Part 31
It was Tuesday early morning when we set out for pune. It was going to be a journey of 2 hours. Me and manik in one car, mukti, ma, papa in another. As we reached near alia's house, two cars joined us and mukti hopped in with alia, then Dhruv and his family joined us, followed by cabir and his family, and so on. Later amma appa too joined us and bhai joined navya in her car. Our car was leading and others followed. We were a fleet of more than 10 cars. Driver was driving and i was sleeping in manik's arms on the back seat while he was reading his mails and utilising the time.
I woke up when we were out of the city limits and traffic lessened, manik asked me "shall i drive from here jaan, driver can go back to the guards car" i nodded my head in approval.
"ramesh"
"yes sir"
"yaha se mai drive karta hun, tum jaa kar guards k sath baitho, jarurt hogi toh fir bulaunga"
"ok sir" the driver replied and then stopped the car on the side. He got out and went away. We also got out and saw the other cars haulted after us.
"manik, when we have stopped, lets check on others, if they need anything"
He nodded and we moved to the next car. Everyone started getting out of their cars, to know what was happening? We checked on elders , they were having a good time.
Neyo: you know what i m getting bored with maan...he is busy with his mails and phone calls.
Sheetal: you are right neyonika jee, i think we ladies should go together..
Neyo: what an idea sheetal!! Great ! lets go in my car..
Then the ladies confirmed with each other. All of them agreed. Men were like r u serious?? You think we are boring? Ok good we will also go together and have fun without you ladies!!'
We younger clan were amused at the proceedings. The ladies got in one car and the men in other. Rest cars were driven empty with drivers. Cabir laughed out loud "wow this is good..dad k dil mein toh laddoo fut rahe honge as he got rid of mom for a while" we all joined him.
Alia : yeah and my mom got the opportunity to share all her celebrity gossips with the ladies!!
Dhruv : this trip is going to be super fun after so many days!!
Everyone was busy in the conversation while bhai and mukti were busy in their eyelock game. I saw cabir passing a look to navya after looking at mukti and navya signalled him a go ahead with a slight nod of her head. Ok so i have hawk eyes too!!
Cabir: acha balak aur balikao, ab chalte hain , pune pahunchna hai ya nai??
Eyeryone were like "haan, haan , chalo chalo"
Then they observed that cabir held navya's hand and started walking towards her car.
Abhi: cabir , tum kaha udhar ja rahe ho?? Mai navya k sath jaa raha hun..
Cabir: bhai dekh please main apni girlfriend se jyada der dur ni reh sakta so i m going with her.
Ok i understood his plan.
Dhruv : but dude i had planned to go with alia from here..
Cabir: toh jaana..mai apni k sath jaa raha hun, teri ni, jo tu mujhe bataa raha hai..
Alia: uff cabir !! main Dhruv k sath jaungi toh mukti kiske sath jaegi?? Fir abhi v akela jaega kya!!
Alia spoke in her broken hindi. And these two, Dhruv and alia were unknowingly helping cabir in his plan.
Suddenly manik tucked my hand . i looked at him with a what look. He whispered in my ear "i wanted to be alone with you , but mukti ko akela ni chor sakte" he gave me an apologetic look. But before he could offer mukti and bhai to join us, i spoke "arey koi baat nahi, bhai hai na mukti ko company dene k lye..q bhai aap mukti ko safely pune pahuncha doge na??"
Bhai was prompt to reply and navya showed me a thumbs up secretly. But mukti looked at manik. Although i could sense that she too wanted to go with bhai , yet she was waiting for manik's approval. Manik looked at me and then at mukti and then he nodded slightly. I was like wow husband, you are the best!' manik made mukti and bhai sit in alia's car and instructed the driver to be careful. Then he smiled at them and then we walked back to our car. Rest of them too settled in their cars and once again our journey began.
I sat on the passenger's seat and manik started driving. I started wondering if i was doing the right thing? Manik trusts me a lot. Should i tell him? But what will i say? I don't even know what mukti thinks? God please tell me what should i do??
"nandini, is there any problem , baby??" i heard manik speak and i came out of my reverie.
"no, i was just thinking about mukti"
"what about mukti??"
"nothing, just that she needs someone who will love her, take care of her"
"she doesn't need anyone when i m there, i can take care of her" he spoke with a slight tinge of anger in his voice. But i need to show him the facts.
"manik , i know you are there to take care of her..but you are not everything that she requires now"
"what do you mean?"
"manik have you seen mukti? How left out she feels among all the couples present around her? Even today, just now, had bhai not been there, she would have joined us and she would not have liked a bit of that, but she has no option"
"nandini, i always try to not make it awkward for her, everyone of us does"
"that is the problem na manik , you all try'...and you think she doesn't understand it??"
"what are you trying to suggest nandini??" he was angry now. He was trying to control his anger but failing badly.
