10. MANAN

Nandini is still in Manik’s arms. He is not letting her go away from him. He has a fear that if he leaves her then his family will harm her which he never wanted. His arms are tightly wrapped around her shoulder and upper back.

Nandini :- ( still being in his arms ) Manik, leave me. I have to clean the room too for our stay. Just look around how dirty it is. 

Manik :- why do you have to do this now?

Nandini :- Manik, I can’t sleep in this mess. 

Manik :- uff ….. ok, my cleaning machine. First I will order food for us then I will help you. 

Nandini :- ( with narrowing eyes ) no way….. I know how you will help me. 

Saying this she struggles to come out from his hold which is next to impossible. 

Manik :- why are you wasting your energy in this when you clearly know that I will not leave you.

Nandini :- I didn’t even want you to leave me. But for now let me do some work. 

Manik :- ( after thinking a lot ) ok….. but not before you give me my energy dose. 

Nandini knows that he is talking about kisses. 

Nandini :- oh….god Manik…..you are too much. I am not giving you anything. 

Manik :- ( trying to act strict ) Nandini, don’t forget the rules.

Nandini :- Manik…. If you won’t leave me right now then forget about your night kisses too. And don’t forget who’s the boss here? 

Hearing this, Manik immediately left her and seeing this nandini laughed. 

Manik :- ( pouting sadly ) you are very bad.

Nandini giggles and pecks his lips. Getting what he wanted his lips stretched into a beautiful smile. 

Nandini :- Now go and order something. I am starving. 

Manik :- what do you want to eat? 

Nandini :- anything….. but something healthy because navya needs a healthy diet. 

Manik nods and goes towards the gallery to order something for themselves. Here, Nandini tied her hair in a messy bun and started removing the white cloth from everything. But the wall behind the bed caught her attention. She walks towards the wall and pulls the cloth only to gasp seeing the view.

There is a big portrait of her in which she is smiling like a fool. She is shocked to react.

Soon manik comes inside after placing the order and looks at her lost somewhere. Understanding the thing he walks and takes her in a back hug. Feeling him, Nandini too leans on his chest. Seeing this manik smile and smell her fragrance. 

Exactly knowing what is running in her mind he starts saying. 

Manik :- don’t look at my girl like that. How can you even think that I will live here without seeing her for damn 8 months?

Nandini :- But manik, what is the need for this? We always have a talk on a video call, right?

Manik :- ( like a small kid ) yup! But what about my eyes which want to see you 24×7. 

Saying this he muggles in her neck like a child making her giggle. Nodding her head in disbelief she comes out from his hold and turns towards him. 

Nandini :- Now go and bring a broom, I need to sweep the floor. There is dust all around. 

Manik :- ( pouting like a kid ) is it necessary? 

Nandini :- ( sternly ) go…. 

Having no other option he left to find a broom because he had no idea about it. Till then Nandini changed the bedsheet and did a little bit of dusting so that they could sleep peacefully.

Finally Manik enters inside with a winning look because it’s difficult for him to find the broomstick but he did it. Seeing him Nandini claps only to motivate him. 

Nandini :- Now, give this to me and sit on the bed. I will do it quickly. 

Manik :- no… you sit on the bed. You already did enough. Now, I will take charge of it.

Nandini :- but manik, you don’t know how to sweep. 

Manik :- that is true. But, why are you here? Give instructions to me and I will do it gracefully.

Not wanting to argue further he lifts her in a bridal style and drops her on the bed with a thud. She whines and hits his stomach in reflex.

Nevertheless she instructs him how to sweep and he follows her small to small instructions and finally he did it as he said earlier gracefully. 

Nandini :- now, collect all the waste through this dust collector and throw it away in the dustbin.

Manik nods obediently but before he could do the same, the cabir disturbed them. 

Cabir :- oh…. My… goodness….. Manik Malhotra is sweeping.

Manik :- ( in an irritating manner ) go before I beat you with this. ( Holding the broom as a sword ) 

Cabir :- ok.. I will not irritate you more but you have to do my work. 

Manik looks at him with narrowing eyes.

Manik :- what you want from me? 

Cabir :- nothing, just do the sweeping in my room too.

Manik :- ( shocked ) what!!!!

Nandini giggles after  witnessing the scene. 

Cabir :- ( pleading ) bhai… please don’t say no. You don’t know what I went through…… I clean the whole room myself because of navya. 

Nandini :- good…. She needs lots and lots of rest in this condition. You should help her often.

Cabir :- yup! I will make sure that she takes less stress and won’t work unnecessarily. But will you tell your boyfriend to help me? If you will say then he will not deny. 

