37. MEETING IN THE HOSPITAL!

It’s been 10 minutes since both men are sitting silently. Manik is calming his nerves whereas Abhi is still under the effect of Manik’s YES!! YES!! song.

Abhi’s head is resting on the table. He is coping with the situation and trying to understand Manik’s words.

Seeing Abhi’s state, Nandini glares at Manik blaming him for Abhi’s statement.

The same is the case with Manik too. He too glares at her for taking Aryaman’s name in front of him. 

After taking almost 15 minutes of ME TIME. Abhi raised his head to glare at Manik with the cornered eyes. But his attention got diverted seeing Manik and Nandini’s glaring session.

Nan:- ( giving warning to Manik )  don’t you dare to try to scare me. I am not scared of you. So… Keep your eyes down.

Doing exactly the opposite of what she is saying he moves forward still glaring at her. He comes so close to her that for some time Nandini’s eyes soften seeing him so close. His nose is just a millimeter away from touching hers.

Seeing an angry situation turning into a romantic one, Abhi’s head again started roaming in a circular motion as if he was watching stars in the early morning.

Manik pulls Nandini’s chair towards himself and puts his long cold hands on her waist pulling her closer forgetting about their surroundings.

Nan:- Manik, what are you doing? It’s not the correct place to do all this. ( Struggling to come out of his hold )

Ma:- that means I can do this ( point towards their position through eyes ) at home.

Nan:- ( glaring ) I didn’t mean that.

Ma:- bear it ….. It’s your punishment for making me angry………. You have to sit on my lap till I complete the CDI INVESTIGATION OF YOUR BROTHER.

Instead of getting scared of his punishment, she rolls her eyes on his lamest excuse to make her sit on his lap in front of her brother. 

“BROTHER   BROTHER   BROTHER”

Hearing this word she remembers something but what!! is still a question. After pondering on her mind for almost 50 seconds she saw some blurry image of Abhi sitting in front of them whose expressions are unreadable. Her eyes widened in shock but it was too late for her to realize it.

Before she could move away from Manik, he effortlessly picked her up and made her sit on his lap. He is so much into her that he didn’t notice his towel beneath her. Whereas Nandini too didn’t notice his towel courtesy to Abhi.

Being a naughty boy he started roaming his long fingers on her bare waist and giggled seeing her shivering. But, What he didn’t know is that …. She is shivering because of Abhi. She gulps hard Seeing Abhi’s strong gaze on Manik who is endorsed in his work. 

Nandini struggles in his arms to come out. But Manik is giving her a tough time.

Nan:- ( angrily whispers in his ears ) Manik, leave me or else I will kick your kid’s manufacturing machine.

Understanding every word of her, he looks at her with shocked expressions.

Ma:- ( trying to act cute ) no… You can’t do that ….. Right??? ( Unsure about her answer )

Nan:- try me !!!

Both of them come out from their land after hearing some strange dumped sound. They look at the source to find Abhi lying on the floor.

Just a few moments back, Abhi is staring at the duo with shocked expressions. All this is so much for his innocent heart to take that’s why his head started roaming again resulting in his nervous breakdown.

Nandini and Manik immediately move towards him worriedly. The crowd also gathered around them. 

Nandini kneeled towards Abhi’s fainted body whereas Manik kept standing beside them. She sprinkles water on Abhi’s face to bring him back but there is no movement in his state.

Ma:- Nandini, these few droplets of water is not enough for him. Wait ….. I will do something.

Saying this he took a water bottle from the side table and emptied it on Abhi’s face. Nandini shoot daggers at him seeing his stupid behavior whereas Manik gives her a stupid toothy smile while pointing towards Abhi who is getting up.

Nan:- ( worriedly ) Bhai… Are you fine?? Please tell me ….. You are scaring me.

Abhi:- ( weakly ) hm….. I….a…m……fee…ling…..di..zz ..yyy…….. ( I am feeling dizzy )

This makes Manik attentive towards Abhi’s health.

Ma:- I think we should take him to the hospital as soon as possible.

Agreeing with him, Nandini nods immediately. Manik and some other person who is present there help Abhi to get up.

Manik took Abhi towards his car and made him lie in the back seat. Nandini too runs out of the restaurant. While she was moving out she saw everyone looking in the same direction and laughing seeing something. She shrugged her shoulders because for now, Abhi’s health is important. She settled on the back seat while keeping Abhi’s head on her lap.

Nan:- ( on the verge of crying ) Bhai… Are you alright?

They took him to the nearby hospital and admitted him. In hospital everyone is looking at Manik, seeing so much attention on himself that too on a single day made him suspicious about his look.

Ma:- ( suspiciously ) there is something wrong with me which I have to know???

Throwing his thoughts in the dustbin he concentrated on Abhi’s health. Soon the doctor came out.

Ma:- how is he, Doctor?

Doctor:- hey my child, don’t worry he is alright.

Nan:- But, doctor, what happened to him suddenly?

