" I said, truthfully.
I hated when people referred to me as someone different.
"Nandini waise bhi tumhari bohot badi fan thi. Tumhare gaane sunti thi. Mujhe laga tha tum bus time pass kar rhe ho uske saath par phir shanno ji ko bhi tum pasand aane lage. Mein aur jealous ho gaya. Meri biwi mere se zyada tumhari baatein karti thi" He said laughing.
I laughed too. "Meri kajolll" I said and laughed.
"Mujhe isliye tumpe gussa aata tha kyunki mein dekh raha tha ki Nandini tumhare saath khush hai,waise hi jaise humare saath thi. Bhale mein uska baap nahi huh par beti wale saare haq hai mere uspe. Tu bhi jal raha hoga na?!" He looked up, smiling. As if asking his brother.
"Tera naam lete hi uske chehre pe alag khushi hoti hai. Hume kitna sab kuch karna padta tha tab jaake Madam khush hoti thi par tumhe to sirf dekhke hi khush ho jati hai. Merko bohot jalan thi ki tumhe efforts hi nai daalne padh rhe. Dhire dhire mein dekhne laga tumlogo ko saath mein notice karne laga,tab pata chal gaya ki you'll always keep her happy" Chachiji said and I smiled.
"I will" I said.
"Tum bilkul waise ho jaise Nandu bachpan mein bolti thi ki usse kaisa ladka chaiye" Chachiji said.
"Acha?!" I asked.
"Humesha kehti thi ki tall ladka chaiye,jo bohot ache se mera khayal rakhe aur bohot famous ho aur pata nai kya kya. Bachpan mein celebrities ko fantasize karti thi isliye famous chaiye tha koi" He said laughing at the last line.
"Uske appa ke jaane ke baad Nandini, Nandini rahi hi nahi. Khilone dekhne ki Umar mein apne hi parents ki dead bodies dekh li" He said. I closed my eyes feeling her pain.
I wish I was with her at that time.
"Par wo royi nahi. Jaise hi usne dekha na,chup ho gayi. Kuch boli nahi,royi nahi. Phir jab mein shamshaan se wapas aaya to mujhe dekhke chilla chilla ke royi. Tab usse vishwas huaa ki her parents are actually gon-" He couldn't speak. His voice cracked.
I pursed my lips trying to gulp the lump in my throat. The nightmares she had in the hospital and what she went through reading those words came back to me. It is not easy to deal with this trauma.
I don't why God is unfair to the people who least deserve it.
I don't know why but all the time when I ragged her in college came back to me. All the trouble I gave her was eating me up. She was here to complete her dad's dream and I was bullying her to no extent.
Fuck you,Manik Malhotra.
Pata nahi kitni baar ghar jaake royi hogi.
"Woh sach mein bohot masum hai beta,bohot masum. Usse daata mat kar" He said to me and I understood he was referring to hospital incident.
I looked down nodding.
"Usne bohot taqlifein jheli hai life mein. Financial,mental aur rishuu ki physical problems bhi. Abb jaake sab sahi huaa hai. Woh tere saath woh harr ek chiz karne ki koshish karti hai jo woh apne maa papa ke saath nahi kar paayi" He said.
Something was breaking in me with every sentence of his.
"Raste pe ice cream khaana,woh pink colour ke baal jo merko bilkul nahi pasand" He said and I recalled Nandini wanting to do all that with me. "Balloons kharidna. Park mein jaake benches pe bethna ya phir pappu bhaiya ki--"
"Panipuri" I completed his sentence for him. He smiled at me nodding. I knew because when we went to Manglore she was so happy seeing that pappu bhaiya. I was jealous of him.
"Nandini yeh sab unhygienic hota hai" Chachaji mimicked me from when we were in Manglore and I had said the same thing to her. I looked down,sadly chuckling.
