Parineeta

Moving Forward

Manik returned to the resort with another car following his, he parked his car and brought out, what looked like, zillions of shopping bags, some heavier than others from his car while his stylist and his assistants got out with another set of zillions of bags from his.
"Manik, mai ek kaam karta hu, ek showroom apna tere yaha hi khol deta hu, and now that Nandini is also here, toh kids, ladies and men's section sab ek hi saath laga deta hu, what say?"remarked his stylist while Manik was trying to get a hold of all of the bags.
"Hmm yeah, you do that.."he said not hearing anything what the stylist said.
"Listen, Varun just take those and look for Mukti okay, those are Medha's clothes and and Medha would be with Mukti or mom so yeah if you find mom also that'll be okay.."Manik uttered trying to balance his share of the bags that had Nandini's clothes that he'd decided he would give her today. That meant facing her, talking to her and enticing her irritating her and a whole of things for which he was definitely under prepared.
"Woahwoahwoah.. Manik coolie Malhotra.. yeh sab kya hai.. aur hum tujhe kabse call laga rhe hai.. kaha tha kaha tu?"Cabir came out into the parking looking at an overburdened Manik while his stylist had already moved ahead.
"Cabir mai.."he started but Cabir cut him mid sentence.
"Achha sun vo Nandini ka luggage nai laaye hum.."Cabir said and Manik looked at him like he was talking something lame.
"Kya dekh kya raha hai? Maine kuch galat thorhi bola, Madhubala usse itni jaldi mei laayi thi ki vo kapde vagera kuch nai laayi"he said stating the obvious and Manik lookef at his hands trying to understand if those shopping bags invisible to Cabir.
"Toh vapas jaana padega.." Cabir completed and Manik rolled his eyes.
"Cabir yeh kya hai?"he asked eyeing the bags in his hands.
"Kya hai? shopping bags hai? Andha ho gaya hai kya?"
"Andha mai nai tu ho gaya hai.. mai itni shopping apne liye toh karunga nai aur meri shopping ke itne bade bags bhi nai honge.. toh obviously yeh sab Nandini ke hai.."Manik stated like it was obvious and Cabir gaped at him.
"Manik Malhotra.. went shopping for Nandini.. i mean jo tunne itne saalo mei apne liye, Nyonika aunty, Alya aur lately Medha ke liye bhi nahi kiya vo tunne aaj kiya.. I thought Manik Malhotra hated shopping.. tu toh stylist bulva leta tha na aur jisko jo chahiye vo le leta tha.. aaj tu khud Nandini ke liye shopping gaya.. mujhe dekhna hai tu kya laya hai.." Cabir said melodramatically. But in all honesty Cabir was beyond shock. It was indeed Manik's first time. Cabir was getting to see a side of Manik's that even he thought didn't exist. All of Everything that had happened till date, he kind of expected it all from Manik, his obsession with Alya and his relationship earlier, his possessiveness for Nandini as his wife and his falling for Nandini without knowing it himself, Cabir knew it all, Cabir had seen him through all of his phases but this was new, Cabir knew Manik had turned Majnu for Nandini but he would be ready to break all his restrictions, limits and boundaries and go so far as against his own wishes was unexpected for Cabir as Manik's friend and overwhelming for him as Nandini's brother. He was happy with these changed but was also uncomfortable with the fact that Manik was getting unpredictable for him. All he could understand now was that Manik could do everything that Nandini would like and everything that he ever disliked or said no to.
"Achha toh de mai Navya ko boldeta hu.. vo aur mai Nandini ko yeh de aayege" Cabir said coming out of his thoughts.
"Haan?kyu? Nai matlab mai.."Manik fumbled.
"Nai mera matlab mai khud dunga usse aaj yeh.."he looked at Cabir as he tried balancing of the bags in his hands and for the first time Manik Malhotra, the giant, felt he was too little to hold up so much stuff, he wished for a few more hands that could help him with these bags.
"Manik? Are you sure? vo tujhe dekhegi toh yeh sab accept hi nai karegi.. I mean I know you want her to talk to you but aise?"Cabir wasn't sure if he should let Manik go ahead with it or not because as much as he wanted Nandini to know how changed Manik was, he was unsure of how she would react to him directly.
"Umm.. haan.. this has to happen someday.. and I can't stay away from her especially when she's so close to me.. so this is where I move towards her and I know she's angry but I'm sure she'll take her steps towards me too even though she might hate it..aur isiliye i don't wanna give her any excuses or options.. she has to deal with me.. talk to me.. and I'll get her to do it.."Manik said trying to take steady steps towards the entrance of the resort but instead dropped a few bags on the way.
"Shit.."he hissed.
"Manik I know you want to talk to her but aise.. forcefully toh Nandini kabhi kisi ki nai sunti aur tujhse toh vo naraz hai abhi.. also coolie tu akele yeh sab utha payega?"Cabir picked up the bags that had fallen and moved towards Manik.
