9. NEW BEGINNINGS

One boy is running behind his parents in the hospital corridors with a tearful face. 

Man :- ( crying ) doctor….. How is my daughter?……..she……. Is…….. alright…na…?

Lady :- ( stammering while crying ) please…….doctor………..save my baby….. I begged you……. Save….my daughter.

Doctor :- sorry… MR & MRS. DIXIT….. I can’t say anything right now. My team is doing everything possible to save the baby but her condition is very critical. Let’s pray for her…….

Saying this the doctor went inside the operation theater where a small five months old baby is getting operated.

Boy :- ( crying bitterly )  mom-dad, what doctor said?……… what he meant by critical?…. My….. my baby sis…. is alright na..? When will we take her back with us?

Dad :- you trust your dad…na arjun. I will never let anything happen to your sister. We will take her back with us soon.

One old couple comes there. Their condition is the same as the others.

Old man :- ajay, what happened to my doll? What did the doctor say?

Ajay stood there silently because the words were ditching him. He doesn’t know what he will say to his father who loves his daughter more than him.

Old lady :- ( angrily ) why are you not saying anything, ajay?…….. ( leaving her son she moved towards her daughter in law ) you tell me what the doctor said? …about my doll…… say something divya….

Arjun :- dadu…… doctor said..that they are doing everything possible to bring our baby back to us. But he also said that her condition is….cri…. Critical.

Kiran :- ( gasped ) critical?

Saying this she slumped down on the near bench and cried hard. Seeing her like this arjun become shocked.

Arjun :- dadu,…… what is the meaning of critical?

Manish bent down to his height and engulfed him in his arms.

Manish :- it’s nothing…baby…. Dixit’s princess is strong. You will see she will get fine and tomorrow she will cry to play with you or will pull your hair whenever you irritate her. 

Arjun :- ( chuckled lightly ) you know na….. Her favourite time pass is pulling my hair.

Manish nods with tears in his eyes. 

Arjun :- but, dadu…. Why didn’t they let me meet my baby sis? 

On this everyone becomes silent; they don’t know what they will say to him. They all are in dilemma whether to say the truth to him or lie to him again. 

Soon a nurse came out. Seeing her, everyone marched towards her and little Arjun asked the most innocent question. 

Arjun:- aab mai apni princess se mil sakta hoon na? ( now, can i meet my princess? )

Ajay:- how is my daughter?…… she is fine…na.

Manish :- ( angrily ) why are you not saying anything?

Nurse :- WE ARE REALLY SORRY SIR, BUT YOUR BABY IS NO MORE. YOU CAN TAKE HER BODY HOME…. AFTER WE COMPLETE OUR LAST PROCEDURES. 

This comes as a shocker for the dixits. The floor slipped from their feet. They are not able to believe that their princess….their doll…. Is not with them anymore. Arjun is the one who is more shocked listening to this….. Because she is not just his sister…he treats her like his daughter in this early age too.

Arjun :- ( crying hysterically ) you…. Are wrong… you are lying… my princess will never leave me. She loves me a lot… I know. 

He runs towards the OT but no one lets him go inside. No one let this little boy meet his sister.

Ajay :- get a grip on yourself, arjun. You can’t go inside.

But Arjun is on another land he is not listening to anyone. Ajay shook him so hard but nothing happened. 

Soon another lady shook him and he came out from his memory lane. He looks at the lady with moist eyes.

Asha :- you are again thinking about that day?

Arjun :- i don’t know when…… I went down in memory lane. That day is the worst day of my life because that day snatched my little possession from me.

He looks at his side where one boy who is around 10 is playing with a little girl. This scene bought a few fresh tears in his eyes. But soon he came out from his zone when a nurse called them.

Nurse :- mr. & mrs. dixit, it’s your turn now.

Arjun held asha’s hand tightly and kissed her temple.

Arjun :- don’t worry the reports are going to be positive, soon to be mumma. 

Asha :- let’s hope for the best…. Soon to be dad. 

Both giggle in excitement and walk inside the room while hoping for a positive result.

Otherside manik, nandini, cabir and navya reached their destination i.e. california, after a tiredful journey of 17hr 20min. After coming out from the airport they gathered around to discuss where they will go now. 

Nandini :- Now, where will we go?

Manik :- i have a flat here…

Cabir :- when you bought this flat?

Manik :- did you forget that I spent my 8 months here for business training. At that time I bought a flat for my stay. The flat is solely mine. Let’s go. 

