Chapter 18

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Manik and Nandani went to Manik's cabin. Nandani had already started doing her work but kept checking if Manik was ok. Manik too tried to concentrate on his work but failed as Nandani's words kept ringing in his head. Just then Cabir entered the cabin bringing them back to reality.
"Good morning Mr and Mrs Malhotra. How are you guys?" Cabir purposely screamed the first part out loud.

Manik panicked and got up from his chair and closed cabin's door. "Shhhh...Cabir! Nobody in this office knows about this. Please." Manik said as he stood in front of him.

"Wow man.....you are seeing your best friend after so long and instead of hugging me, you are scolding me? You have already changed after your marriage." Cabir faked his anger.

"Drama queen." Manik said as he hugged him. "How was the trip?" Manik asked as he broke the hug.

"The trip was good, but I should have been here. After all I missed my one and only best friend's wedding. By the way, hello bhabhi ji."Cabir said looking at Nandani.

Nandani's eyes widen in shock as he called her 'bhabhi ji'. "Hi Cabir." Nandani nervously said.

"Cabir, this marriage and all....." Manik began only to be interrupted by Cabir.

"Yeah Manik, I know. Mukti told me all about it." Cabir said.

"So then what was this?" Manik said as he punched into Cabir's stomach.

Nandani let out few chuckles as the besties were cutely fighting. Manik noticed it and a smile appeared on his face. Cabir to noticed it but didn't talk about it.

"So tell me guys till when is this going to go on?" Cabir asked as he sat on the chair.

Nandani and Manik both looked at each other as they themselves didn't have an answer for this. Nandani broke her eye lock and sat next to Cabir. "We don't know Cabir."

Manik then took a seat opposite them and spoke, "Yeah Cabir, as soon as the right time comes we will tell them. I just hope they will understand."

Cabir nodded as he already had a plan in his head. "Okay guys so I came here to tell you something. Well it's a surprise. And for that I want you to come with me to Shimla."

"What surprise Cabir, just tell us now. You have no idea how busy we have gotten." Manik said.

"Manik please. This is the most beautiful thing of my life and I want all my friends to be there." Cabir pleaded. "Nandani are you in for this?" Cabir asked.

"Well I need a leave from my boss." Nandani said which made Manik look at her.

"Oh come on. You are his wife, do need for his permission. And please bring your husband. He don't care for his friend anymore but maybe he will listen to his wife." Cabir teased them while they rolled their eyes.

"FINE..! When do we leave?" Manik asked.

"After two days. And Nandani you are more then welcome to bring a friend along." Cabir said.

"She doesn't have any friends." Manik said.

Nandani looked at him but them though of something. "Actually I do. I will let you know if he will come or not."

Manik's face turned pale as he thought it might be the guy she was with from the pass few nights.

"Manik I would have asked you to but I guess no one would have the guts to be your friend." Cabir said.

Manik's male ego was hurt so he thought of something. "Really Cabir, fine then let me invite her. Then you will see that even I have friends." Manik said looking at Nandani.

As it was six, Nandani prepared to leave for her next job while Manik spoke. "Nandani, please don't go today?"

Nandani then looked and him and thought.

Nandani's POV
Why did he say that. He has never spoken to me with this tone. What if he wants to talk about something. Let me just not go.
"Okay."

Manik's POV
She agreed. But why? For me? But I wanted her to come with me as if it was not for her then I would have never taken up this decision. "Will you come with me?" I asked. But without taking her time she nodded and a smile appeared on my face. "Come."

I walked out of the office and sat in the car as Nandani also followed me. She called up someone.

"Hello, this is Nandani. I am sorry, I won't be able to make it today." She said.

"Nandani you are okay right?" Other person spoke. It was too quite so I could clearly make out what she was saying.

"Ya, just a personal problem so..." Nandani said. A smile appeared on my face was she said that.

"Ok fine, but you know na....that if you take a leave, your salary will get reduced?"

"Yeah I know. Thanks." Nandani said as cut the call.

Maybe the image I had created of her in my mind was changing. Was she always this good and I failed to recognise?
End of POV

As they reached their destination, Manik stopped the car. Nandani noticed that it was none other then Malhotra Mansion.

Nandani's POV
What! So this means he had thought about what I said to him. Did he make a decision? But what? And why did he bring me along?
End of POV

Manik and Nandani walked in silence. Manik was nervous as he didn't know what would happen after he told them about his decision while Nandani just looked at him, trying to figure out what was going in his mind.

"Manik beta, what a surprise. Come in." Nyonika said as she spotted them.

"Mom, I want to say something." Manik said seriously. By now everyone had gathered around them.

"Yeah Manik speak. What's wrong." Nyonika responded as she herself was unaware of what he wanted to say.

Manik took a deep breath and held Nandani's hand which took her by surprise. "Mom, I want to come back to this house."

Nyonika couldn't believe her eyes and tears welled up in her eyes. "Manik." She hugged him which made Manik leave Nandani's hand.

"Manik, finally you are coming back." Raj said as he himself was in tears, tears of joy. He too came and proudly hugged him.

"Manik, it took you all these years to make this decision." Mukti said as she punched him in his stomach.

"Ahhh.....Mukti." Manik said as he took her for a hug.

Nandani just stood aside feeling happy for this family. Tears had welled up in her eyes as well but she kept it all in and just admired the family bonding.
Nyonika noticed this and called her. "Why are you standing there come.."

Nandani then went closer to them and Nyonika took her for a hug. " I know beta, this is all because of you. Otherwise this idiot would have never come up with this decision."

Manik then looked at her, thanking her through their eye talks. Nandani smiled brightly as she understood him.

"So I want both of you shifted back to this house by tomorrow afternoon. Is that clear." Raj said.

Manik and Nandani then realised what this meant. They will now have to be together in front of them always. Share a room, share a cupboard, share a bathroom and what not. First she was just his wife but now she has to become the daughter-in-law. They just nodded to Raj as words were no longer supporting them.

Manik and Nandani had their dinner at the Mansion. But through out they were thinking about what was going to happen when they would shift into Malhotra Mansion. As it was late Manik and Nandani left to spend their last night in his house.

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