"Force.. nai I won't force her.. matlab not exactly.. I will just put her out of options" Manik got lost in his thoughts as Cabir reached him and they walked together. Cabir took half of the bags from Manik's hand before he could realise and protest against it.
"Aur yeh tu kaise karega?"he asked as they entered the lobby. Manik looked at him and smirked and they finally made their way to Nandini's room.
"Nandini?" Manik called as he knocked on the door. Silence followed.
"Nandini.. listen.. I know you're inside... Open up.."he knocked again.
"What do you want Manik?"came Nandini's voice from inside.
"Listen what I want is not important... I'm here because of what you need.." he said and tried to figure out what exactly did he just say.
"What?"Nandini was equally confused.
"Arey Nandini.. it's me Cabir listen kholo na darwaza.. Navya has sent in some clothes for you.. please just open up.. I have to rush back to see the arrangements.."Cabir intervened and Manik smiled at the improvisation Cabir did. Silence followed again but this time Nandini was heard unbolting the door and in seconds she was there standing in front of them, trying her best to avoid Manik, pretending he was not there as she looked straight at Cabir.
"Inka sahi hai.. inke liye inki dost mujhe coolie bana deti hai aur yeh yaha attitude dikha rahi hai.. mai jaa raha hu Cabir.." Manik said turning around with half the bags still in his hand and naughty smirk on his face.
"Haan bags rakhde aur jaa"Cabir added. He was no less. He was not letting Manik get away with troubling Nandini so easily.
"What?"Manik turned towards Cabir shocked. His smirk wiped off. Cabir wasn't talking according to the plan. This wasn't the plan. What was Cabir doing. He opened his eyes wide as if asking Cabir what was on his mind to which Cabir just smirked and Manik understood.
"Cabir.."Manik started as if he was about to threaten Cabir but was cut mid sentence by him.
"Ahh nahi.. actually tu ruk.."Cabir did the damage control and Manik sighed as he again stood next to him and looked at Nandini who was just watching Cabir silently.
"Zaada overacting karega toh mai game change kardunga..soch le.."Cabir managed to whisper in Manik's ears as Manik gawked at him in amusement. Nandini looked at both of them closely this time.
"Cabir what's going on.."Nandini asked softly.
"Uh... Actually yeh Navya ne humare stylist se specially tumhare liye mangvaye hai kapde.. vo tob khud aana chahti thi but Alya needed her right now, you know, shaadi ka ghar kitne saare kaam hote hai aur dulhan ke pachis sau nakhre.."Cabir mentioned and Nandini looked at Manik.
"Nai I don't know.. vo meri shaadi aise nai hui thi na actually.. so I don't know how the perfect weddings take place.. mujhe toh nakhre karne ka mauka hi nai mila.." she taunted and Manik looked at her, his expressions soft and hurt as he caught on to all her words. He knew it still hurt her as much as it hurt him but with every piercing word of hers he promised her as well as himself to redo everything that he'd done wrong and this time perfectly, just like she wanted. She wanted a perfect wedding, he promised her in his heart that she would get one, better than the best of the best weddings, she was Manik Malhotra's love, his Nandini, afterall. She wanted to have her share of nakhras, he promised her all the pampering in the world. He promised to take on all her nakhre himself, he promised to deal with all of it himself, there wouldn't be anybody else to deal with her tantrums, her nakhre but him at every step from here on itself and not just before the wedding.
Wait was he planning their wedding,  already? Manik Malhotra was infact going crazier in Nandini's love.
He promised her that however much she'd hate him, she'd be annoyed with him, she'd still always find him around her, always, like he used to be around her before, but this time he would not make it look like coincidences, infact he will make her believe that he will always stick around her, to protect her and be with her. This time he would not sneak around her to be able to be near her infact he would tell it to her face that he was not leaving and he wouldn't even let her leave, not this time.
He will own her up and not indirectly but directly this time. He will tell her that she was his and he was hers at every point of time, at every opportunity he got, his actions, this time, would say exactly what he means, he promised her a togetherness even if she wasn't ready for it yet, he promised that he would wait for her for as lomg as it would take for her to understand, forgive and accept him in her life, just like she had been waiting. He promised her his whole life standing there at the door looking at her unblinking as Cabir went on with their plan and narrated the whole fake story of everybody being busy with the wedding preparations that they had created to convince Nandini to let Manik stay with her so that they could get some time together. So that Manik could finally be close to Nandini even if for a little while and even if it meant angering Nandini alittle more because he knew if he didn't take these steps and push towards her they would never be able to cover the distance between them. He wanted Nandini to know that he would do anything to fill in the gap between them, to remove the wedge that had been created between them because of his stupid mistakes. He knew it would take sometime to convince her but she would gradually feel it too, she would read it in his eyes eventually, just like she used to earlier. He knew eventually things would settle, Nandini would reciprocate to him and he knew this wasn't his overconfidence but his belief in her, in them and their love, it might be lost now but it will find its way back to them sooner than later and he would wait until then.
