"Nandini!" Manik's loud voice reverberated through the house, diverting her attention from the pan where she was preparing parathas for breakfast as she called out, "Jee?!" while focusing back on the task at hand. His voice was muffled by her brother in law as he rushed in the kitchen and exclaimed, "Bhabhi, aapne mera tiffin pack kardiya?!"

"Haanji. Bas doh minute," Nandini replied, immediately moving over to the cupboard and grabbing the tiffin. While she was cleaning it, Manik, who sounded frustrated, shouted, "Nandini, yaar meri blue file kaha rakh di tumhe?"

Meanwhile, Aarav's loud cry rang out as he woke up from all the noises while Dhruv impatiently said, "Bhabhi thoda jaldi. Mera exam hai."

Her hands shook as she quickly worked while Manik was getting angry by each passing second as he was getting late for a meeting and didn't want to get scoldings from his boss early morning while Aarav's cries were getting louder. Handing over the tiffin, she quickly turned off the knob of the gas before running upstairs to their room.

"Kya Nandini, maine kitni baar kaha hai meri files esse mat cheda karo," Manik grumbled in frustration while her eyes frantically moved to and fro between Manik and Aarav before she picked her crying munchkin  from bed and bounced him on her arms while she walked to the drawer where she kept his file in the morning. She handed it to him and he checked it to make sure everything was okay.

As she was consoling Aarav, who was whining with his small hand in his mouth in hunger, she rushed after Manik as he walked out of the room and followed him downstairs and as he moved towards front door, Nandini said, "Manik, breakfast toh karke jaaye."

"Nahi. Mai pehle hi late ho gaya hu. Canteen se kha lunga kuch," Manik said, leaving for his work without a glance backwards. Nandini swallowed, slightly disheartened and feeling as if she was failing as a wife because she knew he can't keep well with the canteen food and she didn't even prepare anything for his lunch.

Her mind was pulled back to the present as Aarav slapped his sloppy hand on her face to grab her attention. She smiled at him meekly and started to walk towards their room to feed him. On her way upstairs, the door bell rang before her mother in law echoed, "Nandini, beta gate kholna. Dudh hoga."

Sighing, she walked downstairs with Aarav in her arms,  who started getting fussy, his eyes again turning moist as he dug his face in her bosom. While she walked to the kitchen to grab some utensil, she pressed a kiss on his head and softly said, "Bass doh minute, mere bache."

Holding him carefully on one arm, she got the milk filled in a cauldron. By the time she was keeping it to heat at low flame, Aarav lost his patience and his cries filled the house. Amidst his cries, she heard her mother in law shouting something about breakfast but ignoring it since she didn't want to feel like a failure as a mothed too, she moved to the guest room, knowing all the men were out for their respective works, and sat on the sofa Indian styled before pulling up her kurti.

As soon as she freed one of her breasts and held it against his mouth, Aarav instantly latched on it. While he suckled, she patted his back gently, lost in thoughts of all the piled up work that needs to be done. Her mind was snapped to reality and she lowered her kurti slightly, covering Aarav in process as Aryan, Manik's nephew, wobbled his way in the guest room.

While Aarav was fighting with her kurti for the life of him, Aryan gave Nandini an innocent smile as he stood infront of her and she grazed the back of her fingers on his cheek while gently saying, "Oye mera shona bacha. Nani paas jaye aaye aap?"

While Aryan nodded, Aarav succeeded in getting her kurti off his face, startling Nandini as he screeched loudly as if in victory and Nandini laughed softly at his antics while he latched back on her breast, quietening down again. Meanwhile, Aryan was watching the baby in her arms curiously.

"Nandini Mumma, godhi," Aryan demanded, unable to digest Nandini showering her love on Aarav.

"Abhi nahi, bache. Aarav ko bhuk lagi hai na," Nandini said gently but as his bottom lip started wobbling and his eyes started gathering tears, she stared at him helplessly as he awaited for her to pick him up. As she didn't, Aryan started crying. Aarav unlatched at the noise, eyeing him. His cries got louder as Aarav gave him a smile, thinking the poor baby was teasing him.

