MaNan OS - I Do

MaNan OS - I Do

It was a beautiful afternoon in Shimla, not too chilly and not too hot. The sun was shining while playing hide and seek with the clouds and the cool wind just added to the romantic weather. Anyone would say it was the perfect day for a wedding. I stood there in my tent giving final touches to my Gucci hard black tuxedo custom made for me to wear on my special day. I looked myself in the mirror for one final time and sighed and just then my best man Cabir "come on man its time." I nodded in yes and moved with him. "Wow you look too calm for a guy having wedding in sometime." I smiled in sarcasm, yeah its calm on the surface and if only I could show the storm in my heart and mind.

I walked towards the aisle and was blown away by the decoration over there. Everything was just the way we had envisioned, the way we both dreamt during one of our Kate night dreamy chats. The orchid arch from where all the guests will walk in and have a seat, carnations adorning the trees everywhere giving it a fairytale effect and isle; oh man an isle decorated with white roses with hints of red roses. She just know me too well I thought as a smile broke my lips.

I was lost in my thoughts when I heard the bridal BG being played which meant its time. First cute little flower girls walked in with pink rose petals in their baskets and then Multi walked in holding the bouquet. She smiled widely as she passed me by and whispered "all the best big brother" and winked. And then everyone stood up which meant it was time for her to come. How I was dying to see her and there she was. She was dressed in my favourite color red and man she looked ethereal, heavenly and what not. She was nervous I could say that not meeting my eyes but looking everywhere.

Finally she took her position and the priest asked everyone to have a seat. I've always dreamt of a white wedding and my parents were quite upset that we didn't have a big fat Indian wedding so to satisfy their rep they did all the other rituals like sangeet, mehndi and haldi and I had to agree being the only son of a melodramatic mom and dad is not easy. I was lost in thoughts when cabir said "dude be ready with the vows." And then I heard the priest say "please repeat after me." I nodded in affirmation.

Priest: I the Manik Malhotra
Me: I the Manik Malhotra
Priest: take the Alya Saxena as my lawfully wedded wife.
Me: Take the Nandini Murthy as my lawfully wedded wife.

That's it hell broke loose there. The priest said "son the bride is Alya" trying hard to be calm and I replied " nope its Nandini." Holding her gaze all the while. Cabir whispered "dude kya bol raha hai? Are you still hungover?" He asked me utter disbelief. "Cabir I've never been more sure about anything." I said as I walked towards nandini. Alya tried to come in between "what is this Manik?" "Not now Alya I'll explain later." I said as I looked into Nandini's eyes.

I held her waist and yanked her closer and said "Nandini!" And she shivered. "I do take you as my lawfully wedded wife. Do you take me as you husband?" I asked her drowning myself in her big black eyes. "Yes I do." She whispered and I could hear murmurs in the background but who cares she said yes. I took out a pair of silver rings that we brought from the flee market while we were shopping for my wedding with Alya. I slid her ring and gave hers to mine and she slid it happily. Without much ado I fused my lips with hers for a kiss to the bride. I broke the kiss and forwarded my Hans and she placed hers with a smile. And we both turned run away. By now everyone was frozen at their places due to utter shock. I looked at Alya and said "I am not sorry for what I did." And without waiting I dragged Nandini with me. I stopped in front of my parents and said "I'll explain everything when I return." They were too numb to react while I firmed my grip on her hand and made her sit in the limo that was waiting for the "Just Married" couple and drove off to our secret paradise.

There was a complete silence in the car as we drove to our secret place, a silence of harmony, a silence which spoke louder than the words. Finally after a hour long drive of negotiating curves and valleys we reached a secret hill top cottage. I brought this cottage last year to find some piece when my wedding with Alya was announced. No one in my family knows about it nor my friends except Nandini. It is the place where I realized how much I loved her, it is the place where we made love for the first time and this is the place where we are gonna start our new journey as man and wife.

My train of thoughts were broken by her melodic voice " Manik we have reached." I smiled and came out of car ran to her side, opened the door like a gentleman and carried her to the log house in the bridal style. I put her down as soon as we entered and I could tell she was happy to be back here. She was looking all around smiling. "Umm Nandini." I said hesitating and she gave me a questioning look. "Woh I'm sorry there are no decorations or anything like a conventional welcome for a new bride." I said feeling bad for her but then what she said made me realized why I fell in love with her.

