81. MOTHER-SON

Ram:- you did your best, Manik. No one can protect her the way you did and I must say no one can love her the way you did.

Manik looks at him with astonishment because he is praising him in Nandini’s matter. Whereas Raj’s state is also the same as his. He pinches himself to believe all this.

Raj:- ( eyeing Raman with due respect ) Is he my Raman?

Ca:- ( nods his head in disbelief ) No….. he is not my dad! ( dramatically ) He or praising Manik!……. Will not happen in this birth.

Ram:- ( rolls his eyes in annoyance ) so, should I take another birth to praise him ( eyeing Manik )?

Ma:- ( hiding his smile ) best option!

Abhi:- I think this is the after-effects of the kiss.

Raj:- ( curiously ) but a kiss happened between Manik and Nandini’s lips…….. Where does he come in between?

Nyonika cubs her head frustratingly hearing her husband whereas something struck in Raman’s mind that’s why he speaks gaining everyone’s attention, stopping their judgemental thoughts.

Ram:- ( tiredly ) for your information Manik, it will be good if you keep your lips away from my daughter’s lips………

Hearing him, Nandini looks at her dad with wide eyes when the realization hits her hard that they openly displaced their love in a very wrong way. But to her dismay, her boyfriend replies in an attitude making her tomato red.

Ma:- see, father in law, My lips are my lips none of your lips.

Nan:- ( while blushing like a newly married bride ) Ayyappa……….. Please give him a brain. He didn’t know what he was saying and what was he supposed to say? ( to Manik ) Manik, you can’t say that in front of my dad.

Ma:- ( nods his head obediently ) oh!….. That means I can’t say that but I can do that in front of him? So, come……

Saying this he tries to cup her cheeks but Nandini moves back immediately like a scared kitten making him chuckle at her acts.

Seeing his flirting in public, Raj’s jaw dropped down while his eyes came out from its socket. He praised himself for producing such a brave product. He whispers to Nyonika, emotionally.

Raj:- today, my parents would be so proud of my creation. No?

Nyonika rolls her eyes at her husband’s self-obsession nature and focuses on Manik who is in full form.

Ma:- ( to Raman ) it’s the matter of mine and Nandini’s lips. So, keep your advice to yourself because I don’t need it.

Raman flared his nose in anger and replied.

Ram:- advise my foot!………the lips which you are claiming are made by me!

Ma:- huh?

Ram:- ( while gritting his teeth ) I mean…… your girlfriend is my daughter, my production!! I worked so hard for her, day and night. So with this, I had all the right to stop you from kissing her as she is my product.

Ish:- ( sarcastically ) you worked hard, so what was I doing? Having coffee in Starbucks!

Nan:- ( shockingly ) what is happening here? Why are my lips is the topic for the discussion?

Ram:- ( cribs like a kid ) ask your boyfriend….. He started it.

Nan:- ( worriedly ) dad, are you ok?

Ram:- ( confusingly ) yaa….. Why are you asking?

Nan:- because you are behaving weirdly.

Raj:- what is in him to behave weirdly? HE IS BORN WEIRD!

Ram:- ( restored back ) and HE IS BORN FOOL!

Nyo:- ( irritatingly ) guys…. Please stop! Let’s focus on this newfound love story.

Ish:- yaa…. We have lots to ask.

Nyo:- my dear son, are you ready?

Ma:- for what?

Manik asks confusingly whereas Nandini knows the answer that’s why she swiftly moves away from him.

Nyo:- ( with a lip tight smile ) you will know that soon.

Saying this she bent down and removed her sandal. Seeing her actions Manik ran away before his mother could catch him.

Ma:- ( scaredly ) Mumma, you are the world’s best mother then why are you doing this?

Nyo:- ( while running behind him with her sandal, angrily ) no…… I don’t wanna be the world’s best mother.

She runs behind him but it’s not easy to catch THE MANIK MALHOTRA. The mother-son show is ongoing whereas everyone is enjoying it except Nandini who is in tension for her boyfriend. Nyonika throws both sandals while aiming them at him but she fails miserably because Manik douched them effortlessly.

Ma:- ( while huffing because of continuous running ) mom, let’s sit and talk like two mature people.

Nyo:- ( angrily ) no, I want to converse like a son and mother. Today, I will not leave you. How…….. How can you hide such a big thing from me?

Ma:- ( crying dramatically ) please somebody help me!………….

Listening to him, Nandini tries to save her boyfriend but within seconds moves back scaredly hearing Nyonika.

