~Romance is that glamour which changes the dust of everyday life into golden haze~
Manik couldn't keep his feet on the ground. He was happy, beyond happy, maybe on the thousandth cloud, if that exists. And his happiness was evident in the his whistling and humming while he stood in the office elevator, the pizza treat he showered the entire office with, the double cheese pepperoni extra large pizza he himself gobbled alone and the way he signed the papers on the office, with a extra dot after his signature! He was happy, more than happy, though no words could describe the ecstasy his heart was feeling. He had embraced the swollen moon light in her love. Moreover, when you receive something after lots of patience and struggle the worth increases thousand folds anyways. But then Manik also knew that amidst this bliss they still had an important and serious talk pending. Nandini's confession had shifted their conversation that day to this eternal bliss, not that he was complaining but that conversation was also required and he realized that.
Nandini on the other hand was no different. She was finally relaxed having said it out and aloud to him. Confessing something makes your heart feel lighter and confessing love is an altogether different experience. Yes there were still certain demons that hovered her mind, but with manik, she didn't care or remember them. Hence, over all life was bliss for her too!
Early morning rays witnessed a serene sight when they fell on MaNan. Manik was sleeping with his arm draped around her petite waist as she laid snuggled in his chest. Their lower limbs entangled and her hands resting on her chest, it was a sight delight to watch, hotness and innocence together in one frame. The rays disturbed Nandini's sleep first and she lazily opened her eyes only to find the most desirable sight in front of her eyes- her husband sleeping with her in his arms, their lips so close that a little movement would land her petals on his rough ones. Earlier the situation might had embarrassed her but now it brought the naughtier side in her out. She slowly untangled her left hand from his hold and traced her index finger over his face, from his temple to his jaw and then caressed his lips with her thumb. Manik groaned in his sleep and that made her giggle but the giggle lead to a small unintentional peck of their lips. Manik opened his eyes stunned while Nandini too was a little shocked since that was accidental. But now, Manik could not let a chance of romance sneak out, could he? So he held her waist and pinned her under him kissing the hell out of her. A sweet morning dose.
Aisa dekha nyi, khoobsurat koi,
Jism jaisa h ajanta ki murat koi,
Jism jaise nigahon pe jadu koi,
Jism nagma koi, jism khusbu koi,
Jism jaise mehakti hui chandni,
Jism jaise machalti hui ragini,
Jism jaise ki khilta hua ek chaman,
Jism jaise ki suraj ki pehli kiran.
Jism jaise ki tarsha hua dil-kash-o-dil-nasheen
Sandareen sandareen,
Marmareen marmareen,
Husn-e-jana ki tareef mumkin nyi,
Husn-e- jana ki tareef mumkin nyi,
Afreen Afreen,
Afreen Afreen.
Tu bhi dekhe agar to kahe humnashi,
Afreen Afreen.
Afreen Afreen.
Nandini somehow managed to get out of his hold and ran towards the washroom but Manik was faster. He held her wrist and pulled her again to his chest. Locking his eyes with her he tariled his finger against the butter smooth skin of her arms and hands.
"If you can do that to me, why can't I?", He asked in a still sleepy voice yet being romantic and Nandini blushed at the contact. She didnt reply but kept her palms on his chest and stomach, trailing over the thin shirt to feel his abs and making him loose in her touch. But before he could lean in to kiss her again, she playfully pushed him on the bed with the suport of those same palms and giggled running to the washroom.
" Better luck next time Mr Malhotra", she teased him locking the door and Manik smiled at her playfulness.
"Hayee! One smile Mrs malhotra and i am already gone", he said keeping his hand on his heart, melodramatically making her giggle again in the washroom.
Jane kaise baandhein tune ankhiyon ki dor,
Man mera kheencha aaya teri ore!
Meri chehre ki subah zulfo ki shaam,
Mera sab kuch h piya ab tere naam!
Najro ne teri chua,
Toh h ye jadu hua,
Hone lagi hu mai haseen,
Afreen Afreen,
Afreen Afreen!
Nandini was downstairs preparing breakfast when she heard Manik calling for her. She rushed to their room only to find him waiting in front of the mirror trying to set his hair.
"Whats wrong? Why were you shouting like a maniac?", Nandini inquired entering.
"I can't decide which tie will go. Need help", Manik made a puppy face at her making her laugh. She then chose a red dotted tie to go with his suit and forwarded it to him. Manik gave her a cheeky smile.
" Make me wear it too. You will find a place in heaven for taking care of your poor hubby", he asked and Nandini shook her head at his tantrums. But then she lovingly did what he asked her to and while she tied the knot, Manik stared at her, drinking her beauty with his eyes, making her cheeks redder.
Chehre ek phool ki tarah shadab h,
Chehra uska h ya koi madab h,
Chehra jaise gazal, chehra jane gazal,
Chehra jaise kali, chehra jaise kamal!