"Manik Malhotra are we a conventional couple? Nope then how can this be conventional and I don't have any issues as long as I have you by my side. Two days ago I said I love you the biggest truth of my life but today I want to confess to you that Manik Malhotra I Nandini Manik Malhotra is truly, madly and hopelessly in love with you for the rest of my life now deal with it." She started giggling god! What else I needed and without further ado I pulled her close and kissed her hard.

She reciprocated my kiss with equal fervor as our tongues dances together making us moan in each others mouth. While my hands pressed her waist with a vengeance she skilfully undid my blazer,tie and shirt while still in the kiss. After finding her breathless I left her lips and took her neck kissing and biting like a mad while I carried her to our bedroom. But to break our moment the zip of her dress was struck. "Manik what's taking you so long?" She asked panting. I looked to her face and said "Nandini I'll get you a much better outfit but this zip is truck mind if I tear it." "For god sake Manik please do it already" she said rolling her eyes and yes how could I not oblige. I tore her dress and what followed next was hours of love and passion with my love, my Nandini.

It was around 9 pm and Nandini was sleeping in my arms and I could see a peaceful smile on her face and it took be back in time as to how this petite girl turned my life upside down and made me fall for her. She made me realize that you don't need to know person for years to fall in love in fact love happens in one moment. I closed my eyes and time travelled to exactly a month back.

Flashback:

It was a chilly November evening when I was as usual stuck in the Delhi traffic. 'God it seems entire Delhi is on roads today. Its cold man be in your homes but no they need to come out when I have to reach somewhere on time.' I mumbled curses under my breathe as I was stuck again. Even after spending my entire life ; well not entire take the part out when I was in Doon School boarding and the time spent in Stanford. It was in Doon I met fab5; well fab5 were the only people who mattered to me after my parents, they were my friends, my extended family. Cabir, Dhruv, Mukti and Alya. Alya and I have know each other since childhood but I never was head over heels in love with her. She was sexy, beautiful girl any guy would love have but then I was not any guy. Of course we were in a relationship for the longest time and were ideal couple for everyone primarily because Aliya was smitten by me and I didn't find anyone who would catch my heart . so when mom proposed marriage with her I saw no harm cause I know her since childhood and thought will fall in love eventually after marriage. I wasn't ecstatic but I was happy and content until she walked in and told me what I was missing.

Finally after navigating the terrible traffic I reach Saxena House at 8 pm when I was supposed to be there at 7 pm. Her long lost cousin was coming down for her wedding, she was Aliya's dead aunt's daughter an orphan and lived in Singapore. Aliya's mom was happy that she found her sister's child and in excitement called us all for dinner. So finally I reached and mom and dad were already there patiently listening to Alya and her beauty rants. I never knew mom had such patience cause when it came to me she always snapped 'manik this.. Manik that ugg' 'hey' Aliya's voice brought me to reality. I hugged her and wished her parents and settled down. I don't know why but I was curious to know the special guest. Just as I was pretending to look but not look ok whatever I heard a melodic voice; melodic is understatement it was sugary, honey and everything sweet. She screamed "OMG" and came down running like a hurricane and hopped into my arms like I'm here life size teddy. After few good seconds she let me go as I wrapped my head around the events happening. I saw everyone similing at her with a strange pride and then I looked at her. STUMPED, DEAD, BOWLED OUT fine I'm out of adjectives for her she was short in height like a 5th grader, big eyes, long nose, pink pouty lips and long black hair. As I stood there drinking her beauty she screamed again while pinching me and I screamed "ouch!" And she giggled "OMG that's MM for sure. Sorry for the pinch I was just trying to believe its you." Normal people pinch themselves but then I figured she wasn't normal. "MM?" Alya asked in confusion. "Alya its Manik Malhotra. Its too long na and BTW before you faint of confusion I'm Nandini Murthy. You can call me nandu, tumko allowed hai." She giggled again making everyone laugh with her. "Well thank you Missy!" I too played along but tbh I've never seen laughter echoing so much in Saxena House.

