5. HAPPY ENDING?

Ma:- Nandini, you know whenever I miss you I come here to see your one glimpse in these stars. Don’t know how all these years I spent without you. My love for you is still increasing day by day. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. ( complaining cutely ) Why did you leave me alone? You don’t love me na??? You get bored with me, right? 

A girl came there wearing a blue kurta set. She too sat beside him and kept her head on his shoulder. 

Ma:- why did you come here, SHIVI? 

Shi:- why can’t I come here, dad? 

SHIVI TANEJA, ADITYA’S GIRLFRIEND. SOON GOING TO BE JUNIOR MRS. MALHOTRA. LOVES ADI THE MOST AND TREATS HIS FAMILY AS HER OWN. STAY WITH MALHOTRA SO THAT SHE CAN TAKE CARE OF HER EXTENDED FAMILY IN THE ABSENCE OF ADITYA. VERY CLOSE TO MANIK BECAUSE OF THEIR BUSINESS INTEREST. HELPS MANIK IN HANDLING MALHOTRA INDUSTRY. 

Ma:- ( sulking like a kid ) what are you doing here? Go down and wait for your boyfriend. Don’t you want to welcome him?

Shi:- ( with a smirk ) are you jealous of your own son? 

Ma:- ( covering his emotions immediately ) No….. why will I get jealous of that stupid? 

Shi:- ok, then let’s go. We all will welcome him. 

Ma:- No, I don’t want to go down. 

Shi:- why??? 

” Because he is angry with me ” came a lady’s voice from their back. Hearing her Shivi giggles and Manik turns his face showing his anger. 

Shivi surrenders and stands up to leave while saying. 

Shi:- I am going down. You guys sort out your problem by yourself. Bye!!! Mom, ( giggles ) handle your angry husband. 

Ma:- ( with a cute angry pout ) I am no one for her. She loves her son the most. ( turning towards the lady ) Why did you come here? MRS. NANDINI MALHOTRA.

Shivi immediately leaves the terrace giving privacy to the husband-wife. 

Nan:- uff Manik ….. Till when you stay angry with me? 

Ma:- until you manofy me. 

Nan:- ( with raised eyebrows ) ohh……so, you want me to manofy you?

Ma:- you have no choice. 

Nandini comes and settles down on his lap whereas Manik wraps his both hands around her waist to pull her closer. She pulls his cheek whereas he is sitting with a grumpy face.

Nan:- Are you complaining about me to the stars? 

Ma:- so, what am I supposed to do? You forget that you have one husband also. From the morning you don’t even spare a single glance at me. You don’t even give me my kiss. The kiss is still pending from the morning. I felt ignored. 

Nan:- I am busy with my work hubby. Today Adi is coming back after so long.  So, I am way too excited to see my son. I had no intention to neglect you, trust me. 

Ma:- ( stubbornly ) I understand but still, you ignored me the whole day. 

Nandini chuckles at her husband’s kiddish behavior who can do anything for her attention and apologizes cutely. 

Nan:- sorry na baby. 

Ma:- sorry won’t work but a kiss can do. 

Nandini nods her head in disbelief hearing his demand. But their moment breaks by the sound of a doorbell. 

Hearing the doorbell Nandini gets down from Manik’s lap and runs to see her son who is back home after completing his duty, leaving her sulking husband behind. 

All this happened so suddenly that Manik didn’t get the idea. He yelled at his wife seeing her retreating figure. 

Ma:- hey…… you again ignored me, Mrs. Malhotra! 

Nevertheless, he knows that she has no intention to ignore him. She is quite over-excited to meet her son after 6 months. But still, the possessive husband inside him is not happy with this fact. He also walks down to meet his son. No matter how their equation is but the fact is he loves Adi a lot not more than Nandini but still. 

He descends the stairs and witnesses the very cute scene. His wife is shedding tears while hugging her son who is also hiding in her arms just like a kid. He noticed one more thing: his son is looking super dashing in uniform. 

