29. MY MAN!

The two months passed in a jiffy for everyone but the last one week was so tough for Manik and Nandini because they were missing each other like hell. As Nandini is at Cabir’s apartment with her Kaku ( uncle ) away from Manik which is not going well with him and on top of that Cabir banned his entry into his home just to irritate him in the name of ritual. 

There is not a single day when Manik doesn’t curse Cabir for separating two lovers. He tried every possible way to reach near Nandini but his namesake best friend destroyed all his attempts.

Otherside Nandini is also finding it difficult to live without Manik because she got habituated to his presence. But this doesn’t mean that she does not like staying with her Kaku, in fact, she is enjoying her time with her Kaku like in older times. But there is always a void in her heart that would only fill when she will take Manik in her embrace. She is also trying to convince Cabir to let them meet but all her efforts are going in vain. 

Apart from that Manik is hell busy because he officially started working in his own company which is running quite well. At times he gets irritated because of not meeting his lady love but he didn’t let it affect his work. He even tried to meet Nandini in the college where she works but at this moment she is on leave for their wedding preparations. 

Well, he is also busy preparing a surprise for his lady love which is almost ready. This surprise is unknown to everyone. 

But today he is super happy because finally, he is going to see her after almost a freaking week. As from today’s their wedding functions have officially started and as expected he is ready in his traditional outfit for a small pooja which was held by Nandini’s Kaku for their happy and peaceful married life.

In the name of pooja, he will see his lady love after almost a week. That’s why he is ready before the time wearing a pair of off-white kurta-pyjamas with a golden embroidered Nehru jacket and waiting for Cabir who is gonna pick him up. 

Manik:- ( on-call ) pick-up the call, Cabir……. 

Cabir:- ( in a hoarse tone ) hello…… 

Hearing his voice, Manik understood that he was sleeping which made him angry. 

Manik:- ARE YOU FREAKING REAL, CABIR? YOU ARE SLEEPING! DON’T YOU KNOW THAT WE HAD A POOJA FOR MY WEDDING. THIS IS HOW YOU ARE FULFILLING YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS MY GIRLFRIEND. 

Cabir cringes his eyes seeing Manik’s desperation. 

Cabir:- are your clocks working properly? 

Manik:- ya…. Why are you asking? 

Cabir:- see…… What is the time? 

Manik:- it’s 8:30 am. 

Cabir:- Bhai, the pooja is at 11:30 and you are waking me up at 8:30. Don’t you know that I had a daughter who would not let me sleep in the night? 

Manik:- Cabir, I have a lot of preparations to do. So, I have to be in the temple before time. 

Cabir:- be a man Manik and say the real reason that you want to meet your soon-to-be bride. 

Manik:- ( smiles sheepishly ) when you know the reason then, why are you asking?

Cabir:- Manik, I swear, I don’t have enough energy to reason with you. So please, pardon me and let me sleep. 

Saying this he cut the call making him pout. 

Manik:- no one values time, huh!

He sat down with a defeated look and thought about what to do now. But in a second his bulb glows with an idea making him squeal like a teenager. 

Manik:- why don’t I wait for Nandini in the temple rather than waiting for that idiotic Cabir? 

With a happy glow, he left for the temple in a taxi. After a not-so-pleasant ride of 20 minutes, he climbs the stairs to go to the temple which is not so crowded as in INDIA but is not less than that.

Soon his eyes landed on a girl who was as short as Nandini and wearing a light pink-colored suit with golden jhumkas ( earrings ) which was shining more in the daylight. Her petite figure is going well with her outfit. It wouldn’t take him nanoseconds to recognize that the girl is none other than his love, NANDINI. 

He walks in her direction like a hypnotized man and desperately waits for her to turn around. 

As if listening to his demand, the girl turns around with a bright smile skipping his heart. 

Manik becomes a statue seeing her angelic face after almost a week. He keeps soaking and storing her features in his heart for a lifetime. 

The case is the same with the girl who is none other than NANDINI. She is also looking at her love who is looking handsome as hell and noticing his small to smallest features. 

Both come out from their thoughts when Manik cups her cheeks to make himself realize that she is real and is close to him. 

As soon as the realization hit him, he took her in his strong arms and dug his face into her neck. His grip is hurting Nandini but she didn’t complain because somewhere in her heart she also needs this hug to remove the loneliness which she felt for a week.  

After what felt like an eternity, Manik breaks the hug and showers kisses on her face making her giggle. A smile crept on his lips hearing her giggles. 

Manik:- ( with puppy eyes ) I missed you a lot. Now I can’t stay away from you. After this pooja comes with me to our house. 

Nandini:- ( smilingly ) I missed you too. ( while pouting cutely ) But I can’t come with you now. It’s just a matter of a few days after that I will stay wherever you say. 

Manik:- ( irritatingly ) tch…… Nandini….

Nandini:- ( stretching his lips in a smile ) don’t spoil your mood because I don’t want my boyfriend to look like a grumpy man in our wedding album. 

Manik gives her stern looks for a second but smiles in another second making her heart squeal seeing his killer smile back. 

Nandini:- that’s like MY MAN. 

Manik’s smile brightens hearing her claiming him as her man with pride. 

Manik:- what are you doing here so early? 

Before giving a reply to his question, she drags him towards a bench and settles down beside him, who is looking at her like a curious kid. 

Manik:- say na….. What are you doing here so early? Why are you creating suspense? 

Nandini:- ( with raised eyebrows ) you know what, I know MY MAN more than he knows himself. I know he will come here early and will wait for me desperately as he didn’t see me for a whole week. So, to give him a surprise and….. ( while looking into his eyes with all the love she has for him ) and to remove the loneliness of my heart I come here before anyone else. 

Manik was overwhelmed hearing her and seeing the love which she has for him in her eyes but pouts sadly the next second. 

Manik:- if you know me then, why wouldn’t you come with me to OUR HOME? Why are you staying away from me?  

Nandini:- should I say what I want? 

Manik nods like a grumpy kid. 

Nandini:- I WANT YOU TO COME AND TAKE ME WITH YOU RIGHTFULLY FOR A LIFETIME. I WANT TO BUILD OUR SWEET HOME WITH YOU WHERE WE WILL HAVE OUR FOREVER……. HAMESHA WALA FOREVER. SO, COME AND TAKE ME WITH YOU IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE WORLD. WILL YOU DO THAT? 

Manik becomes speechless hearing her. Unknowingly a tear slipped down from his eye seeing her pure love for him but he controls himself and answers her question. 

Manik:- IN MY EVERY BIRTH………. I WILL COME AND WILL TAKE YOU AWAY FROM EVERYONE RIGHTFULLY AS MY WIFE SO THAT NO ONE WILL SEPARATE US, NOT NOW OR NOR IN THE FUTURE……………… THIS MANIK MALHOTRA WILL COME IN EVERY BIRTH TO TAKE HIS NANDINI WITH HIMSELF. 

Nandini smiles with tear-filled eyes and sucks his lips holding his chin conveying her happiness through the kiss. After a small suck, she moves back realizing their surroundings, and leans her head on his shoulder with a constant smile.

Nandini:- THIS NANDINI WILL WAIT FOR MANIK MALHOTRA IN HER EVERY BIRTH TO BE HIS WIFE. 

Not wanting to destroy the moment with his emotional remark, he kept his lips on her temple and stayed silent. Both enjoy the peaceful silence until their family comes and starts the pooja.

The couple sits beside each other and wishes for each other’s good health with a healthy married life. They prayed with their heart to be beside each other until death did them apart. 

To be continued…