Manik opened the kitchen cupboard to find something to eat and found 100th packet of puppy food. He groaned in frustration and slammed it shut. Apparently Nandini had returned to her room with kids to have the breakfast at 8 in the morning and he wasn't invited. Now he could hear 'smol borks' and her giggles as background score to his agony. He was replaced. Someone else was there to make her smile and he stood no chance in front of that level of cuteness.
He randomly opened the casserole and found three burnt parantha in it. His lips adorned a smile. He had misjudged his hellion. She indeed had made him some burnt food. He could eat those square pieces any day in glee. He started to munch them while walking towards the room. He turned the knob to find the door locked. He sighed and placed his forehead against the ply. He needed to be with her. After so many days, Sunday existed and he couldn't just let it go wasted.
"Wait, Rogue," He heard her yelling and then door getting opened. She dashed out with one pup in hand and he found another one napping in her bed. He followed Nandini and saw she was in garden with pup. He seemed to take a piss. He walked to where she was and stood right beside her. She seemed to sense his presence so she folded her arms across her stomach as if that was a way to tell how nothing was okay between them.
"What happened to your truck?" He asked and she looked at him. He shrugged his shoulders at those accusing looks. He was on mission to piss her off on purpose. He needed to get her talking even if it meant she yelling at him.
"Nothing that concerns you," She spoke gritting her teeth and he sighed audibly.
Little Rogue was done with peeing business so Nandini headed to take him inside when he decided to pull a play date. He started running across the garden and she scolded him for extending her stay. Nandini heard another one whose name Manik still didn't know yelping and she looked helpless.
Being a mother is not easy.
She looked at Rogue and then at window of her room.
"Go ahead, I will be watching over him," He said taking the chair.
She growled audibly and then uttered some profanities before she stormed inside. Manik couldn't disagree that he felt terrible about the fact how he was replaced by those furballs but then they were cute. He couldn't deny the fact they were the ones who had kept her company when he wasn't around.
He called Rogue and that little master gave him a stink eye.
What kind of name was that!
Rogue!
Manik had been wondering but now it was making sense. That little one was another hellion in process. The way he chewed the water pipe and mini-growled at him, it made sense. Manik called him again and this time he barked at him.
"Wow, even he doesn't like me," He muttered and decided to pick up the mini-hellion.
Nandini picked up little Pongo from the bed and patted him.
"Oh my sweet fragile child," She cooed him and he started to lick her face.
"Let's go outside and play in sunshine," She added and then looked out of window where she could see Manik holding Rogue in his hands while Rogue seemed to chew at his fingers.
"Messing with the wrong pup, cadet," She mumbled before taking a closer look. He looked so troubled not because of those puppy teeth piercing through his flesh but the way he couldn't get through her. His eyes searched the threshold while lips formed a frown. A pang traveled across Nandini's chest. She wanted to end the season of frowns as it was way too long since they had been their usual selves. Past few days were all about pull and push.
She just couldn't put the feeling behind where she lived all alone. His thoughts couldn't keep her company as all they reminded her was of their bitter banter. It was like preview of their upcoming life. He would be gone for days and what if they failed to make themselves the enough warmth. She didn't realize when little Pongo dozed off in her arms. She looked at him and kissed his furry temple fondly.
She leisurely walked towards main door and giggled when heard Manik nagging to Rogue. Apparently, handling a second Hellion wasn't easy for Manik when the first one wasn't cooperating either. She put a stern face as she stepped in the garden. Manik looked at her and put Ro down.
"From where you picked up this Devil?" He asked frustrated.
"Limited edition, you know," She said and put Pongo down for him to join his brother.
"He found his mother all by himself," She added while Manik adored that golden glow on her face. She looked changed. She didn't wear her loose sweater today. Her hair were tucked behind her ears perfectly. She looked somewhat settled.
"I missed so much. All my fault," He murmured and she heard.
Severity flashed across her face but she hid it next moment.
"I hope training session with Avanti went well," She taunted and he sighed.
He took a step towards her while she escaped every potential seize by walking towards Pongo.
"That was just one time," He answered dully while following her.
"She returned to States and that shooting thing was just a make-up thing," He explained.
