In Murthy Mansion ,

It was bright afternoon of Sunday and Ishita were fusing over items she is going to prepare for dinner . She wasn't able to decide menu and also both daughter and father also were not helping her. Nandini and Raman both were faking listening her but they weren't showing any interest towards the , conversation or her self rant. Raman was busy in his thoughts about company and all . Nandini was busy with her thoughts of Manik and the bond between them , which was increasing with the passing days .

This week had witnessed the growing attraction and care of two souls for each other.

"I am asking you both for the last time.....And if you won't suggest me dishes for dinner .....Then u both will not get any special food " Ishita screamed and threatened them for the last time because she saw them paying least interest to her rant.

Startled by Ishita's growled Nandini and Raman came to real world "So what are the options ?" both of them asked her.

"I was thinking about sea food but again I thought they are Panjabi... so I thought  about butter chicken and all .... So I am confused" Ishita shared her problem.

"Then go with South Indian food " Raman said.

"Or I think u should think about continental food items " Nandini too suggested.

"Are you guys even serious ? What I am asking and what are you saying ....uff " Again she growled at them .

"If ur not intended to listen to us , then why are u wasting urs and ours time? " Raman stated the fact .

"She always does this " Nandini whispered near Raman , and they high-fived. Actually this usually happens with them she used to ask them about ' what to cook' and when they will suggest food of there choice then she will reject there demands and will make what she had thought. So they started giving complete out of the box choices to her so she will get irritate with them😁.

"Fine....U both will not get anything" she also played her trick and smirked at them.

"U should cook some fried fishes and butter chicken with butter naan or Roti for main course " Raman instantly suggested.

"And ha for rice U Should cook mutton Biryani or chicken Biryani " Nandini also replied with a smile playing on her lips with the thought he will be eating.

Ishita also got satisfied with there answers about dinner and she acknowledge them and moved towards kitchen to prepare food.

"Mom wait , I will also help you " Nandini said getting up from her seat and ran towards her mom.

"Wait u both.....I will also help you .... I don't want to feel leftover" Raman also joined them.

All three went to the kitchen and start making food . Servants did basic work in kitchen and then left the kitchen for Murthy family. It was Ishita who loves to cook for her family so everyday she cooks for them and sometimes she takes basic help from servants.

The cooking was on with the appropriate kitchen romance of Murthy couple . Raman were busy in snuggling , nudging Ishita time to time and she was busy with her food. It was usual sight for Nandini from her childhood so she was less bothered.

"Oouuch" Raman screamed as soon as he felt spatula on his arm with a force that can make him scream.

"I think now u must have remembered how to help in COOKING and not to distract " Ishita said with a evil smile and Raman made bad face for spoiling his romance and started doing his work silently like a obedient child who is completing his punishment.

"Awww Dad u look cute " her remarked made him more grumpy and both ladies started laughing on him.

After that there cooking session went well and they completed there task . But Ishita noticed one thing in her daughter , that her more and only concentration over Biryani with a smile on her face of teenage girl who is introduced to new beautiful emotions for first time.

..........||

In the late evening both son and mother was confused about what to buy for Murthy family.
As they can't go Just like that with empty hands.

"Mom I am telling you , wine will be good enough....I always used to purchased wine whenever I used to visit any dealer at his home" Manik suggested.

"Manik it's not a formal dinner.....If u have forgot then let me remind you Nandini is ur friend too "  Neyonika stated fact.

"She is not my friend" he said instantly.

"Then what ? .....Gf ?" Neyonika teased and chuckled.

"Ohh mom please" he growled.

"We reached..... Here is ur shopping complex ....Buy anything u want to " he said while stopping his car.

"U r also coming "  she informed him.

And unwillingly he listened her and followed her. With lots of arguments they decided to purchase Ice cream as it will not look so formal.

"U buy that .....I will be back in five " Manik said to Neyonika. As he saw one 'Paan shop' in last row of shopping complex.

He took parcel box of " Chocolate Paan's " and he was busy admiring that box with smile never leaving his lips and excitement in those eyes to see her glowing face when she will receive that box.

"Weird , isn't he ? " Man working in the shop said as soon as Manik left the shop , smiling like a teenage fool.

"No... it's matter of heart " Owner said lovingly looking at Manik's retreating figure.

..............||

Nandini took bath after cooking and wear casual knee length frock for dinner. And did usual little make up .
(Nandini's attire)

Murthy family was waiting for Malhotra son and mother , they did asked nandini about Manik's father but she told them not to raise topic of Mr. Malhotra in front of them , and as she don't know much about there family matter . So she asked her parents same , to stay away from there matter.

Neyonika and Manik reached outside the Murthy mansion. Neyonika was wearing a elegant yellow nd orange saree with sleeveless blouse and Manik had wore a plain white T-shirt with blue jeans . Both of them were looking stunning as usual.

