I need u to be there.... For a little more than always!!
Part 12:
The next mrng, Nandini woke up by the alarm at 6.
Nandini: Oh shit... Temple!!! I should get ready fast.
She picked up her phone and called Simi, she requested her to come and help her get ready. Simi accepted immediately and Nandini disconnected the call.
Nandini's pov: I don't know if Manik sir woke up or not....
She picked up her phone again and called him.
Manik: hello
His voice clearly told her that he was still sleeping,
Nandini: Good morning sir!! Wake up.. We hv to go to the temple.
Manik: Ms. Moorthy it's 6... So early!!
Nandini: Sir...
Manik: I'll be up by 7 then we'll go.
Nandini knew he wasn't going to wake up so she said,
Nandini: Ohk then... U wake up at 7 and i m going there along with the driver.
Saying so she disconnected the call and said to herself,
Nandini: Again back to Monster Manik...
Just then her phone rang with his call. She picked it up and heard him say,
Manik: We leave in 30 mins.. Be ready!! And u r not going out of the house alone... I mean it!!
Saying so he disconnected the call and Nandini smiled at herself and hugged her phone.
Nandini: But the monster still cares!!!
Exactly 30 mins later, Manik knocked her room's door.
Nandini: yes...
Manik opened the door to see her sitting in front of the mirror. She saw him enter and kept the towel aside with which she was drying her hair.
Manik: Ready??
Nandini: Yes sir!!
She turned her wheel chair around and Manik looked at her wide eyed.
She was wearing a blue kurta along with white chudidaar and dupatta. Her hair still wet dripping tiny drops on her shoulders as he kept her hair ahead. He had never seen her in traditional wear ever before.
She looked so elegant in that dress that manik could not even think of taking his eyes off her.
'Beauty lies in simplicity 'made perfect sense to him seeing her.
Nandini moved her wheel chair and went towards him.
Manik somehow moved his gaze elsewhere and said,
Manik: Good mrng Ms. Moorthy...
Nandini: Good mrng sir!!
Manik: Leave it.. I'll take u out..
Manik said and moved behind her taking her wheel chair.
Nandini: Thank u!!
They moved out and Simi came out with a cup of earl grey tea and filter coffee each for manik and nandini.
Nandini: Thank u...
Within the next five minutes they were both out of the house. Manik made her sit inside the car at the passenger seat and he himself took up the driving seat..
Manik started driving towards the temple. Nandini looked outside the window to the almost empty mrng roads.
Nandini: Umn.. Can i plz open the window?
Manik smiled at her and then said,
Manik: Sure!!
He switched off the ac and then said,
Manik: I don't ever remember u preferring window over the ac.
Nandini turned towards him and said slowly,
Nandini: we usually never go out so early. I liked the mrng winds. So fresh... So pure!!
She turned back looking out of the window and feeling ever cold breeze on her face. He now almost dry hair were falling on her face in a way which could only look good at a very few ppl.
Manik kept on stealing glances on her as he drove, when suddenly he realised that this was the first time ever that they were alone in the car without the driver and not discussing work. And strangely this silence didn't seem any bit of awkward to him, but then again, he was dying to talk to her.
Manik: Ms. Moorthy...
Nandini didn't turn towards him but simply replied,
Nandini: Hmn??
Manik: This suits u...I mean this non official look and behaviour, it definitely agrees with u!! U look amazing today!!
Nandini turned towards him slowly with her shy smile, her eyes twinkling listening to him. She had never imagined such a thing coming from him.
Nandini: Thank u sir... I'll agree with u in this coz i myself like being this way.
Manik: U should... It makes u look happier.
Nandini: Again the courtesy to u... This has become possible bcoz of u..
Manik: Well.. I know i m too good!!
Manik said with a smirk at which Nandini giggled and said,
Nandini: Oh sure Mr. Malhotra!!
Manik: Ms. Moorthy!! Are you trying to contradict my words...
Nandini: Maybe... By the way I never thought of u as a self praising person ever before. U let my expectations down about u..
Manik: Then what did u think of me Ms. Moorthy??
Nandini turned to look at him and Manik could clearly notice her blush as she tried hard to hide it.
Nandini: Oh no Mr. Malhotra.. It's just the starting. U don't get the details so soon. U'll hv to work hard to make me speak up.
Manik: Is that a challenge??
Nandini: if u like it then maybe??
Manik: Oh Ms Moorthy... I would love to see u loose..
Nandini: I don't think it's gonna be that easy for u..
Manik: That we'll see.. For now we hv reached the destination.
Saying so Manik parked the car to a side and stepped outside. He took out Nandini's wheel chair from the back and opened her door.
