"Now what?" She asked as he kept peering into her beautiful eyes. 

"Now we wait for one week to be like this," He said and she frowned. 

Sky had some shade other than grey now and she looked surreal as she peered into his calm eyes with a storm worth a week. 

"You look breathtaking when you're angry," He admitted casually and she got up just to saddle his torso. Her long hair covered her face and he tucked those wild wisps behind her ear so that he could see her beautiful face.

The purest fury!

"Manik Malhotra," She called out as if was about to summon his fate. 

"I am done living in pieces," She announced and he sighed audibly. He too was done living like that.

He kept tucking her racing tresses behind her ear while she kept clutching his shirt over his chest. 

"I am done letting you go...even if it's for damned six days," She whispered this time. 

"At least you will have the kids," He quipped and she hit him hard on chest. 

"And you'll have Harshad," She gave it back and he rolled his eyes. 

Leaning, she kissed his forehead and let her lips linger over his skin as if soaking his warmth. 

"You need to get back, Cadet, before anyone knows," She reminded him getting off him. He whimpered audibly and she giggled. He hated it when she started to talk sense. 

As she folded the sheet, he got up and wrapped his arms around her waist. She wished to stay like that for an eternity before she could ever feel ready to be away from him. 

"Repair your truck and keep your bags packed," He commanded as if had designed a new mission. 

"Are we finally eloping this town?" She asked and he groped her lips in his as he read how badly she wanted to be away from all this chaos. 

"No, you are driving us to the tallest mountain of this area. We're taking kids hiking," He shared his plans and she smiled merrily. She hugged him tightly and all he could do was feel the content. They had a weekend to look forward to. 

_______________________

Nandini dropped Pongo and Rogue to Uncle Bernard's. She was already late for work. Accelerating the car, she wished how she could drive faster than that. The auction was important for her boss and she was supposed to be his guide. Uttering some profanities as she saw the packed parking lot, her luck was testing her nerves. 

After fifteen more minutes there, she finally made it the race course where people eyed the horses as if they were some prized pearls. Her eyes roamed to find her boss but instead caught the glimpse of the man she didn't want to see. 

Her father. 

He stood there surrounded by his business associates. His charming aura was the center of attraction on any given day. 

Nandini decided not to dive further in her thoughts and cut through the crowd to reach her employer. 

"You're an hour late, Nandini," He yelled exasperated. 

"I am really sorry, Mr Sachdeva," She was genuinely sorry. 

"You knew it, Nandini that I needed you here before all others are here. I wanted your opinion on the purchases we are going to make today," He was calmer this time.

"This town usually don't have traffic but somehow today everyone decided to buy a horse," She quipped and then felt even more guilty. 

"Anyway, I know where to put our bet," She came to the point and guided him towards a white horse which stood quite unattended. 

"There is our star," She pointed and Mr Sachdeva looked even more irked. 

"I doubt it," He chuckled and then walked towards his team. He sat beside them and struggled to find a paper. 

"There is what we are buying," He said once he found the number he was going to bid for. 

A shiny black horse was his bet and Nandini wasn't surprised with his choice. She smiled and joined the team on the table. 

"Not everything that glitters is gold," She put forward. 

"That's not a horse you would want to bet on in a race," She informed. 

"Are you serious, Nandini? That's an Akhal Teke we are talking about," One of the business associates ridiculed. 

"That's a show horse, Mr Das," She was very much sure of her knowledge. 

"Besides, I don't counsel on the basis of breeds. I know it when I see a horse," She added and heard almost everyone chuckle. 

"I still say that's going to be bad business," Nandini warned Mr Sachdeva. Before she could persuade him any further, an announcement interrupted. 

Bidding was about to begin and announcer was asking people to settle down. Her eyes traveled the vast pandal and a pair staring her. It was her father who finally had her atention. He was sitting with his professional team whom she had known for years. Unfortunately she could never make it to that table. She didn't look away till a hand nudged her. 

"Why not the black one?" Asked Mr Sachdeva in a subdued tone. 

Nandini looked at him surprised. He was ready to listen. 

"Look at his legs," She pointed towards the horse. 

"What's there to see?" Asked Mr Sachdeva.

"All I know is that your father is buying that black one," He divulged.

Nandini wasn't surprised at all. She knew her father. He wouldn't go for anything less than a thoroughbred. 

"A horse raised in different climate cannot be a good bid when you are going to race him here," She said in a calm tone. 

"Thoroughbred or not, Akhal teke or Ababian; you can never predict what will work for you on a racecourse," She added thoughtfully. 

"My father would surely go for Akhal Teke. He has many Akhal Teke in his farm. He takes pride in going for the shiniest one," She divulged. 

"Let me tell you one secret," She leaned towards Mr Sachdeva. 

