43. THE FINAL TRUTH!

Nandini is getting ready for the day in front of the mirror while her husband is admiring her. Manik is lying on the bed, his head is supported by his left arm with his eyes stuck at his beautiful wife. 

Nandini combed her wet hair and wore her nuptial chain with a very beautiful smile intact on her lips. Then, she pinched the vermilion and filled her hairline with closed eyes. The wedding scene replayed in her memory making her blush harder while her smile broadened. 

Seeing her broad smile, Manik smiles mischievously. 

Manik:- are you thinking about our wedding day? ( sadly ) The saddest day of my life when I lost my bachelorhood.  

Nandini’s mouth dropped hearing him and the sudden anger rushed in her veins. She tucks her pallu around her waist and marches towards him to teach him a good lesson. Manik smiles but hides it and makes a poker face. 

Nandini:- you……. 

She climbed on him and Manik instantly caged her in his arms with a burst of laughter. 

Manik:- ninja technique of calling your wife towards you for a quick kiss. 

Without any delay, his lips crashed with her making her go numb. He rolled down and pinned her beneath himself. 

His lips are sucking the sweetness from her lips ruining her lipstick. Nandini is not responding because all this happens so quickly that she doesn’t get time to understand anything. 

Manik broke the kiss and both took a deep breath when soon their lips again joined like a jigsaw puzzle. But this time he took her lips while tilting his head to taste her lips from a different side. 

After tasting her lips he moves back and joins their foreheads soaking her presence so that he can satisfy his restless heart that she is around and with him. 

Nandini composed herself and looked at him with shock and asked with an open mouth. 

Nandini:- Is this your plan to call me? 

Manik:- ( grinned like a kid ) yup!….. ( proudly ) I graduated in handling a wife from a top university. Now, focus on the kiss. 

Saying this he bends down to take her lips for a kiss again but Nandini pushes him back with all her strength. With the sudden force, he rolls down the other side and in enough time, Nandini gets down. 

Nandini:- Wait!!! I will take your practical test. 

She took the pillow and threw it on his head making him wince in pain which is fake obviously!

Manik:- Ouch…… Nandini, what are you doing? Why are you hitting me? 

Nandini didn’t stop and took another pillow. 

Manik:- ( scaredly ) Nandini, it’s our first day after the wedding and you will treat me like this? 

Nandini:- then, who told you to behave like a brat? 

Manik giggles and pulls her towards himself and with the pull Nandini falls on his chest. 

Manik:- Yes, I am a brat but only for you WIFEY. 

Nandini slaps him slightly and cups his lower jaw while placing a tight kiss on his cheek. 

Nandini:-  When will my husband have a bath? 

Manik:- ( with a raised eyebrow ) whenever my wife thinks it’s the right time to have a bathroom quickie. 

Saying this his hands went to unpin her saree while Nandini moved back in fear. 

Nandini:- no….. No…… ( sternly ) go and take your bath quickly. I have to go down and please be quick. I am hungry. 

Knowing that she must be hungry as it’s almost lunchtime he didn’t tease her further. 

Manik:- you go down, I will come soon after freshening up. 

Nandini nods and pecks his lips before running out with red cheeks. 

Manik:- ( yelled at her back ) now, stop blushing. There is nothing that is secret between us. 

He smiles at his blushing queen and giggles. He got down from the bed and wore his boxer before changing the bedsheet as it had bloodstains. He took the stained bedsheet in the washroom to wash it as he didn’t want to make her embarrassed with it. 

Downstairs, Suhana Ji is waiting for them, and seeing her Nandini gets embarrassed thinking “what must she think about them?”. 

Nandini:- ( guiltily ) sorry, aunty Ji, I got late. 

Suhana:- why are you saying sorry, bitiya? I know how tiring the wedding functions are! Come, I will serve you lunch, you must be hungry. 

Nandini:- No, I will have lunch with Manik. He is coming after freshening up. ( hesitantly ) But, I want to ask that……… that….. A newly bride cooks something sweet for her family. So, can I…..

Suhana:- you don’t have to hesitate, bitiya in front of me. You are like my daughter and apart from that this is your home. You can do anything you want. You don’t have to ask. 

Nandini:- ( taking her hands in her’s ) this is OUR HOME. 

Suhana Ji smiles and the fear she had about whether Manik’s wife would accept her or not because Manik is not less than her son, has left her.

