The night melted away. The welcoming sunrays glowed seeping over the horizon finally tried to flood through the orange curtains and laid his warm shine on the naked bodies cocooned with each other. Nandini's nude tiny frame which was lying on Manik's bare chest peacefully encircled by him protectively. Ting....Tong.....Ting....Tong.....a continuous disturbing sound made Nandini squint her closed eyes in irritation. Ting....Tong..... further sound made Nandini finally open her eyes. At first, she couldn't gauge the time, place and situation. Nonetheless, she realised within a second and tried to separate herself from Manik.

Nandini: (Whined) " Ahhh....Ouch."

Her wail made Manik awake. He looked at his wife with surprise. Nandini was rolling her eyes at him.

Nandini:( Pretending anger) "Could you care to leave me so that I can move and get up?"

Manik moved his hands from her back and pandiculated.

Manik: (In a sleepy voice) "Go, who is stopping you?"

Nandini: (With gritted jaw) "You are stopping. Your junior is stopping."

She pointed towards their lower portion. Manik followed her hint and realised that he is still inside her. A naughty grin beamed in his eyes. Within a second he rolled and changed their position by having Nandini completely under him.

Manik: (Huskily) "Thank you for mentioning that. My junior needs a morning dose. Otherwise, he can't move from his sweet home."

Manik tried to join their lips when Nandini covered his mouth with her fingers.

Nandini: (Exasperated) "Manik, have you lost it? It's morning. I was supposed to leave at night only. How will I go out now?"

Manik:( Removed her hand from his mouth) "What a big deal? You don't have any work today. So, stay here for the entire day. Nobody will disturb you. At night after coming from the office, I will drop you."

Nandini scrunches her eyes to give it a thought and smiled at last.

Nandini: "Okay, but at least leave me now. Let me get up to make the tea."

Manik: (Huskily) "Not now. First my junior's morning workout."

He again tried to fuse their lip when a sound made Nandini ashen-faced.

"Ting....Tong....Ting .....Tong....Mr Malhotra...."

..........................

Manik's flat: livingroom: 9:40 am:

Manik opened the door with an annoyed face. Cabir was standing impatiently in front of the doorway. A mid forty's woman wearing a saree in Maharashtrian style was trying to peep inside the room who was standing juxtaposed.

Cabir: (Smiling) "Good morning Mr Malhotra. Hope I am not disturbing you. Actually, I called you a couple of times, just to know if you are at home but you didn't pick it up so I have to come here without informing you. Hope you didn't mind."

Manik turned his face partially and stole a glance of the inside from the corner of his eyes. Although Nandini immediately hid inside the bathroom following his hint, a forced uncomfortable smile plastered on his flabbergasted face.

Manik: (Botox smile) "Oh... Hello Mr Dixit. Sorry, I woke up late in the morning. I was doing some office work last night. My phone must be silent. I didn't notice."

Manik was rubbing his eyes intentionally, forcefully trying to prove his tiredness. Needless to say, he didn't try at all to welcome Cabir inside the house. Neither it was safe. The woman was still trying to peer inside above his shoulder.

Cabir: (Uncomfortable smile) "Oh...I am so sorry. I told Mami to wait for the weekend but...."

He nodded in disapproval with a bent head. Seemed he was a little pissed off. When Manik was about to ask the reason behind his sudden visit, a heart-sinking thing happened. The over-curious restless woman slipped herself inside the room by dodging Manik's mighty frame covering the door.

The woman: (Annoyed) " Mere pass pura din nehi hai tum logoko sunneka. Ghar dikhao aur kaam batao, taki main kuch sochu"( I don't have the entire day to hear you both. Show me the house and let me know the work so that I can decide.)

Manik's eyes popped out with fright while Cabir too entered inside as Manik desperately turned to stop her smart and confident entry to the kitchen.

Cabir: (Embarrassed) "Hey..... Asha tai.... what are you doing? At least take his permission. How can you enter somebody's home without his consent? I am sorry, Mr Malhotra. Mami sent me to accompany her. She is Asha Tai. You told me that you will need house help. So, here she is. You can talk to her about the household works. She can even cook for you if you need."

Cabir declaimed while holding Asha's forearm tightly to restrain her from going inside further. Having no other option Manik yanked Cabir to make him sit on the sofa. The closed door of the bedroom was now daunting him like hell. On the other side, Cabir was still staring astonishingly at Manik's grip on his forearm. Now the scene was, Manik was sitting on the sofa holding Cabir's hand and frequently staring at the bedroom. Cabir was almost seated on his lap clutching Asha Tai's hand who hardly balanced herself from falling. Meanwhile, a new entry into the room made the whole scene even more dramatic.

Aliya: (With wide eyes) "Bhai, everything is alright? Why are sitting on Manik's lap?"

