Nandini covered Colonel's ambassador with a sheet and made sure the old beauty was properly immune to snow. Town was witnessing the heaviest snowfall of the season. Nandini started to walk back to Uncle Bernard's shop and closed the shutter behind. Picking up the land-line, she tried Sahiba's number for nth time to tell her how she would return late as roads were packed with snow. Call didn't connect yet again and she sighed.

Rubbing her palms, she reached for fireplace to get some needed warmth. It was turning insanely cold. Uncle Bernard walked in with a cup of coffee and smiled at her.

"I'll walk home, Nandini," He informed.

"Harlow is home alone and I have to reach home anyhow. Driving home is bad idea in this weather. Besides, my eyesight is turning old for snowy nights," He added adjusting his spectacle.

"Be careful, Uncle," Nandini replied noticing how he was trembling. Old age can be testing. 

"Night guard will be here any minute, just give him keys and go home," Uncle said and then stopped realizing how he had mentioned home. Nandini didn't have a home as per new development. 

He looked at Nandini affectionately and found her totally unaffected. He shook his head and walked out. That girl didn't function normal. She was enough to handle the emotional drama in her life.

Nandini was busy gazing fire. Her head was the new battlefield. Thoughts were wrestling each other to get her attention. Her hand reached her lips and she didn't realize when she was eating her nails. Time had come when she had to worry about tyranny called life. 

Uncle Bernard had agreed to employ her. He was feeling utterly embarrassed not being able to pay her more than Rs 4000 per month. Nandini knew how uncle Bernard hardly earned through this puppy rescue centre. It was a selfless service. 

Earlier, Nandini used to volunteered for it and now she needed it for her livelihood. She was somewhat guilty. She was sure she would find some daytime job once her college was over. She didn't want to put Uncle Bernard in tight spot for long.

Life was staring at her like that fire was glaring her. She had no clue how she was going to do what. She was a lost cause. She sighed and covered her face in her palms. It was better not to think, she guessed.

______________

Winds turned crazier and it became tougher to stay out. It had started as heavy snowfall and now was turning into snowstorm at upper hills. Infantry unit was camping on hilltop for tonight. Weather had turned all the plans of trek futile. Manik brought his hands near fire.

"Your reputation has turned worse than ever," Harshad complained for nth time sitting next to him.

"Shut up, Harshad," Manik was irked.

"Stop complaining like girls," He added annoyed.

His eyes roamed across widely set camp where dim lights shone like embers bright. His mates were tucked in their sleeping bags while he was asked to do the night duty. His officers werenot much happy with him these days. He knew that. He sighed while Harshad cursed him for God knew what while trembling like a leaf.

"Stop overreacting," Manik said glaring him.

"It's just Major Vinod thinks we are capable of the job," He added trying to get some warmth from that flickering fire which could go off any moment.

"Nice joke," Harshad taunted and got up to take a stroll. Exertion could bring more warmth than that dying fire.

Manik looked at upper hills and cursed the weather. Everything and everyone was testing his patience these days. He didn't know what pleasure Gods up there took by making his already stupid life more stupid.

His mind didn't take two seconds to shift the focus to the best part of his life. He smiled as he thought about Nandini. He still couldn't believe how she had landed in his life and made sure all the borders were sealed for any escape. He bit his lower lip smiling and saw the fire finally dead. It was pitch dark. He abused the timing and got up to bring more cinder.

____________________

Nandini walked on snow-capped road under the milky street light. Night guard had come few minutes back and She decided to leave for academy without car. She knew how Mrs Singh would be worried. She didn't want to trouble the good lady. Soon streets turned into aloof roads as she exited the town and resumed her rove. She was taking the long route, of course. Who wanted to take usual course when you could prolong the stroll.

"When You were in academy, I wasn't there and when I live there, you are away," She murmured to herself playing with fresh snow. Her feet stuck in it each step she took. She loved it but...she sighed.That kitten of hers got the adventure sense of hers away and now she couldn't even have fun without involving the boring man. She was sure he would have killed the moment by giving a lecture on what kind of shoes one must wear in snowy weather.

