46. FUTURE PLANS!

Cabir is sitting beside Navya and having his meal which he bought for her. He is endorsed in thinking about the words which Manik spoke to him. 

Navya is giving him murderous looks because he is eating himself instead of making her eat.

Ram:- ( in disbelief ) As expected!!! 

Nav:- huh!!! 

Ram:- instead of making you eat, your boyfriend is enjoying his own meal. Is this not expected? 

Navya makes puppy faces. 

Nav:- I am hungry …… 

Ram:- don’t worry I bought food for you. I will make you eat. Your boyfriend is useless. 

Nav:- ( wide eyes ) YOU!!!…… I mean u..nc…le….

Ram:- hey!! Don’t call me uncle. I am a few years older than your boyfriend. ( Navya gives him a look ) Call me dad. You are like a daughter to me. So, can’t I feed my daughter?  

Navya nods her head with tears feeling blessed to have them as her family. 

Cabir is unknown to all this. He is still busy thinking about Manik’s words. He repeats his words while looking at Navya in a daze. 

Ca:- We need to understand each other because we have to spend the rest of our life together. Don’t worry, I will always help you to wipe your LIPSTICK.

These are the exact words that Manik said to him. Now, he said the same lines to Navya whereas she blushed after listening to him.

Nav:- ( blushingly ) isshhhh…… Cabir. 

Hearing her, Cabir comes out from his zone and looks at her with confusion. He doesn’t know why she is blushing. 

Ca:- what? Why are you blushing? 

Nav:- ( frowned ) What you said a few minutes back? 

Raman feels shy. He smiled and bit his lower lip to stop his giggles. He feels like he is intruding on the couple’s romance. He stood up to go but stopped hearing Cabir’s next words. 

Ca:- oh…. That…. Woh… Manik said this to….

Before he could complete his statement. Navya assumed some shit in her mind and spoke with a horrified face. On the other hand, Manik’s name is enough to get all the attention of Raman. 

Nav:- Manik said this to you. But, when did you apply lipstick that he wanted to remove? ( Face palming ) Why do you always do stuff like this? Why don’t you…

Ca:- Navya…Navya …… calm down. Manik said this to Nandini. And I am thinking why he said this. Maybe he is concerned for her. 

Ram:- what!!! 

His eyes come out from the sockets hearing that Manik wants to wipe his daughter’s lipstick. He got the real intentions of Manik behind his words.  

Ca:- what? What happened, dad? 

Without replying, Raman ran from there to find Manik. He is burning in rage. His condition is not less than a chicken who is on the tandoor. He found him sitting with Raj and laughing.

Ram:- ( angrily ) MANIK MALHOTRA

Ma:- ( in his all-time attitude )  ya… it’s me. 

Raj giggles seeing the attitude war between the father and son-in-law. 

Ram:- what did you say to my daughter? 

Ma:- ( confusingly ) I told her many things. But exactly what are you talking about? Our wedding night plan, our honeymoon destination, or about our se…

Raman gasped hearing his future planning whereas Raj is shocked too but he is also proud of his son. 

Raj:- you are truly a businessman. A businessman always thinks about the near future. ( Excitedly ) By the way, where are you planning to go for your honeymoon?

Ma:- ( acting like thinking ) it depends on Nandini’s choice. But I want to go where no one will disturb OUR TIME. 

He said while emphasizing the word OUR TIME giving naughty ideas to Raj. Before Raj could give some nasty reply and make Raman angrier, he spoke. 

Ram:- ( frustratingly ) you told my daughter that *you want to remove her LIPSTICK*. 

Ma:- ufff…… my future father in law don’t you know that half information is always harmful. ( whispers like he is telling some secret ) I said that I will wipe her LIPSTICK with my LIPS. Hope you will get that.

He giggles seeing Raman’s expressions which are worth watching. He loves to tease him just like his father. 

Raman is standing there with a wide-open mouth. His eyes are telling of his vulnerability. He closed his eyes frustratingly and saw the glimpse of Manik wiping Nandini’s LIPSTICK with his own lips. This scene is enough to make him sweat like hell. 

Whereas Raj is as cool as ice with this. He also joins the same queue of teasing Raman. 

Raj:- ( proudly ) don’t know about him… but I got your intentions. ( Squealing like a girl )  How romantic!!! 

Ma:- I am your son, dad.  Don’t you know, Romance runs in MALHOTRA’S veins. 

Raj nods while making a cute pout just to irritate his best friend. 

Same side Raman is burning in anger. He stomped his foot in frustration like her daughter and went away while muttering some curses to father and son. 

As soon as he went, both father and son duo burst into laughter. They laugh till their stomach hurts. 

