"Nanni Mumma!" Manik whined loudly in frustration, his teeth gritting together as Cabir, his closest cousin, teased him by taking away his favourite car. Cabir grinned mischievously as he mimicked him.

"Meri car wapis karo varna mai rounga. Fir Nanni Mumma tumhe maregi," Manik threatened but when Cabir continued to goad him by mimicking his actions, the smirk on his face was immediately wiped off as Manik started crying.

(Give me my car or else I will cry loudly. Then, Nanni Mumma will beat you.)

"Ye le mere bhai," Cabir said, terrified of Nandini as he handed him the car. But, Manik refused to take it, crying out for Nandini. "Roh toh mat. Teri Nanni Mumma maregi mujhe. Aisa sila dega tu mere pyaar ka?"

(*Here, take it, bro! **Stop crying, please. Your Nanni Mumma will kill me. Is this how you will repay for my love?)

As soon as Nandini entered, she worriedly looked over at Manik, sighing in relief when she noticed he was okay. She instantly walked over to him while gently scolding, "Aapne mujhe abhi kitna dara diya tha. Kya hua hai mere puttu? Kyu roh re ho?"

(You scared me, Manik. What happened, baby? Why are you crying?)

"Ye Cabir ka bacha meri car ni dera. Dekho abhi bhaag raha hai," Manik complained while pointing a finger towards the culprit, who was discreetly trying to escape. As he scowled at Manik, Manik scooted closer to Nandini, hugging her waist and cried, "Mumma!"

(This Cabir is not returning my car. See, he is running away now!)

Nandini glared at Cabir and scolded, "Usko darana band karo! Woh toh baccha hai, tum toh samajhdar ho. Kyu tang kar re ho usse." While Nandini snapped at him, Cabir's eyes narrowed as Manik discreetly looked towards him and smirked, poking his tongue out. After a few minutes, he sighed as Nandini shut up before hurrying out of the room.

(Stop trying to scare him! He is a child, but you're quite intelligent. Why are you troubling him? **

As he left, Nandini turned towards Manik and arched her eyebrow while saying, "Tum bhi kuch kam nahi ho. Zyada jeeb dikhani aati hai?" Manik looked up at Nandini with puppy eyes as he said, "Unhone pange liye the Mumma!"

(You're no less, Manik. Why were you showing off your tongue? **He started troubling me!)

"Acha theek hai," Nandini said, bending down slightly and pressing a kiss on his forehead. On straightening up, his head rested on her tummy while his arms wrapped around her waist while her hands slipped in his hair softly.

(Okay, let it be.)

It had been a few days since they visited the doctor and Manik had started showing the symptoms. So, Nandini usually tries to avoid doing anything that causes him pain or frustration. Like when he wants a hug, she is supposed to leave everything up just to give him that because he usually demands them when his head is hurting.

"Nanni Mumma," Manik called out, his forehead furrowing as he tried to recall. .

"Hanji," Nandini asked gently before her eyes widened as Manik said, "Cabir son of a bitch hai."

"Manik!" Nandini said, astonished, not knowing what to say for a moment. He had never used foul language. "It's a bad word. Who taught you this?"

"Uss son of–" Manik started, stopping when Nandini glared at him although he couldn't help the chuckle that managed to escape. He immediately placed his palm on his mouth to hide his grin as Nandini glared in warning half heartedly, trying to control the smile threatening to slip but it was in vain as Manik started laughing.

After he quieted down, Manik again frowned as he tried speaking some words. Nandini looked at him in confusion as he said, "Nanni Mumma, uss Cabir se na maine kuch word suna aur usko uska matlab pucha toh usne kaha aapse puchu. Woh kya word tha," Manik tried recalling before his eyes lit up as he suddenly shouted while Nandini was shocked,"Haa aagya yaad– fuck!" Nandini immediately palmed his mouth, shushing him.

(Nanni Mumma, Cabir spoke another word too and when I asked him what it meant, he said to ask you. What was it– **Yeah, I remember! It was fuck!"

"Manik, guddu, no! Ye bahut ganda word hai. Isse bilkul nahi bolna," Nandini explained. Manik pouted as he innocently asked, "Par ye ganda word kyu hai, Nanni Mumma?"

(Manik, baby, no! It is a bad word. Don't speak it ever again.)

"Kyuki–" Nandini started, cursing that son of a bitch as she tried to think of what to say. "Kyuki isse use karne se logo ko gussa aata hai."

(Because people get angry when you use it.)

"Aapko ko toh nahi aaya?" Manik said, more like questioned and Nandini said, "Kyuki mujhe pata hai na ki aapko iska matlab nahi pata."