"He is good with horses, To be honest one of bests. But he hasn't stepped out of his office for years," She said and smiled. 

Mr Sachdeva was in deep thoughts till then. He seemed to be having two thoughts. 

"Have you?" He asked urgently. 

"I am raised by horses more than my own parents," She said proudly and Mr Sachdeva smiled. 

As expected, everyone went after Akhal teke while Mr Sachdeva sat quietly with his solitary bid for the white horse. 

Mr Murthy won the bid and was congratulated massively by all his peers. His eyes wandered to find his daughter who was with her team beside a white domestic bred horse. Shine in her eyes dimmed his smile. The way Nandini caressed horse's muzzle, it didn't take him another minute to figure out how she had made a good choice. 

He didn't realize when he walked to her. Everyone stood perplexed as Mr Murthy stood few meters away from the team. 

"Mr Murthy," Mr Sachdeva greeted him and Nandini came out her reverie. 

"Cheap buy," Mr Murthy started a conversation and as expected it was full of arrogance. 

"Absolutely!" Nandini answered before Mr Sachdeva could.

"I see another Akhal Teke in your collection!" She said eyeing the black horse. 

"Another gem!" He answered proudly. 

"I hope he finds a good spot in your jewel box," Nandini taunted and his smile dropped. 

"I understand the pain. Not having a budget to go for Akhal Teke, I get it," He replied bitterly. 

"Mr Murthy..." Mr Sachdeva intervened urgently. 

"I understand the pain too. Being blinded by your own wealth and forgetting how a horse bred in foreign land would land you flat face in a race," She spat. 

"You disappointed me, father," She added narrowing her eyes. 

Mr Murthy's face had this mix of anger and defeat. 

"How does it feel?" He asked bitterly. 

"How does it feel to stand in a rival camp against your own father?" He asked.

Nandini chuckled.

"You want to know?" She asked and added, "It feels much respectable than standing with your family who is ashamed to have you."

"NANDINI!!!" Mr Murthy's voice raised. 

"It feels awesome, Mr Murthy," She answered as sharply as she could only to see fists of her father clenching. 

"Nandini, I think we should leave," One of her teammate whispered in her ear, "There's media around."

Nandini looked around to find many cameras on them. 

"Well, seems like your team would make to headlines anyway despite a cheap buy," Mr. Murthy said sardonically. 

Nandini just gaped him not believing how her own father could despise her so much. 

"Thing is that you are nothing without being a Murthy. You hardly deserved my love. Still you got everything you ever wanted. You ungrateful brat would still get a lot even when I....." He whispered over face. 

"When I hate you," He ended and Nandini couldn't hear what he said afterwards. 

All she saw was her father walking away and media circus following him for some bites. 

Her body was on fire as if she had gulped fire. Her throat had a painful lump which she couldn't gulp either throw out. Her nails were deep dug in her palms. Veins in her temple pained so much that she felt her mind would explode. 

 "Nandini," Mr Sachdeva put his hand on her shoulder and she gasped audibly. 

She looked around desperately and realized the venue was empty. Her face had something wet on it. 

She cursed herself audibly making Mr Sachdeva unsettled. 

"I should leave," She murmured and then looked at him not knowing how to apologize. She wasn't too good at it. She wasn't courteous ever. She just kept looking at him sheepishly. 

"Go home, dear," He said understanding her dilemma. 

"Business can wait," He said and she stormed out. 

Media escorted her out with endless questions about the family spat they witnessed inside. She heard them all and kept moving ahead not wanting to break a camera or two. 

"Ms Murthy, is it true that you joined Sachdeva farms just to demean your father?"

"Ms Murthy, what about your mother? Does she hate you too?"

"Your brother, whom does he support?"

"How does it feel to be castaway?" 

Nandini cut through the media circus and headed towards her truck. 

"What about your lover boy, Ma'am?" 

She halted in her place. 

"Is it true that you two are live-in relationship?"

She turned around and found the person who had guts to come up with these questions. 

"We've heard that he is the reason behind fall out between you and your father."

"Is it true, Ms Murthy?"

"I sit true that he is a cadet...." 

Before the journalist could complete, he was punched in his face. Gasps filled the air and cameras flashed speedily. 

"STAY AWAY FROM MY LIFE" 

Nandini yelled as she grabbed that journalist from his collar. 

"IF I EVER SAW YOUR UGLY FACE ANYWHERE NEAR ME, I WILL...."

She uttered and air filled with objections. 

Media covered the scene like it was next big content. Nandini couldn't see beyond her fury. That reported stood up enraged and in next few minutes, she ended up in police station. 

___________________________________

Nandini was sitting on a bench while Daadu and Rishi talked to the inspector inside. She had been in police station for past two hours. That reporter had filed a FIR and demanded an apology to take it back. Nandini wasn't going to ever apologize for breaking his nose. 