Doctor:- his blood pressure got low suddenly. Because of that, he fainted on the spot, maybe because of some shock. ( At this statement the love birds look at each other ) But don’t worry he is absolutely fine now. You can take him home back within half an hour. For now, we are giving him saline.

Nan:- thank you, doctor …

Doctor:- ( smiling sweetly ) it’s my duty, my dear.

Ma:- ( rudely ) now, you can leave!! Doctor. 

Nandini nods her head in pure disbelief whereas the doctor has no idea about his possessiveness towards her. Without saying anything she moves inside the ward and Manik too walks behind her but stops hearing the doctor’s next words.

Doctor:- ( smilingly ) NICE OUTFIT GENTLEMAN. 

Manik is all confused not knowing why he is saying this. He gently nods in return and looks towards himself. Before he could notice his towel, Nandini’s voice stopped him. 

Nan:- ( slightly crying ) bhai… Is it painful? ( Touching his hand where the drip is attached )

Abhi:- No… Bacchi ( my child )… It’s nothing.

Nan:- are you telling the truth?

Before Abhi could reply Manik interrupted.

Ma:- why will he lie, Nandini? It’s not about Mukti’s cooking that he has to lie all the time.

Abhi:- ( glaring at him ) Is she asking from you? ( Manik nods his head in NO ) then shuts up ……… Why are you pointing your toothpick like a nose in our matters?

Ma:- ( giving dramatically shocked expressions ) TOOTHPICK …… Then you are like black pepper on my full plate non-veg Biryani.

Abhi:- ( confused ) why only black pepper?

Ma:- because I hate it and I always throw it away every time because it destroys the taste of my favorite biryani. Just like you did it in a restaurant by breaking my romantic movement with my girlfriend.

Abhi:- be in your limits MR. MALHOTRA. Here you are my sister’s boyfriend, not my buddy. And most importantly who romance in front of a girlfriend’s brother. 

Ma:- ( shamelessly ) ME……

Nan:- ( frustrated ) ah ……… Why are you guys fighting here?

Abhi:- ( innocently ) bachhi…. your boyfriend is fighting with me, not me…..

Ma:- ( faking shock ) ha www………

Abhi:- we will continue this later but first, tell me from when all this is going? ( Pointing to the love birds )

Ma:- from when you are planning to have a baby ….. ( Giggles at the end )

Abhi:- ( angrily ) oye………….. ( but suddenly Manik’s towel come into his vision making him hell shock ) AHHHHHHH

Abhi shouts after seeing Manik’s towel. Seeing him shouting, Nandini stood up immediately and held his hand tightly because of fear.

Nan:- Bhai …… What happened? Are you feeling pain somewhere?

Looking in the same direction Abhi rubs his eyes vigorously to make him believe.

Abhi:- yaaa…… I think I need to consult an eye specialist.

Ma:- ( frowned ) why?? Abhi, it’s just that you fainted due to low blood pressure. You don’t meet with an accident so that you lose your eyesight.

Abhi:- ( still looking at Manik who is standing far away from them ) Nandini, trust me ….. I am seeing a white bed sheet instead of any trousers. ( Pointing towards the mirror on which Manik’s reflection is visible ) just look at that.

Nandini and Manik both look in the direction where Abhi pointed.

Ma:- uff…… Abhi, it’s not a bedsheet. It’s a TOWEL. ( giggles ) Don’t you know the difference between a towel and a bedsheet?

Abhi:- I know but, what is this doing here?

Ma:- good question…… ( Realisation hit him hard ) WAIT!!!!!!! WHAT !!!!!! A TOWEL !!!!!!

After witnessing the scene, Nandini couldn’t control her laughter and burst into the loud one. Manik’s expressions are worth watching at this time his body froze at the same position with wide eyes and a slightly open mouth.

Ma:- ( shocked ) HOL… FUC…

Nan:- MANIK!!!

Nandini shouts to stop him from cursing. He looked at her with sweet expressions and cleared himself. 

Ma:- ( innocently ) Nandini,  I was saying…… HAPPY HOLI… what you thought?

Abhi:- ( laughing hard ) And I want to say HAPPY DIWALI because it’s time to burst some crackers. What do you say, Manik? ( After some time ) I love your outfit, Manik. But don’t you think that it’s too revealing for family meetings?

Manik threw a cushion towards his direction which landed directly on his face but it didn’t stop his laughter.

Abhi:- ( still laughing ) Manik, instead of this throw your towel.

Listening to this Manik smirks. 

Ma:- ohh ….. Do you want me to remove my towel in front of your sister? Never mind this is not her first time, right? ( to Nandini ) Sister…..I mean Abhi’s sister.

Nandini widened her eyes seeing him revealing their secrets. Unwantedly her eyes move towards Manik’s towel. Abhi looks at Nandini who is gawking at Manik’s towel. He immediately sits up and palms Nandini’s eyes, making her pout. 

Abhi:- By the way Manik, why will you come to meet us in a towel? Don’t you have enough clothes to wear?

Ma:- I have more clothes than you even imagine. But the question is ( while thinking deeply )

“Who the hell changed my pants??”

To be continued…