Heard some MaNan songs to get into the feel of writing and it helpedddd!!!!🥺❤️
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I got up at around 7:30 in the morning. I saw Nandini beside me, sleeping.
Gosh,I can keep looking at this girl's face forever.
But Manik Malhotra,
Get up. Let's cook something for our dear wifey before she wakes up.
Let's make poha. She loves it.
Par Mom isn't home,how will I make it.
Ofcourse,google ki jai ho.
"How to make poha" I searched but whatever the recipes came went over my head.
Who should I call? Madhubala.
Yes. She'll be the only one jo uth gayi hogi.
I went down and on my way dialled Navya's number.
I video called her so the process becomes easy.
I'm pretty sure this woman's going to eat my head because she loves it. Uff Navya Naveli.
"Manik Malhotra" Navya said. Yes that's how we greet each other. No hi hello.
"Navya Naveli" I said with a fake smile like usually.
"Subah subah to tum aur bhi gande dikhte ho I must say" She said. Here we go.
"Tum itna notice karti ho mujhe madhubala,awww" I replied while she made a bad face.
"Kaam kya hai tumhe aur Manik Malhotra kitchen mein,wah" Navya taunted. Ofcourse. Drama queen has to overreact.
"Ha. Mujhe poha banana hai for Nandini so guide me" I said, nonchalantly knowing another session of teasings was on my way. I kept my phone with the support of the spoon stand on kitchen slab in a way that Navya could see the kitchen.
"OHOHOHOHOHOHOHO" Navya stood up from probably a chair she was sitting in to overreact.
"Beth jao abb" I sat and she sat down laughing.
"Sikhao" I ordered, irritated.
"Monster. Subah subah sadu mood mein huh" She says while I faked a smile showing how happy I was.
"Acha abb pehle toh sabse mushkil kaam tumhare liye,pohe hai kahan pe wo dhundo" Navya said and I laughed along with her, already on my way to find where this poha thing will be.
I turned around to see like 6 big shelves full of things.
Oh god.
"White hote hai pohe,just fyi" Navya said and I gave her a bad look.
Although I'm happy she said it because I thought they're yellow lol.
But aren't they yellow in colour?
Khair, whatever.
"4.5 ghante ho gaye bhaisaab,pohe milenge aaj ki nahi" Navya taunted.
"Tum chup karo. Free hi hoti ho pura din. Wait" I answered still finding pohe from the dabbas on the shelf.
"Yaar aesi kaunsi jagah par hai pohe yaar" I said after 3 minutes of rigorou finding.
I turned to where my phone was an started finding it on the other side of kitchen.
"3rd shelf mein 5th dabba" Navya said.
This idiot knew it all this while.
"Hume toh pata tha,hum wahan aate rehte hai" Navya said.
"Madhubala. I'm going to kill you I swear" I said taking out the poha packet from shelf.
"Abb poha bhigao. Ek badi channi hogi,patile wale drawers mein kahi par" She said.
Poha bhigao.
Channi.
Patile.
Bade khatarnak sound kar rahe hai yeh saare terms.
"Patile ka drawer agar tumhe nahi pata na Manik toh mein wahan aake marungi tumhe" Navya said.
"Agar aa hi rhi ho toh pohe leke aana banake" I said, teasing her.
I bent down to open the patile ka drawer. This much Nandini had taught me ek baar ki kaunse utensils kahan par hai.
"Haa abb isme 2 bowls pohe daalo aur unhe paani se dholo" Navya said as I took our the big channi or whatever it is called. Somethings will holes in it.
"Par" I had a doubt but then I didn't ask because it was madhubala saamne,chidati.
So I just did what she said until I heard "MANIK" scream from Navya.
"Aree chilla kyun rahi ho yaar" I asked, irritated.
"Yaar Manik Malhotra. Kitchen slab pe kaun dhota hai abb wahan pani pani ho gaya. Channi mein holes hai dikha nai tumhe" She scolded.
See,this. This is exactly what I was going to ask her ki agar isme dhounga to pani bahar niklega.
"Sab tumhari galti hai" I blamed her.
"Ofcourse. Everything is humari galti" She said.
"Abb kya karu?" I asked. "abb woh clean karo aur basin ke paas le jaake pohe ko bhigoke wahi par rakhdo pani nikal jaye isliye" She said. Now that's some clear instructions.
I did whatever she said and came to kitchen slab where the phone was.
"Abb take 1 tomato,1 onion--"
"Ek second ek second. I've to cut vegetables?" I asked in horror.
"Ofcourse Malhotra" She said. Aree yaar. This is so hard.
"Yeh poha nahi asaan bus itna samajh lijiye" And here starts Navya's idiotic filmy lines.
"Navya shut your mouth yaar" I said and she laughed after saying some 23 stupid Dialogues.
I had somehow cut the tomato and onion in weird shapes.
I feel bad for Nandini because I know she's going to eat this no matter how it's made.
I'll try my best with this monkey guiding me.
"Merko aesa kyun lag raha hai ki tum mann mein merko galiyan de rahe ho" Navya suspected.
"Openly bhi de sakta huh" I answered laughing.
"Abb chalo,patile mein tel lo" She said and I took our some round utensil which was appropriate for the poha,I guess.
I put 5 spoons of oil--
"O o o. Manik. Itna oil nahi hota. Tumhari biwi ko mota karna hai kya" Navya panicked.
"Ho jaye. Koi problem nahi hai" I said, truthfully.
"Tum hume masi kab bana rhe ho" Navya asked out of nowhere. The spoon fell from my hand and I laughed shockingly bending on the slab.