Soon they booked a cab and reached the flat. Nandini and navya are waiting for manik and cabir to come because they are unloading the luggage. Taking the luggage they both move towards their wife and girlfriend.

Manik removes the keys from his back pocket and gives it to nandini to open the door. She took the key with a smiling face seeing his gestures. No doubt these little gestures make her astonished every time. She opens the door with a smile and walks towards manik.

Seeing her moving back manik looks at her with confusion. She intertwined her hand with his and looked at him with a bright smile.

Nandini :- why not we enter OUR HOUSE together? 

Manik nods with a big smile and both enter together. Behind the cabir and navya clapped for them.

Manik :- come…. I will show your rooms. 

The flat is small and cosy. It only has two bedrooms with a single kitchen and a drawing room. The house is so dusty that no one is able to breathe but still they move inside while coughing.

Manik :- there are only two rooms. Cabir and navya one room is yours which is on the right side and nandini you take the second room. 

Nandini :- and yours? 

Manik :- I will manage in the drawing room.

Without saying anything, Cabir and navya leave for their room giving the much needed privacy to another couple. 

Manik :- ( to nandini ) come, I will show you your room.

Nandini :- OUR ROOM. 

Manik looks at her with confusion. 

Nandini :- ( in authoritative tone ) we are staying in one room. 

Saying this Nandini walks towards their room and Manik follows her like an obedient student. 

Nandini looks around the room to find it covered with white clothes. But still the room is recognisable and the most important thing is the room has a small balcony too much to Nandini’s likeness. 

Nandini :- ( looks at the room with a shine in her eyes ) this is so cute….and cosy.

Manik :- what is cute in this? 

Nandini :- you will not understand. Leave it. 

Manik :- how can I understand….when you always find one and other thing cute. 

Nandini :- aww ( pulling his cheeks ) how cute!! 

Manik :- NANDINI!!!

Nandini :- ok….ok… you are not cute. You are a monster. 

Manik :- now, tell me are you sure about sharing the room with me? 

Nandini :- when I am ready to share my entire life with you then why not this room. 

Manik looks at her with a warm smile.

Manik :- you always clean bowled me with your words. But still think once again. 

Nandini :- why are you thinking about this? I mean this is not the first time we are sharing the room. We shared the same room at my house. Then why now? 

Manik :- because at that time your kaka is around us and I am sure that I will not cross my line. But as we are alone here I might lose control on my hormones. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable in any circumstances.

Nandini sneaks her hands around his neck and locks it behind.

Nandini :- I am very comfortable with you Manik. I won’t mind if you lose your control. ( At last winked at him ) 

Manik :- ( with a smirk ) so…. You are indirectly giving permission for a live-in relationship. 

Nandini :- ah….. ( with a naughty smile ) haa. 

Manik :- ( pulls her towards himself with a jerk holding her waist ) so what about a kiss? Our first kiss in our new house as the beginning of our new journey.

She smiles and manik gets his answer. He grasped her neck with both of his hands and pulled her for an urgent kiss. The kiss is full of passion and urgency. 

After breaking the kiss Manik took her in his arms. Nandini sneaks her hands from below his hands and tightens the hug while placing her head on his shoulder. 

Both are in peace. They are enough for each other. The hug seems never ending. 

Manik :- by the way Nandini ….. There are some rules which you have to follow.

He loosens his hold on her waist to see her expressions but Nandini holds him more tightly which is a clear indication for him that she is not going to break the hug. 

Nandini :- what rules? 

Manik :- ( again wraps his hands around her waist ) you have to give your boyfriend a kiss dose with each meal he has. Plus …. A few more kisses here and there as an energy dose.  

Listening to this nandini blushes and snuggles in his neck like a baby. Her lips curved in a smile and Manik felt this.

Nandini :- may I know who decided such rules….

Manik :- that is not important…. The thing which is important is ….. if you skip any of the rules you are entitled to a punishment and the punishment is going to be a hard one. Because your boyfriend will not negotiate in this matter. 

Nandini :- ( with a constant smile ) you are impossible, Manik. 

Manik :- ( while breaking the hug but still his hands are around her waist holding her at place ) and one more rule ….. which is so….sooo… important…. that……you will not throw your boyfriend out of the room whenever he makes you angry. 

Nandini :- then what will I suppose to do? 

Manik :- make him understand the situation with love and always keep him close to yourself like this. ( pointing towards their position )

To be continued…