NEVER IN A FOREVER (Manan)

part 4

M A N I K

I smiled to myself thinking about my marriage. I never doubted my mom's decision but I don't know what is going on in her mind.

Is she really okay with this marriage? Or is Nandini okay with this marriage? Or are they just forcing themselves in their relationship?

I wish it's nothing I think about. But on the contrary, I'm really happy that I'm starting a new life with Nandini. I met her more than ten times due to Photoshoot, roka, mehndi, engagement, outfit shopping and even for mangalsutra and took her to a couple of dates to learn about her.

But she didn't give anything much about her.

I think she is kind of introverted or needs time to adjust with the fact and both ways, I'm okay helping her.

I don't know what she did to me when I saw her picture in the sack of pictures mom showed me while they were discussing marriage.

I was hell bent on being single forever after whatever happened to me but seeing her picture, something stirred inside me and made me give her a shot and knowing her nature, I started developing some liking for her.

I saw the way she cares, the way she makes sarcastic marks, the way she feeds her brother, the way she adjusts herself with anything and I admire her for those things but I wish she never met Madhyam.

As selfish as that sounds but I'm really possessive of my things and I hate someone else's touch or rights on what's mine.

I just wish I could control my habit around her for sometime orelse I have to show her the monster I have been trying to hide from for so long.

My trance was broken when I felt someone shaking me and I looked to my right to find DHruv standing there with a creepy smile. I shook my head at his smile knowing what was coming.

"I guess my sister-in-law already practised the art of silencing my brother even without talking to him" He smirked, making me chuckle.

"She will shut up you too my dear brother" I retorted with a grin, making him roll his eyes playfully at me, making me snort.

"The car and the horse are here. Let's go" He said and adjusted the sehra on my head when I heard a click. I turned to my left to find Cabir capturing the moment. And here comes the photographer.

"Let's go" Cabir said and I nodded my had standing up from the bench and walked to him. Cabir started walking behind me while Dhruv fasted his pace and started walking to the car and ignited the engine.

I settled in the passenger seat while mom, dad and Cabir sat behind us and the car strted moving, the horse in a big truck coming behind us.

In twenty minutes, we reached their colony where the baraat will be started.

I laughed out loud when my mom said that we will be starting the baraat from her colony apparently because we don't need extra attention than we already have.

It has been one hell of a headache when we had to manage media and promised them to good pictures of us so that they won't disturb our occasion. 

Damn media has so much time to poke their nose into our business. For what? TRP huh.

The car stopped and got down and closed the door behind me when Mom, dad, cabir and Dhruv got down too and our driver sat in Dhruv's place.

The horseman got the horse out of the truck in minutes and Dhruv and Cabir helped me to get on to it and the dhol started with its sound bringing a wave of energy in everyone.

Dad was the first one to dance and he pulled mom along with him making me surprised. Dhruv and Cabir started dancing too while I looked around myself only to get wrapped up around my employees, friends and family members.

I shook my head at their enthusiastic selves but couldn't stop myself from grinning.

Why? Even I don't know. Honestly, I shouldn't be happy with this marriage but even I don't know why I'm happy though.

Maybe that was the vibe Nandini has around herself. I felt a sudden pull from my left and I turned my head to find a girl clad in red lehenga ws looking at me from the second floor balcony and her face was almost covered due to her veil but hey, I know it's my girl.

The horse stopped at the entrance and taking it as my cue, I got down the horse carefully and mom and dad were on either side of me, Cabir and Dhruv behind them and each of them were excited as hell for this marriage.

Nandini's mom along with her dad, I suppose I have to address my in-laws like I do with my parents from now.

I bent down to take their blessings when they approached me when Uncle- dad stopped me in the middle and hugged me dearly.

After a while, he broke the hug and Mom Kissed my forehead saying "Welcome to the family officially" making me grin at her.

"We need money to let you in" A girl who looks 18 years old came and stood in front of me with an Aarti thali who I assumed to be one of Nandini's cousins if I'm not wrong.

"How much?" I asked, excitement bubbling inside me for seeing my bride but everyone wanted to make me late.

"3 lakhs" She said, making everyone giggle. I shook my head and kept my hand in the pockets of my sherwani and gave her five lakhs.

SHe grabbed them excitedly and blurted out "these goes to orphanage as Nandini Akkas wish" making me smile at her genuinely.

I patted her head slightly and she did my tilak after that. Everyone entered inside after me and the same kid stopped me.

"You can get married to my akka, but I want you to pass some test orelse you can go back from here" She said, making me laugh while Murthys looked at her horrified but mom and dad just chuckled.

"OKay what should I do to get my bride?" I asked in a teasing tone but everyone hooted on "my bride" making my ears turn pink.

Ways to go malhotra, ways to go. I thought to myself. The kid whistled when four girls entered inside the hall we were and I stood there rooted before a smirk made its way on my face. This is going to be fun.