"Yeh sab uska bachpan hai beta,jo usne kabhi jiya nahi toh abb tumhe bolti hai kyunki usse pata hai ki Manik Malhotra chache kuch bhi karna pade,uski saari wishes puri karega" He said.
I was feeling so happy seeing the trust he had in me.
"Dukh sirf iss baat ka hai ki woh mujhe aur shanno ji ko nahi batati thi yeh sab. But I know she didn't want to trouble us. Bohot pyaari ladki hai" He said.
"Bohot" I agreed.
What did I do to deserve you Nandini.
"Tere sasur bohot khush honge tumhe dekhke. Unhone bilkul aesa hi ladka socha tha Nandini ke liye jaise tum ho. Jo Nandini ko khush rakhe. Jo Nandini pe ek bhi kharoch aane na de aur kharoch aa jaye to pura ghar sar pe uthale. Uske bolne se pehle sab pura karde. Uski choti choti baat maanle aur zarurat pde tab daatke sahi raasta dikhaye" He said. I was overwhelmed to know that he thinks so highly of me.
"Thank you chachaji. I wish I could meet your brother. My father in law. I wish I could get him and Amma back somehow for Nandini" I said and my voice cracked at the last.
My darling had suffered so much,still was. You can never really get over parents death,I guess.
"Agar woh idhar hote toh teri shaadi nahi hoti Nandini se" Chachaji said trying to lighten the environment.
"Wo toh mein kar leta chachaji. Nandini milti toh jaane nahi deta agar appa hote toh bhi" I said.
Overconfidence? Nah. Trust on destiny? Yes.
"I feel very happy that bhaiya and bhabhi will be very happy,to see you and Nandini" Chachaji said.
"I hope so Chachaji" I said looking up.
How beautiful it is that we believe that all of us who left us are just above us,in the sky as stars♡
"Drink nikal lo piche se,itne bhi strict nahi hai chachaji" He said and I laughed and held my drink.
"To happy days" He said forwarding his glass.
"To Nandini's happiness" I said forwarding mine. He smiled emotionally.
"To my brother" He said.
I smiled and touched my glass to his as we did cheers.
I looked up as I took a sip from my glass.
"To you,appa" I said in my head.
"To you Amma,see you both on the otherside" I said in my head again.
Chachaji patted my head before going away as Chachi called him.
"Manik. Idhar kya kar rahe ho" The love of my life's voice came.
"Kuch nahi. Head ache ho raha tha Navya ke oh-so-good singing se" I said and she laughed side hugging me.
I was suddenly feeling that I knew Nandini from childhood. I kissed her forehead as she rested her head on my shoulder.
"Oh hello Manik Malhotra. Mera naam liye bina tumhara din safal nahi hota na. Are you scared that I might take over your music career" Navya madam graced the terrace with her presence.
"Beizzati karu ya samajh gyi jawaab mera?!" I said side hugging her too with Nandini on the other side.
"Pati patni aur woh Wala scene lag raha piche se. Wah" Cabir entered and we laughed. He side hugged Nandini on the other side.
Soon CavYa went. I stood there with Nandini.
"I love you" I said. She was took by surprise.
"I love you too, what happened suddenly" She said hugging me fully.
"Chachaji kya keh rahe the?" She asked. She was always worried about mine and Chachaji's equation.
I didn't want her to get reminded of everything so I decided not to tell her what we talked about.
"Kuch khaas" I said and she looked at me.
"--Nahi..kuch khaas nahi" I said,lying ofcourse. Lying for good.
"Bus Manik Malhotra. Enough drinking for next two years. Dad dekh rhe honge upar se,unka damaad alcohol pi raha hai unki nazro ke saamne" She said taking the glass away, laughing her heart out.
She went down laughing.
In her laughter,I found my life.
I love you Nandini Murthy Malhotra,
I will never let you go.
(｡♡‿♡｡)
And I love you Manik Malhotra and Nandini Murthy.
I'll never let you go too♡