In Malhotra Mansion
Manik's bedroom
Manik was still staring at Nandini with widened eyes. He couldn't believe that finally he has her in his arms. He started caressing her cheeks..
Manik ( smiled ): Finally, I have you. I just can't believe my eyes, Nandini. You are sleeping in my arms.
She stirred in sleep and dug herself more into Manik's chest which just increased his smile.
Nandini ( eyes closed ): Bhai...time kya hai..
Manik's face looked horrifying when she said " Bhai ".. His eyes could even pop out of its sockets..
Manik ( shouted ): What..!!!!
Hearing his shout, a sleepy Nandini woke up in a jerk and shouted..
Nandini: Kya hua..
And then, she noticed Manik on her bed..
Nandini ( shocked ): Tum yaha kya kar rahe ho..
Manik ( sarcastically ): Ab mein apne bedroom mein bhi nahi so saktha..
Nandini ( frowned ): Tumhara bedroom..?
Suddenly, she remembered the previous night's incidents and then she slapped her forehead..
Nandini: Mein bhi na..
Manik pulled her on him and she widened her eyes in shock..
Nandini: Manik, what the hell are you doing..?
Manik ( glared ): What the hell did you call me..?
Nandini ( confused ): "Manik"..what else would I call you..?
Manik ( annoyed ): Really..? When did Manik started sounding Bhai to me, then..?
Nandini ( irritated ): What are you even saying, Manik..?
Manik ( angry ): You just called me BHAI..?
Nandini sat shocked..
Nandini: What..? Are you crazy..?
Manik ( mimicked ): " Bhai..time kya hai "..You were the one who said it..
Nandini recalled what she said first after waking up and she started laughing much to Manik's annoyance..
Manik: Nandini...
Nanidni ( giggled ): Okay, I am sorry..I, actually thought, I was at my place..Abhi Bhai's room is just opposite to mine and most of the times, he would be awake and will be waiting for me to wake up..My bedroom's door won't be closed every time..
Manik sighed in relief but then a thought came across his mind..
Manik ( smirked ): Waise, aap yaha kya kar rahe hai, Madam..?
Nandini ( glared ): Like you don't know..
Manik ( smirked ): Yeah, Miss Dixit was missing her monster's warmth..
She slapped his arm, hard..
Manik: Ouch, Nandini..
Nandini ( angry ): You monster, you drank a whole bottle of alcohol, last night and now, you are playing pranks with me..
Manik frowned after hearing it..
Manik ( in a daze ): I drank..? But..I..I stopped drinking after..
He stopped after realizing what he was going to say. He looked at Nandini who was looking at him curiously.
Manik ( avoided eye contact): Ah..I stopped drinking after college..yeah..college..
Nandini ( casually ): Something changed in you is, you can't lie anymore, not to me, at least..
Manik started looking here and there..She forced him to look at her by holding his chin..
Nandini ( cupped his cheeks ): You used to drink, Manik..like, every night..??
Manik ( widened his eyes ): How..how do you..??
Nandini ( sighed ): You said it when you were drunk..
Manik sighed and pressed his forehead..
Nandini ( softly ): Manik, why..?
Manik ( stared in her eyes ): I didn't have you with me..
Nandini ( bad face ): You asked me to leave you..
Manik ( glared ): You know how impulsive I am..You should have waited for me to calm down..
Nandini ( glared ): Something I learnt from your character is, if I sit in front of you, then you would never understand me but if I stay away from you, then you will get to know why I left you, but you nearly took 7 years to understand my point of view, which wasn't expected at all..
He made a bad face and sighed..
Manik: It was my mistake..But, I..I never had anyone beside me to take care of me, Nandini..
Nandini stared at him whose eyes were speaking volumes of pain..She leaned to him and kissed his forehead and he closed his eyes to feel her presence..
Nandini ( smiled ): You've got a lot people around to love you, you just failed to notice them..
Manik ( smiled): I know..the most important is lying over me, now..
She smiled and he leaned to her lips when she palmed her lips with her hand..
Nandini ( smirked ): You still didn't earn my trust..
He made an annoyed face but then smiled at her..
Manik: If you don't trust me, then why did you sleep with me, what if I have done something..?
Nandini ( smiled ): You never crossed your limits when you used to be in your senses, so crossing limits when you weren't in your senses is next to impossible, especially when you behave like a baby..
Manik: What..? Baby..?
Nandini: You really don't remember anything..?
Manik nodded in no with a frown..She narrated the whole thing and he looked embarrassed..She giggled and pulled his cheeks..
