Manik stood devastated in front of huge parade of fancy cars as they all passed past him. Holding his backpack, he saw them lining up in front of a huge mansion. As soon as chauffeurs stepped out of cars, he saw a line of people coming out of mansion which didn't seem to end.
"They all are going on vacation?" Manik exhaled the shock.
"Well, My boy, Madhav is having a grand party in his estate and believe me, it's huge," Colonel Singh told being all elated about the fact.
Manik choked on the thought of being around such nuisance for next one week. He couldn't find point in having such congested vacations. Colonel Singh stood proudly beside his vintage ambassador as people walked past them giving utterly fake smiles.
Manik walked behind old ambassador as soon as that stupid mass of people seem to have 'Oh Mrs Singh, how long' kind of greetings.
With knitted brows and sullen face, he exclaimed, "Where am I stuck?"
Next few minutes were even more awkward as Colonel Singh introduced Manik to host of famous vacation Mr Madhav and his utterly inspecting wife. Well, name had struck a bell but he was way too engulfed in frowning and cursing.
"Make yourself comfortable, Manik," Mr Madhav said while patting his back for nth time since the time he had stood beside the group to listen the irrelevant chats.
"Where is your firebrand daughter?" Madhav asked his wife as he looked at his watch.
"Our daughter," His wife corrected him gritting her teeth.
Colonel Singh chuckled and said, "Come on you two, she isn't that bad. In fact, she is such lovely girl."
Madhav smiled nervously as he glared his watch again.
"Hadn't someone inform that troublemaker about what time we leave?" Madhav uttered being a bit irked.
"I had told her to be here at time but have that girl ever listened anyone?" She replied shaking her head.
Manik chuckled seeing them dreading their own daughter. He amused at kind of coincidence how the description reminded him of someone he knew. And with that thought, brows formed a knot.
"Dad, have you seen her?" Madhav asked almost shouting. Manik saw a grumpy old man standing leaning on a BMW with his stick.
"How would I know? She is your daughter," Old man grumbled under his white mustache.
"Huh," Madhav ridiculed and Colonel Singh put his hand on Madhav's shoulder gesturing him to calm down.
Manik pressed his lips seeing the utterly hilarious family soap going on in front of his eyes. Before he could try to derive some sadistic pleasure, a muscular roar of engine filled the atmosphere and drew all the attention.
A red Chevrolet Colorado graced the road after a rash turn and halted right in front of Mr. Murthy. His face scowled a bit seeing sight of car standing right in front of his eyes.
"Nandiniiiiiiiiiii," He yelled and Manik's eyes snapped to driver's seat
No,No, it couldn't be happening. He argued his ears with how he had started to hallucinate after all those nightmares. There she stepped out of her truck with that infamous simper on her face which screamed for trouble. Manik shook his head in disbelief and gasped.
"It couldn't be happening. She couldn't be here," he murmured with a pale face.
Nandini walked to her grandpa ignoring everyone around.
"That's junk isn't going with us," Mr Murthy yelled.
"That's my truck," she replied with a plastered smile.
"What's wrong with this beauty?" Her grandpa shrugged his shoulder saying that. Nandini pecked on his cheek for needed support.
"Why nobody told me she too is going?" Manik mumbled still stuck with his share of catastrophe.
"She had to come, Manik. After all, it's her father's party," Colonel Singh answered looking admiringly at Nandini.
Ground seemed to slip under his feet as he joined the dots. Nandini was daughter of Madhav Murthy. He felt infuriated at latest Revelation.
"Colonel, I think I am feeling a little wobbly so," He said, "Maybe I shouldn't come."
Colonel looked at him all worried and said, "Son, it's just a little anxiety. Nothing else. Relax."
Nandini's mother and father looked at each other literally blaming each other for raising such stubborn daughter but then kept it only to eye daggers.
"FINE," Mr Murthy said almost yelling and walked away.
Nandini smiled victoriously and then turned to greet Colonel Singh and his wife. Manik folded his arms on roof of ambassador to get a shield from her.
"Is that Cadet Malhotra?" He heard her asking and he closed his eyes. He looked at her with a daub smile and she looked darker than ever. That gleam in her eyes screeched for upcoming trouble.
"Such a pleasant surprise," She cheered joining her palms.
Manik who by then had touched whitest shade of pale, looked ever so helpless.
"Such revelations," Manik too returned a shady smile seeing Colonel and his wife adoring their little greeting session.
"You are coming with us in my truck, Manik," She declared.
"Nooooooooooo," He almost jumped in shock and then calmed down looking at his worried temporary guardians.
"I mean, I shall just stick by Colonel. He needs someone who can drive," He explained.
It was time for Nandini's mother to make it worse.
"They will be coming with us," she uttered and then looked at confused couple, "Come on Sahiba, you cannot be serious about traveling in this old lady."
Colonel seemed to take a bullet in his chest listening insult of his ambassador. Sahiba clutched his hand to make him get a grip over his over sensitive heart. Nandini chuckled a bit. And Manik stood there with 'This can't be happening' written all over his face.
"Yeah sure," Mrs Singh assured and they walked behind Mrs Murthy.
"So it leaves you and me," Nandini said folding her arms.
"See, that's why I said stop missing me already. It brought you this close," She quipped and pressed her lips to look serious.
"You know what, I am not coming in that stupid truck of yours," He declared and walked behind Colonel.
"Manik, You go with her. It would keep me assured that she is safe with kind of driving skills she has," Mrs Murthy said as she returned and bumped into Manik.
Nandini walked close to them and stood posing as most innocent soul on earth.
"Would you please?" Mrs Murthy insisted.
