Malhotra weds Murthy Revisit to GolMal

Chapter 7 - "The nasty brawl..."

McDonald's Connaught Place: New Delhi: 6:30 pm:

As Dhruv loses every possible way to hide he springs up from the chair. Manik is still roaming his perplexed eyes on his flustered brother and piqued Kishori. Dhruv grabs Manik's wrist and tries to drag him towards the exit door.

Dhruv: (In a tensed tone) "Let's go, Bhai...I don't need the treat. Mom called and asked to come soon."

Manik: (Confused) "Hold on...hold on...you may not want the treat but I am hungry. And who will gulp this much?"

He looks at Kishori as if he is indirectly mentioning her.

Kishori: (Grimaces) "Hey, you insolent boy. Don't you know respecting the senior people? I am a pure vegetarian and I kind of hate those people who eat nonveg...dirty..disgusting."

She distorts her face by looking at the tray full of chicken burger and patty that Manik is holding. In reply, Manik keeps the tray on the table with a thud and directly faces Kishori. Dhruv tries to intervene but Manik shows his hand. Vimesh and Rituja were observing the chaos until then, however, now they smell some serious brawl. So, they immediately get up from their chair and come near. On the other side, Harshad and Nandini also enter with the food.

"Manik: (In an annoyed manner) "How did I disrespect you, Madam? You only were irritating my brother. This is a public place. Everybody can come and dine over here. If you have a problem then stay at your home, cook yourself and have. This stereotypical concept of people like you creates problems. Yes, I like nonveg...I can't live on Ghas phus (Vegetables) but that doesn't mean a veg person can hate us as you do. I am sorry to say but you have only grown with age; your mindset hasn't grown yet."

Dhruv is now almost pulling Manik like a tug of war contestant. However, he is too adamant to leave the battlefield. The verbal tussle already has pulled the other customer's attention. Some of them even leave their seats to know what is the actual matter. From the entry place, Nandini observes the small crowd and commotion and because of the height, Manik doesn't get unnoticed by her.

Nandini: (With a deep frown) "What happened there? I think there is a quarrel."

She looks at Harshad who gives his nod in approval. Both approach the direction. Vimesh and Rituja have already neared the place and stood beside Kishori.

Vimesh: (In a heated tone) "Young Man, I am sorry but if she said wrong about the nonveg food believers then you are not very right to raise your voice and talk so much nonsense about her age and mindset. She is your grandmother's age. Have some respect. You should say sorry."

Manik: (Adamantly) "Okay, I will say sorry because I don't think it will decrease any dignity of mine. But will she say sorry for her comment? Uncle, just because she is old and my grandmother's age, her comments can't be justified. I have my grandmother and I can proudly say that she is far open-minded than her."

Meanwhile, Nandini and Harshad have reached the place and the sight gives a heart attack to Nandini. Only then, Dhruv's eyes fall on Nandini and their expression is worth watching. It's like Murphy's law...anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Nandini tries to near her family when a Punjabi lady comes forward,

The Punjabi Lady: (In a hostile tone) "Sahi to kiha mundene. Iha ki gal hui? Tusi buzurga ho to tusi kujha vhi kahi sakada hai." (The boy said right. What is this? Just because you are an elderly person, you can say anything?)

Manik: "Thank you, Aunty ji! Tusi meri gala samajha gae ho." (Thank you, Aunty! You understood my point)

Kishori was silent during all this verbal spat but the lady's interference adds new fuel to the fire. She can't understand Punjabi but she can understand the accent. Before Nandini can appear in front of Manik and he understands that how this trivial matter can create a storm in a teapot, Kishori again steps forward.

Kishori: (Sarcastically) "Now, I can understand. Why you are so loud and arrogant. You are a Punjabi and Punjabi's are quarrelsome and impolite. It's no wonder your mother didn't teach you any decency."

Rituja: (Apprehensively) "Amma...Maunavagiri. Nivu enu heluttiddira?" (Amma...keep quiet. What are you saying?)

But the damage has already been done. Manik's face turns red. He steps forward to counter when Nandini gets the chance to invade the scene.

Nandini: "Amms....what's wrong with you? You are insulting his mother."

Vimesh: (Vehemently) "And he insulted your grandmother. Arrogant jerk."

Manik startles to hear Nandini and he finally understands to whom he has been fighting till now. However, the situation has already been slipped from his hand.

Manik: (In a pugnacious tone) "Enough Uncle. I am still within my limit. Or else..."

Now Harshad jumps into the matter.

Harshad: (With same spite) "Or else what? You will raise your hand? She is right then. You have no respect for an elderly person."

Manik was controlling himself until now just because the opponents are respected elder people. But Harshad's interference pushes him to the brim of his patience level.

Manik: (Screams) "ENOUGH....No one can say Manik Malhotra doesn't respect the senior people. If they were not from Nandini's family, I would have shown who I am.."

It seems as if a bomb has suddenly exploded. Dhruv sits down on a chair with a loud thud and Nandini slaps her forehead, losing all hope. "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."

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

Murthy House: Living room: 11 pm:

All are present in the room but it is definitely not a light and cosy family time. The incident in the McDonald's makes all things clear and complicated at the same time. Nandini has admitted that this Manik Malhotra is the same guy with whom she is in love. However, she hasn't revealed that agreeing to marriage to Harshad is her plan to temporarily avoid the matter. Even Harshad didn't declare that he is equally involved in this plan.

Vimesh: (Scoffs) "Hmmm...so, this was your choice for marriage. Manik Malhotra. The most arrogant, insolent and rude boy I have ever met. Thank God, you have changed your mind or else I would have sent you to Bengaluru."

Nandini raises her timid eyes and places them on her mother's face. Now, only Rituja can think straightway. She doesn't know how to clear all this mess. She is cursing the day inwardly.

Rituja: "Whatever happened today was not expected but I think we should forget it. Nandu and Harshad will marry each other and this chapter will be closed. We have nothing to do with this boy."

Kishori: (Sarcastically) "Tell your daughter that my judgement about North Indian especially about the Punjabi's can never be wrong. They are full of rudeness. Did you notice how that Punjabi lady was supporting him? Munda...hmm...I found him as a gunda" (hooligan) Promise me Nandu; you will never meet or talk to that boy in future. Nanage bharavase nidi. (promise me)

Nandini looks at Harshad and he blinks to assure her. Nandini secretly crosses her fingers and rests her head on Rituja's shoulder.

Nandini: (Softly) "Nanu bharavase niduttene." (I promise)

Author's note: I want to clear a point that I am not trying to portray any abhorrence or differences between the North Indian and South Indian people. I am not trying to generalise a point of view. Please take this cultural rivalry or clash as a fictional plot. It is not my point of view or my opinion for South Indian or North Indian people. Because at the end of the day, we all are Indians and we love each other's culture. So, please read this story as fiction and don't take it seriously.

Thank you

Suk❤