The smile immediately wiped away and he moved back to Nandini's chest, disinterested in commotion happening around him, gulping milk hungrily. Meanwhile, Neyonika came into the room, hearing the cries.

"Kyu itna subah subah roh raha hai ye? Kya hua, Aryan beta?" Neyonika inquired as she picked him up and he hid in her neck while hiccuping, "Nandini Mumma ki godhi jaana hai."

"Arrey woh abhi uthayenge. Abhi Aarav ko feed kar re hai na. Aap mile Aarav se?" Neyonika said, while lowering him slightly to let him have a look at the newborn but he clinged back to her neck, shaking his head and his cries intensifying. Neyonika sighed and said, "Nandini utha le na. Doh minute bas."

Nandini looked back to Aarav who was peacefully laying in her lap, his eyes drooping in sleep while she fed him. She swallowed, even though her heart refused to pull him away from her, knowing he was half asleep, she gently unlatched him, startling him awake and he started weeping.

"Isse Manya Bhabhi ko dede na. Woh sambhal lenge," Nandini said, losing her cool. Neyonika didn't say anything and quietly moved out of the room, Aryan's cries filling the house. Nandini didn't want to make him cry but the mother in her just couldn't help it as she again started feeding Aarav, shushing him.

•••••

As the giggles of children accompanied with the chirping of birds echoed in the room in the evening, Nandini blinked her eyes open, gazing at Aarav tiredly who finally fell asleep after two hours of her futile attempts. She looked at the clock, wondering if she could just rest for fifteen minutes but noticed it was already six in the evening. Getting up, on feeling a headache, she unknotted her hair, letting them loose and placed pillows beside her baby. She quickly freshened up and then walked downstairs.

While Neyonika was busy watching some soap opera in the living room, Nandini walked to the kitchen to prepare their evening tea. As the water boiled in a frying pan, she gathered the vegetables from the fridge to prepare dal and a sabzi for dinner. She chopped the vegetables and simultaneously prepared the tea, quickly trying to finish her chores before Aarav woke up again.

As she walked with the tray of tea cups and handed one of them to Neyonika, she took a seat opposite her with her own cup. She picked her phone, dialling Manik's number.

"Aapne kuch khaya?" Nandini enquired as soon as he picked up.

"Haan chai pee the," Manik replied, frowning as he was busy working through some files. Before she could reply, he informed her, "Sun aaj mai thoda late ho jaunga."

Nandini opened her mouth to say something but he had already declined the call. She half heartedly drank some of the tea while Neyonika said, "Aaj raat thode karele bhi bana dena. Tere Papa keh rahe the unka khane ka jee hai."

"Jee," Nandini said before collecting the cups and walking back to the kitchen. While she placed a cooker to prepare dal on the stove, she sauntered the vegetables in a pan, preparing a mixed veg since Manik hated bitter gourds. By the time she finished preparing dinner, Nandini was drenched in sweat.

"Maa main nahane ja rhi hu. Aarav uthe toh panch minute sambhal lena," Nandini told Neyonika and then she walked upstairs, feeling hot. She collected her clothes from almirah and walked to the washroom. Removing her clothes, as soon as she stood under the shower, she heard Aarav's cry. A few minutes passed by before she heard Neyonika's voice as she cooed at him but her attempts were unsuccessful as his cries grew louder. Nandini hurriedly took a shower. Wearing a simple peach salwar suit, she walked out.

As soon as Aarav saw her, he raised his arms towards her, practically jumping out of Neyonika's lap to reach Nandini. Handing him over, her mother in law walked out of the room. Taking a seat on the chair of the dressing table, Nandini held him in her lap carefully, supporting his back with one hand, while she applied a lip shade.