Manik looked at Nandini and then at her mother with a helpless expression.
"Okay," He said in low tone and Mrs Murthy thanked him with a wide smile.
"God loves me so much," Nandini said looking at flustered Manik.
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Cars started to leave one by one and there stood three people, still indecisive about who would sit where.
"I won't sit with her," Grandpa blazoned.
"Neither would I," Manik stated at other end.
Nandini stood perpendicular to them listening their ever so lasting spat with almost same one liner.
"Why don't you guys toss?" she said offering a coin.
"SHUT UP," Both yelled unanimously.
Nandini pouted a little listening such ironical agreement of them of yelling at her.
"I was a BRIGADIER," Daadu bragged trying to flaunt his superiority.
"Exactly, You WERE a Brigadier," Manik stated in same tone.
"You cannot disobey me, You Certain Malhotra!" Daadu warned.
"What? Would you stop calling me that?" Manik said all flustered, "Who told this old man that my name is blah..Certain Malhotra."
Nandini chuckled a bit and then pressed her lips to suppress her laughter.
"I am not sitting next to her when she is driving this death vehicle," Daadu was back at discussion.
"And I am not sitting next to her when I know she is sitting next to me," Manik argued.
Nandini and Daadu curled their brows trying to depict what he had said.
"I am allergic to hilly rides," Daadu contended.
"I am allergic to her," Manik retorted.
"I feel nausea looking at those giant mountains," Daadu bickered.
"My BP increases whenever I am around her," Manik wrangled.
"My heartbeat rises with kind of driving she does," Daadu spatted.
"My heartbeats too rise...when I...." Manik blurted and then stopped.
Nandini and her Daadu exclaimed at his almost shocking confession. Manik bit his tongue and rectified, "I didn't mean what you thought."
"I am a heart patient," Daadu hit the ball out of park and this time, Manik couldn't come up with any wit.
"You both are drama queens," Nandini rolled her eyes and walked to driving seat.
Manik followed her giving deadly glare to Daadu and sat beside Nandini. Daadu smirked at his victory and said, "This should be fun." He settled at back seat and their journey finally started.
______________________________________________
"Where are kids?" Colonel looked back from back shield.
"You know...Nandini is driving so don't worry they will just be catching up," Madhav quipped.
Colonel nodded still looking a little worried when a car passed them in speed.
"There...they are," Madhav pointed.
Manik had checked his seat belt for 10th time since the time she had started driving. He looked back at grandpa who looked relaxed wearing his sleep mask.
"Where am I stuck?" He murmured.
"That's why old man was so hell bent for grabbing the back seat," he mumbled further.
"Hey, Don't call him that," Nandini spoke.
"You heard that?" He asked almost shocked.
"You always think aloud, Manik," She explained.
Nandini took a shard turn and he saved his stance with great difficulty.
"Can't you drive carefully?" He yelled at her.
"See, this is slowest I can drive," She said and threw her hand in air.
"Don't take your hands away from steering like that," Manik shouted in panic and held the steering.
"Don't worry, Cadet. My truck knows me," She said with a confident wide grin.
"Yeah, why not!" He quipped and looked away.
Well, she kept quiet as not expected and Manik tried to calm his unsettled mind.
__________________________________________________
It had been an hour she was driving recklessly and now it wasn't easy for other two to wear mask of indifference. Her Grandpa was scared as they headed towards narrow roads and dangerous heights.
"Nandini, I was thinking I should shift to BMW as my neck is paining," Daadu made an excused.
Manik looked at him with a 'How can you lie so much' look. Daadu glared him back. Manik gave him another 'We were supposed to pass through this together' look.
Strangely, those two had gelled up in past 30 minutes like anything. They said it right about adversity brings loggerheads together. Who could believe who were fighting like cats and dogs back at starting were consoling each other in this hour of scare. Nandini's driving had sent chills through their army bones and they couldn't even express owing to their big fat army egos.
"Daadu, stop making excuses," Nandini replied.
Manik smirked and relaxed.
"Besides, I am not going to wait for an hour for others to catch up," She complained like a kid.
Daadu sighed in defeat and Manik passed him a 'You deserved it' look.
"And you two, such eyes talks?! I swear even lovers would shy away," She commented making them both gasping in embarrassment.
"We weren't doing any eye talk," Manik made up, " besides we aren't afraid of you. We can talk if we wish to."
"Exactly," Daadu supported him.
"MEN," she exclaimed.
Silence graced them for fine two minutes and sound of car piercing through wind echoed in deep valleys.
"Nandini, Can you please pull over?" Daadu requested.
Manik looked back at him and Daadu signaled with his pinky finger.
"Yeah please, Can you stop by?" Manik too added and looked back with 'I got you' smile.
"What you two wanna do in this dark dense forest by stopping by? This isn't a place to do site seeing," She stated.
"We just wanna have some fresh air," Manik said with a utterly sweet smile.
Nandini looked at him and smiled. She shook her head totally understanding his fake play.
"Okay! Step out and be back in 2," She agreed and pulled over.
They both ran out of car with an urgency. Her Grandpa walked to bushes whereas Manik exhaled some deep breaths to soothe his lungs. Then he too disappeared in bushes to answer the nature's call.
"Men," she mumbled under her breath and chuckled.
Both returned back stretching their limbs and settled back in car.
"Now don't touch my car without sanitizing your hands," She stated and handed them hand sanitizer. They looked at her with 'How did she know' faces and she pulled the gear.
Weather was super pleasant as they headed towards gorgeous valleys and Sun was going down to sink in deep valleys. Well, they still had a long way to go.