Rishi walked out talking with someone on phone. He was pulling some big strings. 

"I have no problem staying in lock up," She uttered as he walked to her. 

"Shut up," He said and dialed another number. 

"I don't need your help or anyone's from that family," She spat as soon as Rishi hung up the phone. 

"We can't help loving you, Nandini. Stop punishing us for being related to Dad," He said furiously as he dialed another number. 

"Let's go home," Daadu walked out with inspector and had relief on his face. 

"How?" Rishi asked urgently. 

"It's done and dusted," Daadu said shaking hand with inspector as he bade adieu. 

They three sat in the car with a silence worth piercing million walls. 

Rishi drove in silence while Daadu looked at the road. Nandini gazed out of the window not knowing how to feel. A lot happened in one day. She was tired, pained and done. In no time, Rishi parked the car in garden and Nandini got out of it. She unlocked the door and entered her room just to lock it to the rest of the world. 

"Let her be," Daadu said as he sat in big chair. Rishi who was looking at closed door too found a place to sit. 

"How did you get her out?" He asked as he poured water in glass. 

"Call it military charm," Daadu quipped and Rishi shook his head. 

"Drive home and tell your mother not to worry," Daadu asked Rishi and he denied. 

"I am not going anywhere tonight, Daadu," said Rishi taking off his shoes. 

"Don't act kiddish, Rishi!" Daadu said in irked tone. 

"Your sister and father are all over the news. Your mother has gone worried sick and now you are leaving her alone in that house," Daadu added. 

"Go home and call me when you reach," He commanded. 

Rishi sighed in defeat. 

"All the maturity is expected from me only," He taunted and got up. 

"I haven't even talked to Nandini," He added wearing his shoes. 

"She won't talk before tomorrow noon," Daadu predicted precisely. 

"I know her better than anyone else," He added being not very pleased with the fact. 

"Take care," Rishi kissed his forehead and walked out. 

Daadu sighed in relief as he saw Rishi's car disappearing in the dark mountains. It was 11 in night. Nobody had eaten anything since noon. Daadu went to the kitchen and found it neat. Manik had good hands at cleaning. He made two sandwiches and walked to Nandini's room. He turned the nob and it wasn't locked. He opened the door to find the room dark. He turned on the lamp and found his little hellion curled up in a ball. The quilt was untouched and her bed unwrinkled. She was sleeping on carpet near fireplace. Daadu left the sandwich on the table and covered her with the quilt before walking out. 

It was going to take some time before she talked. He was sure she must be in denial to accept that she was hurt. He had learnt patience while raising her. He sighed and sat in his rocking chair. 

___________________________

Manik sat on breakfast table. It was 7 in the morning. He was early at the table. He asked the cook to bring him a cup of tea while he picked the newspaper to read. 

Harshad walked in all drained after morning drill. He sat beside Manik and put his head on his shoulder. 

"I still don't get it why you joined army," Manik asked and Harshad hummed. 

"I ask myself the same question every day," He answered and Manik chuckled. 

Front page was enough to make his smile vanish. His hellion was on front page for all the wrong reasons. He gasped as he tried to process the news. 

"MURTHYS AT LOGGERHEAD" 

Harshad read out aloud and Manik read the entire page as fast as he could. 

"She punched a journalist," Harshad was shocked. Manik wasn't. 

"What bullshit they have written about her," Manik ridiculed and Harshad read the another piece. 

"Nandini Murthy turned violent on being asked about her alleged boyfriend," Harshad read out aloud and Manik's jaw clenched. 

"No wonder she punched that man," He was certain. 

"I need to talk to her," He said and walked out of the mess urgently. 

___________________________

Nandini opened her eyes and lazily picked up the clock to check time. It was 7 in the morning. She kept batting her eyes lazily till she saw Pongo's toy lying near her feet. 

She stood up all panicked. 

SHIT!

She uttered and stormed out of her room. Daadu was in kitchen. She searched for her keys on the counter. 

"GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE," Daadu almost sang. 

"I hate myself," She uttered as she couldn't find the keys. 

"Oh! Don't hate yourself. That reporter deserved the punch," Daadu encouraged his brat. 

"I am the worst mother ever," She almost cried. 

"Mother?" He asked shocked. 

"I forgot to pick up Pongo and Rogue last night," She revealed devastated and Daadu fell in more awe with his granddaughter who had tears in her eyes. 

"Oh! Nandini," He said. 

"Bernard was there," He tried to console while giving her the key of her truck. 

"I am the worst mother, Daadu! Who forgets to pick up their children from daycare?" She said and walked out of the house. Daadu could tell how she was disappointed in herself. 

Phone rang and he saw it was Manik. 

"New parents!" Daadu quipped and picked it up. 

_____________________________

__________________________________________________________

*Highly unedited*