Manan ff : The Manager

chapter 18 ( a )

This time their eye lock got disturbed by Nandini's unconditioned sneezing.

As soon as Manik found Nandini sneezing, he started to panic.

Manik ( concerned ) : tumhari tabiyaat toh theek hai naa? ?????.....tumhe achanaak sardi kaise laagi? ?????

Nandini ( guilty ) : woh. .....aaj concert ke waqt galti se maine thanda paani pee liya tha. .....

Manik ( scolding ) : tum naa kabhie bhi aapna dhyaan nehin rakhti ho! !!!!!........aise koi karta hai kya? ?????.....kam se kam aapne health ke bareme toh socch hi sakti ho. ......

Nandini like a small kid, listened to Maniks scolding, calmly.

Nandini ( childishly ) : Sir. ....agar aapka daatna ho gaya ho toh. ....aap ghar ke andar aa sakte hai. ....

Manik ( sternly ) : nehin. ....main ghar ke andar nehin ane wala. ...

Nandini's eyes immediately shot up at Maniks face and she confusedly asked "kyon Sir? ????......ab maine kya kiya? ?????"

Manik ( calmly ) : Nandu. ...hum kya office mein hai? ?????

Nandini ( confused ) : nehin toh. ...

Manik ( frustrated ) : toh phir tum mujhe Sir kyon bula rahi ho? ????????......mom dad ne mera naam Manik rakha hai. ....MANIK. ....tum mujhe woh bula sakti ho. .....I would be more than happy. ... ( Maniks heart :off course you would be happy jerk! !!!!! )

Nandini ( sighed helplessly ) : okay. ...Manik. ....ab aap andar aa jaiye. ...

Manik ( playfully ) : agar tum mujhe pehele hi Manik bulati toh itna time waste nehin hota! !!!!!!......ab chalo. ...

Saying this, Manik entered her apartment. While, Nandini gapped at him in disbelief .

Manik was busy starring at Nandini's cute abode . While, Nandini looked at Maniks expressionless face.

Nandini ( pov ) ( concerned ) : laagta hai. ...Sir ko itne chhote se jagah mein suffocation ho raha hai! !!!!!.....mera apartment toh unn ke bedroom se bhi chhota hai. .....

Manik ( pov ) ( bewitched ) : hey bhagwan ji. ....Nandini ka apartment kitna neat and clean hai! !!!.......chal beta Manik. .....shaadi ke baad tujhe bhi inn sab ki adaat daalni paregi. .....aaj se room gaanda karna baand! !!!!!

Suddenly, Maniks eyes fell on Nandini, who was looking at him confusedly, with a red nose.

Manik ( concerned ) : arrey tum khadi kyon ho? ????......tumhari tabiyaat theek nehin hai naa. .....toh take rest. ....

Nandini ( calmly ) : nehin nehin. ....main theek hu. ....aap yeh boliye ki aap raat ko dinner ke liye kya khaenge? ????????

Manik ( ordering ) : dinner ki tum chinta maat karo. ....hum log pizza kha lenge. ....lekin filhal ke liye tum rest karo. .....

Saying this, Manik forced Nandini to sit on the sofa. Finding no other way out, Nandini obeyed like a child.

After ordering for a pizza, Manik turned to face Nandini.

Manik ( genuinely ) : tumhe kuch chahiye kya? ??????

Nandini just bobbed her head in a no and said " don't worry Manik. .....main kal subha taak theek ho jaungi. ...aur phir Studio bhi join kar lungi. ....bahut saara kaam pending hai naa! !!!!!"

Manik ( sighed ): Nandu. ....pechle 5 saal se main tumhe jaanta hu!!!!!.......lekin aaj taak tumhe kabhie bhi aapne liye leave lete hue nehin dekha! !!!!!

Nandini ( sweetly ) : kyonki aaj taak mujhe leave lene ki zarurat hi nehin paddi. ....mere liye. ....mera kaam hi meri zindagi hai! !!!!!!!

Manik ( pov ) ( happily ) : Nandini ka kaam = usski zindagi. .....mujhe sambhal naa Nandini ka kaam hai. ....isska matlab. ....main Nandini ki zindagi hu! !!!!!!

Maniks mental calculation was interrupted by the sound of the door bell, bringing him back to the reality.

Before Manik could react, Nandini said " main dekhti hu kaun hai! !!!!!"

Saying this, Nandini moved towards the door and unlocked it.

As soon as Nandini opened the door, she found the pizza delivery boy standing with an overly sugar coated smile.

Boy : hello ma'am. ....how are you? ???

Nandini ( blankly ) : where is the bill???

Boy  (sweetly ) : arrey ma'am. ...aapne humara naya range try kiya? ????....it is really delicious. ...

Nandini ( again asked ): bill? ???

Manik after listening the whole conversation, was huffing like a bull.

Unable to control himself, Manik approached them.

Manik turned towards Nandini and sweetly said " I am thirsty. ....paani milega kya? ????"

Nandini immediately moved inside the apartment, to grab a bottle of water for Manik.

Now, Maniks full concentration was on the pizza delivery boy, who was trying to flirt with 'his girl  '.

Manik ( gritting his teeth ): bill? ??????

Annoyedly, the boy passed the bill to Manik.

Boy  (curious ) : waise. ....aapko toh pehele kabhie ma'am ke saath nehin dekha? ????...... aap kya unn ke bhai ho? ????

After hearing this, Manik was literally horrified and blurted out " woh meri girlfriend hai  "

Boy  (disappointed ) : oh. ...aapki girlfriend? ????

Manik ( sternly ) : haan. ....meri girlfriend! !!!!!.....agar yaha wapas pizza delivery karne aya naa. ....toh main tumhe zinda nehin chhodunga!!!!!!!!

Boy  (stammering ) : ok. ...ok Sir. .....

Handing the pizza box to Manik, the boy literally ran for his life.

Muttering abuses to the boy, Manik locked the door. He turned his body, only to face an anxious Nandini.

Nandini ( curious ) : itne der taak aap kya baatein kar rahe the? ??????

Manik ( lying ): arrey. ....kuch khas nehin Nandu. ...bass uss ladke ke saath aapni dosti badha raha tha. ....

Nandini ( confused ) : dosti? ????????