Hey guys! Here is the new chapter. Hope you like it. Avoid mistakes if any.

23.07.2023

We were sitting with the youngsters in the small varanda of Mehta house after our lavish lunch. In my terms lavish lunch doesn't mean expensive food. For me food shared among your family whether it's just simple daal and roti means lavish to me.

I was quite surprised to know the chicken was prepared by Nandini. She is quite talented, I mean she is a teacher and knows to cook pretty well. I just wonder what would she do if I leave from here as I know my holidays and going to soon and anytime I can get a call.

"Bhai! Suno na. Bhai!" Rhea shouted in my ears.

"Pagal! Kaan kharab kar dena hai tune mere." I said rubbing my ears to which she widened her eyes and gave me a glare.

"Shut up bhai. Humari baat suno, hum na kabse bhabhi ko bol rahe hai ki humare saat ice cream khane chalo woh maan hi nahi rahi. Aap unko bolo na." She pleaded making me sigh. I looked at Nandini who was talking to Mahak probably denying the idea of having ice cream.

"Lekin Mahak, sab hai ghar pe. Aise hum akele jaana ajeeb lagta hai baba." She voiced out the concern making me smile. She cares for everyone. I moved towards them and Mahak sighed and looked towards my direction with puppy eyes.

"Okay! Nandini maan jao. Infact we will ask others as well." Her gaze held something different. I cocked my eyebrow up asking her 'what' to which she is just shook her head and smiled.

"Fine! Chalo phir." Her words not only brought smile to my sisters lips but also on mine. Her smile can have a great effect on me. Manik Malhotra get ready to die on her smile.

******

Nandini, Mahak and Rhea were walking in the front and Manik followed them. Since the ice cream parlour was just 2 minutes they decided to walking towards it.

Manik couldn't help but smile seeing them bonding. He moved fast and walked beside Nandini. She snapped her head in his direction who passed her a smile. She reciprocated it and continued walking.

Awkwardness! Thats what the situation was. Hence, Mahak and Rhea decided to walk further let the couple have some time with each other.

"So..." Manik whispered making her look at him.

"So?" She asked making him chuckle and shake his head with a smile. She bit her lip and concentrated infront.

"Didn't you think of rejecting me?" He asked getting little serious. She shook her head which brought a frown on his forehead.

"Ek baar bhi nahi? You know na, in which field I am." He asked stopping in thr track making her bob her head and reply.

"Soch samjh kar hi faisla liya. So don't worry."

"Kuch puchna hoga tumhe toh puch sakti ho." Manik said as they came infront of the parlour. Nandini took a deep breath and looked into his eyes.

"No, I have got the answers to the unasked questions." Her words took his breath away. The smile adoring her lips, that small bindi played a big role in enhancing her glow. They standing in such a away that they looked too cute with their height difference.

Nandini broke their eye contact and walked inside the parlour along with Mahak and Rhea. Where as Manik rubbed his neck with his hand and walked inside. They enjoyed their ice cream treat.

While going back Nandini took 2 chocolate family pack ice cream for everyone and they reached home by 4.

"Lo! Ab bacche bhi aa gaye. Hume ab ijazat dijiye. Jaldi hi vapis milenge." Mr. Malhotra said joining his hands.

"Ji!" Nandini and Manik looked at each other for a longer time this time. Mahak and Rhea cooed to Nandini and asked for her number to which she immediately gave them.

Manik and Nandini took blessings from each others parents and bid bye to each other. Everyone in the neighbourhood came to know about the marriage.

*****

Nandini was lying down on the bed when her brother and sister-in-law came inside ofcourse alerting her about their arrival by a knock on the door.

Settling down on the bed Hriday made Anusha comfortable. Nandini sat and looked at them as they stared at her as if she has committed some crime.

"Aap dono aise kyun ghoor rahe ho?" She asked squinching her eyes maming them sigh.

"Nandini, bade bhai ke haq se tujhse puch raha hun. Are you happy with this marriage?"

Nandini frowned and looked at Anusha who sighed and asked her to answer.

"Haan. Aap aise kyun puch rahe ho bhai? Maine soch samjh kar hi faisla liya hai." She voiced out making him sigh.

"I'm asking you because last proposal you declined. I mean you and that guy had only 3 years gap par Manik aur tumhare beech if I'm not mistaken it's 5-6. How will cope up? Aur toh aur uski job hi aisi hai. Tumhe bahut kuch sehna padega Nandini and I can't see you suffering." He voiced his concern making Nandini smile at him.

"Bhaiya! I wouldn't have agreed if I was not sure. I know humari situation alag hai par woh bhi toh insaan hai. Aur rahi baat me suffering them bhai, life is not a easy as well. Just because woh army mein hai doesn't mean ki even I will suffer. May be we together can cope up with the situation."

Nandini said holding his hand where as he just sighed and looked at his wife. Anusha sighed and blinked her eyes is assurance.

"Don't worry bhai. Agar kuch bhi hota hai toh I will come to you only."  He glanced at her and hugged her tightly.

"Accha ab bas. Tum sab jab gaye the na tab pandit jo ko bula kar humne engagement ki date decide kar li. The engagement is on 2nd that is after a week from now. So we gotta do prepare for it. Ho sake toh may be you can choose your ring by tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. Now a days it's so so difficult to get proper engagement ring." Anusha said making Nandini gulp. She was thinking that engagement would take place so soon. But she didn't know how to deal with the things happening inside her system.

"Engagement itni jaldi?" She whispered gulping down the nervousness.

"Actually hum bhi wahi soch rahe the par aunty ne kaha ki Manik ko headquarter se kabhi bhi call aa sakta hai. Isliye we need to hold the engagement soon."

She clarified the situation making Nandini nod her head. They spoke for few minutes and bid bye to each other. She lied down on the bed thinking about everything. She didn't realise that she was zoned out until she heard her phone's notification.

She took it in her hands and opened the phone to see Mahak and Rhea had posted some pictures tagging her on Instagram. She smiled seeing it to be their picture when they had gone to have ice cream but surprisingly she found one picture where they (Manik & Nandini) were staring into each other's eyes. She read the caption and chuckled.

(When bade bhaiya becomes bali ka bakri.

P.S. welcome to the family bhabhi.)

She frowned thinking about his privacy. Before she could do anything her phone pinged with another notification to see it's from unknown username on Instagram. She realised who it is.

How was it?

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