Nandini suddenly noticed an unpleasant smell filling the room. She gently picked him up, whining as she noticed a big patch of brown colour on her suit. Her nose wrinkled at the pungent smell as she took off his nappy and then carried him to the washroom. Amidst his cooes, she cleaned him before placing him on the bed with some toys to divert his attention so that she could change. Taking out another suit, she changed before collecting the dirty clothes and placing them aside for washing.

While he was busy making some incomprehensible noises, kicking his arms and legs around, Nandini laid beside him on bed quietly, her fingers tracing his face as she noticed how familiar his features were to Manik, except the nose. It wasn't long before she heard Neyonika calling her, making her sigh, since it was time to serve dinner.

•••••

Nandini startled awake as she heard her phone ring. She carefully untangled herself from Aarav, who was soundly asleep and lowered her kurti before grabbing her phone, flashing with Manik's name. She noticed it was nearly eleven at night.

"Aagayi," Nandini murmured as soon as she picked up the call as she got up from bed and placed pillows beside Aarav before walking downstairs. Grabbing the keys, she opened the front door, letting Manik in, whose hair was a mess as if he had been continuously running his fingers through them while the first two buttons of his shirt were open.

"Paani?" Nandini asked and he shook his head in denial. He walked upstairs without a word to change while she arranged his dinner.

"Aaj itna late kaise ho gaye?" Nandini softly asked as she served him dinner before taking a chair beside him on the table.

"Woh office main boss resign kar re hai. Toh joh piled up kaam hai woh iss mahine khatam karna hai naye boss ke aane se pehle," Manik replied. "Tune khana khaya?"

"Nahi. Mujhe bhook nahi thi jab sab dinner kar rahe the. Fir Aarav ko sulate hue khud ki bhi aankh lag gayi," Nandini replied while serving for herself. In truth, she had been waiting for him, not able to eat knowing he hadn't had a single meal since morning.

"Dadu soh gaya?" Manik asked, smiling as Nandini rolled her eyes.

"Soh gaya aapka Dadu," Nandini told him. "Subah se chi chi karna shuru karta hai. Sar dukhne lag gaya mera toh."

"Toh aulad kiski hai," Manik replied back, looking at her with arched eyebrows, blaming her for his behaviour.

"Zyada na bolo aap," Nandini huffed. "Sabko pata hai kaun kisko tang karta hai."

Manik eyed her, scoffing before both of them quietly had the rest of their dinner. After finishing up, while she cleaned up the kitchen, Manik locked up the front door and checked on the windows before both of them retreated to their room for the night.

As she went to the bathroom, Manik closed the door of the room before he laid beside Aarav, who was sleeping peacefully. He looked at the closed door of the bathroom before whispering, "Yaar Dadu tu soh kyu gaya. Uth ja na. Hum dono mile bhi nahi subah ke."

Unable to stop himself, he softly grazed his fingers on his face while whistling, trying to wake him up. Manik smiled as Aarav started stirring but poor father startled as Nandini hit him on his leg. He looked over his shoulder as she narrowed her eyes in warning.

"Manik, kyu utha re ho usse," Nandini snapped in a whisper, patting Aarav back to sleep.

"Mera bhi beta hai. Main utha sakta hu usse," Manik replied.

"Toh sula bhi dena vaapis. Bas dudh hi peeta hai. Woh toh hoga na aapke paas," Nandini sarcastically replied, shutting him up.

"Kitni jealous Maa hai teri. Bilkul bhi share nahi karti mujhe. Koi na, Dadu. Ab shaadi ki hai toh nibhani toh padegi," Manik said, making Nandini scoff at his words. Placing a kiss on Aarav's cheek, he got up, laying down on his side of bed. After Nandini finished her night routine, she laid down in the centre before Manik switched off the light.

Nandini looked towards Manik in darkness as he stared at the ceiling, lost deep in his thoughts. She turned towards him, resting her head on her hand, supported by her arm while her other hand pushed off his hair falling on his forehead, snapping him out of his worries, as she asked, "Kya hua?"

