66. MANIK ROCKS…

Manik is standing in front of Abhi and Raman with a determined look, making both father-son shocked. Today he is determined to not bend in front of anyone because he didn’t do anything wrong. He just spends some time with his girlfriend and nothing else. Seeing them like this raj and cabir whisper to each other. 

Raj:- I feel like my garden becomes a courtroom where Manik is termed as accused and Raman and Abhi are the lawyers of the opposition party. 

Ca:- don’t worry uncle, I am here for Manik’s support. 

Raj:- ( with fake tears ) you will take my Manik’s case in your hand? You are a true friend, cabir. 

Ca:- No…. No…… I am here only for moral support or for doing Manik’s last-minute first-aid. ( with horror on his face ) My respected father and elder brother kick me out of the house if I stand by Manik. 

Listening to this raj hit his head making him wince. 

Raj:- such a coward Murthy!!

They come out from their courtroom hearing Abhi’s stupid question. 

Abhi:- ( angrily ) How can you have a shower with my sister, alone? 

Ma:- ( sarcastically ) what do you mean by alone? Should I take the whole younger clan with us for a shower? ( possessively ) and let them have a view that is reserved for me to see………. Not possible! 

Abhi:- ( hesitantly  ) no… I mean…. You and Nandini, alone.

Ma:- ( fake shock ) who said that me and Nandini were alone there? 

Ca:- ( with wide eyes ) hey….. Don’t include me in your shower. I swear Abhi Bhai…. I went there when everything was sorted. He was in a towel and a separate towel was wrapped around Nandini’s shoulder. That’s it!!

Raj:- ( to Manik ) what do you mean by you are not alone there? 

Ma:- I mean…. Water is there na….with us, between us, over us……….. ( after realizing something and says with a mischievous glint ) ohh sorry…….. Sorry…. Not between us because I didn’t leave a space for water to flow from between us.  

He said all this in the most sensuous tone making Raman’s heart skip a beat. He sits down on the floor with a thud while looking at Manik with horror. 

Raj:- ( fake grumpy face ) aw……. POOR WATER………

Ma:- ( while biting his lips ) by the way uncle, I have wanted to ask this for so long but now I got the right chance to ask…….. How did you guys create such a PATAKA ( cracker or atom bomb)?

All become confused after listening to his question. 

Ca:- ( confusingly ) Manik, I think you don’t know my father is a businessman. He is not a scientist who will create or test any bombs. 

Ma:- ( with lip tight smile ) I AM TALKING ABOUT “MY” NANDINI. 

Listening to all this Abhi places one hand on his heart and caresses it to soothe the pain which is caused by Manik’s shameless talks. whereas Raman looks at him with horror and holds his spinning head. Whereas Raj and cabir laugh wholeheartedly. 

Raj:- ohoh….. So my daughter-in-law is a pataka? 

Ma:- ( with a smirk ) not just a pataka…. She is complete dynamite. 

Listening to this Abhi is on the verge of getting a minor heart attack. His eyes roll back and lean back on the cabir. All this is so new for him. This man is shamelessly flirting in front of his father. 

Ca:- ( saying dramatically while looking at his brother ) aw… Bhai, is it painful? Should I call the ambulance? I must say you have a very weak heart. 

But Raj interrupts them with a proud grin. 

Raj:- cabir, no need to call anyone.

Ca:- why, uncle? Are you afraid of hospital bills? Then let me tell you Nandini is a practicing cardiologist so she will treat Bhai free of cost. 

Raj:- no I didn’t mean this…… listen to me first. 

Ca:- ok….. Shoot!

Raj:- ( proudly ) since when we got to know about Manik and Nandini. Anyone from us is landing in a hospital or getting fainted. So to avoid such emergencies I purchased an ambulance for our personal use. 

Everyone looks at him with a gasp with the same thought that “He can’t be serious! Or he?”. Manik is the first one who comes out from this revelation. 

Ma:- Dad, you guys are landing up in the hospital now and then not because of me and Nandini. It is not our fault.

Raj:- ( with a bad face ) in all this you got only that line. 

Manik simply shrugged his shoulders whereas cabir gave him the worst suggestion. 

