Qurbat ✓

2|They Still Care

Sab kuch mere liye tere baad hai
Sau baaton ki ik baat hai
Main na jaunga kabhi tujhe chhod ke
Yeh jaan le
~~~

Alarm rang breaking Nandini's slumber and Manik who was looking at her sindoor clad head watched her open her eyes.

When she found herself holding his bare waist she immediately backed away and sat on the bed.

“ I'll go and freshen up you can sleep for some more time it's only 7 ”
Manik told her.

“ No it's fine, I'll unpack some of my clothes since two of my bags are here ”

“ Ohk wait for some time I'll help you ”

“ It's ok Manik, I'm fine go take a shower you can help me with the rest of my luggage ”
She blinked her eyes at him trying to assure him.

Having been best friends for years they understood each other really well, though this sudden marriage was now changing things between them.

Manik nodded and grabbing a pair of clothes went to the washroom and taking off his sweat pants, he stood under the shower. Hot water poured on him and his muscles relaxed under the warm shower.

He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed deeply closing his eyes. His life was a mess, he was now a married man, he had a wife.

I wonder if I even have the right to call her my wife !

He decided to not think about all that for now and go with the flow. Wrapping a towel around his frame he went out and saw his wife still in the same clothes.

“ Go take a warm shower, aaj mai walk in closet mei tumhara saaman shift karwa dunga ”
She went in and stripped her clothes only to realise she hadn't brought a towel. Hitting her head slightly she was about to peek out when she saw a towel and a dove neatly placed in the drawer.

Turning on the shower she visibly relaxed and let the water calm her nerves. Taking Manik's musky mint body wash, she applied it using a loofa and then washed her boy with the hand shower. Next went shampoo in her hair which she lathered and then applied the face wash from the small bottle she always kept in his room.

Finally feeling fresh she took a towel and rolled it around her hair before locking it securely and using a towel patted her entire body dry. Wearing a robe she came out to see Manik on the couch scrolling his phone. He too just like her looked stressed.

Sensing her presence he looked up at her and stood up

“ Uhm Nandini ”

“ Ha ”

“ Ma sent these for you, it's totally ok even if you don't want to wear it but I just wanted to let you know ”
She nodded and passed him a small smile and went towards th bed to see som sarees and heavy suits.

She sighed, even though she was upset with all that was happening lately, was she to blame her mother in law ?

No.

Considering they'll most probably have some Pooja and rituals today as well she took a blue coloured heavy ruffled Georgette saree which had a shiny blouse.

Manik smiled when he saw her pick this saree but his smile vanished as he realised it was the same saree he had ordered

F L A S H B A C K

“ Out of stock, fucking out of stock ”
Nandini yelled getting frustrated. She was shopping online and literally fell in love with this saree and now it was out of stock. Manik who was sitting on her bed rolls her eyes and asked

“ Kya hua Nandu kyu chilla rahi hai ”
He asked and she whined showing him the screen. His heart melted and he said

“ Chill kar, I'll do something ”
It was the same day Nandini and Kabir's alliance was fixed.

O V E R

He didn't know if she recalled it or not, maybe she did. He left to room to give her space to change and Nandini sighed, it was 8:40 she wanted to be down stairs by at Max 9:30 and started to get ready.

Adult life sucks, it was safe to say that Nandini was in trauma but till here she iss getting dressed up to go down and play ghar-ghar.

Draping the pallu around her shoulder Nandini looked satisfied. Wearing her chooda and her ear rings and a few rings she was about to go when she realised she might as well put some make up after all she was a newly wedded wife.

Applying blood red lipstick, mascara and liner she went out only to see Manik standing there looking hot as hell in a blue shirt and black jeans. First thing she thought when she saw him was

We are twinning !

He signalled towards the table where everyone was seated and she could just nod.

They together moved downstairs and the family smiled at them.

Naina who herself was shocked with the turn of events tried her level best to normalise everything. She knew Nandini just the way she knew both her son's, she has seen Nandini grow up hating relationships and love and was ready to hold Nandini when she would stumble and break down but she silently wished for her to accept this marriage as she knew Manik loved her.

Hey it's not wrong being a little selfish right ! Naina loved Nandini more than his sons though.

She made them sit and served her daughter in law to which Manik said

“ Mom apne bete ko bhi kuchh khila do ”

“ Tu bacha thodi hai, khud lele ”
Naina said which made Nandini giggle along with her.

Manik huffed and started serving himself when Nandini stopped him.

“ Manik kya kar rahe ho, usme mushroom hai ”
She took the bowl and kept it back on the table while serving him some pasta.

Manik finally smiled as Nandini still remembered that he was allergic to mushroom.

C'mon Malhotra wo ek din me bhool nahi jayegi sab kuch. !
His brain yelled but before he could continue his smiling session, His bua dadi who was sitting there gasped along with Manik's chachi

“ Haye ! Pati ko naam se bula rahi hai ? Paap lagta hai ”
Adhiraj who was silent till now spoke

“ It's ok Bua Ji, Nandini beti hai is Ghar ki hame koi problem nahi hai ”
The two of them rolled thier eyes while bua dadi said

“ Tum kyu mind karoge, zyada modern hi gaye ho. Itni samajh to ladki me honi chahiye - ”
Manik cut her off in between glaring at the devil hard.

“ Bua dadi Nandini mujhe Jo chahe bula sakti hai because meri wife hone ke pehle wo meri dost hai aur hamesha rahegi ”
His chachi who was just a minion to his bua finally opened her mouth.

After a while Bua dadi cleared her throat to gather attention and as all looked at her.

“ Adi, tu mere bade bhai ka beta hai aur unke baad is Ghar ki badi mai hu. Aur badi hone ke naate Mai chahti hu ki is Ghar ki rasme waise hi nibhaye jahe jaise hamesha se nibhaayi gayi hai. Nandini, mujhe pata hai ki ye shaadi na koi sidhi saadhi shaadi thi, na tumhara aur Manik ka rishta auron ke jaisa hai. Lekin jo bhi ho ab tum is Ghar ki Bahu ho, toh tumhe is ghar ki rasm nibhani padegi. Pehli rasoi ki parampara. ”
Naina was about to say something but was cut off

“ Poore khane ki jagah bas meethe me kuchh bana do, itna to kar sakti ho na ? ”

***
I

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Much Love
Vishakha ✨