5. CHIRPY BIRD…

Navya:- Cabir, leave it. She must be tired because of the hectic day in the office. Just look at her how tired she is looking. Why do you give her so much work to do? She is still a child. 

NAVYA CABIR DHAWAN, Cabir’s wife. 

Hearing her, Nandini makes the fakest tired face and slumped down on the couch showing how much she is tired to gain sympathy from her bhabhi who in return caresses her face lovingly. Whereas Cabir gasped.

Cabir:- are you serious?….. I am tired because of covering her all the mischiefs in the office and you are sympathizing with her. How cruel!….. She makes me run behind her in the office…. 

Nandini:- ( with narrowed eyes ) Bhabhi, he is lying. If I make him run behind me then why didn’t he lose his weight? 

Pihu:- ( supporting her Bui ) point to be noted…… My lord! 

Cabir cries on his fate finding the two devils in his home only. 

Cabir:- ( cries dramatically ) Bhagwan Ji Bhi bahut khush hoge tum dono ko dharti par bhej ke. Unko bhi laga hoga chalo…. Thode time ke liye dono se picha toh chuta. ( god, must be so happy after sending you both on the earth. He must be chilling for some time. ) 

Nandini and Pihu giggle, gaining some harmless curses from him in return. 

Nandini:- I don’t have time for your useless talks, Bhai. I have lots of work to do early in the morning. So, I have to wake early. 

Cabir:- ( surprised ) oh….. You want to wake up early, why? It’s been one year you are working under me but still, you haven’t arrived in the office on time. And now, you have to work early in the morning. Great!…. By the way, what is the work? 

Nandini:- ( pouting cutely ) why would I tell you? 

Cabir:- Nandini, tell me. I am your brother. I have a right to know everything about you. 

Nandini:- still no!….. 

Cabir palmed his face and moved back knowing she won’t tell. She stood up while taking Pihu in her arms and walked into her room to take a peaceful slumber. 

Cabir:- she is becoming naughtier day by day. Don’t know how her husband will handle her. 

Navya:- ( with a bright smile ) note my words, the boy will fall for her this nature and make her his queen. She is naughty but special. 

Cabir nods and takes her in a side hug. 

Navya:- Now, shall I plate your dinner? ( teasingly ) She is home and you can have your dinner without worrying about her. 

Cabir:- don’t tease me, you know I don’t have anything until she comes back in my arms safely. 

Navya:- hmm….. I know that’s why I love you a lot. 

Cabir:- oh really!….. I thought you loved me because I am good in bed. 

Navya blushes and punches his stomach before running into the kitchen to reheat the food for her husband. Cabir bites his lower lip but suddenly feels the soft pair of lips on his cheek which makes him smile. 

Cabir:- why didn’t you sleep yet? 

Nandini:- how can I sleep without wishing my Bhai a good night?………. So, good night brother and I love you a lot. 

Cabir:- good night, Nandini. Sleep well and let us sleep too peacefully. Don’t barge inside our room and ruin our moment just to tell us about your dream man. 

Nandini:- ( with a bad face ) I hate you!….. 

She announced and kissed his cheek again before climbing the stairs to go into her room. 

Nandini:- ( yelled from upstairs ) have food for dinner, not my Bhabhi. She is tired because of your endless love. 

Cabir’s eyes widened hearing his sister. 

Cabir:- SHE IS VERY DANGEROUS MAN……. 

No matter what, he loves Nandini like no one. She is his first and special child. He had nothing when their parents died in an airplane crash except her. She is a constant support for him. She is the one who keeps him sane during a hard time. When a child loses their parents he/she may lose the hope to live but for him, SHE IS HIS HOPE. And she will always be. 

Otherside, Manik is in deep thought. After a long time, he is getting some positive vibes. He is getting some institutions that now everything will go right. And this change is bought by Nandini’s presence, undoubtedly. She has positive vibes that will make everything positive around her and he felt those vibes.

He is smiling continuously, remembering her antiques and grinning like a lover. In a single day, she makes him mad and now god knows how he will spend two years with her. No, he is not complaining, he is just feeling pity for himself. 

This night went smoothly for Manik after such a long time and seeing him happy his parents are also delighted. While Nandini spends her night dreaming about her charming prince, still she is not able to see his face. 

The next day, the sun comes with new hope and with that Nandini also gets up much earlier than her usual timings. She is super excited to pay a visit to Malhotra’s early in the morning with a motive to eat breakfast made by her dear aunty Ritu. 