Ca:- uncle, why don’t you open your own hospital in the backyard? That would be the safest. 

Raj:- ( while giving him a sad look )first, I thought this only. But…. I know that nyo will not get ready for this. 

From Cabir’s everyone expected the shit only but raj comes out as a surprise package. Seeing all the drama Abhi frustratingly pulls his hair. 

Ram:- ( with a pale face ) I knew that cabir is not my son because he has not a single quality that matches mine. And today he proved that. Raj, why don’t you adopt him? 

Raj:- I would love it too. But why? 

Ram:- ( while glaring cabir ) Because he is stupid as you are….. ( looks at Manik with narrowed eyes ) and you Malhotra…. you can’t do all this mature stuff with my daughter. She is too small for all this.

Ma:- ( sarcastically ) if she is still a kid. Then, why don’t you admit her to kindergarten school?

Listening to this Raman and Abhi become quiet whereas Cabir and Raj hide their giggles.

Abhi:- ( dejectedly ) dad, now why are we discussing this? Jo hona tha woh toh ho gaya na… ( what was meant to happen has happened. )

Ca:- ( while encircling his one arm around Abhi’s shoulder ) that’s like my brother. We can’t change the past but we can make plans for the future. Right? 

Ram:- what plans?

Ca:- ( excitedly ) arey….. Start preparing to welcome the small baby. 

Raj looks at him with happy tears in his eyes whereas Raman raises his hand to slap him but at the correct time cabir bends down and the slap landed on Abhi’s left shoulder making him stumble. 

Abhi:- Dad, why me? 

Ram:- sorry Abhi…. I didn’t mean to hit you. 

Ca:- but you did!!!

Both the Murthy’s shout at the same time. 

Ram + Abhi:- shut up, cabir. 

Cabir pouts sadly and keeps his finger on his lips. He giggles, gaining others’ attention. 

Ram:- ( to cabir ) why are you giggling? 

Ca:- ( innocently ) why are you guys reacting like this? They just had a shower nothing else. You guys are reacting like they celebrated their first night before their wedding. I will even encourage Nandini to have all these showers with him often. 

All become stunned listening to his words except Manik whose cheeks turned red because of shyness. Seeing Manik’s conditions, he teases him more. 

Ca:- ( mischievously ) at least don’t be shy like this on your wedding night in front of my sister or else she has to wait for more to become yours completely. 

Ma:- ( with wide eyes ) no….. I will not be shy that day because I can’t wait for more to make her mine completely. 

The other men are looking at them with a gasp. 

Raj:- Are they discussing Manik’s wedding night in front of their dads? 

Abhi:- you can’t aspect something good from them or you? 

Ram:- ( with a bad face, to Abhi ) more than Manik we have to keep Nandini away from cabir. He is the one who is spoiling my innocent daughter after Manik. 

Manik and cabir both pouted cutely hearing his accusations. But they get interrupted by Nandini who calls them for coffee. Listening to her voice, Manik is the one who runs behind her with a grin.

Raman too runs behind him as fast as he could because now he can’t leave his daughter with him for a second. Unfortunately, he got late because Manik grabbed the seat beside Nandini and now is smirking looking at him. 

All get settled in a circle and Navya passes the coffee cups to everyone with some snacks. They all were chatting and sharing a family moment except Abhi and Raman who are digging holes in Manik.

As soon as Manik takes a sip of his coffee he moans while closing his eyes, making everyone smile at his childishness. 

Ma:- mmm……. Wah! Kya coffee hai….. ( wow, what a coffee!!! ) 

Nandini smiles looking at him while tilting her head back towards him. Manik looks at her with different emotions and he blurts out something which snatches the floor from everyone’s feet. 

Ma:- I LOVE YOU, NANDINI

Raman looks at him with a wide-open mouth while his eyeballs are ready to dance on the floor after coming out. Whereas Raj spits out the coffee as soon as Manik’s words hit his eardrums.

Alya is having happy tears because she wanted this to happen for so long. She is crying in happiness because her mission was successful. She finally finds out the real equation between Manik and Nandini. 

To be continued…