Her eyes roamed around till they fell on a broken wooden cottage. That piece of wreck was same from past 10 years. Some said it was too aloof that nobody wanted to live there, some said it was haunted.

Nandini's feet worked towards it, she always fancied it. Opening the broken gate of yard, she entered it. It was too dark to see anything inside but she carried on anyway. 

_______________

Some heated conversations cooked over rum and whiskey in Murthy Mansion. Mrs Murthy brought another round of snacks as her husband and his best friend-cum -business associate chatted over a drink. 

"Come on, Madhav," Said Amisha Panchal, the famous fashionista and owner of a renowned fashion house. 

"You could have handled it better. This was no way to handle a young girl," She added while pouring wine for herself. 

"I don't know what's wrong with you both as parents," She said looking at Mrs Murthy and Mrs Murthy turned around to leave before she strangled that best friend of her husband who never left a chance to demean her as a wife and mother. 

"That hellion needed some reality check, Ami," Madhav said after a pause. 

"She needs to realize all this bullish and bullshit is worth nothing without a wealth and a family name," He said. 

"What if she never comes back? I have seen her growing up. She dislikes me and that never changed. And now when she likes someone, what made you think that would change?" She asked stating it as matter of fact. Madhav looked to be in some thought.

"Hardship changes people. She has no money, I have blocked all her cards," He stated.

"As if she was going to make use of those stinking cards of yours," Daadu sniggered from other corner of living room. 

Mrs Murthy didn't mean to smile but she couldn't suppress it. Anything killing that best-friend moment was welcomed by her. 

Madhav ignored his drunk father and smiled at Amisha. 

"She has no job except for that Dog shop of that stinking old man," He added. 

"Huh! It's far better than your horse shops, they stink the worst," Daadu kept his commentary coming. 

Madhav glared his father while Daadu seemed to give no hoots. He feared no one. Nandini had got his genes after all. 

"And she has no home. That Singh won't keep her at his home for long. I won't let him keep her there," He concluded and waited for his father to come up with next gibe. 

"I bet roads are better than this ghostyard of home of yours," He murmured to himself and sipped on his wine. 

Madhav was certainly more pissed as he couldn't quite hear what his father had said. 

"Avoid him," Amisha said patting Madhav's leg and engaged him in rather interesting topic. 

"Listen, News won't stay inside the gossip circle for long. It's wont be long before every gossip magazine would start covering this," She stated. 

"We need to bring our Nandini back," She said stressing on each syllable. Madhav seemed to be agitated at thought. His ego was way too big to mellow down for his rebel daughter. 

"She will return when she leaves that cadet," He declared and stormed inside his room. 

Amisha sighed while Mrs Murthy cursed her under her breath. 

Daadu brought his favorite wine near his lips and before he could consume it more, Rishi took away the glass, 

"Enough for a night," He stated sternly while sitting beside him. Daadu's face swayed from admiration to blank.

"Nah! You can't beat my girl in dictating my life. She does it the best," He said taking the wine glass back. 

Rishi took it back and added, "Don't forget I am her brother and I can be strict too," He said emptying the glass in flower pot. 

Before Daadu could argue further, Rishi's phone buzzed and he picked it up. 

"I am coming," He said and told Daadu he needed to attend some important business. 

Mrs Singh had called him to ask about Nandini. Rishi didn't want to stress Daadu with how his granddaughter had again gone missing, so he left quietly to hunt the hellion. 

_______________

Hustle-bustle in campus proved to be nice background score for a very eventful day. It was announced few minutes back how outdoor drills were put on a halt for indefinite period owing to some factors best known to officers. Boys were happy and Manik was the happiest. He couldn't believe how after two weeks of drama, he would be able to breathe in peace. Last two weeks had been crucial for his career. He had hardly given any chance to any of his officers to complaint about his performance on the cost of his precious time with Nandini. They hardly met for minutes in a day and in those few minutes she managed to talk about pups at work, why his hands were rough or how he had been a bad bad kitten. Manik could see she had been handling a lot of things alone. 