"Kuch nahi," Manik replied instantly, forcing a smile. Although Nandini didn't believe it, she nodded her head, hoping he will share it with her. Nandini had a habit of revealing everything to him, even the smallest tidbit of her life, since it provided her peace to share her worries and happiness with someone but Manik still kept things to himself, not wanting to give her unnecessary tension.

"Toh kya kiya aapne saare din phir madam?" Manik asked, trying to divert her attention and as she narrated everything to him, he smiled, his own mind diverted while he attentively listened, observing every emotion playing on her face like an open book.

"Woh kab uthega ab?" Manik asked in a hushed tone when she stopped talking, his fingers playing with her mangalsutra.

"Doh-teen ghante baad shayad," Nandini replied and asked, "Kyu?"

But, she didn't receive any answer in words as his arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. She turned towards him, her eyes meeting his in darkness. Her fingers raked through his hair, shuddering as his lips pressed against her cheek and slowly descended.

"Mujhe ni karna aapke saath kuch," Nandini mumbled half heartedly, wanting to sleep but her words contradicted her action as she arched her neck slightly, giving him access as he placed sloppy kisses. He pulled down the chain of her kurti, slipping it from her shoulders and nibbled and bit wherever he could while his hand reached for the hem of the kurti, pulling it over her head.

As his lips took hers in a fervent kiss, he unhooked her bra and freed her boobs before turning her on her back and hovering over her. She mewled as tongue lapped over her areola, relishing the sweet taste of milk, while he pressed her other breast. As his hands wandered over, groping over her body while his lips took hers in a searing kiss, her fingers undid the buttons of his shirt while responding to his kiss. His hands grabbed her breasts, rolling his thumb over her nipples. Once she opened his shirt, removing his hands from her chest, he pulled it off his shoulders, discarding it on the floor, before he unknotted the strings of her salwar and she arched her hips, letting him take it off her, leaving her in her panties. Her breath deepened as his mouth moved against her jawline, then her neck, her eyes closing and face tilting aside in pleasure as she felt her skin between his teeth while she undid his pants, her finger's accidentally brushing over his crotch, making him groan.

She placed a kiss on the side of his mouth, their breaths mingling as she slipped her hand inside his boxer, stroking him. Her eyes turned hazy in desire as she stared at him, his eyes closing while he cursed under his breath, as her hand moved up and down his shaft. As his breath deepened, he pulled her hand off him, their lips meshing together, their tongues and teeth entangling and nibbling while their rest of the clothes lay discarded on the floor. His hand moved over her thighs before his fingers brushed against her wet core. Her hips arched in pleasure as he dug two of his fingers inside her, crisscrossed, his thumb rolling against the clit. They had some good foreplay before he positioned himself against her entrance and thrust inside. Her hands raked over his body, pulling him closer as their bodies and souls mingled with each other, their pleasure intensifying with every passing second until they climaxed together.

He laid down on her as she tried to catch a breath. She looked like a beautiful mess with her hair all over the pillows, glowing in sweat and due to their love making. Some time later, she wore his t-shirt, camouflaging her small frame while Manik wore back his tracks. She laid back, her head resting on his chest while his hand moved over her tresses gently.

"Itni kyu tension le re ho? Kaam hi toh hai. Ho jayega." Nandini said, as she noticed him shaking his feet anxiously while he was lost in his thoughts. He hummed, not really focusing on her words. Her hand went to his face, turning it towards herself and bringing him back to reality. She gently stroked her fingers over the frowns marring his forehead and whispered, "Manik, sab theek hai na?"

He nodded, kissing her forehead in reassurance before she laid, the tiredness lulling her to sleep soon after while Manik continued to fret over his thoughts until he was pulled into a uncomfortable slumber in the wee hours of the morning.

Thank you for reading! Please vote if you liked this chapter and comment your views. I really appreciate them.

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