4. LEAP!?

ON A RANDOM DAY,

Both Manik and Adi are at Malhotra industries i.e Manik’s office. Today Adi took leave from his school by doing a drama of having a stomach ache because he is having a maths test and he doesn’t want to attend that. 

Currently, Adi is sitting on the couch in his father’s cabin and eating his favorite snacks. Whereas Manik is continuously shooting glares at him for making him fool by doing drama in the morning. 

Ma:- let your mom come, I will complain to her about your this act. 

Adi:- ok, then I will also tell mom that last Saturday you also took off from the office only because you wanted to sleep. 

Manik looks at him with a gasp. 

Ma:- Are you blackmailing your father? 

Adi:- ( while smirking ) any doubt, father? 

With this, there starts a running game where Adi is saving himself from getting caught whereas Manik is trying hard to catch his notorious kid.

Ma:- ( with a bad face ) you are becoming naughtier day by day.  

Adi:- ( mischievously ) I can’t do anything about this because it’s your sperm’s mistake. 

Listening to this Manik’s eyes come out from its socket and his ears start erupting steam. He is angry and moreover scared from Nandini’s reaction.

Ma:- ( angrily ) who taught you all this? 

“Who will teach him all this except you? You are the one who is spoiling my innocent boy.” 

The voice came from behind and Manik’s eyes went wide seeing Nandini standing there with her REVOLVER.

Ma:- ( scaredly ) I didn’t do it.

Nandini walks forward and asks with a raised eyebrow. 

“Really, husband?” 

Manik nods while sweating like hell. 

Ma:- may be….. By the way, you will shoot me only for this reason? 

Nandini comes and stands in front of him, making him move backward in fear. She points her gun on his forehead with dangerous eyes. 

“So, what are you expecting from me?”

Listening to Nandini’s stern and angry tone, Manik joins his hands and starts ranting SORRY…….SORRY……SORRY…..  

Adi looks at him confusingly.

Adi:- dad, ( shaking him to bring him out from his land ) it’s ok I forgive you. By the way, why are you apologizing to me? 

With Adi’s voice, he comes out from his dream and looks around to find Nandini. Seeing her nowhere he sighs in relief. 

Ma:- thank god, it was a dream! Huff. 

Adi:- what dream?

Before Manik could say anything, the cabin’s door burst open and a man walked inside while yelling.  

The man:- hello…… boyfriend!!

Hearing his voice the father-son duo palms their ears to save themselves from becoming deaf and nods their head in disbelief. 

Ma:- when will he learn some basic manners? 

Adi:- NEVER ……. He doesn’t have a dictionary that contains words related to manners. 

Ma:- true….. 

Adi:- I will give him the new dictionary on his coming birthday. 

Ma:- ( appreciating his son thought ) good idea!! ( to the man ) what are you doing here, Cabir? 

The person is none other than CABIR DHAWAN. Malhotra’s family friend, their well-wisher, and a headache for Manik.

Cabir turns around and frowns seeing Adi there. 

Ca:- ( while looking at the junior Malhotra ) what is this POGO doing here?   

Ma:- ( getting offended ) hey, don’t call my son POGO you ……

He thinks of a name to give him but his son ditches him. 

Adi:- ( angrily ) YOU….CARTOON NETWORK…..

Ma:- Adi…………. it’s bad manners to say something behind someone’s back. Come here and say it on his face. 

Both Manik and Adi yelled together.  

” How are you, Cartoon network? ” 

Cabir made a very bad face and sat on the chair opposite of them. 

Ca:- oh pogo tv, What are you doing here? Don’t you have school today? Don’t you want to study and be a businessman like me? 

Adi:- ( mischievously ) if an educated person behaves like you then I don’t want to study, simple!

This makes Manik laugh so hard that he almost falls from his chair. The look on Cabir’s face is worth watching. He is not able to believe that this small child who is smaller than pogo tv just insulted him on his face. 

Ca:- ( to Manik ) don’t you know that this type of cracker is bad for our environment. Then why did you produce this product? He is dangerous!!!…… man. 

Manik gives him a non-interested look. 

Adi:- and one more thing I don’t want to be a businessman like my dad. I want to join the military just like my mom. I want to be like her. 

Ca:- ( getting serious ) Manik, what is he saying? You let him go in this field. 

Ma:- ( with a frown ) what is wrong with that?

Ca:- Manik it’s too risky. Don’t you know? Why are you not understanding? He is your only son.  

Ma:- so? Many families happily send their only sons to the army to serve our nation. Then why not me? If everyone starts thinking like this. Then who will protect our motherland? It’s the new generation and it’s the correct time to change our orthodox thinking. I won’t stop him from doing what he wants to do. It’s his life, his decision, his choice.

Adi:- yes, it’s my life, my rule, and my dream. 

Ma:- ( while chuckling ) and Cabir, don’t be a coward. Don’t you know that he is the son of THE FEARLESS NANDINI? 

Ca:- ok, but think once again because you know how risky this field is? What if Nandini never returns this time.

Ma:- ( angrily ) CABIR!!!!! JUST SHUT UP. Nothing would happen to MY NANDINI….. SHE WILL COME BACK IN MY ARMS LIKE EVERY TIME. 

AFTER 15 YEARS. 

Manik is sitting on Terrence and looking at the stars. His most favorite view after Nandini’s face. He is remembering all the years which he spent staying away from her. He still remembers all his cries in front of Nandini’s picture whenever he misses her. His love for her is still the same, he is also the same MAJNU MANIK MALHOTRA FOR HIS WIFE. HE IS STILL HEAD OVER HEELS FOR HIS WIFE  but they are not the same anymore. HE IS ANGRY WITH HIS WIFE FOR LEAVING HIM ALONE. 

He is still a child from the heart with responsibilities. His equation with his son is still the same, overall he is the same as before except for his appearance which is aging with passing time. 

He is lost in his land while gazing at the stars which are shining brightly in the dark sky just like his personal star i.e. NANDINI. Who brightens his dark life like a bulb. 

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? 

To be continued…