"Hey Harshad," One of cadets called Harshad and they all stopped to listen how anybody can have anything to do with Harshad. 

"This weekend, there's this party in...." Poor lad couldn't even finish before Manik interrupted. 

"He is booked for this weekend," He replied on behalf of Harshad while Harshad loured at him. 

"Maybe Samit can...." The guy tried to propose but Manik again sealed it with a gum which was choking his friends. 

"Even Samit has some urgent work," He replied in a fake sugary tone. 

"What you people are up to? You are sounding like men on mission," Poor guy quipped. 

"Yes, we are new boundslaves of him and we are hired by the great Manik Malhotra to please his little girl..." Harshad couldn't even complete when Manik strangled his neck in loop of his arm. 

"We are shopping this weekend," Manik replied to cut the chase and made that nosey batch-mate leave.  

"What were you saying?" He asked sternly to his sullen friend.

"I was just stating the truth," Harshad said shrugging his shoulders and a tight slap on his head followed. 

"You yourself volunteered," Manik said clutching his neck again. 

"Whatever," Harshad said undoing Manik's death grip and eloping before Manik kills him for all the taunts and mocking. 

_________________

Nandini and Rishi walked in glaring sun who was proving to be a contradiction to the weather. The contrast of hot and cold was utterly complimenting to the occasion. Ms Murthy had come out for shopping and town couldn't be more shocked. Fumbling with bags in her hands while trying to manage the lists, she was a subject of amusement for citizens. 

"That's the crockery shop I was talking about," She said chirping, trying to sound so excited about upcoming worldly drama. 

Rishi shook his head as he followed his sister who had been doing nothing but screwing shopkeepers from past two hours. 

Entering the shop, both Nandini and Rishi tried to spot the shopkeeper amid piles of dinnerware. Shop looked more of a junkyard where it was hard to find any human. 

"Anybody there?" She called out and something broke somewhere as a man came out of racks with a dirty cloth in his hand. 

"We need some utensils," She said without wasting any further time. 

"As in," The man said trying to match the tone. 

"Cups, spoons, dishes, wok, frying pan, pot..."She went on taking recited names while both Rishi and Shopkeeper gaped each other. Confused Nandini wasn't much of a fun. 

"Basically everything," Rishi cut the chase the smiled at Nandini who looked disturbed. 

"Pack every essential piece and hand us a bill," He instructed while Nandini loured at him. 

"Money doesn't grow on trees," She said taking Rishi in a corner. 

He gaped him in surprise as she uttered that line. 

"Who told you this line?" He asked amused. Her sister had been learning new weird things. 

"No one, it's just I have a limited budget," She said while going back to instruct the shopkeeper. 

Rishi smiled at his little sister who had worn shoes bigger than her feet and now was tripping on every second step. 

_________________

Manik and Harshad sat in Nandini's room as they made some list. Mrs Singh walked in with two cups of tea while they both remained engrossed in their paperwork. 

"I would cut them, don't worry," Harshad said cutting the expense of woodworker. 

"So that you can taunt me for another year how I made you do this labor work," Manik asked mocking. 

"Come on, I am just saving some money," Harshad insisted and they both dived in some calculations. 

Mrs Singh smiled at boys while arranging Nandini's closet which was haphazard. 

"I would join you kids in afternoon, Manik," She informed and Manik just hummed trying not to forget the total. 

"Just take the stuff you need for tomorrow there, leave everything else here, okay?" She asked and Manik clicked his lips in annoyance. He had forgotten the total he had reached after so much of mathematics. 

"Okay," He answered briefly and again got busy in his work. He wanted to complete the tedious preparation for the next day before she arrived. 