"Kya?" I asked.
"Aese hi inquire kar rahi huh" Navya said, smiling.
"Abhi tumhari friend khud ek baby hai. Let us grow up first. We're just 27" I answered truthfully.
"Whatever" Navya said and I laughed.
"Tadka lagaya huaa hai aur tum yeh kya bakwas kar rahi ho" I said after taking out some spoons of oil.
"Gas on karna hota hai haa!" Navya informed.
"Thank you for informing" I said sarcastically and she laughed.
After good 10 minutes the poha was finally ready.
It was decent looking,not bad for a first timer.
"Here it is madhubala" I said as I showed her the results of my mehnat.
"Yes. All thanks to me" She said stealing my thunder.
"Shut up" I said.
"Your welcome and all the best to Nandini for eating this" She said and hurriedly cut the call and I laughed.
I had given an off to all the workers too. I wanted the day all for myself and Nandini.
My drama queen manager also blackmailed me and took an off for a day.
I finally took out the poha in a nice looking plate and decorated it with somethings.
I made coffee for her too as she loves my coffee.
I finally went up with the tray and kept it on the table beside before sitting on her side of the bed to wake her up.
I looked at her serene face and bent down to kiss her ear softly before whispering "good morning".
She groaned and pulled the blanket above her face.
"Wake up baby" I said pulling her blanket softly.
Sometimes I shock myself at how soft and patient I'm when it comes to Nandini but then,what is love if it doesn't change you for good.
"5 minutes" She said in a slow voice.
"I made poha for you" I informed and she opened her eyes turning to me slowly while my hand was around her stomach.
She looked towards the tray before smiling to her fullest.
Now I don't know or care how that poha is but that smile is my success.
That's all I want. That smile on her face. ALWAYS.
"I love you" She confessed pulling me for a hug as she kept her head on the crook of my neck.
"I love you too" I answered kissing her hair.
She half-sat on the bed with the support of bed rest and I kept the tray on her legs.
"Yay" She clapped looking at the tray.
I chuckled.
"Tumhe poha banana aata hai?" She asked me.
"Nahi, madhubala ne guide kiya" I said and Nandini laughed.
She took the first bite and I was nervous as hell.
She smiled to her fullest taking a bite but that's Nandini's reaction to everything I do for her no matter how bad it is.
She forwarded one spoon full of poha towards my mouth and I smiled before eating it.
What crap have I made. O dear God.
"Namak zyada hai" I said and she nodded with a smile.
"Onions aren't sauted properly. Kacche hai" I said and she nodded again with a smile.
"Haldi ka taste nahi aa raha sahi se" I added again and she nodded.
It was awful to say that least.
Yaar.
"Thoda time aur try karunga na to perfect bann jayega" I said looking down, embarrassed of my own disasterous food.
"Perfect nahi chaiye. Yeh hi mera perfect hai" She said and took another bite.
"Oh god Nandini. You don't have to eat this it's okay" I said taking away the spoon from her.
"Arey why. I loved it. Tumne yeh socha na wahi mere liye bohot hai" She said coming near my face.
"Tumhe toh mein bohot dumb lag raha hunga na?" I asked ruffling my hair and she nodded in a yes teasing me and laughed later nodding in a no.
I smiled and kissed her nose lightly.
"Mere kitchen ki halat kya kari hai aapne patidev?" She asked.
Oh ya.
Kitchen isn't in a very good shape.
There's water on the slab.
Haldi on the floor.
Also a little bit milk on the floor which fell down because of Navya ofcourse.
I think there's also mirchi powder on the gas.
"In my defense, it's all because of Navya" I said and Nandini laughed pulling my cheek.
"Ofcourse. Blame my friend haa" She said and I chuckled.
She sipped on the coffee. Coffee was good I know because it's my forte nowadays.
"Kya huaa waise aaj? Itna time mere liye?" Nandini chuckled and sipped on her coffee.
Her joke made me feel bad because somewhere, I was taking her for granted these days and not spending enough time.
My heart pooled with alot of love for suddenly as I cupped her neck and pulled her face near mine.
"Mera saara time tumhare liye hi hai. Humesha" I whispered as her face was near mine.
"Aaj ka din, it's for you. I took an off" I added and their grew her smile.
"Thank you" She whispered back and I pecked her lips moving ahead,for good 20 seconds until she was breathless.
"Let's make the most out of today. Let's just talk" Nandini said excitedly.
"Whatever you say" I told her and she was already off to go have a bath and get ready.
And this makes you realize that life isn't all those big things.
It's the little things!
It's not those lacs of people in the crowd screaming for me that make my heart flutter but it's coming home to Nandini putting herself to sleep with my songs playing on her airpods.
It's not about the fancy hotels I go to but It's coming home to her smiling face that says "welcome home" everyday.
It's not my hit songs that make me happy but happiness is her singing my song that wasn't a hit.
It's not those autographs and selfies that I look forward to but that hand holding mine no matter what.
I love her,so much.
Warna aap log hi bataiye,
Kabhi socha tha Manik Malhotra kisi ladki ke liye subah jaldi uthkar poha banana sikhega?
Waise,
As a matter of fact- coffee banani bhi Nandini ke liye hi sikhi thi.
Nandini hai,
Toh mein huh♡
She was a love that came without warning. She had my heart before I could realize.
Yes, she's not my first love but she is the love that made all other loves irrelevant.
She's more me,than I am.
If there is one decision of my life that I'm proud of,
It is falling for Nandini Murthy Malhotra.
And I shall keep falling for her,a thousand times over.
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•for you,a thousand times over 🪐🤍