"Yeah so Navya, Mukti Nyonika aunty sab busy hai and mujhe bhi abhi jaana hai to check on all the arrangements and Dhruv also needs some help with his sherwani shopping and you know how handicapped Manik is when it comes to shopping and how disinterested he is in these things, he wouldn't be able to help Dhruv nahi toh mai ruk jaata and I would've sent him.." cabir paused and Nandini again looked at Manik while he looked at Cabir amused at how effortlessly he was lying. He agreed he was alittle handicapped at shopping but he just shopped a zillion best things for his lady and Cabir's words felt like an insult to his talent in shopping that he'd discovered today. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't impressed with the shopping that he did for Nandini today but here Cabir was disregarding his new found talent.
"Yeah.. one thing I know for sure is how disinterested he is in alot of things and how handicapped he is when it comes to them.." Nandini taunted again and Manik pretended to look away as if disinterested in what she was saying although it pinched him everytime. He was failing miserably at dodging her eye contacts where he could see  millions of questions and alot of hurt and he just wanted hold her gaze and convey it to her how much it hurt him too, to see her like this, to hear her words, he wanted to tell her that it hurt him to hurt her.
Cabir couldn't help but notice the raging anger in Nandini's words and was having second thoughts about their plan and about letting Manik spend time with her like this but he couldn't spoil it just yet because he knew they couldn't avoid it for long. Nandini's anger was bound to come to the surface and he knew nobody could handle it better than Manik himself and so this had to be done. They had to be given some alone time to relieve themselves off of their buried emotions, both of them.
"So Navya.." Cabir tried diverting the topic as Nandini kept staring at Manik angrily while he looked everywhere but at her.
"Navya ne kaha she wants you to try all the dresses and i had to click pictures of you in the dresses and send them to her.. so that she knows how they look"Manik looked at Cabir with a questioning look. Pictures were not part of his plan. Manik nudged him slightly.
"Kya? Tunne pehli baar shopping ki hai kisi ke liye..hume bhi dekhni hai teri choice.. toh pictures.."Cabir whispered back at him and Manik rolled his eyes at his melodrama.
"But ab I can't stay here toh Manik will stay here whith you while you try all the dresses and he'll click them and send them to me or Navya.."Cabir completed and Nandini's eyes shifted from Manik to Cabir in complete shock.
"What?"she almost screamed and Manik bobbed his head and smiled as if he was expecting it.
"3..2..1.. blast"he whispered exactly before Nandini screamed a 'what the hell' into Cabir's face. Cabir closed his eyes because in all honesty he was expecting it too.
"Are you out of your mind?"she started and Manik knew he had to rope in before she gets any ideas which she would if he simply just got along with what Cabir just said.
"Yes.. Cabir.. are you crazy.. mai iske saath.. aur kya pictures kya.. mai aisa kuch nai karunga.. yeh pakad kapde mai jaa raha hu.." Manik overacted and Cabir stood silently waiting for him to finish.
"Manik.. please..Nandini tum toh Madhubala ko jaanti ho.. vo meri jaan khaa jaegi..aur shaam se shaadi ke saare functions shuru hai..humare paas sirf aaj din ka time hai..to check all of it.. the arrangements..tumhare kapde.. humare kapde.. baaki sabke kapde.. khaana decorations.. please don't make it more difficult for us.. tum dono please thorha cooperate karlo.. i promise zaada time nai lagega.. it'll all be over soon.. phir Manik will leave and check on the banquet and decor and music and othet stuff..uske paas bhi zaada time nai hai..so he wouldn't waste it.. please maanjao.. and he also has to check on Me.."before Cabir could complete Manik jumped in.
"Haan haan Cabir..i have to check on.. the security and stuff too..aur meri meetings ka bhi kaam hai.. we get it..he completed and Nandini looked at Manik unable to understand what he meant by the meetings but Cabir sounded alittle convincing to her and everything that said sounded genuine so she decided to give in.
"Isse kehdo zaada baat karne ki zarurat nai hai mujhse.. chupchap kaam kare aur jaaye.."she announced strictly and Cabir sighed while Manik smiled a little victorious smile which later turned into a naughty smirk as he replayed her words
Isse kehdo zaada baat karne ki zarurat nai hai mujhse.. chupchap kaam kare aur jaaye..
'Aise kaise chupchap kaam kare aur jaaye janeman..'his heart seemed to be saying as he walked behind her inside the room after winking at Cabir victoriously. Cabir placed his share of the bags on the bed in her room as he nodded unbelievably at Manik and then left the room as Manik closed the door behind him and fell on Nandini's bed while she gaped at the zillions of shopping bags.
"Bhagwaan.. impossible hai yeh dono.. isiliye made for each other hai.. bas aaj koi murder mat hone dena.. aur ho sake toh inki duri thorhi kam kardena.." Cabir muttered to himself outside the room exactly how his Madhubala would have.