I want u to be there.... For a little more than Always!!

Part 46:

Nandini: Manik... We hv a meeting with the Singhania's this afternoon. And apart from that I was thinking of a surprise visit for the DN project site too, we should know how the work is going on. The team is delaying for the progress report for quite a few days now.

Manik: Yeah... I was also going to talk to u about the same. Don't worry, I'll go for the site visit today. U already hv to go with Dhruv for shopping.

Nandini made a bad face at it and then said,

Nandini: U know the only bad thing about weddings.... Shopping!! I mean it never gets over only...

Manik laughed at her frustration and held her hand,

Manik: So who told u to do everything urself. Mukti is going with him na... U can skip it!!

Nandini: No... I want to do everything myself. Manik, u hv no idea how much excited I m about this entire thing... Maybe even more than Aliya herself. Marriage rituals have always fascinated me like nothing else.

Manik smiled at her as he held her hand,

Manik: If thats the case... Then u can do as u wish. In fact, do one thing... Take a break from office for a few days.

Nandini looked at him shocked as he said those words but soon her shocked face was replaced by a stern glare.

Nandini: I m not skipping work for anything.... Get that straight. Already we r going to Udaipur for a week.

Manik: Ohk ohk... Stop scaring me!! U n ur work... No wonder u didn't even take a day off work all these years. God knows how many days u would hv worked amidst illness and fever.

Nandini: Maybe I was just waiting for the time when u notice that illness and force me to take holidays like u do now!!

Nandini said as she moved closer and rested her head on his shoulder.

Manik smiled at her and glanced at the driver who was driving them to office that morning. When he heard Nandini whispering,

Nandini: He doesn't wish to loose this job from his hands by opening up his mouth. I hv already had a word with him.

Her statement made Manik chuckle as he kissed her forehead and Nandini continued,

Nandini: I just realised how much less I hv been working from the past 2-3 months... Precisely from the time when u shifted from Ur 'Ms. Moorthy' to 'Nandini', i think my boss is getting lenient on me.

Manik: Un hmn... No!! Precisely from the time I realised ur worth in my life and my feelings towards u.

Nandini lifted up her head from his shoulder and looked straight into his eyes, to find them glittering with sincerity. She was drowned in his eyes, feeling like the most luckiest girl when the sudden honk by the driver pulled her out of her thoughts.

She looked around to see the driver pulling the car in front of the office building as she moved a little away from him and straightened up her clothes.

Manik: I love ur blush... No matter how well u hide it from others, u should know that u r not too good at hiding it from me.

Nandini blushed further at it as the car stopped.

Nandini: I think I would need time to get used to this side of urs. The usual Monster was much more better u know.

As she said so the watchman opened up her gate and she moved out of the car making Manik chuckle at her words. The guards opened up his door too as he got down.

Manik moved ahead closing a button of his off white blazer looking dashing like anything. And above all the very unusual smile on his face making all the jaws drop. Nandini stood there near the car waiting for him to join her, lost in his aura when Manik whispered to her,

Manik: Stop gawking at ur boyfriend like this baby...

Nandini snapped out of her stance, totally embarrassed at the thought of being caught when she heard his chuckle.

Nandini: If u are done with teasing me, would u mind to stop embarrassing me more in front of so many people and plz lead the way.

Manik smirked at her and moved ahead while Nandini too walked a step behind him as always when he slowed down his pace and joined her steps.

Nandini: Forgot something??

Manik: I didn't... U did!!

Nandini: Huh??

Nandini asked as she again stopped on her tracks right in the middle of the front desk of the office premises.

Manik: I want u in my life to mark my steps with me, not to follow mine.... Remember that always!!

Nandini was stunned by his words when she heard a buzz around, indicating the whispers of the staff around her. She immediately turned around and walked away towards the reception and ordered the staff,

Nandini: Arrange the meeting with the Singhania's a bit early... Mr. Malhotra has to go somewhere today.

Manik smirked at her professionalism and started walking towards the lift and within a few seconds itself he felt Nandini matching his steps right by his sides. Soon both of them entered the lift leaving all the piercing glances over them.

None of them said anything for a while when Manik turned to look at Nandini to find a few slight tears in her eyes.

Manik: Hey!! What happened?

Nandini immediately turned towards him and dug her face into his chest hugging him tight.

Nandini: I love u!!

Manik: I know...

Manik said with a smirk making her immediately break the hug and hit his chest.

