"Manik!Utho na!"I yelled childishly poking his shoulder once again and he groaned before sitting up on bed with a jerk.
He looked at me with steely eyes and I gave him my best puppy look.
"Please!" I folded my both palms,pouting at him and he removed the blanket off his nude laps before standing up from bed.
After pulling up plain black trouser and black t-shirt
on his bare skin he picked up his car keys and barked, "Chalo!"
I grinned stepping down from bed and fished out a shawl from the cupboard wearing it over my shoulders as I was in sleeveless shirt and shorts.
"You are so sweet Manik!I love you very much!"I gushed kissing his left cheek tightly as he ran his car across the silent roads in search of pani puri.
It was sixth month of my pregnancy and my mood swings had taken a toll over me or you can say over us.As Manik was having a hard time fulfilling my stupid cranky desires.He used to crib,gave me angry glares but he never left my any wish unfulfilled,every time he provided me with whatever I wanted.
Such a cutiepie he is I tell you.
"Raat k do baje konsa pani puri wala khula hoga Nandani!"He groaned while glancing at either sides while driving the car.
"But I wanna eat Manik!" I nagged close to cry and he yawned, "Kalleongatunhaeliye!"
"Haan?"I squeezed my brows in confusion while looking at him.
"Arey kal le aaonga tumhare liye!"He spoke hoarsely and yawned again.
"Nhi na!I wanna eat now! Dekho tumhare junior ki wish hai !Wont you fulfil your juniors wish?"I looked at him with misty eyes,blackmailing him.
He gave me a curt glance before pushing off the brakes and thumped his head back at the headrest.
"Oye khote tu kab ayega yaar!Dekh tere naam pe ye kia kia kaam karwati hai mughse!" He cried with closed eyes and I narrowed my eyes at him.
"How mean Manik!Phir you should've thought before kissing me and making love to me like barbarians!" I snarled at him,tears escaping from my eyes anxiously.
His eyes shot open hearing my words which were followed by hiccups.
"Arghhh!"He groaned and Holding steering wheel in both palms he banged his head on it when I clutched his nape and banged his head again and again against the wheel. "Aur maro!Zor zor se maro!"
"Ouch!"He shrieked while trying to remove my hand from his nape and I spanked his head more harder with the steering wheel.
"God!Nandani!Pagal hogayi ho Kia?"Jerking my palm from his nape he scowled while rubbing his blistered forehead and I closed my eyes crying again.
"Mughe tumhare sath rehna hi nhi hai! I hate you !"I cried loudly and stepped out from the car.
"Hey Nandani!"He shouted before stepping out from the car.
Crossing the road while cupping my healthy baby bump I went to adjacent side and sat there on bench.
"Nandani!"Manik came running to me and held my hand but I jerked it.
"Nandani It's not safe here!Come-on!"He hissed looking across the silent dark area but I shook my head.
"Nhi!Mughe nhi rehna tumhare sath!" I cried like a kid and he growled in frustration.
A jeep full of drunk boys passed by our side making Manik alert.
"Damn!Gol-gappi!"He bent down and hoisted me in his arms hurriedly finding that jeep taking a u-turn.
"Oye kahan ja raha hai bey!" One of those cheap boys shouted with there car coming towards us and Manik made me sit in car.
"Manik!"I clutched his hand in fear and he blinked his eyes in assurance.
"Sssshh !I am here na!Not to worry!"He kissed my hand which was clutching his hand before releasing it and closed my side door.
Coming towards his side he was about to sit when those boys parked there car just beside ours.
"Wow!What a beauty!"
"Manik! Jaldi betho!"I cried in worry but he was busy glaring at those drunk boys.
"If you guys want to live,just leave then!" Manik bellowed lowly and those boys laughed. "Is haseena k liye tou jeena hi chor dn main!"One of the overly drunk boys sitting behind stared at me dreamily and Manik closed his side door with a bang.
"Manik!No!"I cried and he showed me his eyes asking me to not step out from the car.
"Kia bola tune?"Clenching his palms he stomped towards that boy and clutched his collar pulling him out of the jeep.
"Leave my collar?"That drunk boy glared at Manik and Manik rolled his eyes before planting a bone-breaking punch at his nose.
"Oye!"The remaining four boys jumped off the jeep and I palmed my mouth looking at them in horror as they stepped towards Manik.
"Manik!"I cried rolling down the window sheet.
In next moment they all hovered over Manik but only to fall back as Manik rained them with some super fast punches and kicks.
"Nandani!Close the window!"He shouted while fighting with four boys and my eyes caught the fifth one who was making way towards me with a dirty smirk.