Nandini: You still look cute..
Manik ( whined ): Nandini, don't call me cute..
Nandini chuckled. Their trance was broke by her mobile's ring..She took the mobile from the side table..
Nandini ( confused ): Ye gadha ab phone kyu kar raha hai..
Manik made an irritated face after hearing it was Sid..
Manik: Tumse chipna hi tho iska favorite hobby hai..
Nandini ( smiled ): Stop being jealous, manik..
Manik: I am not jealous..
Nandini: Yeah, yeah..I know..
She answered the call but Manik made it on speaker and she chuckled at his possessiveness..
Sid: Kameeennii..
Manik and Nandini palmed their ears..
Nandini: Yaar gadhe..chilla kyu rahe ho..
Sid ( angry ): Seriously..? tum mujhse pooch rahi ho ab ye..Patha hai, yaha mere jaan nikal raha hai..
Nandini ( palmed her mouth ): Haww..gadhe..don't tell me you are going to suicide..I mean, i want to see your kids yar..Aur jo bhi ladki tujhse shadi karegi, usse bhi milna hai mujhe..
Sid ( sarcastically ): Acha..ek kaam kar..mein aaj hi kisi ladki ko uthake shadi karoonga aur aaj hi usse pregnant karwake delivery bhi karwange..Tu uss ladki ko milegi aur mere bachon ko bhi dekh sakthe..kyu..
Nandini made a bad face while Manik was amazed seeing them talking like this..
Nandini: Abey gadhe..tumhara humor sense bohath kharab hai..
Sid ( annoyed ): Agar tum meri baath nahi sunogi tho apna humor sense kharab hojayegi..
Nandini: Yar, problem kya hai..
Sid: Pehle tu ye batha, kaha hai tu..
Nandini ( coolly ): Malhotra Mansion mein..
Sid stood shocked..
Sid ( smirked ): Suna hai ladkiyan shadi ke baad husband ke ghar mein rehthe hai par tu tho usse pehle hi ye sab shuru kiya..Waise, kal raath kuch hua hai kya..Maaaniiikkk Malhotraaa ke saathhh..
Manik opened his mouth wide in shock while Nandini cursed Sid with all kind of dirty names..
Nandini: Shut up gadhe..kuch bhi nahi hua..I am just staying in the mansion, this isn't the first time I am staying at Pops' place..
Sid: Arey par tab tho Maniikkkk nahi tha na..
Nandini: One more word from your mouth gadhe, I will call your ex-girlfriend and from next day, she would be spending all her nights with you..You know I can make it happen..
Sid ( scared ): Arey tum meri best friend ho..ithna kyu chilla rahi ho..
Nandini ( sarcastic grin ): Ab aap batha sakthe kya ki aapne phone kyu kiya..
Sid ( worried ): Haa..tum kisi bhi Mansion mein math jao..Just drive to Dreamland. Haa, try to reach before 10..saare ke saare Papas aaj dreamland mein meeting rakha hai, Dev ki shadi ke baare mein kuch decide kaarna hai aur Sona ke Papa ko jaldhi hi jawab dena hai..
Nandini ( concerned ): Sona ke Papa ko..yaar sab kuch teek tho hai na..unhe koi dikhath tho nahi..
Sid ( smiled ): Nahi baba..bas marriage based decisions hai..
Nandini ( sighed in relief ): Tho phir tum ithna stressed kyu ho..
Sid: Kyunki mein yaha sabse kehdiya ki tumhe aur Manik ko kal Dreamland ke kuch kaam keliye nikalna pada aur uske baad raath mein tum dono apne apne ghar mein gaye..But, I just got a call form Pops saying that you weren't at Dixit's Palace. I had to lie him that you are out with the work aur Manik ke bare mein, mujhe kuch nahi patha..Raj Papa had an early meeting..
Nandini ( tensed ): Pops Malhotra Mansion nahi aaya na..
Sid ( frowned ): Mujhe nahi patha..kyu..?
Nandini bit her nails in tension thinking has he come to the Mansion since they both were sleeping in the same bedroom. Manik pressed her shoulders in assurance while she just gave a weak smile to him..
Sid: Hello..kameeni..tu sun rahi hai na..
Nandini: Haa..sun rahi hoon..chal teek hai..tum phone rakh dho..mein fatafat ready hoke nikalthi hoon..
Sid ( smirked ): Teek hai, waise apna khayal rakhna..
Nandini ( frowned ): Sidharth Kapoor kab se sweet hone laga..