Manik looks at him with wide eyes because it’s his way to make his work done. He clearly knows that he will not deny Nandini no matter what except the issues which are related to her health. 

As expected Nandini melts seeing cabir’s drama. But she also knows that Manik won’t do all this for anyone else except her. And she doesn’t want him to do that either. 

Nandini :- Manik, give this to me. I will help cabir.

Manik knows her intentions but he didn’t want to tire her more that’s why he said. 

Manik :- you won’t have to, take rest. I will do it BUT ONLY FOR YOU.

Nandini looks at him with adoration. Whereas manik went out behind the cabir while digging holes in him. 

Nandini :- ( while blushing on his care towards her ) IDIOT…….

Here, manik did his work silently whereas cabir is teasing him saying “wow manik, you are doing it like professionals”, “keep it up” and etc. After completing his work he smirks seeing Cabir who is laughing at his expense. 

Manik :- I AM SO SORRY, BROTHER.

Listening to this cabir looks at him in confusion but his confusion turns into shock the next second. Because after collecting the dust, he threw it on him and ran away laughingly while shouting. 

Manik :- nandini told me to throw the waste in the dustbin and I did that only. 

Cabir runs behind him because indirectly manik calls him DUSTBIN but he is quick enough. He enters their room and slams the door on his face. Outside the cabir cursed him with very beautiful-beautiful words and went into his room after stomping his foot. 

Inside Manik is laughing holding his stomach but his laughter dies the next second when he sees Nandini who was dripping wet after a hot shower. He gulped hard after seeing her. Her clothes are clinging to her because of her wet body and her wet hair is cherry on the cake. This is the first time he is seeing her like that and not the last time though. This mere thought gives him immense happiness. 

He walks towards her in a daze and pulls her towards himself holding her waist. His front touched her back. All this time Nandini is unaware of his presence but when he pulls her jerkingly, she comes out of her thinking zone. She lifts her long lashes and looks at him only to witness the ocean of love in his eyes for herself.

Otherside manik turns her and takes a towel from her hand. He slowly pat dried her hair with the help of a towel. After completing his work he threw the towel on the bed and dug his head in her hair. The strawberry smell of her hair is hypnotising him.

Nandini is having a tough time of her life because his hot breath on her neck is making her weak. He slowly rubbed his tip of nose on her ear.

Nandini :- ( like a whisper ) manik……..

Manik :- ( continuing his work ) hm…..

But their moment is disturbed by navya who comes  to call them for dinner.

Navya:- nandini and manik, come out food is here. Let’s have our dinner together.

Saying this she moves from there. But this spoiled a beautiful moment of manik and nandini.

Manik :- ( cribbs ) I am regretting bringing them here with us. 

Nandini :- ( slaps his bicep ) manik, don’t say like this. Now, go and get fresh. I am waiting for you outside.

Saying this she pushes manik inside the washroom who is cribbing continuously.

After a light supper all retired to their rooms being hell tired because of a flight. When Nandini comes inside the room behind Manik she locks the door and pulls him towards herself while locking her hands around his neck.

All this happened so suddenly that it took a second for him to understand. After getting his attention, Nandini looked at him with soft eyes and caressed his little beard.

Nandini :- ( in a sweet voice ) I love you, manik. You know what, many boys will envy you because you are raising the boyfriend standards.

He is lost in her touch and closes his eyes in bliss. Suddenly she got some naughty idea and instantly bit his chin.

Manik :- ouch…….. You little devil.

Nandini giggles while Manik lifts her in bridal style and gently makes her lie on the bed. He hovers her and looks directly in her eyes.

Manik :- Now I will show you how good a boyfriend I am?

Next second he tickles her on her weakest point and the room is filled with her laugh and his gigges. After sometime manik stops feeling her out of breath. 

Manik :- will you bite me again?

Nandini nods and giggles. Seeing her answer manik hit his forehead with hers. 

Manik :- stupid.

In reply Nandini pulls him towards herself through his neck.

Nandini :- I AM STUPID ONLY FOR YOU BECAUSE I AM STUPIDLY IN LOVE WITH YOU.

Manik :- and you are not allowed to love anyone else more than me. Not even our kids.

Nandini :- are you serious?

Manik :- very much……

Nandini giggles on his possessiveness and slaps his chest making him giggle. 

This day ends on a happy note for them. They are ready to face everything together because their love is their strength. They are all set to make a home of their own. Nothing is impossible for them now because manik is with nandini and nandini is with manik. 

To be continued…