Raj:- the way he is burning in anger I think soon he will turn into ashes….trust me. 

Ma:- ( laughing ) I know! 

Everyone gathered in the living room after completing all the rituals. They all are chatting and relaxing their muscles. Nandini is sitting under the supervision of her father. He is not letting her go away from his sight even for a second. 

Ma:- umm….. Nandini, why don’t you stay here tonight? 

Raman gives him a sharp look. Seeing his glares, Manik rectifies his statement.

Ma:- I mean, why don’t you all stay here tonight? It’s too late now. 

Aly:- ( excited ) yup!!…… Good idea bro. 

Dhruv and Cabir frowned. 

Dhr:- ( whisper to cabir ) don’t you see today he is giving extra attention to Nandini. 

Ca:- yes….but why?

Both give suspicious looks to Manik, making him sweat but he immediately covers it. 

Ma:- Cabir…. Mere veere ( my brother )…. I am saying to all of you to stay because I want to spend some time with you. It’s been ages since we had some boy’s night out. 

Abhi:- why are you referring a boy only to cabir? 

Ca:- maybe he didn’t consider you as a boy? 

Muk:- ( glaring Cabir ) What do you mean, cabir? 

Before Abhimanyu or Mukti killed him, he ran away like a maniac. 

Here, Raman exactly knows why Manik told them to stay here. Before he could reject his idea or flop his plan Ishita declared that they are staying here. Now, he can’t do anything because it’s the lord governor’s order. Suddenly an idea came across his mind. He smirked while looking at Manik. 

Ram:- ( thought ) ohh my poor boy, you want to spend time with cabir na…. Then I will make sure that you spend your whole night with Cabir in a single room. But before that, I have to do one more work. 

His face is glowing in happiness. He kept his chin between his hands and smiled brightly. 

Seeing his unusual smile Raj got some hint about his plan. Don’t forget that they are the best of friends, they don’t need words to know about each other’s thoughts. 

Raj:- ( mummers ) tonight is gonna be a very tough and rough night for my son. God gave him the strength to handle this Pyaar ka Dushman.

Everyone dispersed here and there to make arrangements for their sleep. Nandini wants to spend some time with Manik. That’s why she asked him to stay but before she could say anything, Aryaman came forward. 

Arya:- um… Nandini can we walk …. Actually I want to have a few words with you. 

Ma:- ( possessively ) And why do you think that she will come with you? 

Arya:- I asked her, Mr. Malhotra. 

Ma:- and I am also answering from her side MR. KHURANA. she will not go anywhere with you. 

Arya:- who are you to say anything on her behalf? 

Ma:- you already got your answer Aryaman. Don’t you? 

Manik came closer to him and said with murderous looks. 

Ma:- don’t you dare to come near her. Get one thing in your mind that “SHE IS NOT YOURS”. 

Arya:- Not even yours. Don’t treat her like your personal property. 

Ma:- ( smudge smile ) definitely she is not my property. She means more than that mere property to me. 

Nandini separates both of them and looks at Manik with warning eyes. Her glares are enough to make him quiet. 

Manik moves back after seeing Nandini’s expressions which saying **don’t fight please**. 

Nan:- Aryaman, you can say whatever you want to say.

Arya:- But, Nandini, I want to talk alone. 

Nan:- HE IS NOT AN OUTSIDER, Aryaman. He is my family. But if you still want to talk alone then I am ready. 

Saying this, Nandini looks at Manik who gives her an understanding nod. Then he bends down towards her ear and whispers “meet me on the terrace. I want to spend time with you”. Saying this he left from there giving privacy to Nandini. 

This is the quality which she likes about him. He is hell possessive for her but still gives her much-needed privacy whenever she wants. 

In garden 

Arya:- Nandini, I know that you don’t have any feelings for me nor do I want to force you to accept me. But trust me I love you a lot. 

Nan:- Aryaman……..I….

Arya:- shhh…… don’t say anything. I understand, I know no one can forget your love just in a day or two. But trust me I will try to move on from you. I will try…… ( hesitantly ) can I ask something from you? 

Nandini nods because she can’t deny anyone about anything. 

Arya:- can we become friends again? As we were before the alliance. 

Nandini smiles listening to the hesitating tone. 

Nan:- Are you nervous, Mr? 

Aryaman looks down in embarrassment. 

Nan:- By the way, there is a condition to become my friend. Do you know? 

Arya:- ( smilingly ) yup!! One choco chip ice cream cup for Murthy’s princess. Right? 

Nan:- ( babyish tone ) yesh……so..where is my ice cream?

Arya:- ( laughing )  on the way….

To be continued…