Nandini knocked on manik's door. After a few seconds he opened the door. Nandini could tell that he is still mad at her. She took a deep breath and followed him in.

" Bolo" he said straightforwardly turning to face her.

" Kya?" She asked forgetting for a moment, the reason why she is here. He raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing.

" Wo ...Yeah...I came to say thank you..."

" Thank you? Thank you for what??"

" Wo mom ne bola to tell you on her behalf"

"Ok...As you have said what you wanted to...Now you can go"

" Go?? "

" Yes go!"

" Manik tum itna gussa q kar Rahe ho? Ok main manti hu mujhse galti Hui...Phone par Dhyan Dena chahye tha...But main bhul gyi thi...Janbujhkar Ni Kiya Maine... Sorry!"

" Tumhe itna late hua kse? Har din toh Tum 7 baje wapas ajati thi?"

" Wo...Bas aaj time ka dhyaN Ni Raha!"

" Kahi tum Sam ki wajah se toh late Ni Hui?"

" Sam??" Nandini's eyebrow knit in confusion " Sam kaha se bich mein agaya??"

" Don't try to change the topic...Tum uske bike par kyu aai ??"

It dawned upon Nandini then why Manik was so angry!

" You are angry because I came with Sam? Not because I didn't pick my calls?"

Manik shrugged and nandini's heart leaped with joy!

" Why are you smiling like a fool, tell me why did you come on his bike??" Manik's voice had soften a little now.

She closed the distance between them and hugged him tightly. Manik was bewildered for a moment but nevertheless he held her back.

(Ignore the rain)

" I was coming on foot from the sports complex but Masaba offered me ride with Sam. She said he would drop me after her. I just accepted the ride, I didn't know you would be so mad!....Masaba and Sam are in relationship , Manik and the whole office knows about our relationship. Knowing you, no one can dare come close to me." She said into his chest, smiling fondly. And she could sense his muscles relaxing.

He tightened his hold on her and she too did the same. It felt as if they wanted to bury each other in one another, to become one, so that no one and nothing could separate them.

It brought a moment of clarity for Manik. When he can't see her with someone else, how will he ever let her go. And the thought that someone else might own her body and soul, pinched his heart. He can not bear to lose her.

" Nandini , you are mine and I will make sure you always remain mine. This time when I go to India, I will talk to my parents about our marriage!" He declared and nandini's heart stopped beating.

She pulled back to look at his face. She was looking at him as if he is a ghost and her face was pale. Manik smiled fondly at her and quickly pecked her lips.

" Breathe, Nandini, breathe! I know this is unexpected for you but what you have heard is not false"

And she burst into tears, tears of joy! She hugged him tightly once again and sobbed.

" Oh Manik I am so happy!! Thank you thank you so much!"
......
" Mom dad want me to come back to India to meet them" Nandini said to manik. They were on the couch, in each other's embrace.

" I too have to go back...Arzoo ki shadi fix ho gayi hai"

" Really? But wo toh padh hi Rahi thi na??" Nandini asked.

" Hmm but mom Ko ek acha rista mil gya h and she doesn't want to let it go!"

" Oh so when are you planning to go ?"

" Next month...I will apply for leave now itself"

" Ok then I will also come with you"

" Hmmm"
.......
A month later

Their flight touched the ground in Mumbai and MaNan came out of the airport. Nandini's parents were waiting for her.

" Dekha aunty Apne ....As promised main apki beti ko sahi salamat le Aya!" Manik joked and they laughed.

" Thank you beta!!" Her father said.

" Ok ab main chalta Hun. Maa wait kar Rahi hongi" Manik said to her parents and turned to Nandini,

" Bye!" He said giving her a secret smile which made Nandini blush hard.

" Bye" she replied.
......
" Maaa" Manik called reaching his home. His mother came running " mera beta! Agya!!" She said and embraced him. Then she pulled back to take a good look at him.

" Ekdm handsome!! Par bahut patla ho gya h?? Waha khana Ni milta tha??"

Manik laughed " apke hath ka khana Ni milta tha na!"

" Chal ab jab tak tum yaha ho...Fir se khila kar healthy kar dungi!!"

" Thk h ? Aur arzoo kaha h??"

" Apne kamre mein hogi"

" Wo Khush h na iss Rishtey se??"

" Tum bhai ho uske....Khud hi puch lo"

" Thk h main ata Hun"

" Arey par pehle fresh toh ho jao"

" Ni maa...Baad mein!!"
......
" Bhaiyu!!" Arzoo exclaimed seeing Manik " aap toh ekdm foreigner lag Rahe ho!!" She said further.

" Chal aja...." Manik said spreading his arms and arzoo ran into his embrace.

" Kaisi h?"

" Thk hu??"

" Shaadi se Khush h?? Have you met the boy?"

" Bhaiya ...Relax karo...Main Khush hu...Yes I have met him twice. He is nice" she said blushing and Manik breathed in relief.

" Are!!!! Main bhi hu!! Mujhe toh bhul hi gye aap bhaiya!" Came the voice of arisha.