I rolled up my side window hastily and that boy peeped his face in the window glass letting me flinch back on my seat in fear.
"Oh!So seems like the beauty is bearing another beauty!" That boy glanced at my very visible baby bump with lustrous eyes and I immediately sprawled shawl on it covering my baby from those hazardous eyes.
Suddenly a bottle of wine was broke on his head from behind and I palmed my face,shivering.
"Beauty dekhne ka bohot shauq haina tughe wait I'll show you my beauty!"Manik growled and knee kicked him at his lower abdomen.The boy cried falling on road behind and Manik continued to kick him mercilessly.
I wandered my eyes all over the area and my eyes widened seeing one of them approaching Manik with a hockey stick in his hands.
"Manik!"I stepped out from the car and Manik looked at me before turning back.That boy was about to hit Manik when he held his palm before snatching that hockey stick and beating him with it only.
The tears in my eyes clouded once again and I felt the area around me going foggy.
I squeezed my temple when I felt my knees going jelly. "Maa..nik!"
Manik who was busy punching those already injured douchebags glanced at me and his eyes widened.
"Gol-gappi!"He ran towards me cross passing those laying bodies and picked me up in his arms protectively before I could stagger more in dizziness.
"Why do you fight so much Manik!Bas tum sab se har waqt larte hi rehte ho!" I cried caressing his cheek from where blood was oozing out and he smiled.
"Why are you crying my love?Arey meri gol-gappi k liye tou main puri duniya se lar chuka hn phir ye tou bache the mere liye!" He chuckled while kissing my eyes and I eyed those five boys who were lingering on road lifelessly.
"Agar tumhe kuch ho jata tou?"
I glared at him and he pecked my puffed lips, "Nhi hota tum thi na mere sath!"He winked at me and my lips formed into a small smile.
"Wese kafi heavy hogayi ho tum!"He yelped and squeezed his eyes while making me sit on front seat and I scowled at him before punching his shoulder. "Ye sab tumhari hi wajah se hua hai!"
He chuckled and bent down to kiss my baby bump. "Dekha tune saari galti teri aur meri hi hai!Ab jaldi se aaja phir hum milke badla lenge is gol-gappi se!"He spoke cunningly while squeezing his one eye and a chuckle left my mouth to which he smiled eyeing me with love. I slapped his shoulder and he giggled moving back.
We reached home and I ailed his tiny injuries.
"Manik!"I scrunched my nose seeing him removing his shirt and trousers once again,giving me the view of his red underwear which had a black big heart in between.
Yes there!Right in the middle! God!
You wont believe the day I trashed his all underwear,on the very other day he brought a bunch of his favourite colourful underwear again.
"Pretty na?"He gave me a cheeky smile while cupping his waist showing me that ugly piece and I made a disgusted face before pulling up blanket over my head.
"Pretty my foot!"
I heard his chortle and soon bed beside me crinkled as he jumped on it and entered into the blanket coming close to me.
"Gol-gappi jaldi se ek kiss de do wese bhi 4 baj gaye hain aur 6 baje uthna hai office k liye!" He caressed my cheek hastily but his lips couldn't meet mine because of my baby bump.I giggled and he looked down to my bump grumpily which was coming between us.
"This is so wrong!You are spoiling my romance junior from now only!"He complained like a kid and I cupped his cheeks,pulling him a little on me like just our faces were adjacent to each other and his whole body was resting on the bed.
He pressed his palms beside my head and smirked, "So impatient haan golgappi?" He gave me smug look and I glared at him before clutching his pure soggy lips in my mouth.
He smiled amidst the kiss and went more deeper in my mouth while I continued to rub his nape and bare shoulders vigorously.From the past two months we didn't made love,though doctor had permitted us but Manik refused to do it because according to him he can't be gentle and his harshness can harm the child.
"The first thing I'll do after junior comes in our life will be making love to you!"He gasped on my face breaking the kiss and I caressed his cheeks to calm him down but he again smashed his lips against mine making me chuckle at his impatience level.
"Ouch!"I frowned feeling a hard pinch on my bosom.
"Don't laugh !You can't even imagine what I'm gonna do to you that night!" He broke the kiss,snarling at me and my chuckle widened into giggle leaving him more angry and frustrated.
"Bohot hasi aa rahi hai na tumhe meri haalat dekh kar?"He gave me a sharp iron look and I shook my head while laughing.
"God!Manik!You are so cute!I love you!I love you very much!"I pulled his both puffed cheeks and he gave me a weird look before removing my palms from his cheeks making me laugh again.
His eyes stopped somewhere which eventually lead to death of my giggles.I followed his gaze and a smile appeared on my lips.