(You didn't get angry? **Because I knew you didn't knew its meaning.)

"Toh auro ko kaise pata chalega ki mujhe iska matlab pata hai, Nanni Mumma?" Manik asked, making Nandini sigh, cursing Cabir the whole time, while saying, "Bas aap mat use karna. Kisi ko pata ho na pata ho matter nahi karta. Ye acha word nahi hota."

(So, how will others know that I know its meaning? **Just don't use it. It doesn't matter who knows, who doesn't. This is not a good word.)

Manik nodded and grumbled, "Uss piece of shit ko marenge, Nanni Mumma."

(We will beat that piece of shit, Nanni Mumma.)

Nandini nodded in agreement before hitting her forehead as she just heard another profanity from his mouth. God, damn it!

"Manik, meri jaan," Nandini started, ready to teach him again but changed her mind. Shit wasn't as bad as fuck, anyways and instead said, "Cabir se dur raho. Woh acha influencer nahi hai."

(Stay away from Cabir. He isn't a good influencer.)

"Okay, Nanni Mumma," Manik said obediently with a grin, although Nandini doubted he would listen. Any injury or not, she just knew those two together would have been huge trouble.

•••••

As Nandini laid beside him, she observed in concern as he continued to latch and unlatch on her breast, his hand resting on his head in discomfort as tears of frustration welled up in his eyes. Nandini swallowed the lump lodged in her throat as she saw him struggling with pain and gently managed to say, "Kya hua hai, mere bache? Idhar aao mere paas."

(What is it, baby? Come here.)

"Sar dukh raha hai, Nanni Mumma," Manik said, his hands fisting his hair in frustration as he let out a screech. Nandini immediately shifted closer, calming him with soothing words despite the terror in her heart and pried his hands off his hair.

(My head is paining, Nanni Mumma)

"Bas, meri jaan. Mere puttu, rona nahi hai. Tu toh bohot strong hain," Nandini softly said, wiping his tears of frustration while looking in the bedside drawer for oil. After taking out the coconut one, she said, "Abhi dekhna mai aapka sar dabati hu aur dekhna kitti jaldi jaldi theek ho jayega." Patting the place in front of her, she said, "Idhar aake baitho."

(Shh, it's okay, sweetheart. Don't cry. You're my strong baby. **I will give you a hair massage and in a instant you will be okay.)

Manik moved and she stood up on her knees on the bed, her fingers dipping in the oil and then moving to his hair. She gently massaged his scalp, occasionally pressing to relieve him of the pain and showering him with kisses from time to time. The sound of the clock ticking away and the soothing noise of her bangles clicking together filled the silence around them.

After some time, Nandini noticed him rubbing his eyes and asked, "Ab better hain, mere puttu?" When Manik nooded, she queried, "Neeni aayi hai, meri jaan?"

(Is it better now? **Do you want to sleep?)

When Manik nodded his head when she asked him to lay down, he mumbled, "Godi main."

(In your lap)

"Aaja," Nandini replied, stretching her legs and getting comfortable before he rested his head in her lap, letting him latch on her breast as he pulled up her jumper. While he was suckling on her bosom, her fingers played with the ends of his hair. As he was almost sleepy, he pulled away, suddenly remembering something.

(Come)

"Nanni Mumma," Manik mumbled sleepily, his eyes half open as he stared in hers, forgetting what he remembered and instead asked, "Aapki eyes bohot sundar thi, Nanni Mumma. Bilkul stars jaise. Woh stars jaise chamak kyu nahi rahi ab, Nanni Mumma?" Nandini sucked in a breath, not knowing what to say and her eyes filling up as he innocently queried, "Aap sad ho?" When she stayed mum, he murmured, "Manik ne kuch kiya toh sorry, Nanni Mumma."

(*Your eyes were beautiful, Nanni Mumma. Just like stars. But, why aren't they bright like them anymore? **Are you sad? If Manik did something then he is sorry Nanni Mumma.)

She shook her head in an instant, her hand cupping his cheek gently as he blinked his eyelids, about to doze. But Nandini froze when before sleeping, he suddenly murmured, "Nanni Mumma, meko suhagraat manani hai usse Cabir ne kaha tha sab khush hojayenge."

(Nanni Mumma I want to celebrate wedding night. Cabir said everyone becomes happy after it.)

Hi! Thank you for reading ❤️
Please vote and comment. They mean a lot. I hope you guys like Cabir, if you're not Nandini obviously 🔪

What was your favourite scene in this chapter? And how do you think Nandini will fulfill Manik's innocent demand? ☠️