(Neyonika's attire)

(Manik's attire , ignore the cap)

Bell rang and Murthy's greeted Malhotra's
"Welcome home Mrs. Malhotra and Manik" both of them smiled at Ishita's sweet gesture Raman and Nandini also waved at them , and all of them entered in house and were moving towards dinning table,

"Take this Mrs. Murthy.....I hope it's not bad gift for first visit  " Neyonika hesitated and  gave two Family pack of ice creams .

"First of all u don't need to bring this ..... And second thing fortunately u brought my fav Ice cream tubs ..... So it's definitely best gift " Ishita said excitedly . And Neyonika smiled .

Everyone seated on chairs of dinning table except Manik and Ishita . She was going to kitchen to keep boxes in fridge and Manik went behind her to give her that box. Seeing him she stopped and raised her eyebrows at him.

"Ummm.....I brought this , can you also put this in refrigerator .... So chocolate won't melt. " he said forwarding box in his hands.

"What is inside the box?" she asked taking box from him.

"Umm.... Chocolate paan " he hesitated and start looking here and there except  her. She smiled at him and pulled his cheek affectionately from one hand and went to kitchen , he scrunched his nose at her gesture and came back to table and seated beside Nandini .

"What was that in ur hands ?" Nandini asked him in slow voice.

"U will be happy after dinner " he said and before she could understand and  answer back ,

"Let's start dinner then....I hope u guys will enjoy food..... Personally Ishita had took so much efforts for dinner " Raman  praised Ishita .

Fishes

Butter chicken and Naan

Chicken Biryani

"Not only me , but we all made food together" she replied smilingly and ,  Manik and Neyonika smiled at there family lovingly.

Food got served by servants to everyone . Ishita noticed Neyonika and Manik didn't took Fried Fishes. And Nandini shifted from her place to the chair near Raman. And Manik frowned at her behaviour and Ishita saw that .

"Arey she can't eat fish on her own but she loves them ..... So her dear daddy used to feed her " Ishita informed them but  smile on there faces got vanished .

"But why u guys didn't take any " Ishita asked them . And Neyonika came to her senses .

"I was pure Vegetarian as we are Deshmukh's .....But I married Malhotra's who are pure non vegetarian so I started eating non veg like chicken and mutton but I am not fan of fishes that much and also I don't know how to eat " She answered with forced smile and her attention was only at Manik who was zoned out .

............||

FLASHBACK ;

In Malhotra mansion ,

It was 10pm in night  and a little boy of seven years was running here and there escaping from his family.

"Mannu Beta please eat something I have made fried fishes especially for u " Niyati Malhotra said while running at him.

"No Dadi ..... I won't eat till the time Papa will come back and feed me " Manik was stubborn.

"Beta please listen to ur Dadi ...... And I am here , Come .....I will feed you " Santok Malhotra try to convince him.

"No Dadu ..... I want Papa only " Manik said with loud voice.

"Manikkk" Neyonika scold him for bad behaviour as they were best grandparents of him they loves him too much. And Manik also loves them too much , but it was that he loves his papa little more than anyone and he love fishes too but he can't eat them because of fish bones. So he used to eat with Shrikant's hands only.

"No one will scold my Manik" Shrikant said sternly looking at Neyonika , who just had arrived from his work and was standing on the door.

Seeing him Manik ran towards him happily and Shrikant took Manik in his arms and others smiled at them.

Shrikant reached at dinning table and putted Manik on one chair. He kept his bag and blazer on one side of table , he removed his tie and pulled up sleeves of his shirt and rushed to basin.

After washing his hands he settled on chair , and served food on one plate  , and started feeding Manik and asked others also to start there dinner , and he informed that  he will eat in same plate with Manik.

Manik had his dinner with lots of happiness and others were at peace seeing there bond. For Shrikant Manik was too precious than other family members he couldn't deny the single wish of Manik. His relation with Neyonika wasn't too good she was just his legally wedded wife that's it.  Everyone had there dinner.

FLASHBACK ENDED

..........||

"Manik ...... Manik " Ishita asked him for two three times . And finally she slapped his shoulder slightly as she was seating near his chair.

"Huh" he came out of his childhood memory .

"Where are you lost and why don't you took fried fishes ?" she asked and everyone looked at him and Neyonika was constantly looking at him and she knew what he was thinking because she also remembered same memory of his childhood.

"He can't eat them because of fish bones " she said in a daze of his memory and he looked at her with same sad eyes . Both were trying to hide there vulnerability but Nandini caught that but remained silent , she thought it would be related to Shrikant.

After two mins Manik found hand with peace of fish flesh near his lips and he looked up and found smiling Ishita , his eyes gleamed up with a unknown  emotions which ran through his system and showed by his watery eyes. He wasn't emotional person but this happened after a years of loneliness , he found someone loving him again other than Neyonika.

