Bade Acche Lagte Hain | MaNan

Breaking the Ice.

1st November, 1995.

After done with a brief photo-shoot and wedding lunch, Manik and Nandini descended the stairs of the Gurudwara towards the exit, with their families trailing behind.

On spotting a white car decorated with flowers waiting outside for them, realisation dawned upon Nandini that it was the time of her bidaai (farewell), the custom she'd momentarily forgotten about.

Her throat choked with grief getting the upper hand over her happiness of getting married. Fisting her lehenga skirt in a tight grip, she looked aside to see her mother giving her a teary smile.

Pressing her lips in a thin line, she hugged Jyoti and tears streamed down her cheeks. Subduing her sobs, she parted away and Jyoti mumbled caressing her face,

"Always be happy my love!"

She met everyone before facing her father, with Manik following her like a silent companion.

Swastik passed a weak smile, trying to hide the heartache floating evidently in his eyes. His beloved daughter was leaving him, for forever to start her married life. He embraced her close to his heart while staring at Manik in complete faith.

Manik held the doddering hand Swastik directed towards him in a comforting grip and with an assuring smile.

Breaking the never-ending hug, Swastik stared down at his daughter who cried looking at him, wiping his tears simultaneously making him smile.

"Be with each other, for each other, always!"

He guided the couple who nodded and took his blessings before Manik opened the door for Nandini to settle down. Putting the ends of her dupatta on her lap, he closed the door. Walking to his side, he saw Shyam holding the door open for him with a smile. Hugging him shortly, Manik got seated inside.

Another car that had few members of Manik's family followed. Madhu and Renu had already gone to look for the arrangements to welcome the newly wedded couple.

Nandini's eyes were stuck at her family from the window as the car roared to life, her eyes stopping on her brothers from the rear-view mirror who were pushing the car. She couldn't help but breakdown harder as they became smaller before completely disappearing from her sight.

Biting his lower lip, Manik looked at Nandini, feeling helpless as her cries were unstoppable.

"Don't cry please. Everyone will think that I've abducted my bride."

Bending his head to her level, he murmured ever so seriously that made Nandini stare at him as if he'd grown two horns. However, her tears stopped.

Looking into her eyes filled with innocence, he gently wiped her tears making her blink and look down. The touch gave a warm feeling to her cheeks and she chuckled after a pause, realising that he was distracting her and was quite successful.

Biting down on his lower lip again, he forwarded his right hand with a small smile. The redness increasing on her cheeks made him happy. Staring up at him, she placed her left hand in his, passing him a smile of reassurance.

The rest of the journey was silent with Manik drawing circles over her knuckles with his thumb, letting her know that she has his attention. They were too dazed with the recent changes in their lives and took their time to gather their wits.

"Keep sitting." He said before stepping out of the car once it stopped at his house. Taking a deep breathe, Nandini composed herself to face her in-laws and the neighbourhood till she enters her new house.

Well awared that he had the attention of his relatives and the neighbourhood eyes were trained on him, he kept his face neutral and opened the door for Nandini, helping her to come out of the car with her heavy bridal dress.