An arranged journey to forever!✔️

Part 76

The birds chirped around the beautiful cottage as the sun touched the horizon. Nor was it light nor dusk. It was close to 5 in the morning but the Malhotra cottage was up and lively. It was the haldi morning and Nyonika and Ishita had made everyone get up to look  after the arrangements as haldi was to commence at 8. The youngsters were half in sleep as they slept late but had to get up early. Nandini was in the washroom getting ready as Manik sat on the bed in the common room that had an attached washroom.  Navya and Cabir were given the second room to get ready one by one while Mukti,Abhimanyu,Alya and Dhruv sat in the hall waiting for the washrooms to be free . 

Nandini came out to see Manik sitting with his eyes closed,his towel and clothes in his hands . Nandini chuckled looking at her husband as she approached close to him and bended to his level. 

"Bhooooooo" shouted Nandini as Manik fell on the bed scared. Nandini started laughing hysterically looking at him while he laid confused.

"What the duck?" asked Manik as he got up with an irritated expression while Nandini was still laughing.

"Feeling too sleep Manik?" asked Nandini as she stood infront of the mirror setting her hair while Manik stood amused. It was now that he had noticed his beautiful wife all decked up in a yello lehenga that displayed off her back and fitted her perfectly. Nandini stood with her flushed cheeks pretending to be unaffected failingly. Manik hugged her from the back wrapping his hands around her waist as she let her entire weight on him. The two were looking at each other through the mirror with that constant smile speaking volumes. It would be fair to say that they would have remained if Mukti would not have come knocking at the door,

"Guys , we need to freshen up too. Please think about us as well" said Mukti knocking at the door bringing the love birds out of their quality time. 

"har koi to yaha mere romance ka dushman hai" muttered Manik as he went in the washroom with a flaring nose. Nandini chuckled and continued getting ready. Putting on her simple jewellery , she came out of the room to see Alya ready as she had used the other washroom tricking Cabir .

"Oh my goodness,look at you Nandini" exclaimed Alya earning the attention of Nyonika who was standing nearby . She smiled at Nandini and came to her, Putting the kajal behind her ears,she praised her beauty. Thanking her, Nandini and Alya went to the garden to look after the preparations as it was 7 already.

"Put more flowers in the vessel that side" instructed Nandini to the decorator and turned around to meet the eyes of her best man who was standing right behind her. She stumbled back a little due to his sudden appearance while Manik held her in reflex to prevent her from falling.

"Did I sweep the ground off your feet?" asked Manik arrogantly showing off his looks.

Listening this from him was when Nandini noticed his outfit, too handsome to be true . The ground really swept off her feet but after all, she was Nandini Murthy Malhotra.

"What? Not at all. I have seen better" said Nandini with an uninterested expression while Manik stood baffled. 

"Nandini , come here" called out Nyonika, Nandini looked in her direction before looking back at Manik again. Passing him a smile,she slightly pushed him out of her way and walked forward only to be pulled back.

"Seen better,is it?" asked Manik while Nandini struggled in his hold initially but settled for it soon.

"Lets show you the real better today" said Manik,kissing her on her cheek from the back leaving her speechless. Ruffling his hair,he went his way while Nandini quickly switched to the normal mode subsiding her blush .

The haldi had started already. Both Navya and Cabir were sitting on the two different sides of the cottage, Cabir in the garden while Navya in the pool area. Nandini was with Navya and Manik accompanied Cabir. She did have little glances of Manik here and there and she did even catch him staring at her, but with the look he gave her, it was clear he was onto something .

The haldi soon came to an end after everyone applied the turmeric paste on the bride and the groom. It was thankfully , not a nasty haldi.