56. NAUGHTY MALHOTRA’S

Nandini is standing in front of manik shielding him and nervously looking at her dad.

Nan :- dad, there is no mistake of manik. I am the one who took him out because……

Atlast she stammered because she can’t lie to her father and she couldn’t tell the truth also. Seeing her in delimaa manik took the charge to handle the situation.

Ma :- because i want to ride the bike…ugh… i mean she wants to ride the bike.

Ram :- ( cupping nandini face ) my snow-white ( nandini giggles on her new nick name ) i am not angry at you because you go out. I am just upset because you didn’t inform me that you are going out. I got worried for your security. I can’t handle a single scratch on you, you know that right?  What if anything happened to you? 

Nandini looked down guiltily. But how can her father let her guilt ridden. 

Ram :- but i am happy that you took manik with you. At Least i am a little relaxed about your safety. ( looking at manik ) I know he will not let anything happen to you. I trust him with you.

Nan :- ( looking at Manik with a genuine smile ) i also trust him with myself.

Manik bites his lips trying to stop his blush seeing her confessing indirectly “ HIS POSITION IN HER LIFE “. Raj and Raman smile seeing the madly in love couple’s understanding and their stand for each other. 

Among everyone alya is the happiest soul. Her hope for seeing them together is showing positive results. 

Nan :- dad, i am sorry for scaring you. I promise that I will not repeat this ever again.

Raman nods simply and changes his expressions from sweet father to hitler one. He wraps his hands around his chest and sternly looks at nandini. 

Here Raj becomes depressed. Seeing him like that manik asks.

Ma :- ( audible to raj only ) what happened?

Raj :- ( in a sad tone ) mine all the preparations went in drain. How much time I spend arranging first-aid kit and turmeric milk for you. Now, it’s not needed.

Manik looks at his dad sternly.

Ma :- you are sure that you are my father. I mean I am your biological son not an adopted one. right?

Raj :- ( proudly ) yup!! You are my own blood.

Ma :- thank you for telling me this because sometimes i really doubt that.

Ram :- ( in a cold tone, to nandini ) I think it’s time that you answer some of my questions. 

Understanding what the questions are going to be, Abhimanyu joins his father and stands beside Raman in the same manner. 

Nandini nods in a gesture to ask.

Ram :- WHO TAUGHT YOU TO RIDE BIKE?

Hearing this question, Ishita banged her head on the near wall.

Ish :- ( angrily ) in this situation instead of asking from where she is coming you are asking who taught her to drive this stupid bike? You are impossible raman. 

Muk :- mom, you can’t expect anything great from them in nandini’s matter.

Ignoring all of them abhi says sternly, following his father’s footsteps.

Abhi :- nandini, dad is asking something.

Ram :- I want the truth MISS.NANDINI MURTHY.

Manik is also waiting anxiously for her reply because he is also curious to know who taught her this. As far as he knows murthy’s are overprotective regarding nandini.

Whereas nandini is avoiding looking at her father. She is finding an excuse to run away but it’s not possible now.

Ram :- I am waiting for your answer nandini. 

Suddenly his gaze shifted from nandini to manik. He looked at him accusingly. Seeing his accusing look, manik moved back and raised his both hands to surrender himself.

Ma :- hey…… I know I am the reason behind all the mischiefs and pranks but this time there is no involvement of mine. I am purely innocent in this matter.

Ram :- how can i believe in this. 

Raj :- ( sarcastically ) blood test karwale……( do his blood test )

Raman glared at him for being sarcastic in this situation and moved towards Manik and held his collar angrily just to instigate nandini. He understood that when it comes to manik, nandini always comes in between for his rescue. And the same happened.

Nandini again comes between them and separates manik from raman’s hold. She hides her man again behind her back. 

Nan :- dad, he is telling the truth.

Ram :- then, who is the one?

Nan :- ( while playing with her fingers innocently ) i can’t say. I promised him that I won’t tell anyone that CABIR BHAI TAUGHT ME TO RIDE THE BIKE. i am sorry. 

She gasped and covered her mouth with her hand when she realised that she just blurted out the truth.

She looks at raman only to find him smirking. She pouts sadly and looks at him with moist eyes.

Nan :- dad, this is cheating. You took advantage of my innocence.

Everyone giggles on her cute complaining tone.

Ram :- ohh…. Really?  But my innocent daughter, I learnt this from you only.

Nan :- ( cutely ) dad, my dear dad….. You will not say anything to bhai….na?

Ram :- no…no..no… don’t try to save that traitor.

Ma :- ( whispers to raj ) dad, don’t worry your hard work won’t go in vain. I think now, the cabir will need turmeric milk and a first-aid box. 