"So you do make up...good to hear," She said looking at him. Her eyes were piercing needles.
"I thought you just disappear and then reappear when you feel like," She muttered furiously.
Rogue took down Pongo in a friendly wrestling and Pongo seemed to love the pin-down. Manik and Nandini seemed to be turbulent audience of that contest.
"I can explain if you allow me..." He whispered and she looked at him. Her eyes were soft but pained.
"There would be times like this and you will always have an explanation, won't you?" She asked and he looked speechless.
She bit inside of her lip to rein the storm of emotions and words which she might hurl at him. She didn't want to flow unabashedly.
She took a glance at the dogs and got up to go inside to calm herself down.
"There would be," He answered before she could disappear.
She halted in her steps and tucked her thumbs inside her fists. She didn't want to cry and scream like he was the only one who mattered. She was yet to admit that he was the only one she had got.
"There would be winters when I will be gone, there would be times we won't be talking, there would be days when we won't see each other but..." He kept on saying but then he halted.
"But?" She asked in muffled voice.
"But there would be days when We will hold each other in arms as tight as we could," He said as he held her both hands in his.
"There would be moments when I will love you so hard, so deep that it won't matter if we see the next sunrise or not," He said and palmed her face as gently as he could. Her nose was red and eyes a pool of salt-water.
"There would be nights where we would lay right here under the stars with those two Hellions right beside us and there won't be any cold," He murmured over her red nose. She wanted to giggle but she sobbed instead.
"Pongo isn't a hellion," She said and he giggled.
"I didn't know...you see! I still need to know my kids," He confessed and she scratched her toes against his boots. He inhaled sharply because he was dying to have her weight on his boots since forever.
"You were gone and I thought you won't come back...," She said in utter spell of his warmth.
"I am an ass...you know," He said and she giggled as she slowly stepped on his boots.
He slid his arm around her waist. Someone growled in background. Manik could guess who it was.
"I thought I could pull a little stunt on you...I was a bit angry you know," He admitted.
"But then...God pulled a stunt on me and extended my drill," He said and she opened her eyes which were ever since his arm had wrapped her in his warmth.
"And I thought I had misjudged your coping- ability," She blurted and he kissed her cheeck urgently.
"I suck at staying away from you...you know," He said and she could resist herself from wrapping her arms around his neck.
"I am sorry," He admitted peeping into her eyes and she couldn't understand how they both even exited all this while when they didn't talk or meet. His eyes showed the same storm which her heart bore.
"Don't ever be away and not call me," She said and he sealed the promise with a kiss on her parted lips. She closed the gap and they didn't know after how many days Sun had finally shown upon them.
They kissed and kissed while mild sunshine turned a bit harsher. Something or precisely someone tugged on Manik's pant and no prizes for guessing who it was. Rogue had gone rogue on his pant and Pongo couldn't stop barking at the flower which was swaying in the wind.
"This little Devil won't stop so I guess we have to," Manik signed off and Nandini looked down at Rogue who was having time of his life with that military print trouser.
"He is basically very possessive of me," She said and picked him up.
"Rogue, meet cadet Malhotra and cadet Malhotra , he is rogue," She said and then looked at Rogue who was way more interested in reaching out for Manik's jacket.
"Call me dad," Manik kinda tried to answer when Nandini rolled her eyes and walked away.
"You need to stay around, Cadet," She said going towards the door, "He is a tough nut."
"Would you bring Pongo inside, he might allow you," She asked and Manik looked at the little guy. He looked like an angel in middle of yellow tulips.
"You seem like my kinda man, Pongo," Manik muttered to himself and advanced to pick him up.
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Mrs Murthy set up the table for lunch and saw her son coming downstairs. She smiled warmly and he replied the gesture.
"So what's for the lunch?" Rishi asked in glee.
"Your favorite Italian and some of Chinese," She said and took her seat.
Nandini liked Chinese, Rishi smiled to himself. He had recently returned from abroad and things weren't pretty good at his home. His mother had turned quite strange if he was asked. She had been eating less, she wasn't attending social events anymore. She hadn't been to her charity work for days. She had locked herself in this home. Daadu had gone to spend some days with aunt Aparna as she had fractured her knee. His father remained busy in his work. And well, Nandini...He was yet to see her amid all the chaos. He talked to her last night and she too seemed lost. He sighed and started to dig into food.