All three turned their owl eyes towards Aliya who was standing perplexed amidst the room. First Cabir shifted his eyes towards his position and jerked to stand up from Manik's lap as he has a bomb on it. Manik's situation was not very different. He got up like popcorn popping on a heated pan. On the other hand, Asha Tai was continuously trying to free her hand from Cabir's grip.

Aliya: (Squinted eyes) "Bhai, leave her hand. Do you have any intention to put her in jail?"

God knows what Asha understood but hearing the word 'jail' she started yelling.

Asha: (Blabbering) "Hey bhagwan, maine kya kiya? Mujhe kyun jail me daloge? Kaam karne ai thi. Abhi tak to chori bhi nehi ki koi.(Oh...lord, what have I done? Why will you put me in jail? I have come here for work. I have not stolen anything yet.)

At first, all got paranoid by her yelling and ranting, suddenly Cabir realised something. He tightened his grip on her hand and rolled his eyes with an open mouth.

Cabir: (Screamed in surprise) "Wait a minute. What? You mean you will steal things in this house when you will start working? I mean, seriously?"

Simultaneously, Asha Tai whiffed the situation. She understood what blunder she has done.

Asha: (Stuttered) "Ha..a..n to..to isme kaun.. si ba..badi baat hain? Sab karte hain... Choti moti. Uske liye ja...jail tho....thodi na bhejte hai unko?"( Ye..s, what is a bi..big deal? Everybody does. Petty theft. Are they sent to ja...jail for that?)

Cabir gaped so big to listen to that it seemed he could swallow an entire cruise in one gulp. He left her hand and came near Aliya who was equally shocked with this unique truthful confession.

Cabir: (Vexed) "Aloo, really? Mami recommended her as a trustworthy house help and I am that fool who brought her here. It's ridiculous."

He ran his fingers through the hair in despair and again turned to face Asha Tai when Manik reacted after a long ongoing drama.

Manik: (In a meek voice) "Left. Your Harishchandra (Used as an example of truthfulness) has left already."

He huffed and cleared his voice. But at the same time, he became relaxed a bit for getting temporary relief from one of the unwanted, over-enthusiastic intruders.

Cabir: (In an apologetic tone) "I am so sorry, Mr Malhotra for this slapstick. We didn't know all this. But I promise we will arrange a reliable maid for you. Just give us some time."

Manik : (Embarrassed smile) "No.. no, Mr Dixit. There is no need for apologising. In fact, I should be thankful to Mrs Deshmukh and you that you both took so much effort to help me. But genuinely I am not in any hurry. I will personally talk to the secretary and the society guard regarding this. Hopefully, they will arrange someone."

During all these conversations Aliya was looking at Manik with immense admiration. Like, his voice was pouring nectar into her ears. Unmindfully she came nearer Manik.

Aliya: (Mesmerised tone) "You didn't thank me. I also came here to help you."

Manik shuttled his bewildered eyes on Aliya and Cabir for a couple of times. He actually couldn't figure out what to say or how to react. At last, he gave a silly smile to Cabir who was equally befuddled.

Cabir: (Fack coughing) "Aliya. I think we should go now. I also have to go to my office. You can help him some other time."

Cabir's words broke her trance and she unwillingly stepped back with a disappointed face.

Cabir: (Smiled) "So Mr Malhotra. Hope you genuinely didn't mind our uninformed visit. We got to go now. Don't hesitate to tell me if you need any help in future."

He stretched his hand for a handshake which Manik pressed whole-heartedly. Apart from this embarrassing and unwanted visit of Cabir Manik started liking this guy. He liked his jovial and warm nature.

Manik: (Pursed his lips) "I genuinely didn't mind but I truly mind for one of your habits."

He frowned pretentiously. Cabir gaped in confusion.

Manik: (Mischievous smile) "I always mind when you call me Mr Malhotra. It's Manik for you. It will sound more endearing."

Cabir's open mouth gradually curved in a satisfying smile. He also started liking this gentleman from their very fast meeting.

Cabir: (With a wide grin) "That is my complaint too. I also want to hear Cabir from your mouth. Come on yaar. Mr Dixit sounds so old and I am only 27. Unmarried and quite energetic and healthy."

He crunched his elbow to show his swollen bicep in a dramatic style which made Manik laugh loud.

Manik: (Smiled broadly) "Okay, done deal Cabir. From today it's only Manik and Cabir to each other."

Cabir: (Huffed with satisfaction) "That's like a good deal. Seems my today's morning didn't totally go in vain. Aliya, come let's go. I will drop you at your college."

They strode to the front door when Aliya's words made Manik totally blank for a moment. He sat on the sofa with a trembling thud.

Author's note: Keep guessing what Aliya said to Manik.