18. NEW FEATURE

On the breakfast table, as usual, Nandini is sitting with Manik, making him squeal in happiness. He started loving her more whenever she stayed near him. The feeling of contentment is rising in his heart seeing her happy and joyous self but there is one person who is not happy with her presence i.e. Rajesh. 

Rajesh:- ( Eyeing Nandini ) What are you doing here?

Nandini:- ( casually ) Breakfast! Can’t you see? 

Rajesh palmed his face while Manik giggled earning a glare from his father. Nowadays Nandini has become so comfortable in this house that it feels like her own home. 

Rajesh:- but why? 

Nandini:- ( with a lip-tight smile ) Generally, people eat to quench their hunger but in my case, I eat to satisfy my baby stomach. 

Saying this she points at her cute small tummy who is peeping out from her t-shirt. 

Rajesh:- ( with a bad face ) Lessen your food intake or else your stomach will come out like a pregnant lady. 

Nandini shrugs her shoulders while Manik braces himself to hear her strong comeback with a murmur “Aab toh Papa gaye…”. ( Now, dad is gone! )

Nandini:- I don’t mind being pregnant without marriage. ( To Manik ) Do you mind, Manik having a kid with me without wedlock? ( to Rajesh ) And I think you don’t even mind having a grandkid at the age of having a great grandkid? 

As soon as her words fall in Manik’s ears, he chokes while having his orange juice. Here he is dreaming about falling in love with her and she is dreaming about making kids with him. Is she not fast-forward? 

Otherside, Rajesh chokes on water and looks at her with astonishment. 

Rajesh:- Nandini, you are not a simple girl. Do you know that? 

Nandini:- ( proudly ) Yaa, I know that. Bhai also says the same thing every day. 

Rajesh:- ( dramatically ) Your Bhai is such a generous man, Nandini. He has been bearing you since birth and is still alive then he should get an award for his marvelous achievement. 

Nandini:- I know that! 

Getting a straightforward answer from her, Rajesh kept quiet and focused on his breakfast whereas Manik’s cheeks were red with Nandini’s pregnancy statement. 

After the amazing breakfast with Nandini’s jokes, everyone stood up to go to their respective offices. Manik and Nandini are standing outside his house for the last 15 minutes because Nandini’s scooter didn’t want to move from its place. 

Manik:- ( tiredly ) Nandini, I think we should go by bus. 

Nandini:- ( cutely ) But that bus driver won’t allow my scooter on his bus. 

Manik gasped hearing her and banged his head on the door. 

Manik:- Nandini, WE means you and me. 

Nandini:- ( emotionally ) Shy boy, how can you forget about my SPOUSE? 

Manik:- ( confusingly ) Spouse? 

Nandini:- ( pointing at her scooter ) Yes My spouse, My scooter! I can’t go anywhere leaving him here. 

She caresses the headlight of her scooter lovingly and places a kiss on top of it because It’s her father’s last token of love which she loves more than anything. Whereas Manik palms his face and shoots daggers at her. At the same time, he is loving her cute-cute pout and her cute voice whenever she talks with her scooter. But for now, he has to focus on their work. 

Manik:- ( irritatingly ) Nandini, Do you take this scooter with you to the washroom too? 

Nandini:- What type of a question is this, Manik? 

Manik released his breath hearing her but the next second he realized that he is the stupid one here who dared to ask this question. 

Nandini:- ( dramatically ) Of course! I would love to go to the washroom on my scooter but… ( accusingly ) But stairs won’t allow me to do that. Is this not a violation of my Freedom? 

Manik:- ( gasped ) From where does this freedom come in between? 

Nandini:- ( innocently ) From my social studies book of 6th standard. 

Manik looks at her with a horrified expression and asks the most important question from the Almighty, “Haye bhagwaan aapne isko kya khake banaya tha?” ( The almighty, How did you create her? ) 

Suddenly the clouds thunder as if God is saying not to blame him for creating this lost creature. He did his best but she comes out a little crack then it is not his fault, is there? 

Manik understood the reason behind the thunder and apologized before turning towards Nandini who was looking at him like a curious child. 

Manik:- Nandini, your scooter is not starting. So what are we supposed to do? 

