Manik & Nandini came out of the washroom dripping wet. Nandini who came out first froze in her spot suddenly and Manik bumped into her.

"What the....Nandini tum rukh kyun...." Manik trailed of as he finally looked forward and found Preeti & Ishita standing there, looking very amused.

"Mom...Badima...hi." Manik awkwardly waved. "What...whats up?"

"Well...yeh sawal humme puchna chahiye na beta?" Preeti asked with a smirk. "Chal kya raha tha andaar?"

"Woh....Manik ki galati hai!" Nandini blurted out and then ran out quickly leaving Manik alone with them.

"Wha..I..main.." Manik didnt know what to say. Ishita raised an eye brow at him. "Um....holi....holi khel rahe thay. Happy Holi Mom." 

"Happy Holi Badimom." Manik squeaked out before also running out. Preeti & Ishita burst out laughing.

"Haha Haha Ha! Yeh Manik bhi na...dekha kitna sharma raha tha?" Ishita laughed. "Jaise ki apni khud ki biwi ke saath romance karna koi gunna hai!"

"Sharma nahi raha tha...darr gaya bechara. Hum dono ne acting hi aisi ki." Preeti laughed. They high fived eachother and then went out.

Nandini & Manik both didnt realize and came down completely soaked. The family juststared at them in amusement.

"Bhabhi...aap kaise bheeg gaye?" Samar asked. "I mean jo paani tha humne toh bhai pe dal diya aur aap toh dry they phir kaise...."

"Woh...main apne baalon se colour ko saaf kar rahi thi....toh....main bathtub mein gir gayi." Nandini lied.

"Toh khud ko dry karke aana chahiye na." Abhi spoke up. "Tu aise bheegi rahegi toh bimaar ho jayegi. Vaise hi tu humesha asani se bimaar ho jaati hai."

Everyone looked at Abhi questioningly while Nandini glared at him.

"Yeh Abhi marwayega hum dono ko. Bhool kyun jaata hai ki he isnt supposed to know me." Nandini thought to herself.

"I...I mean..ki dono ko dry kar lena chahiye khudko. The weather is changing toh....bimaar ho jayenge." Abhi tried covering.

"Par...thats not what you just said." Manik said. "Tu...Nandini se baat kar raha tha. Aur aise baat kar raha tha jaise  paata nahi kitne wqt se usse jaanta hai tu."

"Oh come on Manik!" Nandini let out a forced laugh. "Abhimanyu toh bas aise hi generally baat kar raha tha....I mean, how would I know him? Main toh pehli baar tumhare saath India aayi hoon na?"

Everyone let the topic go listening to Nandini but Manik was still suspicious.

"Acha ab tum dono jao aur kapre badal lo. Aaj holi party hai....kuch waqt mein mehman aate honge."

********************

Meanwhile in Dubai

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NAHI MIL RAHI HAI? ZAMEEN KHAA GAYI KYA? MUJHE KISI BHI KEEMAT PE NANDINI CHAHIYE YOU UNDERSTAND?" Viren Singhania yelled at his men.

"Bhaiyya...calm down. Im sure jald hi woh ladki mil jayegi...kaha jayegi?" Rudra Singhania assured his brother. "Aur jis din mil gayi...maar dalenge usse."

"Suniye ji...sahi bol rahi hai devarji. Mil jayegi woh aafat." Damini said to her husband, "Aur phir mere bete bhi dhund rahe hai usse....kahan bhaag ke jayegi? Singhania's se koi bach ke bhaag nahi sakta...hai na Ishani?"

"Huh? Haan.....Haan." Ishani nodded. "Koi nahi..."

Damini pulled Ishani to the side as the brothers talked about where to look for Nandini.

"Ishani...dhyan kaha hai tumhara?" Damini whispered. "Yahan hum itni zaroori baat kar rahe hai aur tum...paata nahi kya soch rahi ho."

"Didi....main bas, Abhi ke baare mein soch rahi thi." Ishani said. "Aap sab Nandini ko dhundne ke baare mein baat kar rahe hai par aaj tak Abhi nahi mila....phir-"

SLAP!

Ishani held her cheek which was stinging from the slap.

"Aaj bol diya...dubara mat kehna!" Damini glared angrily at her, holding a finger up. "Kya...tumhe mere beton pe doubt hai...ya phir Karan ke papa aur devarji pe? Huh?"

"Nahi Didi...main woh nahi bol rahi thi."

"Tum apna muh band rakho! Abhi toh nalayak tha....ek toh woh humesha uss ladki ka saath deta tha upar se humare izzat ko barbaad karke bhaag gaya! Aur agar woh itne saalon main nahi mila toh shayad maar gaya hoga....acha hi hai, kyunki agar mujhe woh zinda mil gaya toh main khud usse maar dalungi." Damini sneered.

"Haan Didi...sahi bol rahi hai aap. Main bhi yehi chahti hoon ki woh kabhi na mile." Ishani smiled. 

"Good....ek minute ke liye mujhe laaga tumhare andar se mamta jaag uthi hai." Damini laughed. "Yaad rakho...humare liye humare izzat se baar ke kuch nahi, humare bete bhi nahi. Vaise mujhe chinta karne ki zaroorat nahi hai...kyunki mere dono bete bilkul apne Papa ke nakshe kadam pe chal rahe hai. Tumne agar Abhi ko Nandini se door rakha hota toh woh bhi mere beton jaise ek acha beta hota."

"Ji Didi...meri hi galati hai." Ishani nodded. Damini left. "Meri galati hai ki maine iss ghar mein shaadi ki aapki tarah. Meri galati hai ki chahe ke bhi Abhi aur Nandini ke liye kuch nahi kar paayi....Mujhe paata hai ke mera beta jahan bhi hai zinda hai, mera dil keh raha hai. Bas...bhagwan kaare jaise itne saalon se woh nahi mile...aage bhi woh na mile, aur Nandini bhi. Pls bhagwan mere dono bachon ko surakshit rakhna."

-------------------

Just a filler chapter and to show you a glimpse of whats happening in Nandini's family.

Thoughts on the chapter?

Thoughts on Ishani Singhania?

What do you think of the rest of the Singhania family?