Raj smiles knowing that his hard work won’t go in vain. He thanked god for letting him see this day.

Ram :- ( asks from manik ) where is cabir? Manik. He is sleeping with you na…. Tonight.

Manik opened his mouth to reply but words stuck in his throat when realisation hit him. Till now he has forgotten about cabir. He smiles nervously and looks at Raman who is waiting for his answer. 

Ma :- WHO CABIR? 

Abhi :- ( sarcastically ) unfortunately we have only one person around ourselves named cabir.

Ma :- oh…. Cabir…. MY CABIR……… MY BEST FRIEND…….

Ram :- ( sternly because he is angry at cabir ) yes…. Where is he?

Nan :- ( confusingly ) bhai is not there in his room when i went in his room ( pointing at manik ) to wake him up.

Manik thanks Nandini in his mind because she unknowingly gave him the idea to get out from further interrogations.

Ma :- oh….ya. When i slept he was there beside me but when nandini came there he was not there so i thought that he must be in the kitchen.

Nan :- why kitchen? 

Ma :- ( gritted teeth ) why not kitchen!! Everyone knows him and his love for the kitchen.

Ram :- ( while rubbing his forehead in tension ) he is not in the home. We checked every hook and crook. Then, where did he go?

Everyone becomes tensed about cabir. Manik feels guilty seeing them all tense about the cabir who is present in the house only.

Ma :- abhi, you checked your phone? Maybe he left a text saying where he is.

Abhimanyu, navya both check their phones but there is no text from cabir. Manik also checks his phone and calls raman to get his attention.

Ma :- oh… he sent a message to me saying that he is out for some work. Will be back tomorrow morning. 

Ram :- what work?

Manik shrugged his shoulders and signed in relief because there is no such message from cabir. He lied to everyone only to remove everyone’s tension.

Nyo :- everyone go to your beds. It’s too late now. We have to attend a sangeet tomorrow.

Nandini turns back secretly and holds her right ear and mumbled a cute sorry to manik for putting him in trouble. Manik blinks his eyes in assurance as if saying it’s not needed and smiles.

Everyone starts moving towards the house and manik tries very hard to run away from raman’s eyes but it’s not possible. Raman grips manik’s left hand tightly stopping him. Manik closes his eyes in fear.

Ram :- ( to abhi ) you go… I want to discuss something with manik.

Raj :- ( to raman ) i will also accompany you because somewhere i have an idea what you want to discuss.

Giggling on Manik’s state, Abhi took everyone inside the house.

Ram :- now tell me…. Where are you guys coming from?

Ma :- sorry…. It’s kinda personal. I can’t tell you. 

Raj :- so what? I am also your very PERSONAL FATHER. You can tell me.

Ma :- personal father, seriously!!

Ram :- hey… stupid father and his most stupid son. Don’t change the topic. ( to manik ) tell me everything you have nandini’s swear.

And here raman plays his master stroke. Manik signed tirelessly. He can’t run away from this question anymore.

Ma :- we went to fulfil nandini’s one more wish from her bucket list.

Hearing this, both the best friends got very worried for nandini because it’s the universal fact that NANDINI’S WISHES ARE DANGEROUS MORE THAN HER. 

Raj :- is she fine? Should I call a doctor?

Ram :- no.. no… instead of calling the doctor. We should take her to the hospital. 

They move towards the home worriedly.

Ma :- oh… father and father in law. Your daughter is perfectly fine. You should be worried for me because she took me there without my consent.

Ram :- ( turning towards him and asking genuinely ) are you alright?

Manik nods without any words. Whereas Raj walks towards him and kisses his forehead lovingly. 

Raj :- fine?

Ma :- don’t worry i am perfect. How can I get hurt when your daughter in law is there to hold me.

Ram :- ( narrowed eyes ) i think you guys are talking about my daughter.

Raj :- ( with attitude ) NO… WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MRS. NANDINI MANIK MALHOTRA. Any problem? 

Ignoring both of them, manik walks towards home but stops hearing Raman’s next question. He turns around facing him. 

Ram :- ( nervously ) is there anything which is important for me to know?

Manik nods in denial and walks. After walking 2-4 steps he stops abruptly and smirks mischievously. He turns and faces them with a cute poker face. 

Ma :- ya… there is one thing which I want to tell you. I AM SORRY…

Ram :- ( scaredly, because he is getting all the negative vibes ) SORRY!! FOR WHAT? 

Ma :- I…I… FORGOT TO USE CONDOM….SO …… 

Saying this he runs away from there at jet speed leaving Raman in confusion.

It took Raman a few seconds to analyse his words. And when he understood, his mouth got open and only two words came out from her mouth.

YEAH!!! OH!!! 

To be continued…