Nandini breaks the hug and moves aside after kissing Adi’s forehead. 

Nan:- I am proud of you, son. 

She moves back to making a way for Shivi. 

As soon as Adi’s eyes land on Shivi, he engulfs her in a tight bone-crushing hug. Manik smiles seeing the two lovebirds and goes into memory lane. 

Manik is waiting for Nandini at the railway station. It’s been one year since their wedding but still, they spend only 2 months with each other. That’s why he is so desperate to meet her or to hide her in his embrace. His eyes are roaming in every direction for Nandini who is taking a test of his patience level. 

Suddenly his world stops when his eyes land on the petite figure who is none other than HIS NANDINI. His legs freeze in their place seeing her in front of his eyes. 

Nandini’s condition is also the same as his. She left all her luggage on the floor and ran towards him for a hug. Manik opens his arms to feel her close to himself and engulfed her in his embrace. Both of them are feeling content god knows after how long. 

Their hold on each other is tightening after every passing second. No one is ready to break the hug.

But Manik separates and cups her cheeks while placing numerous kisses all over her face. Nandini giggles whereas the crowd goes all aww on the cute couple. 

Adi:- dad……… 

Manik comes out from his memory lane after hearing Adi’s voice. He looks at his son who is not a kid anymore. He took him in a fatherly hug while a tear slipped down from his eyes. 

Ma:- ( in Adi’s ear ) how are you, Adi? 

Adi nods and snuggles more in his father’s warmth. Both are exactly the same in expressing their emotional state. They love each other but never confess in words. Their bickering and small fights are constant. That’s why Adi changes the mood.

Adi:- you are squeezing me, dad. Leave me!!!! 

Manik leaves him in the next second with a glare. 

Adi:- ( wincing in fake pain ) dad, did you forget that I am your son, not your wife? You can’t hug me like that. At least leave me for Shivi. 

Manik shoots glares at him whereas Shivi blushes. 

Nan:- don’t start now! ( to Adi ) Adi, go and get fresh then come for lunch. I prepared all your favorite dishes. 

Adi:- ( with a mischievous eye ) what!…. You prepared all my favorite dishes that means you love me the most, right? 

Before anyone could say something Manik shouted. 

“NO”…….. 

Ma:- ( while gritting his teeth ) she is my wife so flirts with your Shivi. 

Saying this he pushes Shivi in his arms who holds her immediately. Whereas Shivi is giving competition to the tomatoes. 

The mother-son giggles seeing the awakened possessive husband. 

Soon all dispersed to do their work and after the delicious lunch or spending the much-needed family time everyone retired to their rooms. Shivi and Adi are in a single room whereas Manik and Nandini are in their room. 

As soon as they enter Manik cages Nandini in his hold while wrapping his hands around her waist. 

Ma:- Now, can I have my wife all for myself? 

Nan:- Now, Nandini Malhotra is all yours Mr. Malhotra. 

Listening to her, Manik signs tiredly and tightens his hold around her waist. Whereas Nandini raises herself a little and tilts her face to capture his lips with hers. 

Seeing her approaching, he closes his eyes to feel the moment. While Nandini stiffens her giggles and moves back. 

Not feeling her lips for quite a long time, Manik opens his eyes to see his wife standing in his arms with a teasing smirk. 

Ma:- teasing me, haa? Wait!!

This time he cups her both cheeks and captures her lips for a slow kiss. Their lips are moving perfectly. Both of them are busy tasting each other’s lips.

After realizing each other for more than a minute or two they broke apart and joined their foreheads with close eyes. 

Ma:- I missed this….. 

Nandini smiles brightly. 

“I LOVE YOU, MR. MALHOTRA”

“I KNOW MRS. MALHOTRA!! AND I LOVE YOU TOO” 

Both confess their love once again and MANIK pulls her in his arms while NANDINI keeps her head on his heart while wrapping her arms around his shoulder. 

*** THE END ***