Manik: So Ms Moorthy... Shall we??

Nandini smiled at him and nodded as Manik picked her up in his arms and made her sit on the wheel chair. They started moving inside when suddenly Nandini said,
Nandini: One minute sir....
Saying so she turned to a vendor by her side and asked,
Nandini: kaka... Ye prasad aur phul kitne ke h??
Vendor: Beta 100 ki puri samagri le lo..
Nandini: Thik h de dijiye...
The vendor started packing as Nandini took out the money from her purse.
Manik: I thought we were here to talk to Dadi's friends..
Nandini smiled at him and said,
Nandini: Sirrrr... This is not a meeting hall.. It's a temple. And now that we are here, what's the harm in praying!!
Manik: U r as right as always Ms Moorthy...
Manik said as he again started moving ahead pushing her wheel chair along. They went straight inside in front of the idol of Lord Shiva at the center. Nandini handed over the things to the pandit and he asked,
Pandit: kiske naam se prasad chadhana h beta??
Nandini: Pandit ji.... Manik Malhotra!!
Nandini replied immediately. Manik who was standing right by her side heard her and turned towards her to see her eyes closed as she prayed. A smile emerged on his face unknowingly as the pandit continued with his work.
As it got over Nandini turned around and saw as few ladies at a side.
Nandini: Sir I think they are Dadi's friends... I hv seen one of them at home when she came to meet Dadi...
Manik: Ohk come...
They moved towards them, as they reached closer Nandini was about to say something when Manik said,
Manik: Good mrng ladies....
All of them turned towards him as he continued,
Manik: U r all invit-
Nandini realised what he was doing and immediately kept her hand over his which was holding her wheel chair. Manik looked down at her with a questioning look when Nandini gave him an angry glare. She turned towards those ladies and said with a warm smile,
Nandini: Namastee Aunty ji... Pehchana??
All of them looked at each other confused, when one of them asked,
"Nandini??"
Nandini: Ji aunty!!
That lady immediately smiled at her and said to the others, " Arey ye Nandini beti h... Mrs. Malhotra ke saath rehti h na... Woh"
All the others gave her a knowing look as Nandini smiled,
Nandini: Arey wah aunty... Aapki memory tph bhut achchi h...
Aunty: Tumhari dadi tumhari itni baatein karti h kese nhi pehchanti...
And that was it Nandini started talking to them casually, while Manik thought,
" How cn she even talk to some stranger so warmly?? God this girl can actually melt anyone within minutes... No wonder she manipulates all her clients so effectively."
And within 5 minutes all of them became very fond of her. She invited all of them for the party and was almost done when one of the ladies looked at Manik.
Nandini turned towards him and said,
Nandini: Aunty ji... Ye mere boss Mr. Manik Malhotra...
Aunty: Achcha toh tum Manik ho!!
She said and smiled at him, Manik smiled back at her and looked at Nandini who gestured towards their feet through her eyes. Manik immediately bent low and touched their feet taking blessings.
Aunty: Kush rho beta!!
Nandini greeted them with the final good byes and then Manik moved away pushing her chair.
Manik: Well that went good...
Nandini: Ohh really??? Sure!!
Nandini said to him and by her tone Manik clearly knew that she was pissed off at him.
Manik's pov: " Now what happened to her... A minute back she was all good!! God these girls"
He decided to talk to her once they are in the car and kept on moving ahead, when a small boy suddenly came and collided with Nandini's wheel chair. As a result he fell backwards on the ground while his ice-cream fell over Nandini's dress.
Manik: What the hell!! Can't u see??
Manik shouted. Nandini bent down immediately and picked up that boy.
Manik: Dekh kr nhi chal sakte!!
Nandini looked at manik with a glare again and turned back to the boy.
Nandini: Are u fine??
Boy: Yes... Sorry didi!!
Nandini: Arey sry kyu bol rhe ho... Sry toh mujhe bolna chahiye na... Aapki icecream toh meri dress ne hi kha li!!
The boy smiled at her brightly and then Nandini sent him away.
Manik: Are u fine??
Nandini: We should leave!!
Manik immediately started moving ahead and this time he too was pissed off. But not on Nandini instead on that boy. On the other hand, Nandini was going totally mad at Manik.
Both of them left the temple and Manik drove back home.
Writer's note: Ohk so that is it for today... Did u guys like it?? Do comment ur views ppl. Also, many of u all hv been requesting for regular updates from a long time. So I hv decided that I'll try my best and post two parts per week. Thats the most i can manage bcoz of my studies... So just keeping enjoying the story and lets see how it goes ahead...
P.s.: There may be a few manan scenes in the next one... Keep waiting😉😉