____________

Cashier swiped the card and she waited for him to ask her enter the pin, Her feet kept tapping the floor as she waited. She was sure how there won't be any need to use Manik's debit card but then shopping did get out of budget. She was sure she had failed at art of bargaining. She wasn't made for all of this.

Cashier asked her to enter the pin and in no time payment was done. She sighed in relief and was sure how she was about to collapse. She hadn't felt this awkward in all her life. She didn't know how people could shop and be okay with it. There was this sudden urge to cry and she couldn't take it anymore. The day was going heavy on her. She stormed out of supermarket and Rishi collected the bags. 

"You could have let me pay," Rishi nagged as he put the bags in car. 

"I won't use a penny of Murthys, I would rather die," She said absentmindedly. She was busy looking at the snow capped mountains. Sun was aching her eyes as she gazed the snow. 

"You are a Murthy, Nandini," He stated trying to reason her stubbornness. 

"You cannot undo it. I am your brother and it has least to do with your battle with our parents. Let me be there for you when you need it the most," He added while she chose to remain quiet. 

None spoke as they both delayed the moment for no reason. 

"Where next?" He asked trying to cut the thin air. 

She didn't reply as she tried to find her ground. An arm encircled her shoulder as her brother stood next to her. 

"I know it's not easy," He said while she refused to give in by staying taut. He giggled at his stubborn sister and she elbowed him in chest. She was saving the outburst for the one, her only one.

________________

Night had fallen when Rishi dropped Nandini at Colonel's house. Lights had adorned the quarter so well that she smiled even when she was tired. Stepping in, she saw Mrs Singh cooking something delicious as aroma of it tickled her stomach. 

With a thought to drop the bags in her room first, she ascended the stairs and saw light of her room on. As she opened the door, a sight worth forgetting all the tiredness welcomed her. Manik was sleeping on his stomach on her bed with his pen resting on the paper. She dropped the bags on ground and closed the door. Getting on bed, she chose to take him as mattress instead of bed. His hard back made quite a bed for her front as she put her face on his nape. He woke up immediately to feel the sweet weight on his back while she snugged into his back more.  

He smiled biting his lower lip as she literally purred in contentment. 

"How come busy Malhotra got the time for me?" She asked after a contented silence. 

He closed the notebook and made a space for her beside him. She agitated as he tried to pull her off him. Sighing, he replied, "I was free the entire day but you were quite busy."

She didn't reply but he could feel her warm breaths on his back. He let her take her time sensing how tired her muscles were. Warm of her breaths started to feel wet and that's when he realized she had been crying silently. In no time, he dragged her petite figure off him on the bed so that he could see her. She didn't let him have the privilege and hid her face in his shirt. 

"Nandini," He complained at her stubbornness while she butted her head in his chest as her side of argument. Wrestlemania carried on for half a minutes before she pinched him in back and he winced.

 Her lips kissed his bare chest as two of buttons got declared martyrs in this battle of a wildcat and kitten. He held her tightly in arms while she clung to him so urgently. 

Wiping her tears with his shirt, she extracted herself from him to look at his sullen face. She didn't mean to snigger but she did. He was one display of countless emotions when she was one who had shed tears. 

He didn't relax but his fingers traced her red cheeks. He was worried, she could see. 

"I am sorry I wasn't there with you today," He apologized for something he had deduced on his own while she herself didn't know why she had cried. 

"You would have made it even messier, I swear," She told the truth.

"Imagine Cadet Malhotra bargaining at the grocery store," She said and imagine it while trying to feel normal in his warm clutch. 

"I would have sucked for sure," He too imagined and both laughed. 

His thumb traced her lips before he bent to take them in his warm mouth. He needed to know if she was fine. She responded like a fierce cat she was and that's when he smiled in content. 

Parting, he admired her face before getting up to see what all she had shopped.

