30. MEHNDI FUNCTION

Today is MANAN’S Mehndi function which is held in the backyard of Cabir’s apartment which is as big as some farmhouse. The garden area is crowded with a large number of people, some of them are Cabir’s and Manik’s business associates, Manik’s employees, Nandini’s friends, and very close relatives of Kaku. 

The whole area is filled with the hustle-bustle of the people who are chattering about the decoration which is done under the guidance of Cabir. The garden is decently decorated with several colors while a special sitting arrangement is done by him for the soon-to-be bride. 

The bride is enjoying every second of her day although she is resistant to dance because she has to sit straight until the mehndi artists applied the henna on her both hands and legs. The mehndi artists are doing their work sincerely but the bride is pouting seeing everyone enjoying it except her. Even her soon-to-be husband is dancing his guts out who was releasing smoke from his ears a few minutes back seeing the males who are gushing over his bride. 

Well apart from that Manik is the most excited soul because his name is going to be written on his lady love’s hand. 

After dancing he goes and sits beside Nandini. Seeing him beside herself, she puffs her cheeks like balloons clearly telling him that she is angry with him. 

Manik:- ( with frowns ) Nandini, are you angry with me? 

Without giving him any reply she turns her face until now her mehndi is done but is wet. Being an over-smart man he understood that his bride was angry with him. 

Manik:- ( whisper to himself ) what you did, Manik? ( to Nandini ) what I did, Nandini?

Nandini:- Go and dance with those girls. Why are you wasting time with me? 

Manik:- ( cutely ) but they were dancing with me. I wouldn’t call them to dance with me. 

Nandini:- ( while turning her face away ) huh! 

Manik:- ( with his genuine smile ) tell me the real reason behind your sadness because I know that MY NANDINI can’t be jealous of anyone. She knows that MANIK IS ONLY HER’S. 

Nandini bites her tongue after being caught by her dear lover and looks at him with puppy eyes. 

Nandini:- I want to dance with you but my mehndi is still wet. That’s why I can’t move from here. 

Manik:- offo….. Buddhu ( stupid ) what is in this to get upset? We will dance tomorrow as tomorrow is our sangeet. Ok? 

Nandini:- ( with a sad pout ) but I want to dance with you right now! 

Manik looks at her sad expressions and thinks of something to lift her mood and a crazy idea strikes his way making him grin. 

Manik:- you want to dance with me, right? ( Nandini nods like a kid ) Then, wait for me at night and be ready to dance on my fingers the whole night. 

Nandini cringes her eyes seeing him grinning like a fool but before she could ask anything a group of elderly women comes there to congratulate them. 

Woman:- ( gushing over the couple ) aww… you both look cute together. 

Another woman:- but today they are looking hot in their matching outfits. 

Well, Manan’s outfits are color-coordinated. Nandini is wearing a red-colored simple lehenga choli with minimal makeup and flower jhumkas ( earrings ). Whereas Manik is complimenting her with his cream kurta-pyjama with a red printed jacket. 

Listening to all the praises, Nandini’s cheeks turned into a deep red shade. One of the women comes forward and pulls her cheeks while praising her eyes and cheeks after every second. 

Manik’s eyes sharpened on the lady who dared to pull his jaan’s cheeks. If this wasn’t his mehndi function then the lady would be buried deep into the soil for touching what is meant to be his. 

After what felt like an eternity the ladies left them alone. 

Nandini:- aunties were so cute, no? 

Manik:- ( with a bad face ) cute!…… they all are pulling your cheeks………… I mean who gave them the right to do so. 

Saying this he pulls out his handkerchief from his pocket and gently wipes their touch from Nandini’s cheeks. Then replaces the touch with his kisses making her cheeks tomato red. 

Seeing them romancing openly, Cabir comes from the back and smirks. 

Cabir:- Manik, did you tell her the surprise? 

Hearing surprise, Nandini’s eyes shot up whereas Manik shot daggers at him for spoiling all his plans. 

Nandini:- what surprise, Cabir? 

