life can be really surprising , it can give u all sorts of ups and downs, every minute can be different from the other but what matters is for u to stay who you are , not forgetting your'e roots and keeping your head up in the clouds while keeping your feet on the ground.....thank you again for the journey through which fabiha became Bia :)
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he just held her hand as he calmly walked out of the building getting all the necessary information , and as soon as the were out of the they screamed out of Joy
"i cant believe that just happened !" nandini exclaimed
"neither can I ! " manik replied
"ok I need to gather myself , this is too much to digest !"nandini said and manik chuckled
"Damn! i gotta tell our friends and mom !" manik said
"actually pehle mere saath chalo..." nandini said
"kahan nandini ?"he asked
"chalo na , no more questions now !" she commanded as she took the lead and he followed soon they got a cab and stopped somewhere he never expected
"Nandini hum yahan kya kar rahe hain ?" manik asked angrily
"manik pehle meri baat sun lo .." nandini spoke
"Nandini tumhe pata hai na ke yeh dad ka office hai ! why are we here ?"
"agar kisi ko batana hai toh sab se pehle apne dad ko batao " she stated
"I am not going anywhere !" he said stubbornly
" agar tum nahi aaney wale toh main akeli bhi ja sakti hun !" she said as she opened the door of the cab and walked out
"uff yeh larki kitni ziddi hai !" manik angrily sighed to himself and ran behind her to stop her but a little did he knew he's gonna fail in doing so, he walked inside the building and ran to the reception
"Susan did you see a girl just angrily stomping from here ?" manik asked
"manik sir ? aap yahan itne din baad?" she asked out of shock
"susan we can do this later can't we now do you mind answering my question ! did some short heighted, chubby cheeked , and insanely beautiful girl stopped by ?" manik asked
"uhmm yes actually she said she was niyonika mam's personal secretary and she need to meet Mr. Malhotra urgently so i told her the direction to the cabin and made her a visitors pass " susan mentioned and manik nodded his head in disbelief thinking how cunning nandini could be as he rushed up towards the office
"nandini stop !" he yelled as he saw her getting into an elevator and she turned around to see him and he quickly ran into the elevator before the doors closed
"nandini listen we can do this later ....."manik stated
"we can't he should know about it before anyone else comes to know about it !" she mentioned
"but why ?"
"because he is the reason all this had started , you leaving your house , working , living on your own , so he should be the one to know that you deserve success and your'e gonna get it soon !" she said and he helplessely threw his head back , they finally reached the floor and walked out
"ab tum khud ja rahe ho or should I drag you with me ?" she threatened
"nandini please wapas chalo ..." he said and she held his hand and started walking and he had no other option then to follow
Raj's cabin
'knock knock'
"hi sir.." nandini said
"you both , tum dono yahan kya kar rahe ho , listen muhe mere office main koi tamasha...." raj spoke but was interrupted
"hum koi tamasha karne nahi aaye hain dad! " manik interrupted
"nandini yahan rehna is of no use , wapas chalo " manik said and held her hand
"sir woh main bas yeh batane aayi thi ki manik ne apna promise poora kar diya hai , usne kaha tha ke woh khud kuch ban ke dikhaye ga , and he did " she said as she kept the contract papers they had gotten to read and then sign on raj's desk
"Q label wants to sign him..."
"Us nandini , US !" manik interrupted
" yes Q label wants to sign us for their next duet album" she mentioned as raj picked up the contract and took a brief look and one could tell his eyes were moist looking at which manan were shocked
"i should give you both a minute ..." nandini said and walked out
"dad I am sorry she is really impulsive , I didnt want you to bother but she dragged me here before i could go anywhere else , sorry she just..." manik said apologetically
" she just cares a lot ?" raj said and manik nodded
"free ho ?" Raj asked
"han" manik replied
"secret spot chalain ?" Raj asked and manik looked at him in surprise
"dad.."
"wahin baat karenge..." raj continued
they headed out and after telling nandini to go back home and text him once she reaches he headed out with his father to the one secret spot they had been sharing for years , a place where manik used to run upto everytim ehe was sad and raj used to pacify him there , a small bench in front of a lake where they used to sit and talk for hours , it was a silent drive until raj spoke
"so this girl nandini...is she your girlfriend ?" he asked
"uhm...woh.....dad...actually....." manik stammered
"oh speak up barbie !" raj mocked
"yeah..she is my girlfriend" manik said
"lagti bhi hai , gussa dekha hai uska !" raj chuckled as he pulled over and the started walking
"pyaar karte ho uss se ?" raj asked
"han...buhat"manik replied as they settled don on the old wooden bench
"buhat time ho gaya yahan aaye hue...." manik said
"in 5 mahino main mein toh jab bhi tumhe miss karta tha yahin aajata tha.."raj said
"kitni baar aaye phir ?" manik asked
"har roz.." raj replied
"by the way congratulations.....i.....i am really proud of you " raj stammered as he slowly patted his shoulder
"thanks..." manik said trying to keep his tears in
"jaane kyun diya dad mujhe , ek baar rok lete , chahe jhoot hee sahi...." manik said with a cracking voice
"aap hee ne toh sikhaya tha na mujhe ke humesha woh karo jo karna chahte ho , apne dil kis suno toh mujhe kyun mana kiya.... mujhe toh music aap se hee mila haina dad , aap gaate thay aur mujhe bhi sikhaya toh aap ke shoq aur meri zaroorat kuch mujh se door kyun kar rahe thay" manik continued
"dar gaya tha...." raj spoke "dar gaya tha main ke kho dunga tumhe...."