___________________

Morning brought the hubbub of its own as four people went in and out of Colonel's house. Saturday was an off day owing to some occasion nobody paid heed to. Colonel watched three boys hustling in and out holding some boxes to a cab and tried to understand when did these boys have turned into men. He was surely not participating in this little relocation program but he was very interesting deep inside, maybe dying for someone to ask him to join. 

Harshad stole a glance of him as he passed by and Colonel sulked more. 

At last, Nandini came down holding two boxes and fumbled in steps. Colonel's arms reached to assist her while she tried not to take any help. 

In no time, four of them left for some destination which was soon to be called as home. Nandini smiled in excitement while Manik bit his lips in nervousness. Harshad was surely holding the boxes tight while Samit was instructing the driver. 

Cab jerked like a mad lady as it took the rough road. Soon enough, it halted in front of a shady house which was nowhere near to be called as home. Manik paid the cab driver while everyone else unloaded the cab. Nandini could hear a mower working and she ran to see her granddad scolding the Gardner to do the yard properly. She ran to swing in her Daadu's woolly arms while Daadu looked more than glad to hold her. 

"I thought I should clean the grass before you come," He said kissing her forehead. 

They both looked at the worn wooden cottage and sighed. 

"We would make it just alright," Daadu promised and she kissed his cheek before running inside. 

Manik entered the yard and smiled at Daadu. 

"Home sweet home," Daadu said welcoming him. 

"Home sweet home, soon," He replied smilingly. 

______________

Daadu had taken money out of fixed deposit to buy this piece of land for Nandini. It took an entire week for him to make her understand that it was his money which he had saved for her. It was the same cottage on top of hill which was deserted from years and now had finally found its rightful owner. 

Boys were busy planning God knew what while Nandini took a tour of her new home. It was a small wooden cottage. A living room with open kitchen and one bedroom on ground floor while a little room was upstairs. House was a wreck to be honest, someone had built it long back and left the construction in middle. 

She was more than happy to be able to call it as her home, their home. She corrected as she looked at Manik. He was staring a cardboard for past two minutes and she giggled looking at his calculative expression. 

She wasn't sure how they both had decided on this house knowing how particular he was. But then situations do teach people hard lessons. Colonel Singh was under lot of pressure for keeping Nandini in his house, he wouldn't say but Nandini heard him telling Sahiba. She knew she couldn't stay longer in their house and that's when she told Daadu about it. 

Daadu had only paid the down payment for this piece of land while she was sure she would be able to pay the rest in installment. She couldn't let him exhaust all his savings on her. 

Standing in middle of her new home, she looked around and soon her crazy dreams started to float everywhere. 

______

"I have no idea how to do this," Harshad said mapping the cardboard.

"You freaking said you would take care of it," Manik mumbled under his breath trying not to shout. Nandini couldn't know.

"I didn't know this stupid house didn't have windows and door at all," Harshad clarified, "I thought one nail here and there would be all."

"You know what's past that big window," Manik asked him gently. Manik and gentle were siren of danger.

"What?" Harshad asked curious. 

"An abyss where I can push you and we can hear your scream for days," Manik threatened and Harshad shook his head as if cursing him.

Nandini walked into the room with a broom in her hand saw them both mumbling something to each other standing near the window. 

"What's wrong?" She asked joining them. 

"Nothing," Harshad clarified sweetly, "We were just discussing how to shut this window."

"I may spare you, but if she gets to know you have lied about woodwork, she would surely push you out of it," Manik mumbled in his ear and he gulped. 

"We do need to shut this window as soon as possible," Harshad declared and walked out of room with measurement to cut something at last. 

Nandini looked at simpering Manik suspiciously. 

"Anybody can fall out of it," He replied shrugging his shoulders. 

_____________

Daadu sat in neatly done yard while Gardner planted some saplings. He was surely proud of his boss skills. Yard was done within two hours and now he was sure he was going to spend his days in this house because sunlight was surely very soothing on hilltop. 

