22. MUCH NEEDED TALK

After the mini revelation both the best friends are together in Raj’s bedroom. But the scene is as usual. 

Raj is sitting on the bed comfortably and munching chips while watching some action movie. But he is not able to see the movie properly because Raman is moving to and fro in front of the TV, disturbing him now and then making him crunch his nose in irritation. 

Raj:- ( irritatingly ) yr… Let me watch. After that, you can walk as much as you want.

Ram:- Seriously, here I am in tension because Nandini’s life is in danger and you want to watch a movie.

Raj:- there is nothing new in that you are always in tension. Take a chill pill, dude. ( Offering chips to him ) eat this you will feel good.

Without saying anything to him Raman furiously moves towards him and snatches the tv remote from his hold and switches it off. 

Raj:- arey… The movie is going to end in 10 minutes. Can’t you wait for more than 10 min?

Ram:- ( angrily ) Here, my life becomes a drama in real and you want to watch a movie.

Raj:- ( offering him his wafers ) take it you will feel good after eating this.

Raj’s actions make him more furious. He snatched the wafers from his hold and threw them on the floor. Seeing the wafers on the floor, Raj shouts.

Raj:- ayeeee……. If you don’t want to eat then simply say NO. Why did you throw my wafers? Don’t you know SWACHH BHARAT ABHIYAN? Go and pick that up and throw it in the dustbin.

Ram:- I will definitely throw it but before that, I would like to throw you in the garbage bin. Only then INDIA WILL BECOME, CLEAN INDIA NEW INDIA.

Raj:- ( politely ) sit Bhai.

Raman sits beside him tiredly.

Raj:- Now tell me what happened? Don’t you want Manik and Nandini together?

Ram:- ( while palming his face ) don’t know yr. Half part of me is happy for them but another half is not. I don’t know what happened to me. 

Raj:- tell me clearly what is running in your mind. I know you more than you know yourself. So, spill the beans. 

Ram:- The best friend in me is all happy and excited after knowing that my girl chose a perfect man for herself. I have known Manik from his childhood, he is perfect in everything. He loves his family, friends and is possessive yet protective for them too. He is a dream man that any father wants for his daughter. I know he will keep my daughter happy………………. But the father inside me is all confused. I am really tense about my daughter. It’s a fact right. The girl to whom I brought my home in my arms, my cute little doll, is now so grown that I have to let her go to someone else’s home.

Raj:- hey…… she is not going to someone else’s house. She will come to her own home.

Ram:- ( smiles ) I know that you love her as your daughter. But the father inside me is not at peace.

Raj:- ( keep his hand on his shoulder ) I can understand your feeling brother because I am a father too of a girl. I know that we are tensed about our daughter’s future as compared to our sons. Because as time passes they become our mother from our daughter. They care for us, love us as well as scold us too. But this is life. I understand that now. When Alya came to me and said that she loves Dhruv and wants to marry him. Trust me, at that time my situation was the same as yours. But with the passing time, I understood that her happiness lies in Dhruv.  So, if she is happy with him then I am happy too for her. ( squeezing his shoulder while giving him much-needed strength ) Take your time Raman, I am with you. I know that the father inside us is never at peace. I am still tensed about Alya, how she will cope up with all the responsibilities but I know that I am always there for her whenever she wants me. I am still standing behind her so that whenever she falls back I will hold her and push her forward with more strength. But the only difference is that I have one helping hand more and that’s Dhruv. 

Ram:- you are right, I need time to accept all this and I am ready for this.

Raj:- That’s like my old man.   

Ram:- ( smiles brightly ) I LOVE YOU …

Raj:- ( crunch his nose ) chiiii….. Yuck…….. ( Pushed him ) go away and bring one new wafers packet for me with your money.

Ram:- why me ??

Raj:- ( with narrowed eyes ) because you spoiled my wafers. Now go and bring my lovely chips. Nahi toh paap chadega tujhe do premiyo ko juda kiya hai tune. ( or else I will curse you because you separated two lovers ) You don’t know how many utensils I washed to get this one packet from Nyonika.

Ram:- what ?? Do Premi ( two lovers ) …. Seriously. 

And again this led to another round of bickering. 