"Manik!Forget it!"I caressed his cheeks diverting his attention from the scratch which was on my neck.
"I can't! That basta...!"Before he could utter that abusing word I palmed his mouth and showed him my eyes.
"No abusing!You've promised!"
It was another promise which Manik made to me at that time when we came to know about the baby!
"Tou us saale ki taareef karoon main!"He spoke angrily removing my palm and I sighed.
"He is in prison!He is paying for his deeds Manik!"I spoke in a matter of fact tone and he closed his eyes.
"I can't! I can't control myself when somebody hurts you!I just can't!"He whispered pecking that scratch and I kissed his cheek,allowing him to bury his face in my neck.
"You protected me Manik! Tum the na mere sath!"I muttered calmly caressing his hair and he hmmed closing his eyes in my neck.
Three months back when Manik came from Simla that night to coax me I told him about Armaan's messages!First he got very angry and was close to give a supari of Armaan but I stopped him and we made a plan to tackle Armaan!As per plan I went to the old warehouse where Armaan had called me.After some fake good talks he tried forcing himself on me and Manik who was right there pounced over him.The fight between them started and amidst that fight Armaan pulled a knife on Manik.I moved forward to save him when Armaan held me immediately and kept that steely sharp knife on my neck which resulted into a thin scratch And then what,Manik lost his temper and in next moment Armaan was on floor getting slammed with Maniks fabulous punches until police arrived to arrest him.
"Shall I sleep like this?Tumhe uncomfortable tou nhi ho raha na?"Manik asked breaking my chain of thoughts and I smiled at him while shaking my head.He dug his face in my neck again and I wrapped my arms around his nape.
"Ouch!"Again I felt a sharp pinch on my bosom.
"Manik! Tum na pyaar karne k laiq hi nhi ho!Just move the hell off me!"I roared and tried pushing him but he continued to laugh in my neck making me feel ticklish and in last resulting into an ethereal smile on my face .
No wonder his magical laughter was the cure to every pain of mine.
.........
Next morning 7:00 am.
"Manik!Utho!"
"Umm...mccch!"
Since half an hour I was trying to wake up Manik but he was busy kissing me in his dream.He was sleeping on his tummy with no frowns,no worries on his face.
"Nandani beta!"Mama ji knocked the door and I shook my head warily at Manik before standing up from bed and opening the door.
"Ohh! Tou sahab zaade abhi tak so rahe hain!"Mama ji's eyes directly fell on a careless Manik and I bit my nails worriedly.
Aaj tou pakka class lagegi iss pregnant monster ki!
"Beta Manik!"Mama ji sat beside him and caressed his face gently.I gulped seeing Manik smiling in his sleep.
Hey bhagwaan! Kahin aaj meri izzat ka faluda na bna de ye pregnant mareez!
"Aagayi tum!"Manik muttered smilingly in his sleep while holding Mama jis palm and resting his face on it.
I palmed my face being embarrassed and Mama ji looked flushed too.
To avoid more embarrassment he tried taking his hand back when Manik clutched it harder.
"Tch mat jao na!Aaj tou apni baahon main sone do mughe!" Manik pouted and kissed Mama ji's palm before resting his head again on it more cozily.
My eyes widened listening his words and Mama ji looked here and there while swallowing.
"Aur jaldi she mughe kissie do!" Suddenly Manik started pulling mama ji's arm and Mama ji jumped on his place while I ran into the washroom.
"O gadhe!"I heard mama ji's shout and I palmed my mouth actually palming my laughter.
"D...ddad!"Manik must've bounced on bed in fright.
"Aaj k baad tu agar mughe 6 baje dining table par nhi mila tou tughe chorunga nhi main! Aur ye Kia wahiyat kapre pehne hain tune!Utar ise!Gadha Kahin ka!"I heard dads snarl and then thudding sound of door which meant he has left.
I came out of washroom giggling and seeing Manik's poker face my giggles loudened automatically.
He was sitting on bed on his knees showing his colourful underwear perfectly.
"Mama ji se kissie...!"I bursted into guffaws again and he muttered a curse in his breath while glaring at me.
"Tum mughe utha nhi sakti thi!"He gritted his teeth and I laughed more to which he got more angry and stood up from bed.
"Hey Bhagwaan!"With speedy steps I turned towards door when he clutched my palm from behind. "Bohot hasi aa rahi haina!Aao main tumhari hasi rokta hn!"
"Arey mama ji aap!"I spoke seriously and Manik left my hand with a jerk.Availing the opportunity I immediately opened the door.Turning back I showed him my tongue and before he could attack on me like a lion I was out of the room.
And I must say,life can't be more beautiful for us!
........
New Wanderer!