The Ex's At War

Chapter 2 - The Trio Magic

I m quick aint I

I clenched my jaws together to keep my pounding temper under control. Mr. Manik Malhotra very well knew how to instigate me. I was seriously pissed with him not because he addressed me by his surname, well legally and techinically I was still Mrs. Malhotra and I never had any qualms of associating myself with that name but what annoyed me was him.

"You have proved me right once again..the word MATURE has no nothing to do with you in the farthest limits...", of course he didn't have a clue of what I was talking about so I had to clarify, "Is this a kind of party that you get your young daughter in", I looked around to make him notice the skimpily oops fashionably dressed people clinging to each other toasting with wine glasses in their hands.

"So...whats wrong with this party?? You and your old school thoughts..come of it okay..she wanted to come so I got her ...right baby", he nudged Manini for agreement and looked at me with a sorry face like I was an old fashioned 17th century mother.

"Yeshh Daddy", she nodded her head up and down, "Mommy pleashh don't scol Daddy...shhee he has got me a shooo beaful dless", she palmed her dress neatly to make me see her.

I couldn't deny that my daughter was looking adorably pretty. She was totally in love with her outfit and I could see that. I glanced at Manik who was completely in awe with his daughter. It would be wrong if I say I wasn't disappointed for a moment for not being able to hold his attention on me, not that I was trying to compete with my own daughter. But I really wanted to slay him tonight with jealousy. I had purposely picked his favorite color being sure that I would bump into him at the party. Manik caught me looking at him and the moment our eyes met again I looked away and he exactly understood what I was thinking as I saw a sleek smile polish his lips.

"Daddy who ish looking mol beaful me ol Mommy??", Manini had to ask as she saw her parents somewhat ignoring her.

"Does that question even count princess??...of course my darling is looking the most beautiful in the whole party", he glanced at me pursing the brooding smile on his lips, "Lets party then...", his picked her in his arms tried to move inside ignoring me.

"Mommy come with ush", she caught hold of my saree and tried to pull me along with them.

Unable to hold the sudden pull on my saree, I tripped and dashed against Manik's back.

"Careful!!!", Manik immediately turned back and grabbed me tight by my waist thinking I might fall flat. Well he wasn't wrongly entirely; he was well aware of my gross motor skills especially whenever he was around besides that I was in my dreaded attire as well. One of his hand held our daughter and his other hand pulled me closer to him in his secured grip. I was a little taken aback by this sudden gesture, not that Manik's behavior surprised me one bit but it was months after I felt his warm touch on my bare body that too at his favorite place, my waist.

"Princess...you should be careful na Mom would have just fallen", he raised his voice a little more than the normal.

"Sholly Mommy", she made a sad apologetic face and looked at both of us.

"Ahem ahem so the trio Malhotra's are still stuck at the entrance", Cabir commented clearing his throat, "Bro ab toh seedha khade hone ke liye chod de usse", he pointed at Manik's grip on my waist.

Manik's left me briskly and I just tried to make my face not go the shade of my saree out of embarrassment.

"No nothing like that...", both Manik and me blurted in unison and paused immediately. Manik gave me a look and talked to Cabir.