At night in MALHOTRA’S MANSION

Everyone is in their rooms spending some alone time. Manik is too in his room and seeing his or his lady love pics. Trying to find a perfect pic to upload on his social handle. After finding a perfect pic in which Nandini’s face is not visible. He uploaded it on his Insta account with a sweet caption.

Manik Malhotra I want you

                             I want us

              I want it all ❤️ with you only you

#myladylove #blessed #onlymine.

Giving his fans a sleepless night he dialed his lady love’s number. After 2-3 rings she picked up his call.

Nan:- ( tiredly ) hello.

Manik who is too excited and happy to have a love-filled conversation with her but frowned listening to her tired voice.

Ma:- ( worried ) Nandini, what happened? Are you fine?

Nan:- hmmm, I am fine.

Ma:- shut up, tell me what happened? You are sounding dull. You again strained yourself with extra work in the hospital? Don’t you?

Nan:- mani don’t say anything to my hospital. I didn’t do anything extra. It’s just that I am on my months. That’s why I get tired easily. 

Ma:- ( while realizing his breath) ohh… I got scared. Are you fine? Is it painful?

Nan:- ( smiles on his caring nature ) no, the pain is neutral. You tell me why you called me?

Ma:- Ave hi… ( for time passing ) 

Nan:- what Ave hi? ( what, time passing? )

Ma:- ( mischievously )  Arey, I called you because I want to hear your sweet child-like voice.

Nan:- ( narrowed eyes ) My voice is not child-like. Ok……. It’s your misconception dude. 

Ma:- No, trust me your voice always sounds like a child.

Nan:- ( unknowingly ) arey, only you said that whenever I moaned your name it aroused you more. So if I sound like a child then how do you always get aroused?

Ma:- ( teasingly ) oh yeah right. There is a point. ( Nandini raises her imaginary collars and pats her back proudly ) but Nandini what do I do that makes you moan my name? 

Nan:- ( unknowingly ) arey, you always romance with me naa that makes me weak every time. Due to our intimacy a moan escaped from my m…o…u…..th. (realized everything whatever she said and gasped but it’s too late now  ) SHIT…….

Listening to “shit” Manik gets to know that she realized whatever she said. Nandini cursed himself to be so dumb.

Nan:- ( crying voice ) ayyappa ….. I came into his trap again. Why does this always happen to me?  Now, he will tease me more. Why I am this dumb?

Manik hears her talk with her Ayiaapaa, laughingly and comes back to earth when she calls herself dumb.

Ma:- ( threatening ) hey, don’t call my love, dumb. She is not dumb. She is just too innocent for this evil world. 

Nandini smiles but her smile fades away in seconds because she heard his laughter again from the other side. She scrunched her nose in irritation.

Nan :- ( irritated ) mani….. Please stop.

But there was no end to his laughter which increased her irritation more, I.

Nan:- Manik Malhotra if you don’t close your laughter club in 10 Seconds then I will cut the call at another second.

Hearing her threat he controls himself badly but the smile is constant on his lips.

Ma:- acha, sorry.

Nan:- hmm good boy.

Ma:- ( changing the topic ) Nandini should I come there?

Nan:- ( confused ) why?

Ma:- arey, I know that at this time you need someone beside you always. You won’t tell anyone but you would be in pain. So can I come there?

Nan:- No, don’t worry. Maa is going to be beside me tonight.

Ma:- ohh so aunty is going to sleep with you.

Nan:- yes. Ok, bye Manik. Maa can come anytime.

Ma:- ok, bye. But listen if you need anything so tell me. I will bring it for you. ok?

Nan:- ( smiles ) ok, bye…… love you.

Saying this she immediately cuts the call and blushes on their sweet, cute yet romantic conversation.

Here, Manik too smiles brightly at his love and mumbled ” idiot ” while cutting the call.

Ma:- ( lovingly ) love you too. I can’t go to her home tonight. ( Become sad but immediately his face lights up like a 440-volt bulb ) but I can go home tomorrow morning. Her family always gets up early. Yes, so miss love, I am coming to your home in the early morning to take you in my arms and be ready. 

After doing much-needed preparations for tomorrow he lay down on his bed happily and sleep took him to his lady’s land.

To be continued…