Sid ( innocently ): Arey mein tho bas tumhari fikar kar raha tha, wo kya hai na..I don't want to be an uncle, this soon..!!
Saying this he hung on the call while her mouth was wide opened and she abused him even after knowing he can't hear it..
Manik pulled her more..
Manik ( smirked ): Uncle..? Mathlab, our babies..?
Nandini ( glared ): Shut up, Manik..already uss gadhe ne mujhe irritate kiya..now let me change..
She got up and ran to her bedroom while he chuckled after seeing her this tensed just with Raj's name..
Manik ( joked ): What would be her condition if Dad ever happen to see us in such a condition..
Downstairs..
Manik was all ready and waiting for Nandini to join him for breakfast..Soon, Nandini came downstairs and got shocked after seeing the dining table..
Nandini: Manik..ye kisne banaya..
Manik turned to her to answer but then got stunned after seeing her..
She walked to him and stared at the food in shock while he stood there with wide opened mouth..
Nandini ( annoyed ): Manik, mein tumse kuch pooch raha hoon..kaha kho gaye ho tum..
He came back from his trance...
Manik: Huh..kahi nahi..tum..kya pooch rahi thi..
Nandini ( sarcastically ): Tumhara science teacher ke belly ka size..
Manik ( shocked ): What..??
Nandini ( irritated ): Phir kya boloon..kabse pooch rahi hoon mein ki ye khana kisne banaya..
Manik ( sarcastically ): Iss ghar mein mere alawa aur koi nahi hai abhi, isiliye ye khana kal raath mere bhooth banakar rakhliya tha, taaki hum aaj khana khaa sakthe..
Nandini glared at him..
Manik ( glared ): Kya..don't stare at me like a tigress now. I would be the one to make this if none of the servants have reached till now..
Nnaidni ( shocked ): When did you start cooking..?
Manik ( smiled sheepishly ): From the moment you decided to give us a chance again..
Nandini pulled his cheeks..
Nandini: You are being too cute..
Manik made a bad face..
Manik: You will never stop calling me that typical girly word, right..
Nandini ( giggled ): Bilkul....nahi...
He sighed and both sat for breakfast. Nandini was eating in an extra speed which was shocking for Manik..
Manik: Nandini..tum aise kyu kha rahi ho..
Nandini: Manik..Kuch bhi karke 10 baje se pehle pohachna hai mujhe dreamland..Aur Pops..Did he see us in such a condition..
Manik ( smiled ): Nandu, kuch nahi hoga..agar Dad ko patha chala tho wo obviously hame utha diya hotha..How can a father see his son sleeping with someone whom he loves like his own daughter when he heard they both don't like each other..
Nandini ( sighed ): Nahi Manik..jithna mein Pops ko janthi hoon, he isn't even a tinge impulsive, wo bina sochke kuch bhi nahi kartha, chahe situation kithni bhi worse hai..and the biggest fear is, he shares each and every ting of his life detail with my Dad..Had he seen us together, then it will reach in his best buddy Virendhar Dixit's ears..I just can't think of it..kya bolenge hum phir..
Manik ( smiled ): You know my Dad more than anyone could, right..
Nandini stopped panicking and stared at Manik and smiled..
Nandini: If my Dad is my life then Pops is my happiness..
Manik smiled in tears..
Manik: He is lucky to have you..
Nandini ( smiled ): He is lucky to have you too..the only problem is you went away from him without knowing that he actually loved you like no one..
Manik: I couldn't realize it..What if I lose him..
Nandini: What am I for then..Nobody isn't going to lose anyone, especially when its Nandini Dixit's family..
She raised her fake collars and he chuckled which brought a smile on her lips too..Suddenly, Manik remembered something..
Manik: Between, Nandini..Sid..hasn't he got any problems with me and you being..you know, what I am trying to say..?
Nandini ( smiled ): He did, when he got to know about our second separation but then when I said I wanted to give you a chance, my friends agreed to me. They knew what makes me happy and what not. My friends stay with me, no matter what, Manik. That's why I love them this much. Sid is actually a male version of mine, that's what Dad says. He can understand me more than anyone could. Even soulie can't understand me like how he could. He knew you were genuine. But haan, if you ever hurt me again, I am telling you, you better stay away from him, he would be the first one to punch you..
Manik smiled after knowing about their bonding..
Manik: You're quiet lucky to be with each other..
Nandini ( grinned): We are..!!
Soon, they were done with the breakfast and drove to Dreamland..
In Dreamland
Nandini's Cabin
Two people were already sitting in the family area of the cabin ( refer chapter 4 to see Nandini's cabin, if you have forgotten it ). One among them was staring at the other with a straight face..