After getting ready in formal wear she descends the stairs and greets her Bhabhi who got the shock of her life. 

Nandini:- ( cheerfully ) Good morning, bhaiyu ki pataka. ( brother’s item {in a flirting way} ) 

Navya:- ( sternly with red cheeks ) Nandini, language! …….. But one second, ( her eyes widened seeing her awake early in the morning ) Am I dreaming? 

Nandini:- how can I say that? 

Navya:- you get up yourself without showing any tantrums that too at 6 in the morning. This is surely a dream. 

Nandini:- ( rolls her eyes seeing the drama ) nothing new, I told you na….. That I have some work. So, I am going for that. 

Navya:- exactly what is the work that changes you so much in a single day? ( gasped ) ARE YOU IN LOVE? 

Nandini palms her lips hearing her question. 

Nandini:- what are you saying, Bhabhi? HOW CAN I LOVE THAT SHY BOY? NO! NEVER! 

Navya:- ( smirking ) but, I didn’t take any boy’s name. So, there was someone who entered your life. Good! 

Now, Nandini becomes speechless. She is finding a perfect place to hide and not finding anything she exits the house in a nano-second. 

Nandini:- ( while driving ) oh… god! Bhabhi toh james bond nikli. ( oh god! Bhabhi is such a detective ) 

Keeping all the thoughts aside, she focused on her driving and covered the 30 minutes distance in 20 minutes only. She is grinning like a baby when she rings the bell of Manik’s house. 

After 2-3 minutes, the door is opened by Rajesh who trembles in horror seeing Nandini in front of himself early morning and murmurs “ HO GAI MORNING GOOD! “. ( Note the sarcasm ) 

Nandini:- ( with a bad face ) oh fo… uncle, who takes so much time to open the door? 

Rajesh:- ( sarcastically ) Baby, I have legs to walk not wheels that will run at 50 km per hour’s speed. 

Nandini:- ( nonchalantly ) then, buy skates that will help you to run in your oldie age.

Rajesh:- ( while gritting his teeth ) how many times I had to repeat that don’t call me oldie you CRAZY PIECE. 

Nandini:- uff….. You are wasting my time. So, move, I have to meet aunty and good morning to you. 

Without waiting for a reply she directly walks inside the kitchen pushing him to meet her lady love, Ritu aunty. 

Rajesh:- How can I have a good morning when I saw her face early in the morning? Waheguru, meher kari…. ( Waheguru, bless me. ) 

Otherside, Nandini comes into the kitchen and looks at Ritu who is busy knitting the dough. She sings beautifully to gain her attention. 

Nandini:- kya khoob lagti ho… (You’re looking gorgeous)

badi sundar dikhti ho… (you are looking very beautiful)

Tum pyar se pyaari ho… (You’re more adorable than love)

Tum jaan hamari ho… (You’re my life)

Ritu hears her lovely voice and smiles seeing her. She continues the song to cooperate with her. 

Ritu:- phir se kaho… (Say it again, keep saying it)

Kehte raho, acha lagta hai… (It feels very good)

Hearing such lyrics, Nandini giggles and hugs her tightly as if telling her how much she misses her. While the situation is the same on the other side too. Ritu also took her in her motherly arms, passing all the warmth and love. 

Nandini:- haye….. Maine aapko bahut miss kiya. ( I missed you a lot. ) 

Ritu:- ( while raising her one eyebrow ) mujhe or mere hath ke bane hue khane ko? ( me or the food made by me? ) 

Nandini pouts and thinks cutely while keeping a finger on her chin. 

Nandini:- actually, dono ko. ( actually, both ) 

Both giggle at their stupidity while Rajesh witnesses the whole scene and smiles seeing her wife so happy with Nandini’s presence. 

Nandini:- By the way aunty, where is Manik? 

Ritu:- oh… he is sleeping. 

Nandini:- what!….. Sleeping? Who sleeps till 7? 

Ritu:- no, he is an early riser. So, he will wake up soon. 

Nandini:- wait! I will wake him up today. 

Ritu:- ( surprisingly ) You? 

Nandini:- (authoritatively ) yes, me! As I am his assistant so I have to make sure that he will get ready for office on time. Where is his room? 

Ritu points the direction without saying anything and Nandini walks towards the said direction. She barged inside the room without knocking on the door and….. Find him sleeping on the bed royally. His upper body is bare and in a display of her eyes which makes her mouth water whereas the quilt is covering his other half. 

To be continued…