Nyo:- no, if anyone comes between us then I will take his/her class first.

Seeing their condition Raj decided to help them.

Raj:- Nyo, leave him. You can’t catch him.

Nyo:- ( while gritting her teeth ) no, today I won’t stop until I teach him a lesson for keeping his relationship secret.

Ma:- ( innocently ) but Mumma, I learned how painful the situation goes when you hide something from your mother.

Nyo:- Manik comes here…….

She calls him who is hiding behind the couch and huffing badly because of continuous running.

Ma:- ( pinching her throat ) I promise mom, I won’t hide anything from you. Leave me for one last time……

Nyo:- you won’t come like that, right? Wait!

Saying this, she walks towards Nandini and grips her hands softly but acts like she is dragging her.

Nyo:- ( whispers in Nandini’s ears ) shout in pain…….

Nan:- huh?

Nyo:- ( again whispered ) do as I say or else I will take your class first.

Nandini starts doing as per her instructions or I would say doing overacting.

Nan:- ah…… Nyo maa, where are you taking me?

Nyo:- ( dramatically ) you need a punishment too.

Ma:- ( shockingly ) what!!!!!

He immediately runs towards his mother and stops her from taking Nandini anywhere.

Ma:- mom, there is no fault of her in all this. It’s me who decided to keep our relationship secret.

A smile broke on Nyonika’s lips seeing how much he cares for Nandini. The owner of the two companies comes under her fake act so easily only because of Nandini. This shows his love and cares for her.

Not wanting to spoil all this, she pulls his ear, making him yell.

Ma:- ouch!…… Mumma…….. I love you yr…….

Nyo:- don’t butter me!………and I will not leave you so easily because you snatched my right!

Ma:- ( while hissing in pain ) ahh…… what right?

Nyonika leaves his ear and says emotionally.

Nyo:- you snatched my most important right!……. You know in serials the boy whenever falls in love and has confusion in realizing then he comes to his mother. And his mother beautifully defined the feeling of true love until the boy understands his feelings. But you…… ( accusingly ) but you snatched that right from me. You know I already wrote the speech for that day but you….. You spoil everything.

Everyone is seeing her like an alien. Because she created all this drama only for that. Manik is still in a daze because he ran around the whole living area and got all the beating sessions FOR THIS!!! But one thing is clear that HIS FAMILY IS A RARE PIECE IN THE MARKET.

Nan:- aww…… don’t worry Nyo maa, I will hear your speech someday.

Nandini tries to bring a smile on her Nyo maa’s face and it works too but the next second she winces in pain because her mother pulled her ear.

Ish:- when Manik got the punishment on his part then, why are you an exception in it?

Nan:- ahh…… maa…….. It’s hurting…… dad!…….

When Ishita didn’t leave her after all her struggles, her ultimate rescuer was her dad. Raman quickly releases her from Ishita’s clutches and rubs her ear to soothe her pain.

Ram:- Ishu…… it must be painful for my baby.

Everyone rolls their eyes on the possessive father whereas Manik looks at his dad with the same expectations but his dad makes a bad face while murmuring.

Raj:- KHOTYA!!!! ( stupid )

Ram:- and by the way, why are you punishing her? Manik said na…. That it was his decision to hide about their relationship. And the most important thing, she didn’t commit a crime by falling in love.

Ma:- ( with wide eyes ) oh……. Look! Who is saying this!

Ram:- ( glaring Manik ) but she chooses the wrong guy!

Hearing this, Manik sharpens his eyes on him but for the first time his girlfriend comes in between for his rescue.

Nan:- Dad, you can’t say that to Manik. ( smiling like a fool and making everyone smile too on their love ) He is the gem of a person ( teasingly ) and a little crack too but I will manage.

Ma:- ( sternly ) NANDINI!………

Nyo:- dare you, shout at my bahu ( daughter-in-law ). I will make you homeless if you ever try to scare her.

Manik dumbfoundedly looks at his mother who is caressing Nandini’s hair lovingly.

Ma:- mom, you can’t ditch me like that for your daughter-in-law. I am your son…… your manu…..

Nyonika ignores him royally and walks inside to do her work which was left because of the drama. Everyone too dispersed leaving Manik who is grumpy.

Nan:- ( in sugar-coated words ) Mr. Malhotra, our fathers knew about us already? May I know how that happened?

The realization hit him hard, making his eyes go wide and the fear is visible in his eyes.