"I will pack some if you go to see her today," Mrs Murthy said as she served herself some Chinese food.
She wasn't a big fan of Chinese cuisine. Rishi knew what was eating his mother. She never admitted but she was missing Nandini.
"I might not go today as I need to make a few arrangements before I see her," Rishi informed and Rishita's smile vanished.
"Oh! That's alright," She murmured and tried to look normal.
"Can you make some for tomorrow?" He asked to cheer her up.
"Would she like it? What if she didn't have it," She asked.
Rishi held his mother's hand and rubbed her palm gently.
"Mom, she is your daughter. I am sure if you will try, she can't stay mad for long but you have to make some efforts," He said softly.
Rishita smiled dully. She knew she needed to make a bridge. It was eating her that Nandini had been living a life she didn't deserve.
"That soldier, does he still visit her?" She asked apprehensively.
"Manik is a good guy, Mom," Rishi asserted calmly, "To be honest, we should thank him for being there for her."
"your father is very quiet since few days. It's frightening me," She added. She was finally opening up. Rishi could feel how much she had piled up inside her.
"Nandini's working with one of his rivals. He didn't do anything about it, Rishi," She said and then looked at her son for a valid explanation.
"Maybe he too doesn't know if he has any power on Nandini anymore. He has pushed her too far, Mom," He said.
"No, it's not that. It's something alarming, Rishi. Your father never admits his defeat. He never lets go. He won't stop until he brings her to her knees. His silence is frightening me," She put forward her worry.
"I am afraid for Nandini. Her Daadu isn't here. She doesn't have much resources. What if Madhav does something very damaging?" She blabbered.
"This is Nandini we are talking about. She is the Nandini Murthy, don't forget that, Mom. Besides, I am here. You are here. Manik is there. Who else she needs?" Rishi said calmly when his mind was put into freezer. His father's passive approach was indeed alarming.
"She would be just fine," He said and hugged his mother.
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"Nobody finds two husky pups in middle of road," Manik said as Nandini narrated to him how she had found Pongo and Rogue.
They all were laying in warm bed with evening breeze gently stroking the curtains.
"I do," Nandini said with a frown.
"They had eloped from a puppy mill and I just couldn't let them go back there. Uncle Bernard and I am trying to shut that mill down to rescue more dogs," She shared her tale of adventures.
"Wow, sounds like a revolution," He said and she elbowed him in gut.
"How was your drill?" She asked and his face dropped.
"It was hell," He said and pulled her more into him. He still hated himself for going to that drill without telling her.
"It was supposed to be a brief drill but then got extended. You have no idea how I restrained myself from eloping," He said in frustration and she giggled.
"Oh my good kitten, what has happened to you?" She asked not believing how Manik hated a drill.
"You happened," He confessed and she peeped into his eyes intensely.
He lowered his head to capture her lips but her phone pinged. She checked the message and sighed.
"I have an auction to attend early morning," She informed.
"An auction?" Manik asked.
"My employer wants to buy some vintage horse breeds and he has been waiting for this one auction for long time," She elaborated.
"Only the date wasn't getting fixed," She added while picking the sandwich Manik had prepared. She moaned as she took a bite. She hadn't eaten good food in days.
"Your father is okay with your new job?" He asked as the question kept buzzing his mind.
Nandini out the sandwich back in plate and looked serious for a minute or two.
"He hasn't caused any damage till now. I guess he had gotten over me and how I dented his ego," She said shrugging her shoulders.
"I don't see a reason to fret over him even if he tries to destroy me," She added and shared a piece with Rogue.
Manik sighed and switched on the light as it had started to get dark.
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Unedited*
Hello dear readers,
Apologies for the long absence.
All the messages are read and I seriously am sorry for not being able to update any sooner. Life has turned a bit hectic. My work front takes most of my time. I will definitely try to update at
reasonable intervals.
Thanks for all the love and patience.
Love
Aditi