The dinner was eventful as nandu won't get tired of giggling and talking. But what was happening to me the first time she hugged me I felt a sensation, I never felt before even with Alya. Every time I looked into her eyes I felt a zoo doing salsa in my stomach. Wait that is felt by girls gosh few hours and she managed to screw. Mom and dad left early as our parents were going to Simla to see the arrangements the wedding was almost on head. I wasn't sleepy, in fact I wanted go on a drive but Alya gave an excuse of dark circles before wedding. God she's a perfect finishing school barbie. I bid her goodnight and was leaving. I looked for Nandini but found her nowhere so I left. As soon as I reached parking I found her sitting correction lying on my car bonnet munching a chocolate and earphones pulgged in and one leg over other tapping my fancy car's bonnet as her disco floor. I pulled the earphones from and asked 'what are you doing?' Normal people would answer but she asked question 'don't tell me you are also worried about your dark circles?' And giggled oh god she and her giggles. "What? I asked you question." I snapped. "Chill MM I wasn't sleepy and I know you aren't too so let's go for a drive." I smiled as how we synced in perfectly with our craziness only difference she was open about it where as I hid it behind my arrogant nature. I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy in fact it was the best drive in my whole life til now.

The next whole week I spent more and more with Nandini because Alya and Mukti were all about designer stuff and bridal packages it's not that Nandini wasn't into high end fashion in fact she worked as a designer in the largest boutique of high end Indian fashion store in Singapore but she wanted to enjoy the street fashion and real India. And that's how I ended up spending time with her. She would visit my office every day for lunch and from there on I became her tour guide for Delhi. We had fun mad mad fun. I can't remember one single moment because with her every moment was lively but one incident stands out when she took me to a dhaba and insisted on drinking desi daru, now imagine that an NRI girl wanted to have desi daru and did I had any other way? I guess not so we had desi daru along with few truck drivers on a highway but what followed next was unexpected. A table top dance with the truck drivers. Initially I was baffled cause all my life I've been doing a very graceful salsa or a ball dance and here this girl is doing god knows what and she dragged me too with her. But I will be honest I had fun, I never had that much fun in my life. She was mad, crazy never gave dann what people thought about her and I was sorry I had fallen in love with this mad, crazy girl head over heels.

She was so drunk that night I had to take her with me to my place. Alya was not in town and leaving a drunk Nandini with her aunt seemed a bad idea. I laid her down on my bed and before I could move she held my hand and dragged me over her. My lips were just inches away from hers wrecking a havoc on my senses. "You know Manik you I hide yourself don't do this. Be yourself let the world see what Manik Malhotra is and they too will fall for you like me." And without saying anything else she fused her lips with mine. I knew I shouldn't be kissing her, she is my fianc's cousin but that kiss, that kiss was so right. As we deepened the kiss I felt volts of current passing through me, everything seemed right in the world and that was the moment I realized I was in love with her. I woke up next morning contemplating the reaction of next morning when I saw her sitting holding her head with one hand and a black coffee in the other. "Good morning" I wished her nervously. "God last night was so blurry but point to be noted is never ever drink desi daru." And as usual she burst out laughing. I felt bad that she didn't remember our kiss cause for me I will remember it in this life and beyond it too. "I think I should leave. Alya will be back" she said I nodded in yes. As I dropped her home before getting out of cat she surprised me once more "11 out of 10." I gave a puzzled look for her comment. "Dude I'm talking about the K.I.S.S I maybe drunk not amnesiac I remember and Alya is lucky. You're a great kisser." She winked and ran inside leaving me blushing. Oh wait did I just say blushing, I mean I the Manik Malhotra us blushing. God this girl will drive me crazy.

Soon the wedding drew closer and we all moved to Simla and our destination was Chail Palace which we booked for wedding. I was having a white wedding that I always dreamt of and I have Nandini to thank about that as she was the one to persuade everyone for a white ceremony with the bargain that they can have rest of the rituals as per their wish.