Nandini: I m telling u... I m gonna fire that receptionist of urs soon if I find her drooling over u ever again!!

Manik laughed at her as he took her in a light hug,

Manik: Jealous much?

Nandini: From that creepy smile... No way!! I know u r Mine...

Manik: Creepy smile!! Interesting name... But i think her smile is gorgeous...

Nandini: U....

Nandini was about to hit him again when she heard her phone ringing. She got out of the hug and glared at him as she picked up the call.

Nandini: " Yes speaking... No, as I had informed in my mail, Fab5 won't be available at that time.... The album deal has to wait for a few weeks more..... If ur company has to launch their new album with Fab5, then u hv no other choice, or u can surely take decision otherwise.... Press conference???... Regarding??"

Nandini continued her call while they reached the top floor. Manik bent closer towards her and kissed her cheek,

Manik: See u soon baby...

Nandini blushed at it while Manik walked away leaving her in the lift.

Nandini got back to her call and walked to her cabin as they finally started with the day.

The preparations for the wedding were going amazing as Nandini got the best arrangements from the country done for Dhruliya. But everyone knows, when it comes to weddings, the one thing that has no end is....... SHOPPING!!

After getting done with Dhruv's dresses and the rings in two days.... Now came the time for the others.

Mukti: No yr... Shopping is fun together!! Lets all just go together.

Cabir: Shopping with u girls!! No thanks...

Navya: Cabir.....

Cabir: No yr Navya... U all take too long to shop. Its just too boring for us.

Nandini: ohk ohk... Girls listen!! Instead of arguing over this, lets jist split. Let the guys go do theirs and we'll do our shopping.

Cabir: Awesome.... Nandini u r a savior!!

Navya: But Nandu-

Mukti: Navya.... I think Nandini is right, they will do nothing but irritate us. And its good na, this way u can surprise Cabir with ur different looks for all the functions.

Navya blushed at it while two eyes silently enjoyed the talk, avoiding everyone else's presence around them.

Nandini: Ohk ohk but yes, don't forget the color themes that we hv decided for the functions. Except for the main wedding ceremony, all the other events are theme based ohk!! Coz the final one is totally Royal, look accordingly.

Cabir: Yes boss....

Mukti: By the way... This will also be good as we hv to shop for ur Honeymoon too..

Mukti said as she winked at Aliya while nandini and navya giggled at her.

Navya: Ohk so it's decided tmrw is Sunday and we all still spend the day in shopping.

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

The next day, all of them were present in the mall. They didn't go to the usual stores, but only the designer ones. Obviously Fab 5 day out meant a lot of security issues which made it a hard day for their guards. The boys soon finished off their shopping and went back to the Malhotra Mansion while the girls were still busy in the stuff. It had been already 5 hours since they had been shopping, when someone suddenly snatched away Nandini's phone ass he was standing at the corner of a store.

Nandini: What the-

Nandini looked up to see Mukti standing there glaring at her.

Mukti: Yeah... What the hell?? Nandini its sunday yr... Stop working here at least!! Its been 5 hours and u hvn't bought one single thing for urself yet.

Nandini: Umn... Mukti chill I won't take time I promise. Are u guys done??

Mukti sighed at her knowing she won't change and replied,

Mukti: Almost!! We just need a little more stuff for Aliya.

Nandini: Cool... Just gimme one minute and I'll join u.

Mukti: No... I m not giving u ur phone back until we reach home. Now come with me...

Mukti dragged her along when finally Nandini gave in and said,

Nandini: Ohk fine... But I don't want them to make all this fuss with my dresses, promise me u'll let me handle this my way.

Navya: Ohk fine.... We won't until and unless we see u picking up crap.

Navya said while Aliya and Mukti laughed making Nandini pout as she turned towards the worker.

Nandini: I need ur latest catalogues!!

Shopkeeper: Catalogues???

Mukti: Nandini why those??

Nandini: Mukti... Shhh!!

And within the next half an hour Nandini was done with her shopping as she simply sat at a place, mixing up different outfits, taking the blouse from one, lehenga piece from the other and chunni from some other. She made up different looks from her point of view and taste making things faster and easier.

Navya: I hv decided I m shopping with Nandini from now onwards.

Navya said as they got into the car for the way back home.

Mukti: Hell me too!!

Aliya: Now I know how u hv such an amazing taste of fashion Nandini...

