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Chapter 52- What's Cookin!

Manik couldn't believe himself. He smiled at her. If he had known Nandini's reaction earlier he would have been much happier. Nandini has left from there and Abhimanyu has seen them. "Nandini, did I just hear what I heard?" Abhimanyu asked Nandini and she tried hard not to say anything to him. "Aap ne kya suna tha?" she asked trying to hide her embarrassment. "Manik has got you this saree?" Abhimanyu asked. "Ha, mujhe bhi aaj hi pata chala tha" Nandini said. "I'm not aware of it anytime" Abhimanyu said it to Nandini. "Are you both dating by any chance?" Abhimanyu asked hesitatingly. "No" Nandini didn't even took a second to answer.

"Nandini, jab aunty ne tumhe Manik ke liye select kiya tha, I thought you will be perfect for him, but God has some other plans. Manik has tolerated so much Nandini, life wasn't so easy for him" Abhimanyu continued. "Baahar se wo kitna bh pretend kare, Andar se he is sensitive" he said. "Like a coconut" Nandini commented and Abhimanyu eyed at her. "Now I know why does he always had to fight with you" he said. "How I wished you both were together and now when I know that he gifted you a saree, then I thought you both might be dating" he said. "Usse date karne ki himmat hi nahi hai mujhme" Nandini thought but never knew how she blurted it out. "What?" he asked. "Mujhe Manik se dar lagta hai" Nandini confessed, "I don't know how he behaves at times, sometimes he is friendly caring and most of the time he shouts at me" she said and Abhi burst into a laughter.

"Mom, look at you, you are so beautiful in this saree but mujhe dekhke I myself feel like a clown" Mukti said to Ishitha. "I'm not quite comfortable in this saree mom, it didn't suit me as it to you" Mukti said to her. "Raman ne kaha na that something is missing in you!" Ishitha asked Mukti. "You know what it is! Your smile Mukti, you just don't become beautiful if you wear a saree or a dress, beautiful tab lagogi when you wear a smile" Ishitha said and put kajal behind Mukti's ear. "Kahi mera nazar na lage tumhe" she kissed her daughter.

Alya came late to the party and joined Nandini and Navya. "Thank God function shuru nahi hua" she said. Nandini said that the ring ceremony will start in no time. "Tum iss saree mein bahut achi lag rahi ho Nandini" Ishitha complimented Nandini and Raman came there. "After all South Indian jo hai tumhari tarah" he said. Manik looked at Nandini while Nyonika caught him staring.

''I know tum kya soch rahe ho!" she said. "What?" he asked her. "Ye sab tumhe bhi weird lag raha hai na! This customs and rituals, hum Punjabi log mein aisa thodi hota hai. My God look at their sarees Manik, I thought Kanjivaram Sarees are cool but no, hume nahi karni hai aisi South Indian shaadi hai na" she said to him. "Mom, problem kya hai usme, tradition jo bhi hai, hai tho Shaadi hai na, marriage is all about taking vows to protect and love each other and zindagi bar un vows ko nibhana" Manik said. "Tho tum Nandini ke saath South Indian Shaadi karega" she held Manik.

"Mom, when did I say that!" Manik is astonished. "Kuch kehne ke zarurat nahi bachi hai ab, it's clear that you are looking at her Manik" she taunted him. "Mom, it is the first time I'm looking her in a saree, so genuinely mein appreciate kar raha hu" he said. "Mukti bhi first time saree pehni hai, why don't you genuinely appreciate her?" Nyonika asked him. "Abhi ko acha nahi lagega mom" Manik said laughing.

"Mujhe jaldi jaana hai Nandini, kuch kaam hai" Navya said and is about to leave. "Navya, engagement start bhi nahi hua tum abhi jaa rahi ho!" Nandini said in disappointment. "Agar tum chali gayi tho mujhe company kaun dega" Nandini pouted. "Alya and Cabir are here na" she said as she is about to leave. "But tum itni jaldi kyu jaa rahi ho?" Nandini didn't let Navya go and said that she will talk to her mom for her. "No Nandini, I'm not liking there now, I'm staying with papa now" Navya said. "Papa ke saath! Navya, is everything alright?" she asked with concern.

"Yeah everything is fine Nandini, don't worry. Papa akela pad gaya tho maine socha ab usse meri zarurat hai so I shifted there" Navya left after talking to her. She reached home and saw her father drinking at home. "Oh aa gayi Maharani! Where were you all this time? Hospital ko itni ready ho kar kaunsi doctor jaati hai?" he asked while she was still at the door.