And from Ishita , this was the moment that no matter what and whose child is in front of a mother , she can always understands the turmoil of a child. May be every mother is blessed with that quality.

"U and ur mother don't know how to eat ....But I know " Ishita shrugged her shoulders and said casually. But with this action of her cause sudden rush of proudness in Nandini and Raman . And Neyonika was stunned by affection her son getting from a lady whom she just met today.

"Ahem ahem ..... Someone is getting love of two mothers ...... Yaha pe toh humaara koi nahi " Nandini said dramatically and pouted. Mostly try to ease the sad and emotional atmosphere.

"How u can say that princess.....When daddy is here " Raman said lovingly and feed her . And others laughed at them.

They ate dinner happily and everyone loved food so much that they ate more than there capacity and now everyone was full . In between the dinner Ishita feed Manik two fishes and then he ate Biryani by himself and she noticed his affection and never ending smile while eating Biryani.

"Sry Mrs. Malhotra but I can't eat ice cream now ....I am full " Raman said keeping hand on his stomach.

"Even I can't" everyone said in unison .

"But u guys can eat what I had brought" saying this Manik left his place .

"I will check on him " Nandini to excused herself.

"Wowwwww u brought this .... Thank you " she said excitedly when they reached near fridge and he gave her box of 'Paan' she took one 'chocolate paan ' and ate happily and in excitement also shoved one in Manik's mouth who was busy admiring her expected reaction.

Due Her sudden move chocolate spread over his lower mouth he wiped that by his hand and Nandini felt pull on her frock and she looked down to find Manik wiping his hands on her frock.

"Manikkk"

"What ?.... Because of u my hands got dirty " he shrugged his shoulders and brought his hands back and she was huffing in annoyance. But suddenly her heartbeats started rising when his sensual thumb started rubbing chocolate from her lips and area near her lips.

"Manikk stop " she moaned.

"Arey I was just wiping chocolate "
He instantly rubbed chocolate and again wiped his hands from her frock .

"Ohhh how innocent u r " she said frustrated with him but he ignored her rant and again felt pulled on her frock and her eyes got wide opened when she saw  him pulling her frock up to wipe his mouth as he felt his face is not clean.

"Manikkk.... what are you doing? She slapped his hands and pulled her frock back from his hold.

"I was just trying to clean my face properly" he said innocently.

"U have gone mad dumbhead .... At least try to thought of outcome of ur actions before doing " she was irritated and flushed with his actions. His tubelight glowed after few seconds and after realisation embarrassed he ran from there

Frustrated she also followed him and gave paan to others everyone took that happily and ate and also they praised Manik but he didn't took another paan . And Neyonika now got that , why and where he disappeared when she was buying ice cream and she too smiled at her childish son.

............||

"I think I will visit Pune tommorow morning and then u can visit on weekend instead of Next to next week.....And I think Ishita u should also accompany him ...... U both can enjoy little trip over there " Neyonika suggested as they were talking about buisness after dinner . Ishita and Neyonika became informal with each other throughout the conversation.

"What's say Ishita?" Raman asked excitedly.

"I am in ..... But Nandu?" she asked.

"I will join u guys" she said smiling sheepishly.

"No ..... U won't .....U already have missed sessions so much for Mishti's wedding " Ishita said sternly.

"Sidha sidha bolo na kabab me haddi nahi chayiye " Nandini whispered to herself and made bad face.

"Okay then I will be staying at Naina's or Rohan's or Aayan's place..... As I usually do " Nandini said excitedly , she is good child of loving parents.

"Why not our place Nandu ?" Neyonika raised her eyebrow.

"She will  torture u Neyonika..... It's bad idea" Ishita laughed .

"No ..... I will be happy if she will stay with me.... And it's final she will be staying with us ..... No more arguments" Neyonika stated firmly but Manik was shocked seeing her inviting outsider or his friend or not so friend to there house.

"U will be fine na Princess" worried Raman asked  her and she nodded.

"Okay then it's decided I will be staying there after returning from academy , on Friday till Sunday..... It's cool " Nandini chirped and High-fived with Neyonika.

Eventually everyone agreed on Nandini staying at Malhotra Mansion.

After bidding bye to Malhotra's , Murthy talked with each other for a while , mostly conversation was about Pune and Nandini staying at Malhotra mansion. 

The night went well for everyone. Raman was happy because of Ishita and Nandini . Ishita was happy finding friend like Neyonika , and also observing changes in her daughter for first time. Nandini was happy because of her mother's tenderness towards Manik and also because of his little act after dinner. And Manik nd Neyonika was overwhelmed as the amount of love Manik got from Ishita.

..........End..........||

If u found any mistake let me know.

How was the chap??

..........Aish❣️...........||