Bade Acche Lagte Hain | MaNan

Love & Family.

24th December, 1995.

The house was a mess but their room could beat the dirtiest of the places in the house. The crumpled bed sheet was the same she had spread before going to Delhi but now it was out from all the corners and hidden under the blanket pushed at a side just to make space for the mountain of rucked up clothes. The peak pedestal was given to his wet towel. She was disgusted. The circular mark of a tea cup on the bed side and layer of dust on the dresser made her cringe. Her name could be written on it with a finger.

Suppressing her dire urge to give an earful to her lazy and untidy husband, she discarded all the clothes in a basket for washing and changed the bedsheet and covers. Fifteen minutes later, she took a deep sigh. The room was clean enough for a good night sleep. She overlooked the unswept floors for now.

The door flung open with Veer and Rahul rushing inside to meet their aunt. "You remember me, now?" The boys grinned sheepishly.

"Butiful, mami." Veer knew how to charm his soft hearted aunt, patting her cheeks with his small chubby hands. Shaking her head with a soft smile beaming up her lips, Nandini hugged them.

(Beautiful, mami.)

"Veer, Rahul, come here. Let me change your clothes." Madhu called them as it was way past their sleeping time. Rahul obeyed but Veer had always been a tough head.

"Veer!" Madhu tuned her voice a bit stern.

"Mamma!" He mimicked his mother bravely but hid himself in Nandini's neck when his mother stepped ahead to twist his ear. "You, little devil!"

"Didi, let him be. I'll change his clothes." Nandini came to his rescue.

"Don't spoil him, Nandini. He is already a brat."

"A cute brat. You'll listen to me, won't you?" Nandini asked, pulling his cheek. He smiled shyly and kissed her cheek in acceptance, melting her heart.

Madhu sighed. Her sons have wrapped everyone around their little fingers. Nandini was also added in the list of their favourites. She would always have to play the role of being the strict one.

Manik along with the kids were nestled inside the blanket, around the chabudai table in the living room. Nandini came with three glasses of plain milk and three glasses of turmeric milk in a tray. Manas was arranging the mattresses and blankets while Prakash was off to bed.

Manik scrunched his nose when his wife kept the glass with turmeric milk before him. His ears still rang with her lecture on his unhygienic habits when he went to change but this punishment was completely unacceptable to him.

"Itni badi saza, biwi sahiba? Yeh zyadatti hai." He tried to be innocent and blinked his eyes as sad as he could potray himself. Nandini ignored him and gave the milk to the kids.

(Such a big punishment for a small mistake, my dear wife. This is unfair.)

"Bonita." Veer demanded sliding himself back when Nandini offered him milk. "What?" She looked at Rahul for a clue as he had not touched his milk either. Shivansh was sipping it silently.

"He is asking for bournvita." Rahul cleared. Veer bobbed his head.

"Veer, Rahul, drink it for now. I'll bring bournvita in the morning." Manas tried to coax them as all the shops must have been shut by now. Rahul looked at his elder brother who signalled him to obey. Making a gagging face, Rahul took the glass.

"Manas, ask Madhu to bring another glass of plain milk." Manik slid away the glass grumpily as his wife refused to pay any heed to him.

"Stop making a fuss, Manik. You have been traveling to and fro for more than a week. You won't be able to sleep if you don't drink it. You want to fall sick now?" Madhu entered with their dinner and scolded him like a mother. He felt himself sulking as a teenager. Nandini pressed her lips to bite back her smile. Her sister-in-law was perfect to toe a line.