Nandini:- What do you mean by “What are we supposed to do”? We have to rush to a garage for treatment. 

Manik hides his giggles seeing the urgency in her voice for her scooter and takes a deep breath and moves her aside. 

Manik:- let me see what the problem is.

Nandini:- How can you treat my lover boy? You are not a mechanic. 

Manik:- I know! but don’t you know my dad also has a similar scooter? So I know little about it. 

Nandini nods and Manik starts his inspection. After a minute he looks at her and glares at her with anger. Seeing his red eyes for the first time she took a back but as usual, she is not scared of his anger. 

Nandini:- Hey shy boy! Don’t try to scare me because this anger won’t suit you. 

Manik:- ( sarcastically ) Yaa!… and you know BRAIN didn’t suit you. 

Nandini gasped hearing his words and punched him, earning a loud painful squeal from him. 

Manik:- ouch!… MY FIERCE GIRL. 

Nandini:- shut up shy boy! Now tell me why were you glaring at me? 

Manik:- ( crossed his hands around his chest ) Nandini, we need some fuel to make this scooter run on roads. Unfortunately, these vehicles won’t run on water. 

Nandini bites her lower lip as she understands the problem. She forgot to go to a petrol pump to refill her fuel tank. 

Nandini:- Oh… I am sorry! 

Manik:- ( with a lip-tight smile ) Yup! You should be. ( after a pause ) Now, what should we do?

Nandini pouts cutely and looks around for some solution because she can’t leave her scooter like that. Suddenly her eyes landed on something which made her smirk, making Manik scared.  

Nandini:- ( excitedly ) I have a plan. 

Manik immediately moves back and creates a distance between themselves. He is well aware of her stupid plans which always land him in hell.

Nandini:- Shy boy, Why are you scared? 

Manik:- so, What should I do? You and your plans are dangerous for my health. 

Nandini:- but today, you don’t have to do anything. 

Manik relaxes a little bit and looks at Nandini who is grinning like a toddler. Soon she shifts her gaze to the other side and Manik follows her eyes only to end up shouting on top of his tone. 

Manik:- NO!… NO!… NO!… 

Nandini:- ( innocently ) YES!… YES!… YES!… 

Manik:- ( scaredly ) No!… 

Nandini:- Shy boy, nothing will happen. We will just take out a little fuel from your father’s scooter. Uncle won’t even get to know it. 

Manik:- No…. no….. Nandini, dad will kill us. He loves his scooter as much as you do. 

Nandini:- Shy boy, Are you with me or not? 

Manik denied it without thinking for a second, making her huff in annoyance. She bobbed her head and expertly stole the fuel from Rajesh’s scooter. He looks at her with wide eyes seeing her working like an expert. 

Nandini:- ( happily ) Let’s go. 

Manik:- ( shockingly ) Did you have a diploma in stealing? 

Nandini grinned hearing his question and replied huskily, snatching his breath. 

Nandini:- Yup!… I always steal some and other things from my brother. That’s why I am an expert in such things. 

Manik:- But what is the need for that? Won’t your brother fulfill your demand if you ask for it? 

Nandini:- ( innocently ) He will, but I love to trouble him.

Manik palmed his face and sat behind her on the scooter without uttering a word as he needed time to gulp her one more FEATURE. 

After what felt like an eternity they reached the mall and saw the place where Manik frowned. 

Manik:- What are we doing here? 

Nandini:- ( worriedly ) Oh shit! I should take you to the hospital first before coming here. 

Manik:- Hospital, Why? 

Nandini:- ( sarcastically ) Because you just had a short-term memory loss. 

Manik scoffs angrily and turns his head, making her giggle at his antics. 

Nandini:- Didn’t I inform you that we have to buy an outfit for your concert? That’s why we come here. Now, let’s go. 

Manik nods with a grumpy face and follows her. His mind blew away as soon as he looked at the mall and a thought crossed his mind about the money. He is a middle-class boy, he doesn’t have enough money to shop in this luxurious mall. So, how can he pay for his clothes? After a lot of discussions and thought he concluded that he will buy the cheapest clothes from here.

To be continued…