Nandini was securely wrapped in Manik's grip as he lifted her up so that she could hang the lamps down ceiling. She was done cleaning the living room while Samit was busy plumber in bathroom, no pun intended. Nandini wanted to decorate the room even when everything was a mess.

"Who wears long sweater alone on renovation day?" Manik asked as he tried his best to guard her. Her sweater was going up every time she wiggled to adjust in his clutch around her hips. 

"I had told you to bring me the stool," She stated as matter of fact while he huffed in frustration. 

"There are other men in the house and I don't want them to ogle you," He stated helplessly and she wiggled under his grip to tease him more. He being protective was a sight to prolong. She could pay to make him mad.

"Can't you be still?" He asked irked while she giggled. 

Soon all the lamps were adorning the ceiling of living room. 

"I can't wait for the night," She was excited about the lamps when there was no electricity current in the house yet. Manik shook his head thinking about Rishi who had gone long to find the electrician to put the meter. He didn't know why everyone was so dysfunctional. 

There was no door or window up till now and there she was busy decorating her little house, Manik looked at wristwatch and stormed out to find Harshad who had been cutting God knew what since an hour. 

____________

Sun set behind the hills when Harshad and Manik put the front door. Setting it, they made sure it didn't fall on first person who walked in. 

They both looked at it like it was some puzzle. That was hard work of a day. They had managed to ready at least the front door. Now woodworker was working in the yard who was called by Daadu after seeing the shady work of Manik and Harshad. 

"Working?" Rishi yelled from the backyard while Nandini replied back," No."

"Have you even switched on the light or you are just replying like that like last time?" Rishi yelled while Nandini uttered some abuses. Daadu's scolding followed. Manik surely knew how home must feel by now. At least, he knew the sound of it now. 

He walked towards backyard to find Rishi arguing with electrician guy. 

"What's the problem?" He asked unsure what was wrong with the power. It was about to get dark and they were going to sink with it if power didn't work. 

"Some connection is missing," Electrician replied unsure. 

"I have wasted two days on fittings and you are saying some connection is missing," Rishi was about to strangle the man when Manik intervened. 

 "I can't see anything in bedroom," Nandini yelled from inside and Rishi reverted with yelling too. 

"Let me see," Manik asked and electrician gave him the space. 

"Bhaiya, at least put the fuse right," He pointed out and Rishi swore under his breath. 

Everyone wrestled with the fuse for 10 minutes before light in the house flickered and then worked like some magic. 

House was lit. 

Nandini screamed in glee while Daadu called for drinks even when nothing was done in the house. 

"No doubt they can bring the house down," Rishi quipped while Manik couldn't hold his laughter. 

House did light with her screams and Daadu's compulsive loud talks. 

_____________________

Woodworker fitted the window in frame and soon enough glass-less apertures swayed with chilly winds.

"Nobody told me it's gonna be this cold at night here," Daadu complained sitting by the fireplace. 

"Nobody knew we won't have windows by night," Samit replied leaning on the boxes. 

"Nobody told me we don't have pizza delivered here," Harshad complained finding something to eat in half arranged kitchen. 

"Nobody knew we would be this tired," Rishi added trying to keep his eyes open. 

"Who's nobody?" Nandini asked she came downstairs holding blankets. 

"Sounds like Manik," Daadu quipped while Manik shook his head. 

Horn honked outside and Nandini ran to greet her favorite lady. Mrs Singh was there. 

She looked at the house with a smile as it was bathed in light while Nandini ran to her. 

"You are late," She complained and Mrs Singh smiled. 

"I was making some dinner for you all," She said taking out the hot case. 

"Everyone is famished," Nandini told while dragging her inside. 

Night was going to be long in that chilly weather. Mrs Singh was going to stay the night and she had permission letters for three cadets to stay out. Manik couldn't be happier as he had hugged Mrs Singh in utter joy! Sunday was going to bring some paint work while they find some furniture. 

They had no idea how to set a house but they surely knew now how home felt! Bit by bit, they were closing in!

________________

________________________________
Unedited*