" Tumhe kaun bhul Sakta h meri pyari behen...Tu bhi aaja"
....

After a while

" Tum logo k lye kuch shopping ki thi..ao dikhata Hun.." Manik said and opened the bag.

There were a lot of dresses, purses, accessories and some footwear. Arisha was dancing with joy and arzoo was happy too. Manik, mentally thanked Nandini, because it seems her choice was liked by his two sisters.

After sometime , Manik was freshening up and his belongings were spread out on the table.

" Bhaiya kisi 'BB ' ka call araha h" arisha said frowning.

" Thk h rehne de...I will see" he said from inside the washroom.

" Par ye BB ksa Naam h!!" Arisha muttered outside the door and Manik chuckled quietly. How can he explain what and who BB is!!

Apparently BB is Nandini. Short form for 'baby' or one can also say for 'biwi'.

" Aur bhaiya Nandini didi ksi hain?" Arisha asked teasingly, once Manik came out of the washroom because he was smiling reading something in his phone.

" Thk h wo! And keep your mouth shut!" Manik said in mock anger suppressing his smile.

Next day

" Itna deo Laga Rahe ho?? Bhabhi se Milne Jaa Rahe ho?" Teased arzoo. Manik shook his head in disbelief " tum dono mere piche q pari Hui ho? Koi aur kaam Ni h?"

The duo suppressed their laugh.

" Maa main thori der mein bahar se ata hu" Manik said before leaving the house.

" Thk h par jaldi ana" she called back.

" Ok!"
.....
" Hi guys!" Manik said as he entered the coffee house.

"Hello Mr. Malhotra!" Mocked his friends and started laughing. Cabir, Navya, Mukti, Dhruv, alia and last but not the least, Nandini were sitting round a table. Manik grabbed a chair from the near by table and sat beside Nandini.

All the friends had timed their holidays so that they could be together. It was a sort of reunion for them.

" So Mr. and Mrs. Dhawan....Ksi h shadi shuda life??" asked Manik.

" Bas kt Rahi h" cabir replied winking earning a playful smack from Navya.

" Seriously guys, kuch saal Baad jab tum sab shaadi kar loge then we will have a discussion on this. I want to know is marriage the same for everyone..." Cabir said thoughtfully.

" Dekh bhai sabka toh Ni pta par Mukti k lye marriage same Ni hoga!" Dhruv said sarcastically and others looked confused at him , specially Mukti who was frowning, so Dhruv cleared the air " wo islye qki iski shadi k Baad husband toh ye hogi and wife hoga Abhimanyu!!" Dhruv said and burst into laughter. Mukti was like 'what-did-he-just-say-?'

After a while they were gasping for air, due to laughing so hard.

" Hans lo , ****o Hans lo....But main ek baat Bata du...Abhimanyu se puch Lena main itni v tomboy Ni hu! I am a normal girl"

" Ha ha ha...Maan Liya humne! What a joke...Tu dekh Abhi tu baithi v kse h...And look at alia , how she is sitting like a sophisticated Barbie doll" cabir couldn't complete because alia smacked him on the head " what do you mean by 'doll'?? Majak Bana Rahe ho Mera?" She asked annoyed.

" You look like a doll, babes! Chill he is complimenting you" Dhruv tried to save the situation and others pursed their lips to stifle their giggles.

" Navya tum ab v Ni change Hui ...Mujhe Laga cabir k sath rehkar tum Thora bolna Sikh jaogi!" Nandini said to Navya.

" Main kya bolu..I want to see you and Manik, married, that's it" Navya replied and Nandini blushed.

" Oh my god! Blush?? Pehle toh ansu nikalte the iss topic pe!" Cabir exclaimed.

" Wo I have decided that I will talk to my family about our marriage" Manik spoke self consciously.

" Dude!! Are you serious!!!" They exclaimed in disbelief.

After a while when the banter subsided, Mukti spoke " Manik tujhe toh itni hot wife milegi , ..Alia, tuney Nandini ka pic dekha tha Facebook par..Kya item lag Rahi thi...Backless and all...And kaha hm isey Sidhi bachchi samajhte the!!"

" Arey waha , California mein sab ase hi kapre pehnte Hain toh maine socha main v try Karu!"

" Av toh thk h par shadi k Baad kya hoga! Teri Saasu maa Ko Ni pasand h ye sab!" Cabir teased.

" Toh main kaun sa Saasu maa k samne backless pehen kar ghumungi!" Nandini said rolling her eyes.

" Smart girl! " Cabir praised mockingly.

" Acha tumlog suno...Meri behen ki shadi h toh main officially tum sab Ko invite kar Raha Hun! Abhimanyu Ko v main call kar k invite kar lunga Mukti!...Par tum sab ana jarur" Manik said in an authoritative tone.

" Yes boss!" They said and mock saluted him.

" Teri shadi mein hm khud ajaenge...Tujhe invite Ni karna padega!" Dhruv said.

" Very funny Dhruv!" Manik grimaced.