After a small heart to heart talk between Manik n Nandini..n comforting Nandini..Manik made Nandini sleep for sometime. He wanted to do something for her to cheer her up. To make her realize that she isnt the worst friend..but the best one anyone could ever get. But seeing Nandini sleeping peacefully holding his hands..he couldnt leave her n go for some planning. He postponed his idea of doing something for her at the moment. Nevertheless..he texted Abhi to plan out something for her. After about 1 hour..Nandini started stirring in sleep.. she slowly opened her eyes..only to find Manik looking at her lovingly..giving his most beautiful smile to her..Nandini smiled back at him a small sweet smile.

Man: did u sleep well?

Nandini just nods in positive.

Man: good..now lets go n have something. Its already lunch time.

Nandini gets up n after freshening up..both were coming down to have lunch with everyone. Manik and Nandini were descending the stairs but their steps were halted in the middle when they were met with darkness all around.

Nan: y is it so dark here?

Man: i dont knw..everyone was supposed to b here..its already post lunch time.

All of a sudden..some smoke starts coming from all the 4 corners of the house...with some cool breeze..giving a cool touch to their skins.

Nan: ye..dhua kaha se aaraha hai?

Man: i dont knw.

Suddenly the hall gets illuminated with bright lights but the view in front of them leaves them amused. There were large posters and boardings of heavenly scenes..beautiful greeneries to snow capped mountains to deep oceans. The boardings and posters were so huge that they almost covered up all of the hall of the Malhotra mansion. Nandini, being amused, started walking down. She first stopped near the deep ocean poster..n she could clearly hear the sound of flowing water..giving her peace even though being artificial..making her believe that she is present there physically...this got a sweet smile on her face. She next moved to the greenery poster..n she could hear the chirping sounds of the birds..giving her a true feel of being present there too. Next came the boarding of snowcapped mountains..n a chilly wind was blowing from behind it..giving her chills..making her feel the cold weather. Everything around her was so beautiful that u could feel urself in heaven. Taking a look around her..the smile kept increasing on her face. Manik was all the time following Nandini..completely lost in her..observing her every move..her every expression..her tiniest smile to her wide smile now. Seeing her smiling fully..Manik again fell in love with her. Such an innocent smile! Just like when u see a baby smiling for the very first time n u cant hold back urself from reflecting that smile, same was with Manik. He couldnt keep his lips anymore straight when he saw Nandini smiling..smiling a big beautiful smile..that too..genuinely.

Nan (lost): this is so beautiful. It feels as if m in heaven.

"You r in heaven, child. Coz thats where u find ANGELS."

Hearing the voice..Nandini turns around to get another surprise. It was Nyeonika..wearing a white fairy dress with wings attached to her back, a magic wand in her hand, a crown on her head and her hair open..giving her the look of a fairy.

Nan (surprised): Aunty?!

Nyeo: This is heaven, child. Ur true place. A place where ANGELS LIKE U LIVE.

Listening to her such deep meaning words..Nandini was stunned.

Nyeo: Allow me, dear Angel..to get some food for u.

Saying so..Nyeonika claps her hands twice.

Her clappings made Nandini look around n she found Navya, Aliya n Mukti coming out of the kitchen..again wearing beautiful fairy dresses in sky blue color..with wings attached to their backs..and different serving pots in their hands..which they..with a smile on their faces..placed on the dining table.

Nyeo: thank u..young fairies.

The 3 girls bow down in front of Nyeonika..

Nan (smiling fully): Aunty..ye sab..ye sab kya hai?

Nyeo: lets have ur meal first.

Saying so..she again claps her hands. N this time..what came in front of Nandini made her eyes pop out n her jaws open wide..nearly touching the floor if that was possible. And then..Nandini started laughing hysterically..laughing like mad people..holding her stomach n laughing..she could no longer keep herself straight on her legs..n so she sat down on the ground laughing. Her laughing was joined by Manik..Manik too was laughing hysterically, practically rolling on the floor by the sight in front of them.