Suhana:- ( cups her cheek ) Bitiya,….. almost half a day passed. So, I would recommend you to perform that ritual tomorrow. Today, you will rest as your body needs it. You are already looking drained out. 

Before Nandini could deny they heard Manik’s voice. 

Manik:- correct………. 

He came down and took his wife in a side hug making her cheeks red while Suhana Ji blessed them. 

Nandini:- ( hissed and struggles in his hold ) Manik, what are you doing? Aunty Ji is looking at us. 

Suhana:- I don’t have any problem witnessing anything mature. 

Nandini’s eyes come out because of shock. Manik and Suhana Ji giggle seeing her expressions and hie-fied. Not wanting to make her uncomfortable, Suhana Ji goes into the kitchen to reheat their lunch. 

Manik:- we got the permit to romance anywhere so…………. 

Nandini:- ( with narrowed eyes ) so? 

Manik:- let’s have our first kiss in the living room. What say? 

Nandini shoots daggers at him who gulps innocently and walks out for lunch with a slow murmur. 

Manik:- your bad luck!….. As you lost the opportunity to taste your husband’s lips. 

Nandini palmed her face and followed her grumpy husband. 

Otherside, The Dixit’s exit their house with the hope to get their daughter back in the house where she belongs. Malhotra’s are also going with them as per Manish’s wish. 

They reached their desired location in no time and saw a small house that looked beautiful. Innaya is also accompanying them with a motive to kill that lady, Krishna Murthy, and that girl together. Because Krishna Murthy is the reason that Nandini is still alive. 

Arjun is scared to knock on the door and why not? He always comes back with empty hands whenever he goes to find his sister. He was very much confident before coming here but now the negative and the past events took over his senses. 

Asha sensed his state and intertwined her hand with his giving him the support which he needed the most. 

Arjun:- ( sacredly ) I don’t want to go back from here without taking my sister. I had enough of separation. I just can’t take it anymore. 

Kiran:- ( rubs his back ) don’t worry, I am getting the vibes that say today everything will go right. 

Arjun took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The door opens soon much to Arjun’s relief and an old aged man appears who is surprised to see everyone at his door. But deep down in his heart, he knows that the day is not far when they come there to take their property back. 

Arjun:- Kaka!!! Aap? 

Yes, the old man is none other than NANDINI’S KAKA, ASHOK MURTHY HUSBAND OF LATE KRISHNA MURTHY. 

Shock is a short word to describe Asha’s and Arjun’s state. Whereas Malhotra’s and Dixit’s are quite curious to know how they know him. 

Ashok:- mujhe pata tha ki aap log zaroor aayegi…….. Andar aaiye. ( I knew that you guys will come soon, come inside. )

Arjun is not getting anything, he simply walks inside followed by everyone. 

Manish:- how do you guys know each other? 

Manish asked as soon as they entered inside, eyeing Arjun and the man who was standing in front of him. Before anyone could ask anything further, Kaka introduced himself. 

Ashok:- Sahab, mera naam ASHOK MURTHY hai…… ( sir, my name is ASHOK MURTHY ) 

Saying this he took an abrupt pause because he didn’t know what to say further. Seeing his situation Asha says further. 

Asha:- dadu, he is Nandini’s kaka. 

Manish:- Nandini? 

Arjun:- Nandini….. That girl to whom Manik loves. 

Everyone nods remembering the day when Manik introduced Nandini to them. 

Vishamber:- how do you guys know her? You were not there when Manik brought her home. 

Arjun:- ( taking a deep breath while not averting his eyes from Kaka ) we attended his wedding and met her there. 

Yashoda:- ( gasped ) you were there with them!….. How is Manik and Nandini? Are they happy? Nandini………. How is she? Did you meet her? 

Arjun:- ( with a little smile ) they are doing good. Manik is indeed lucky because he got a girl like Nandini. They are a couple made in heaven, no doubt. 

Ashok:- DIDN’T YOU ARE HAPPY SEEING YOUR SISTER “NANDINI” HAPPILY MARRIED WITH THE LOVE OF HER LIFE “MANIK”? 

This statement snatched the floor beneath everyone’s feet. Everyone is having different thoughts, some are believing it and some are not. 

Arjun:- ( crying hysterically ) NAND……NANDINI……. IS….. IS …….. MY SISTER! 

Kaka nods without saying anything. 

To be continued…