Man 1: Hogaya..?
Man 2 ( frowned ): Kya ho gaya..?
Man 1: Conversation between your mind and heart..Like, how to start the conversation with me and what would I think after hearing it..
Man 2 ( glared ): Viren...
Viren ( glared ): Raj...
They both looked at each other and chuckled..
Viren: God..Raj, you know me well, maybe more than how much Chhavi could understand me, I won't judge you, phir ye hesitation kyu..?
Raj ( sighed ): I am hesitant to speak because its something related to our kids..
Viren ( frowned ): Kids..? Kya mathlab..?
Raj ( tensed ): Yaar..how will I say..I don't know how to..
Viren ( sighed ): Raj..just stop it yar..hum punjabiyan kabse ithna tensed hona shuru kiya..wo hamara bas ki baath nahi..chal batha..aur waise..konse kids hai..hume tho bohath saare bache hai yaar..
Raj: Manik aur Love..
Viren ( raised his eyebrow ): Manik aur doll..?
Raj nodded..
Viren ( cringed his eyebrow ): Don't tell me you are again into that proposal thing. Buddy, leave me from that..kehne keliye doll jaisi hai par character wise tho hamari bachi tho bilkul Chhavi Virendhar Dixit pe gayi hai..bohath gussa karthi hai..Ek haftha mujhse baath nahi karegi phir..I can't even spend a second without talking to her..
Raj ( annoyed ): Yar..uss proposal ki wajah se tho ab mujhe ithne saare doubts hai..
Viren ( angry ): Abey saale teek se bol..mujhe kuch bhi samaj nahi aa raha hai..
Raj ( lost his calmness ): I caught Manik and Love in his bedroom..
Viren ( casually ): Haa tho ky...
Viren stopped talking and looked at Raj with a blank face..
Viren: What...?
Raj ( held his head ): Yes..When I peeped into my son's room today morning, I saw them sleeping, cuddling to each other..
Viren's eyes could even pop out any second..He couldn't believe what he heard..
Viren ( nodded his head in No ): Noway Raj, you might have seen some other couple. I have trust on my kids. They can't sleep with each other. Arey ye sab shadi se pehle karne wale bache hamare family se nahi hoga. Shadi se pehle meri doll kabhi bhi kisi bhi ladke ko usse choone nahi degi, aur Manik..wo bhi mera beta hai, he can never stoop this low..
Raj ( freaked out ): Hold on..what the heck are you even speaking..Virennn..sleeping ka mathlab simple English hi hai, it doesn't mean they did "IT"..they were just in each other's arms, sleeping peacefully..kuch bhi nahi hua unke beech mein..
Viren sighed in relief..
Viren ( confused ): Tujhe kaise patha un dono ke beech kuch bhi nahi hua..mathlab..how can you be so sure..?
Raj ( disbelievingly ): Mein yaha ithna shocking view dekhliya aur tujhe un dono ke beech " wo " hua ya nahi iske padi hai..and regarding your question, yaar mein bhi ek baap hoon, ye sab kaise batha sakthe..blanket nahi tha isliye..got the point..??
Viren nodded in understanding..
Viren ( surprised ): Waise, why were they sleeping with each other..
Raj ( sarcastically ): Mujhe ab patha chala ki Chhavi tumhe tubelight kyu bula rahit hi..
Viren ( bad face ): Yaar, biwi tho already meri bezathi karthi thi, ab tu bhi math karna..Bas ye batha how did it happen..
Raj ( sighed ): Mujhe kya patha yar..I couldn't understand what actually happened..I just went to check on Manik, but jaise hi door khol diya, I couldn't moved my eyes off them. I mean, Love said No when I got Manik's proposal for her and Manik, I never saw him looking at Love, in fact they used to act like they don't know each other. Then, how can they be in each other's arms one fine morning..Ho kya rahe yar..
Viren was lost in deep thoughts. He was also thinking the same..
Viren: Ab tho iska jawab sirf wo dono hi de sakthe..Raj, we won't ask them anything straightly, and you know doll right..She doesn't like lying to us, so it would be easy to get the truth out of her. How about Manik..
Raj: Mera beta tho mujhse jhoot bol saktha, but I can catch it very easily.
Viren ( smirked ): Tho aane dho, manik Mlahpotra aur Nandini Dixit ko..
Soon, they saw someone opening the door with a bang and the moment that person's eyes fell on them, it turned shocked..
Raj/Viren ( smirked ): Love/Doll..
To be continued..