" matlab ?"
"main 19 saal ka tha manik , bilkul tumhare jaisa , musician banna chahta tha , but i never got a chance , part time dad ke saath kaam karta raha but music was my passion , then mom passed away and slowly music started to drift away , not finding chances to do what i wanted to do I had undergone depression , drug addiction , aur phir dad ki sudden death ke baad saare kaam ki zimmedari mujh par aa gayi thi , main kuch sambhal nahi saka , apne aap main toota hua tha baqi cheezain kese jor pata , company ko buhat financial crisis face karne pare thay but then your'e mom came in my life , she fixed me and i fixed things up but uske jaane ke baad maain toota nahi kyunki I had to be strong for you , manik tumne bachpan main ek baar mujhse ek sawaal kiya tha , ke maine tumhari mom ke baad niyonika se shaadi kyun ki . uss waqt main tumhe jawaab nahi de paaya tha par ab de sakta hun , maine niyonika se shaadi iss liye ki kyunki woh bilkul tumhari maa jaisi hai , main Shraddha ko dekh pata hun Niyonika main kyunki woh tumse utna hee pyaar karti hai jitna Shraddha karti thi , un dono ne sambhala hai mujhe , bikharne se bachaya hai mujhe" raj said
"main darta tha manik ke kahin tumhe bhi uss sab se na guzarna pare jis se main guzra hun , main tumhe takleef main nahi dekhna chahta tha, kyunki main nahi jaanta tha ke main tumhe sambhal paunga ya nahi..." raj confessed with tears rolling down his cheeks
"dad.."
"par main bhool gaya tha that my son is way stronger , woh apne dreams ke liye lar sakta hai , apne dad ko ghalat prove kar ke dikha sakta hai , main bhool gaya tha ke tum Raj nahi Manik ho , aur mere strong bete main puri duniya se larne ki taaqat hai..." he said and manik hugged him
"i missed you dad.." he said between his sobs
"i missed you too buddy..." raj reciprocated
"i am proud of you !" raj said
"i love you dad !" manik said
"i love you more my son !" raj replied
"we look like girls stop crying !" manik said as he moved back and raj chuckled
"ghar wapas aa jao manik..." raj said
"nahi dad" manik said
"ab tak naraz ho ?" Raj asked
"nahi dad , par main tab tak wapas nahi aa sakta jab tak mera album complete nahi ho jata , maine promise kiya tha ke kuch ban ke wapas aaunga , toh kuch ban kar hee wapas aaunga.." manik said
"saaf saaf bolo na ke ab nandini ke saath hee rehna hai !" raj teased
"dad !" manik yelled
"tumhari mom ne jab bataya nandini ke baare main toh i was shocked"
"kyun ?" he asked
Flashback
"this girl has got some guts ! , kon hai yeh ?" raj asked
"aapki hone wali bahu !" niyonika said with a smirk and left
"wait ? what !" raj yelled and niyonika turned back to look at him
"kya ?"
" what did you just say , bahu ?" raj yelled
"aur nahi toh kya , ishq main hain humare sahabzaade " niyonika chuckled
"manik ! manik is in love ! that's not possible ! usne toh aaj tak mukti , navya aur aliya ke siwa kisi larki se dosti bhi nahi ki thi , aur suddenly girlfriend ? "
"dono room mates hain , saath rehte hain , ho gaya pyaar !" niyonika smirked
"aur tumhe yeh sab pata tha ?" raj asked
"han !" she smiled
"toh mujhe kyun nahi bataya ?" raj asked
"aap ko kyun itna interest hai apne bete ki love life main ?" niyonika teased
"mujhe kahan interest hoga woh toh generally .."
"yeah sure .." niyonika laughed and left
"meri poori family unpredictable hoti ja rahi hai , upar se ab bahu bhi !" raj sighed
flashback ends
"seriously dad ! mom called her bahu and she came and fought from you , good choice manik malhotra !" manik said between his laughs
"nandini ko pata chalta na ke mom ne usko bahu bola toh she would get a heart attack !" manik said
"but on a serious note manik , you really love each other right ? , i hope its not just a fling !" raj asked
"we really do love each other dad , i cant be without her..." manik said
"never lose her son , no one can love you more than a woman who can fight for her man and stand up for him in his need , she is pure and serene and a very delicate girl , you better not hurt her .... ever !" raj said
"i cant hurt her dad , and i never will !" manik said as the father son duo sat there for hours just talking and catching up all that they had missed in these 5 long months