MaNan ff- I've always loved you!

Part 21 - Walking Through A New Phase

"ahhhh!! Marine Drive!! You're the best, Manik!"
Nandini erupted like a volcano... So loud that Manik had to literally insert his fingertips inside the eardrum to protect them from bursting.

He was sitting all scared for a moment and in the next nanosecond... his eyes went wide open, mouth hanging low and hand covering his left cheek.

Without caring of Manik, Nandini swung open her door and rushed out to welcome the lovely monsoon winds.

But, Manik sat in the same position for uncountable minutes and kept on gawking at something that scarcely existed for the world. It was solely confined to Manik whatever played before his eyes the moment Nandini canoodled on his cheeks.

Manik wished to hold this moment till eternity. That very juncture when Nandini's luscious lips proximated with his stubble grown cheeks, his inside melted like burning lava. He was all the more drowning in Nandini's little unintentional fondle, but 'unintentional' did not make sense until his heart was at peace.

He could have sat there for an eternity had he not gleaned Nandini's melodious voice.
"Manik.... It's already been five minutes since I am out. What are you doing there?? C'mon now!!"

She dragged Manik out of his seat and then quickly hopped onto the narrow almost isolated pavement. Breathing in a deep puff of fresh, welcoming cold she stretched out her hands to their extreme length.

"Nandini what are you doing?"
Manik enquired in confusion, who till now silently observed all her moves.

"Don't question more.....Manik, just climb up! And copy me!"
She insisted but then got back to what she was doing initially not bothering whether Manik still climbed up or not.

Manik, too, was enlightened by this way of relaxation. It intrigued him to do the same, and Nandini's insistence seemed to him like a cherry on the cake, so there was no chance for him to turn down her plea!!

He glanced his eyes down the road once, just for a cross check, whether someone was present there to witness their stupidity or not but thankfully did not find any spectator apart from the passing vehicles, who for sure had no interest in watching the to be lovebirds romancing on almost empty road in the middle of the night.

The next moment, he too stepped upon the pavement beside Nandini and after extending his arms completely, he scooped in a copious amount of fresh, sea air.

The invigorating, salty winds from the sea did seem to create their magic on these innocent hearts. These enthralled them to such an extent that they felt light hearted like never before. The mare aquaintance of the winds with their soft skins made them to shiver in ecstacy, of nature.

Nandini did feel and continued to take in as much as homely air as she could, but doing something so 'strange' as people might pronounce this, was not a first for her.

She already had had such strange yet hypnotic moments back in the US, but doing this in her hometown was reviving and enrapturing.

However, it was an all new experience for Manik. He was doing this very much for the first time until his silver jubilee but now he knew this wasn't the last. This one mere gesture of opening up the arms in front of the whole wide sea with a welcoming satisfaction, just filled his heart with so much peace and calmness and the fact that Nandini herself was the reason to this thing happening, made him feel much more giddy about the whole matter.
And Manik could not stop his mind and heart to agree to the fact that he had found his long lost peace in the lady beside him.

"you're a gem, Nandini!! I never knew I could find such peace in this world. Thanks for making me realize this beauty!"
Manik whisper said, his eyes still closed.