Manik came home from office to find everyone ready to leave for some party. Nandini hadn't returned. Nyonika instructed them to have dinner properly and take care to which Manik happily nodded. After all it was his opportunity to have some more romance. Manik laughed at the thought. He was behaving like a hormonal teenager who was newly in love. Manik had loved Nandini since a long time and he knew for a fact that physical intimacy had nothing to do with his love. But then, it felt good to him to be be able to feel her close and ravish her. Matters of heart are really complicated stuff anyway.
Nandini came back to a comfortable silence at the mansion. She freshened up and came down in search of her hubby only to be astonished to be welcomed my chef Manik in the kitchen.
" Manik? What are you doing here?", Nandini asked perplexed at the sight of the kitchen knife in his hand.
"Umm...Running a marathon maybe?", Manik answered totally engrossed in chopping tomatoes.
"Huh?", Nandini was confused.
"What do you do in kichen Nandini ? Cooking. So I am also cooking.", Manik answered putting two slices of cucumber in his mouth while nandini frowned.
"You know cooking? What are you really making anyway?", She asked again still not out of shock.
"Pizza", he answered with a sheepish smile making her giggle.
"You could have just ordered it na", Nandini said.
Manik dropped the knife and came towards her, holding her wrist in his hands and pulled her towards himself, leaning in so that his lips graze her ear lobes, leading a chill through her spine.
"Then that wouldn't have had the special ingredient of my love na wifey", he whispered in her ears and resumed his work leaving her eyes wide and mouth open.
Yet, under no circumstances should had Manik underestimated Nandini because She smirked at him, moved towards the kitchen platform and while he was busy in his work, wrapped her arms around his waist. Manik stiffened at her touch while she tariled her hands under his vest, over his arms and neck. Manik had closed his eyes feeling her so close to her. Nandini then tariled her finger over his face too and as soon as manik opened his eyes on the absence of her touch, Nandini laughed out loud and ran away. Apparently, all this mushy touching had been used by her to drape pizza sauce all over him which Manik realized on seeing her laughing. All his face, arms, abs were smeared with pizza sauce.
"Nandini!!!!!", Manik screamed and she laughed louder running farther.
Manik chased her running around the sofas of the drawing room through the stairs upstairs and finally caught her at the topmost stair. He pulled her dangerously close and rubbed his cheeks with hers while she stood frozen. She couldn't move or wriggle since that would lead either or both of them in danger courtesy to the blink of the stairs they were standing at. With a miscehvous glint, Manik continued to rub his cheeks with her followed by rubbing his arms with hers. At the end of the day, both stood with pizza sauce glorifying their bodies giggling at the childishness. The fact that the entire pizza sauce was finished in their kind of holi lead to another round of laughter since at the end, they had to order only.
Chehra jaise tassuvar bhi tasvir bhi,
Chehra ek khwab bhi, chehra tabir bhi,
Chehra koi aleef-lailvi dastan,
Chehra ek pal yakeen,
Chehra ek pal guman,
Chehra jaise ki chehra kahi bhi nhi,
Mahru mahru,
Mehraveen mehraveen.
Husn-e- jana ki tareef mumkin nyi.
Husn-e-jana ki tareef mumkin nyi.
Afreen Afreen.
Afreen Afreen.
Tu bhi dekhe agar to kahe humnashi,
Afreen Afreen.
Afreen Afreen.
"Nandini", Manik called her as they stood at the terrace gazing the moon. Nandini looked at him her face shining under the dim light. They had by now bathed and freshened up, had the pizza dinner, cleared the mess they created and also have had double ice-cream scoop treat.
"Every time I see you, I fall in love a little more", Manik said smiling genuinely holding her close to him.
" Ditto", Nandini giggled in response making him laugh. She then dragged him to the swing and both sat side by side, holding hands.
"Everything seems a fairy tale to me Manik . The same one that I enjoyed but didn't really believe in", Nandini confessed as she rested her head against his shoulder.
" Once I had promised mom that I will turn fiction into reality for you. I am really glad today that I succeeded", Manik smiled at her and she smiled back at him.
"Manik, promise me. Everything that we have, I am afraid to loose all these. Promise me it's not just four days of moonlight. It will be our forever na?", Nandini asked with a hint of fear and Manik held her in his arms more close.
This was the same Nandini who had told him forever doesn't exists. She was that same girl who was not even ready to marry him initially, because she thought love and fairy tales are fictional. She was the same girl who was so practical that she thought thrice before doing one thing. Manik smiled at the memory and the change in her. That same Nandini was today asking him a promise of forever.
"I promise Nandini. This will be our forever. I wont say that there wont be any problem or misunderstanding ever. They will be there too. But we will sail through them together. In every storm you will find me beside you. Hamesha", Manik promised her and she relaxed with his words. Snuggling close to his chest, she encircled her hands around him and kissed him just over his heart. This was her way of trusting the promise.
When the night grew darker and the cool breezes outside started kissing their faces, Manik pulled her up and they walked to the bedroom. Preparing the bed and changing into their night wear, they were ready to hop in the bed when Nandini held manik's hands.
"After all this time?", She asked with a look as innocent as a new born baby.
"Always", he answered her in her language, the one she understood better than words and kissed her forehead sealing their bond of love.