When Nyeonika clapped her hands the second time, it was the turn of the boys to come out n play their part. The boys were dressed in pure silk white gowns..reaching till little above their ankles with a lace tied at the middle of their torso .. their hair brushed in two sides with a partition exactly in between..n a lot of powder applied on their faces to give them a fair look.

Cab (whispering to Dhruv n Abhi): dekha..kaha tha na..aise jaayenge to Nandini apne aapko hasne se rok nahi paayegi. Dekho..meri behna kitna khul k has rahi hai. Uske is hasi k liye to me roz aise getup me rehne k liye tayyar hu.

Ab: Barbie ko aaj bohot time baad aise haste huwe dekh raha hu. I m so happy to see her like this.

Dhr: Nandini chodo..humare is getup pe to Manik b has raha hai. Dekho kaise pait pakad k has raha hai.

Cab: abe sirf wo hee nai..waha ladkiya b apni hasi ko control nahi ker paa rahi.

Nyeonika claps her hand again to gain the boys' attention. But her clappings even gained Nandini n Manik's attention.

Nan (holding her breath): ye...ye kya...hai? Y so...beautiful getup?

All the 3 boys come closer to Nandini. Abhi bows down in front of Nandini n says..

Ab: Allow us..my Dear Angel..to take u to ur meal.

Nandini looks at him while trying to hold her laugh. Cabir n Dhruv come from behind n signal Abhi a thumbs up. Abhi carries Nandini from the floor n places her on a broad armed chair..off white in color..which was looking no less than a throne. Once Nandini settled down..Cabir Dhruv n Abhi carried the chair to take her to the dining table.
Nandini was so overwhelmed with all their gestures that her eyes welled up. All their gestures truly made her feel like an Angel; an Angel living happily in her heaven..with the most beautiful people around her. She knew if she opened her mouth she wouldnt b able to hold herself. Hence she kept quite. After dropping her to the dining table..the boys again bow down in front of her n take their positions next to their girls. Nandini was looking at them with unshed tears. Before a tear falls from her eyes..Navya said..

Nav: Angels dont cry. N u..r the MOST BEAUTIFUL ANGEL. Plz dont cry.

Nandini smiles with tears in her eyes.

Nyeo: Allow me..dear Angel.. to get u fed with the food.

Nandini now was waiting eagerly to see what else is stored for her. When Nyeonika again clapped her hands..Nandini immediately started looking here n there. And when she saw the sight in front of her..she got super excited..just like a kid gets when he is taken to a toy store full of his favorite toys.

Nan (smiling fully): Teddy bear...

Standing in front of Nandini was Vishal..wearing the outfit of a teddy bear..brown in color, with his head covered with the head of teddy bear.

He comes closer to Nandini n says:

Vis (muffled sound): Allow me..dear Angel..to feed u with my hands.

Nandini gets up from her seat and stands facing the teddy bear. She slowly removes the head of the teddy bear to free Vishal's head.

Nan: teddy bear mera favorite hai. But not with this (showing him the head of teddy bear).. U R MY FAVORITE TEDDY BEAR.

This bring a big smile on Vishal..n he takes Nandini in a hug. He makes her sit again n starts feeding her. All the time Manik was just observing her. He was just getting drowned in her..with no wish to come to the surface again. Nandini was quitely having food from his hands..not saying anything. Everyone was getting a bit tensed..they thought Nandini myt get emotional n say thank u n all..but here she wasnt able to open her mouth. Rather she was looking down all the time n was quitely having her food. They thought mayb she ddnt like all this. But Abhi..he knows his Barbie a little more than anyone else. He went closer to her..kept a hand on her shoulder n with other hand..lightly ruffled her hair. Thats it..she turned around n hugged him tightly from his waist n started crying. Everyone got worried for her.

Ab: Barbie...

Nan (sobbing): sab..sabne itna kiya..mere liye. Aur mene..kuch b nai.