Days passed by and we kept growing closer. We couldn't stay away from each other she knew I was marrying her sister and I knew she is my fianc's cousin but I guess heart works beyond these logics. We knew we were irrecoverably in love with each other but none said a word. As the days closed by my restlessness and fear of loosing her grew. I felt my heart being ripped into million pieces when I was made to sit next to Alya. Finally it was the night, the night of bachelor's party. Cabir had arranged a party on the Ridge all were having fun while I was sitting in a corner. Cabir came and insisted non dancing and dragged me to the floor but all I could think was Nandini, moments spent with her and how I will lose her forever in two days. That was too much for me to handle. I drove off to my secret cottage that brought last year, it was away from hustle bustle from city. I came to that log house whenever I needed peace and no one knew about it. I went there and poured a drink for myself. "Nandini!" I sighed her name. I don't know what got into me I called her. She answered in few rings and without giving her a chance I spoke "come to the I address I will text and don't tell anyone." She was there in an hour.

"Manik all ok?" She asked and I could say she was worried and sad. "Its my bachelor's night and I wanted to celebrate it with you. Let's get drunk." She smiled and picked up a sctch bottled and gulped it. After an hour so we were half drunk and sitting on the floor in each others arms. "Why can't life be simple Nandini ? Why can't you and I be like this. I feel complete with you, you make me come alive. With you I can be everyone and I can be no one . you won't ever judge me. I love you Nandini Murthy with all my heart and every cell of my body." Finally it was out, the biggest truth of my life was out. I could hear her sobbing, I turned her and asked "hey! Are you ok. Did I say something wrong?" She nodded in a no and said "you know Manik it hurts to see you with Alya. I loved you from the day I met you even though I knew you can't be mine. I love you Manik Malhotra with every ounce of strength that I have and with my whole existence I will keep on loveing you in this lifetime and beyond it." She confessed and I felt alive once again. I didn't care what's next for us but I knew I wanted her at that moment as much as she wanted me. I kissed her without wasting a second. We kissed and kissed everywhere and we made love. I felt complete and so did she.

I woke up next morning without Nandini and realized that she was gone. I looked around for my clothes and found a note tucked in my shirt pocket "Manik last night was the most beautiful night of my life. Thank you. The memories of this night will help me every night when you won't be there with me. You were my first and I promise you'll be my last. I love you but you are still my far fetched dream." I kept the note back in my pocket and drove off into the madness. I didn't see her whole day or rather no one saw me as I had locked my self in my room. Everyone thought it was the pre wedding jitters but only I know what battle my brain and heart were fighting.

Finally the D Day came and that's when I saw her walking down the isle holding the train of Aliya's gown looking straight into my eyes, pleading me. Those eyes were pleading me to speak up and take a stand; take a stand for her, for me for us and our love and that's when I knew I don't care anymore what my brain thinks or what the world thinks now I am gonna do what my heart wnats and it screamed Nandini. And rest is all history.

Present:

My sleep broke with constant vibration of phone I picked up to see it was Cabir " dude when you will be back? All hell broke lose and where are you?" "I'll be back soon." I said and switched off my phone and a beautiful aroma caught my attention. I went to kitchen and saw nandini cooling something clad in my shirt. I hugged her from behind nibbling her ear I asked "are you planning on killing me?" She giggled and said "I thought that's a mission accomplished." And I sighed. After a blissful 2 romantic days at log house we decided to go back and face reality.

We reached Chail Palace and got to know that Aliya left the country for Milan. Multi threw hate glares at Nandini who gave a damn and that's what I loved about her. She even refused to talk to me and for the first time even I gave a damn. Nandini's aunt and uncle refused to talk to her and we were ok with. Cabir was the only one supporting us cause he loved Nandini and they got along like a house on fire. What surprised me was my parents reaction, I expected a lecture on the status and society but instead they came running and hugged her. My dad went a step ahead and lifted her in his arms and twirled. I was dumbfounded. "What are you looking at?" Dad asked. "You know I was secretly wishing for you to marry Nandini ever since I met her." Mom confessed. That's when I realized my parents can also be their real self with her.

Two days later I was again standing on the isle again with a broad smile plastered on my lips waiting for her. Again the BG announcing her arrival being played. It's time for her to come. God! It was the moment I was dying to live ever since I met her. There she was wearing red bridal gown and looking like a queen, my queen. She winked and blew a kiss. God this girl is mad I sighed but she's mine. As she neared I forwarded my hand and whispered "so am I still your far fetched dream?" She smiled and said "no you are my most beautiful reality."

Then then we both said the two words that I bonded us in a together forever when we said "I Do."

Nandini's Dress

Wedding Decore