Cabir:- I don’t know. ( eyeing Manik ) He didn’t tell anyone about the surprise but I heard him speaking on the phone with someone about the surprise. That’s why I asked you, did you know what the surprise was? 

Nandini shakes her head negatively and looks at Manik with hopeful eyes. 

Nandini:- ( excitedly ) what is the surprise, Manik? 

Manik:- there is nothing like that, Nandini. 

Cabir:- so, you want to say that I am lying. 

Nandini:- ( worriedly ) Manik, are you hiding something from me? Are you alright? Did something happen in the office? 

Manik cups her face and kisses her forehead lovingly stopping her negative thoughts. 

Manik:- there is nothing to get worried about. Everything is alright. And about the surprise, I can’t tell you anything about that. You have to wait for one more day. It’s going to be your wedding gift from my side. 

Hearing the wedding gift Nandini squeals like a teenager making him laugh at her childishness. Whereas Cabir frowns because his attempt to know about the surprise fails miserably. 

Cabir:- ( with a non-interested look ) then, what is the surprise in this?……… It must be your honeymoon tickets.  

Saying this he goes away while thinking that he spoiled his surprise. Whereas Manik looks at Nandini who is looking at him curiously. 

Manik:- there is nothing like that. Don’t keep expectations about all this. 

He kisses her cheek and goes away to strangle Cabir. 

On the other side, Arjun comes home with a bright smile. Seeing him smiling so brightly, Asha asks the most common question. 

Asha:- Arjun, why are you glowing like a fresh flower? 

Kiran:- ya…. What happened, Arjun? ( teasingly ) How can my serious man is dancing around like a monkey? 

Arjun:- ( with a bright smile ) dadi ( grandmother ), today you can call me anything and I won’t get offended because the reason for my happiness will come back soon.  

Innaya:- ( while smirking just to spoil his mood ) you are dancing like you got NANDINI back. 

Hearing her not only Arjun’s but everyone’s smiles fade away. The same unpleasant memory took over their happiness. Arjun comes forward and stands in front of Innaya while keeping his hands inside his jeans pocket to stop himself from slapping her. 

Arjun:- ya…. You guessed it right, Innaya. But there is a slight difference. I didn’t get MY NANDINI but I got the information about the person who stabbed us from the back. Wanna know who they were? 

The face color of Avantika and Prakash fades away in a nanosecond. They start trembling in fear and knowing the consequences if their ugly truth will come out. With some courage, Avantika comes ahead and confidently looks into Arjun’s eyes. 

Avantika:- what are you talking about, Arjun? Who will stab us from the back? Who is behind all this? Please tell us. 

Divya:- ( crying ) where is my daughter, Arjun? Did you meet her? How…… how….. She looks? 

Innaya felt a pinch in her heart hearing her. 

Asha:- Arjun…. 

Arjun:- I am telling the truth. Please, trust me. I don’t know who did that with us but I got the address of the nurse who was present inside the operation theater and was behind the disappearance of Nandini. Maybe she would give us the lead. 

Manish:- where will we find her? We have to go right now. We can’t let this chance go. 

Avantika:- ( sweating badly ) Are you sure, Arjun, that she is the one? 

Arjun:- yes, my sources are 100% sure about the lady. She is one of the people who helped the real culprits to execute their plan. 

Asha:- Then, we must go now. 

Arjun:- yes, but Asha you are not coming with us. 

Asha:- ( worriedly ) but why? I can’t let you go there alone. I know you will need me. 

Kiran:- she is saying right, Arjun. We can’t leave her here alone when no one is there to take care of her. 

Understanding the situation Arjun nods and leaves the home while others follow him with a hope to find their Nandini except the three villains of their life. 

Within 40 minutes they reached a cottage. Before they could march inside Asha stops them. 

Asha:- Arjun, we can’t go inside just like that. She is a criminal. What if she had some weapon and attacked us. Wait here for 5 minutes. I called the police and they must be on the way. 

Hearing about the police, the fear of being caught increases in the hearts of Avantika, Prakash, and Innaya. Although at that time Innaya was just a kid, still she is a part of their games. 

To be continued…