46. JAGUAR!

Manik walks towards the door not before intervening his hand with hers’. Nandini is an integral part of his life and would always stay his priority no matter what. And the same goes with the other side too. They both are so happy and content with their life that they don’t want anyone else besides each other. They can conquer any battle if they are together and time will test that soon. 

Manik opens the main door and the thing which is standing in front of his eyes just makes him speechless. He didn’t find any words to show his pleasure or displeasure. His eyes automatically came out from its sockets witnessing the scene and a loud gasp left his mouth with a name. 

Manik:- CABIR!!!………… 

Cabir:- ( with a grin ) hello………. ( stretching the O ) my friend. 

Nandini palmed her face because Manik didn’t notice the thing which she wanted him to notice. While on the other side, the small bickering session of two lost friends come enemies started. 

Manik:- what are you doing here? And who gave you the address of my home? 

Cabir:- ( with a devil-like smirk ) aww, your idea of spending some quality time with your newly wedded wife spoiled? If yes, then I am very happy. 

Manik:- shut up, you idiot. Tell me what are you doing here and who called you here? 

Before Cabir could say anything Nandini replies with an irritated look. 

Nandini:- Manik I called him here but ( pointing at Cabir ) you were not supposed to notice him. Look at his back. 

Manik frowned and turned Cabir to face his back earning a laugh from everyone except Nandini. 

Nandini:- ( frustratingly ) Manik……….. Looking at his back means looking at the thing which is standing at his back. 

Manik makes an “oh” face and murmurs a small apology to her before turning around to look at the thing. His breath hitched as soon as his eyes fell on the newly branded car which is parked in his front yard in its royal white color. 

Manik:- ( being excited like a kid ) NEW LAUNCHED!…… THE LATEST JAGUAR! ARE YOU FREAKING REAL, CABIR? 

Nandini who smiled wholeheartedly seeing Manik’s expressions a moment back made a poker face hearing his words. 

Nandini:- Cabir, seriously!……. From where did Cabir come in between? 

Manik:- what…… What do you mean by that Nandini? Cabir bought this car and he never mentioned it to me ever. ( to Cabir ) This is not right, yaar. ( Brother ) 

Listening to the over-excited kid, everyone laughs out loud except Nandini who marches towards Manik and punches his heart lightly over his blazer with some harmless curses. 

Nandini:- stupid…… ( a punch ) moron…….. ( another punch ) donkey…….. ( one more punch ) idiot………. ( another punch ) THIS IS YOUR CAR, MR. MALHOTRA. YOUR WEDDING GIFT FROM YOUR ONE AND ONLY WIFE. 

Manik took almost 5 minutes to process her words which seemed impossible to him. 

Manik:- ( stammers ) y……you bought…… th…..this for me…… as my wedding gift? 

Nandini:- ( sarcastically ) finally you got it right, husband. 

Manik:- ( freaked out ) Are you mad, Nandini? Who bought such an expensive wedding gift? And from where did you get finance? ( after a second ) No…… no….. Did you spend your whole savings and earnings on this car? 

Nandini:- ( confidently ) No….. a big no! I didn’t spend on this car. I SPEND ON YOU INSTEAD. 

Manik:- both are the same, Nandini. 

Navya interrupts them with a disbelieving look and says. 

Navya:- you guys will continue. I need to feed Kaira. So, I am going inside. ( to Cabir ) Cabir, come with me. They need some privacy. 

Cabir:- ( with a pout ) but I am enjoying this live wrestling match. 

Navya didn’t melt and dragged him inside giving the much-needed privacy to the couple. 

Nandini:- ( calmly ) Manik, you also bought this house. Can I ask why? And please tell the truth. 

Manik:- because you wished to have a small house of OURS’,…………….SMALL WORLD OF OURS’. You never asked anything from me but as a husband, I have a responsibility of fulfilling your every wish before you could give words to it. 

Nandini:- Husband and wife’s relationship are two ways Manik. If you are planning a surprise for me to make me feel special then, I also had a right to make you feel special. If you are fulfilling my every wish before I could place it in front of you. So, didn’t I have the right to do the same for you? 