"you are intelligent enough manik" i was in no mood to give in, he has to understand that he should not bind mukti. This is not helping her to get out of her guilt conscious.
He fell silent. But he was angry. Probably he would have spoken rashly if he opened his mouth. So he better thought of keeping his mouth shut. I also didn't try to bug him. All through the journey he kept his eyes on the road and i kept myself busy admiring the landscape.
...
All of us reached. The bungalow was in sprawling 8 acres campus. Greenery, all around. I was mesmerised with it. But my mood was already spoiled and i was not able to even enjoy the scenery. I straight walked into my room after maa indicated it to me. Manik didn't follow me. He kept himself busy observing mukti, if what i had said was really true and that mukti faked happiness. After freshening up, i came out to help the ladies in the household stuff and saw manik going towards our room, ok so he is avoiding me, thk hi hai, wse v if we try to talk now, we will end up fighting...hmmm so i will make it easier for you mr manik malhotra' and i resolved to not show him my face as much as possible.
Whole day, preparation for lohri was in full swing, which was next day. All the arrangements were done. In the whole day, i saw manik only twice-lunch and dinner, that's it. Although his indifference was hurting inside yet whatever i was doing was for his happiness only and to make him aware of his misconceptions.
After dinner everyone started heading towards their rooms but i had to do something so that i don't get to sleep with manik. So i stopped navya and the girls "arey where are you people going?"
Mukti replied sarcastically "nandini if you have forgotten , then let me remind you its night time toh sab sone ja rahe hain"
"arey how boring yaar!! We have come here to have fun or sleep ??"
Alia spoke this time "u r right, so what's your plan?"
Navya also seconded her.
"koi plan ni hai bas i don't want to sleep so early"
Mukti spoke "thk h then lets go to my room and think what we can do"
All of us agreed and through the corner of my eyes i saw manik looking at me. But i ignored him. Suddenly mukti haulted and turned around " but nandini , bhai??"
"uff bhai ki chamchi!! Wo v enjoy karega na apne group me..jaruri ni ki wo ar main hamesa ek dusre se chipke rahein...ab chalo"
They all chuckled and we left from there.
...
Manik's pov
I was twisting and turning on the bed but sleep had decided not to grace me tonight. Nandini, what have you done to me. I need some fresh air, it might help, so i went on the terrace and stood there looking at oblivion. I have always tried to protect mukti from pain. But nandini seems to suggest that i m suffocating mukti by my excessive care. I m trying to keep her away from love? Love? Really am i? But after harshad i have never seen her with any guy, and so i have not disapproved of any. Does that mean that mukti is keeping herself away from love? Oh god!! Does that mean she has developed fear of love??? Oh no no no it means nandini is right, mukti is afraid of her choices, she is low on self confidence. She is still stuck with her guilt conscience!! Damn it!! How could i not see it!!
I got a slap on my shoulder followed by a voice "saale tu yaha hain??? Ar hume ye bol kar nikal liya ki tujhe nind arahi hai..!!"
"arey cabir asa ni h, mujhe nind ari thi but fir chali gyi toh main fresh air lene yaha agya, tu janta h na star gazing is my fav activity!"
"acha chal bata kya problem h?" cabir spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.
"tujhe asa q lagta h ki koi problem hai? Ar dusri baat tu yaha kse?? Tum logo ki wo b-grade movie khatm ho gyi itni jaldi??" i tried to divert his attention.
"b-grade movie me kuch asa ni dikha rahe the jo mujhe pehle se na pta ho, so i got bored, and you know what tune abhimanyu k expressions miss kar dye yaar!! He was acting all shy like a girl! Pehla experience tha uska!!" cabir spoke laughing hard. It brought a smile on my face.
" saale tu usey corrupt kar raha h, south Indian h yaar wo, ekdm pure , matt bigar usey"
"arey wo puri life books me ghusa raha hai, tujhe pta h uski aajtak ek gf ni h! Thore se maje lene de usey" he spoke winking.
Right from the first meet , i have been very impressed by abhimanyu, he is just like me or i should say even better than me. Nandini is really blessed to have him. I hope mukti too thinks the same of me. Unknowingly i sighed and cabir caught that!! Suddenly he remembered the start of our conversation and charged me now "manik dekh tu apne thoughts share karega toh burdenless feel karega, main hamesa tujhe bolta hun ye baat, ab bata v de bhai.."
I think he is right , i should discuss this with him "cabir tujhe kya lagta hai my approach towards mukti is faulty???"
"suddenly ye topic kaha se aya tere iss pea sized brain me??"