Everyone smile on knowing why she was crying so much. Nandini was feeling bad that she couldnt do anything for them..n yet they showered all their love on her.

Nav: kisne kaha tumne humare liye kuch nahi kiya?

Saying so she comes closer to Nandini..who had stopped crying but was still having hiccups.

Nav: tumne hume bachaya hai..ek baar nahi..kai baar. Tumne hume khudke liye khada hona sikhaaya.

Muk: tumne hume sahi aur galat k beech fark sikhaaya.

Al: hume apne limits me rehna sikhaaya.

Dhr: hume dusro ko khushi dena sikhaaya. Us ehsaas ko mehsoos karaaya jo humne aaj tak kabhi nahi feel kiya tha.

Cab: hume apne pairo pe khada hona sikhaaya. Apne dum pe khud kuch kerna sikhaaya. Aur mujhe to ek pyaari se behen b di tumne.

Vis: hogaya? Ab me bolu? Angel.. (taking her hands in his) tumne mujhe meri family di. Wo kiya jo me 3 saalo me nahi kar paaya. Wo khushi laai is ghar me jo kahi kho gayi thi.

Nyeo: Angel..tumne ek maa ko uska beta lautaaya. Us bete ki zindagi me khoyi huwi khushiya lautaayi. Uska music diya.

Man: tumne hume tumhari anmol dosti di..

Everyone turn around to see Manik..who was standing a little far from everyone else. Nandini looked into his eyes n found him already staring at her with affection and adoration.

Taking steps towards them..Manik continued..

Man: wo dosti..jo apno se zyada apne dosto pe trust kerti hai. Wo dosti jo apne kisi b dost ko trouble me nai dekh sakti. Wo dosti jo sirf galti hone per toke hee nai..balke us galti ko sudhaare b.

He had by now reached till Nandini n Nandini was so lost in him that she got up from her seat n was now standing in front of Manik..looking into his eyes.. n today..she could see something else in his eyes. Yes she found affection..she found passion..but apart from this there was something else that gave his eyes a different shine.

Man: Nandini..u gave us ur friendship. The best friendship one could ever get. N we would never want to lose u. Aur is friendship k badle..kya tum humari friendship kabool karogi? We want to offer ourselves to u..karogi humse dosti?

Hearing such beautiful praises about her from Manik n everyone else..Nandini was overwhelmed. She ddnt say anything..but just nodded her head in a yes..smiling with tears rolling down her eyes. Manik comes closer n wipes her tears away.

Man(while wiping her tears): Ab inhe aur aane nahi dunga. U dont deserve them. U deserve to b happy.

Ab: n we will make u happy.. humesha.

Saying so he takes her in a side hug.

Cabir comes ahead n hugs her from the other side. Dhruv joins his side. Girls too come n join in the hug..making it a group hug. Manik was still standing in front of Nandini. Their eye contact broke when Navya came in front to hug Nandini..causing Manik to take a step back.. but before he could take another step back..he felt a tug in his hand. Looking down..he saw Nandini holding his eyes in a tight grip..not allowing him to go away from her. Manik further tightens her hold..n looks at her smilingly.

###############

Hello angels
Hru all
M so so sorry for disappearing.. but was.. (n still am) extremely busy with my emergency at home. N coming months r gonna b the same. Initially i thought of putting the story on hold..but then i being a reader myself understand tht this isnt a way out .. for me atleast..coz m gonna get busier n busier with each day. So after thinking i reached to a conclusion..

* how about i update on sundays, instead of twice a week like i had proposed earlier?

* this update isnt nice i knw that.. n i had planned to finish Anjika's case in this one..but i just couldnt. N mayb coming updates too wont b long as they used to b..but i promise this length would be the minimum of my updates. Hope that is okay??

So i leave it upto u guys.. are these 2 points acceptable for u all? I knw they arent appealing..but..i cant help it. I want to n insha Allah i will complete the book..coz i dnt like leaving it incomplete.

Sorry again Angels

Tc 😊