The alleged Happily ever after || COMPLETED

5 (B) - The Road Not Taken

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
~ Robert Frost
(The Road Not Taken)

The entire boutique was empty, as per the Malhotras' request and yet, it looked every bit crowded with the entire family hovering over the mannequins and dresses all around. Sumita Malhotra, sat with all her majestic grace and her beautiful smile, shaking her head at them, while Pallavi chuckled at her beaming mother's enthusiasm.

They were shopping for Mihir and Raima's wedding that was supposed to be next month. Since as per tradition, the bride's trousseau was to be from the groom's family, Nandini had been accompanying them too, to select something as per Raima's wishes. Raima on the other hand had just one request - the colour to be traditional red, rest she had left on her in laws and Nandini.

Sumita looked at Nandini who was completely absorbed in selecting the best for her best friend's wedding lehenga, while she also continued to notice Manik standing at the corner, rummaging through Men's Sherwani, but his eyes would waver off to Nandini every two minutes.

Everytime she giggled at something Mili would say, Manik would find himself smiling too, though at a distance. Everytime her eyebrows would frown, he would itch to go relieve her worries. Everytime she would raise her eyes to try and look for him, Manik would steal his gaze, despite his heart pounding in his chest.

He could not help himself anymore, he had realised that pretty good. Nandini Murthy was his sanity, she was the reason he felt ecstasy these days, and she was the only person he looked forward for comfort. He was so used to comforting his family he didn't realise when he had stopped bugging them about himself in the way.

Nandini smiled at Mihir once they had finalised the lehnga and stood up, looking for Manik. She found him standing in a corner, his hand over a Royal blue Sherwani, while he himself was too lost somewhere. The frown lines on his forehead weren't hidden either, neither was she oblivious of the constant gaze that had followed her ever since she had entered the store.

"Hey!", she tapped his shoulder and grinned at him and Manik smiled back, almost involuntarily.

"What's wrong?", she arched an eyebrow, and Manik's inside churned at her question.

"How do you always know?", his voice was almost a whisper, and Nandini wanted nothing more than being able to cup his face and kiss his forehead, she knew that was one gesture that seemed to relive him always.

It wasn't too hard to understand Manik Malhotra, Nandini had realised over time. He wasn't a mystery, he was just someone thriving on love. His family was his biggest strength and his biggest weakness, all because of the love they showered on him.

Nandini knew with the family around she could not do what she wanted to, so she softly entwined her hand with his and squeezed it, blinking her eyes. Manik's shoulders immediately realxed, just having Nandini around him had that effect on him.

"What are we looking for? Your Sherwani?", Nandini smiled, changing the topic but not leaving his hand. She knew he derived strength from her, from her hold, and Manik knew that too, but just like the elephant in the room, this was also something they didn't address in the moment.