"wo sab chor , pehle maine jo pucha , wo bata"
"dekh manik sabko pta hai ki tu mukti ko lekar kitna protective hai, ar ye attitude build up hua over the years...ye tera shield jo h na mukti k upar its flawless, but av k situation me tujhe thora lenient hona hoga, you will have to show her that you trust her, she is very low on confidence"
"thanks yaar cabir, tere unbiased opinions mujhe bahut help karte hain, i have realised my mistake"
"ab bata ye topic kse raise hua, main v tujhse baat karna chahta tha about something on these lines, i was waiting for the right time, but usse pehle hi tune ye topic raise kar diya??"
"nandini, its nandini yaar, jabse wo mere life me ayi hai, cheezo ko dekhne ka mera view change ho raha hai, she shows me the different side of things that i have missed all these years.." i spoke my heart out.
"hmmm i m glad yaar ki finally koi hai jo tujhe brains de rahi hai!!" he spoke mischievously and i couldn't agree more!!
"i agree on this with you cabir" this seems to have given him heart attack , atleast he faked so.!!
I laughed on his antiques "tujhe pta hai, nandini once asked me to suggest you to try for movies, according to her you act and speak very well!!"
He rolled his eyes at that "chalo kisi ko toh mera talent dikha!!" and i laughed more .
"chal mere expense pe tu hansa band kar, ar chal so jaa" cabir tagged me along with him. On our way we were crossing the theatre room and heard the voices " ye larkiyaan av tak movie dekh rahi hain??" i enquired with cabir. He just shrugged his shoulder. "chal andar chal kar dekhte hain" i suggested and cabir agreed instantly. Of course s, he will , since navya is there. We peeped in through the door, but found the girls already dozed off on the couches and bean bags. But the movie was playing. I moved towards nandini and cabir towards navya. Nandini was pouting in her sleep and her cheeks were puffed up, may be even in her dream , she is angry on me. She was looking cute. I wanted to kiss that lower lip of her and suck it like a candy. Apart from the morning kiss, i had got nothing the whole day.
Cabir shook my shoulders . i looked at him. He whispered that he is carrying navya to her room. I nodded. I watched him, how carefully he lifted her in his arms and walked out of the room. Cabir is such a perfect man!! Atleast he is not impulsive and short tempered like me.
Mukti was sleeping hugging her knees. My baby sister!! I will make everything ok. You will find true love and happiness. And i promise, i will make sure you do..i bend down to pick her up first but i stopped when i heard footsteps and after a few seconds Dhruv and abhimanyu walked in. Dhruv came to me and whispered "cabir informed us "
"oh ok" i replied and Dhruv picked up aliya carefully, she snuggled into him as if recognising that its him. I smiled at Dhruv and he walked out smiling. As i bend down again to pick up mukti, abhi came forward "if you don't mind i can pick up mukti, you can trust me" he spoke as if he wants me to trust him. I thought it to be ok, he is a nice guy, so i nodded approvingly. He picked up mukti with more than extra care, but suddenly mukti woke up with a jerk and she panicked for a moment, then quickly cooled down registering that its abhi. Ok, so she trusts him!!!.
"look, sorry mukti, i was just helping manik, so i picked you up to take you to your room" abhi spoke defensively and mukti noticed my presence. I gave her a side hug "relax, its just us, chalo when you are awake, abhi will be spared from carrying you, moti!!" i spoke to lighten up the mood. Abhi chuckled but instantly covered it with a cough. Mukti glared "bhai i m not moti , ok" she spoke with her hands on her hips. I raised my hand defensively "ok ok, cool down, you are not moti. Ok now go and sleep" she smiled and started going. I spoke to abhi "please meri behen ko uske room tak escort kar do, use ghosts se darr lagta hai"
"bhai!!" mukti growled and i chuckled . both went out.
And now my loving wife...she is still sleeping peacefully. Dinbhar mujhe torcher kar kar av araam se so rahi hai. I avoided talking to her and she gave me back, double the ignorance!! Ek baar baat karna toh dur , she toh just tuned me out . wo toh forcefully lunch ar dinner k time , she had to come in front of me ni toh she would have avoided that also!! But in a way she did right, because if she would have tried talking to me , we would have ended up fighting and with bitter memories . at least now when i have realised what she wanted me to realise, i can get back to her easily without any hard feelings. This shows, she understands me so well!!
I was thinking all this admiring her facial features. My eyes were not ready to leave the sight of her lips. I am such a lusty person!! Of course i am , after all i have got such a beautiful wife...and i am not ashamed to mention that i m lusty , but only for my wife!!
I picked her up carefully , her eyes flickered and she looked at my face as if assuring that its me and then she closed them again and snuggled into my chest holding me by my neck . i heard her whisper "i love you manik" . she had muttered in her sleep. I smiled broadly.
I entered our room and placed her on the bed. She left me and rolled on her side cocooning into a ball shaped posture. I smiled and went to lock the door.
I came back and took her in a back hug, she pushed herself into me and we slept off...finally!
Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani
Indias Got Talent 11