Manik didn’t say anything and just locked his eyes with hers’ which is holding so much love for him. He wants to sink in that, he wants to name those feelings which he gets whenever she is around but alas there are no such words in the dictionary that reflect his love for her. 

Getting no reply from him, Nandini continues. 

Nandini:- yes, I never asked anything from you not because I didn’t want anything. But because you always fulfilled my wishes before I could put that in words. You gave me everything I wanted. 

Manik:- but Nandini, you emptied your savings on this car just for me! 

Nandini:- Manik, it’s a gift and when your wife gives you something then you should never bring money in between. By the way, for whom do you earn? 

Manik:- ( without a second delay making her smile ) OBVIOUSLY FOR YOU! 

Nandini:- and I EARN FOR YOU! SO, WHY COULDN’T I SPEND MONEY TO FULFILL MY HUSBAND’S DREAM? ( cupping his cheeks ) And you also spend everything on this house for us. Didn’t you? ( Manik avoid looking into her eyes which answered her question ) Before you get some stupid thing in your brain let me clear it first, this car is not a payback for what you did for me. I booked it two months ago and it was delivered yesterday to your apartment but you suddenly brought me here, so I called Cabir and instructed him to bring this car here. 

Manik hummed and his eyes teared up with so much love. He cupped her both cheeks and placed his lips on her forehead, stealing a kiss. This kiss holds the unsaid love confession. 

After a kiss, Nandini made a bad face remembering something, making him confused. 

Nandini:- ( with a bad face ) I thought that you would dance seeing your favorite car in front of yourself but you spoiled everything. ( cribbed ) You spoiled my surprise, Manik…….. 

Manik goes all aww on her cute expressions and immediately squeals like a teenager seeing the car.

Manik:- oh….. My…… god!……. The new jaguar…….. My favorite car!…….. Thank you……. Thank you…….. Thank you……. So much Nandini. You are such a good wife. I love you….. I love you……. 

Nandini:- ( cutting him in mid ) stop…… stop it. You don’t have to show fake excitement. I got it that you like the gift. It’s enough! 

Manik:- ( pulled her towards himself with a sudden move and turned around pushing her against the car making her giggle ) I agreed that the excitement was fake…. It’s acting but……. ( huskily ) but the I LOVE YOU was real and genuine. It comes out from the bottom of my heart. 

Nandini:- I know! 

Both looked into each others’ eyes before bursting out in a peal of laughter seeing their behavior. Soon Manik’s laughing mood changed into the romantic one seeing the posture of his laughing wife. 

Like an expert, he opened the back door of his new car and pushed her inside in a second. Before Nandini could realize anything she was under her husband’s hold and the door was locked from inside. 

Nandini:- ( gasped ) Manik, what are you doing? 

Manik:- I am going to worship my newly wedded wife in my newly purchased car. Sounds romantic, right! 

Nandini widens her eyes and tries to push him back which is impossible for a woman like her.  

Nandini:- Manik, we are getting late. Don’t forget that we have to go to the office. Everyone must be waiting for us. 

Manik:- I know but a little romance won’t hurt, right? 

He replied to his own question by not giving enough time to his wife. 

Manik:- ( in Nandini’s tone ) right husband. 

And before Nandini could do anything her’ lips were already quarreling with Manik’s lips for an entry. They felt energetic as soon as their lips met. The need of tasting each others’ saliva triggered them and the kiss turned more passionate. No one is ready to break the kiss as both of them are enjoying the fullest. 

Manik urges more of her that’s why he cups her both cheeks and sucks her upper lips after taking a small pause. Nandini’s hands went up which untied his tie and opened the topmost buttons of his shirt raising his collars. Now her hands had good access to his bare collar bone. 

Both of them are on the verge of losing themselves in the effect of love but the mighty Cabir is against that. Their retrieve breaks when Cabir knocks on their window pulling them back on the earth. 

Cabir:- ( with a teasing smile ) Manikkkkkkkk, my best friend. Are you there? You need anything which starts from the capital letter C. 

Manik:- ( groaned ) CABIR………..  

To be continued…