Nandini: Guys... I hate shopping seriously!! So I hv made my own way to make it easier.....

Soon they reached back to the Malhotra Mansion to see the guys chilling at the pool side.

Manik: So girls how was shopping??

Aliya: Amazing....

Nandini: Boring....

Aliya and Nandini said together making everyone laugh.

Mukti: Yeah... None of us missed u guys coz Nandini was no less.... Everytime I asked her opinion she just said Yes its good.... All time just phone and work.

Nandini: Ohh yes... Mukti!! Where is it? Gimme my phone back!

Mukti: Yeah yeah... Its in my purse.

Nandini: Ohk l'll just freshen up and be back.

Nandini said and walked away while the other girls settled in the lobby to relax.

About 15-20 minutes later, she returned back when Manik smiled at her. Nandini found something wrong in his smile but still smiled back. As all of them together moved out towards lobby to join the girls.

Cabir: Heyo ladies... Yr gimme something to eat... I m damn hungry!!

Mukti: Don't worry Cabir... Vese bhi I m planning to give a lot of things to someone else also.

Mukti said with a glare and showed Nandini's phone.

Nandini: My phone... Thanks!!

Nandini said and moved to take if when Mukti held it at her back.

Mukti: Manik... Do u have something to say??

Nandini turned towards Manik to find his face horror stuck looking at Mukti.

Manik: Shit....

Nandini: Manik... What happened??

Manik: Ur phone... Why didn't u take it back from her?

Nandini: Arey... I just went to freshen up na!!

Manik: So u should hv taken ur phone along... Who keeps their phones like this everywhere?

Nandini: But why are u shouting at me, what happened??

Mukti: Maybe this....

Mukti said as she gave her the phone back and within the next minute Nandini's face turned red in embarrassment and Mukti threw a cushion at Manik.

Mukti: U lier.... Itni badi baat aur tune hume nhi batayi!! I won't leave u...

The next minute Mukti was over Manik beating the hell out of him while the others kept on asking them what happened. Finally after getting tired Mukti left him and then announced.

Mukti: This jerk confessed his feelings towards her and since then, these two hv been in a secret relationship.

Cabir: What??

Mukti: I just read his msgs on her phone.

Cabir: Salle tune mujhe tak nhi bataya.....

Cabir too accused Manik as he pounced over him but he heard Nandini's voice.

Nandini: Cabir... STOP!! Its not his fault..... I was the one who was feeling shy of telling u guys. He really wanted to tell u guys...

Navya: Yeah... U too should be punished!!

Manik: Guys... We were going to tell u all soon but u know the wedding preparations hv kept all of us so busy.

Mukti: Shut up u two... And stop saving each other.

Nandini: Mukti... I m seriously not saving him. Its just that I do Love Manik a lot... And I m Not more sure about anything other than this now...

All of them turned silent at this. None could say a word as Manik smiled at Nandini. Just a few simple words from her and it made him fall for her all over again.

Manik: So finally... I m good enough for u!!

Nandini: No.... I m strong enough to accept it in front of everyone!! I love u...

Aliya: Aww u guys are so cute....

And within the next minute they all pulled them into a group hug.

Later that night, Nandini was lying down over the bed when she felt an arm wrap around her waist from the back.

Manik: I won the challenge!!

Nandini: Where were u??

She asked cutely which made him kiss her cheek as he answered,

Manik: Cabir ka call tha!

Nandini smiled at it slightly as she turned around and hugged him tight.

Nandini: I m very happy now that everyone knows...

Manik: Why??

Nandini: Coz now I can freely claim u as Mine in front of them...

Nandini whispered into his ears making him smirk as he held her closer.

Manik: That u could do anyway...

Nandini: Hmn...

Nandini replied in a sleepy tone and she snuggled more closer to him. Manik knew that she was tired and sleepy so he pulled up the duvet over them and whispered,

Manik: Good night Nandini....

But she was already deep into her sleep to even reply back to him. But that night Manik couldn't sleep. He simply lay there, looking at her angelic face and pondering over how his entire life revolves around this girl who is sleeping in his arms. He had made a boundary wall around himself, not letting anyone come closer to him. But then she came in.... She hadn't planned on breaking up his walls and neither did she try once. But the moment he saw her inner soul, he himself opened up his doors for her.

Yes, he knew her from more than 3 yrs, but all he saw was what she made him look. He saw her as an efficient employee, who didn't have to do anything with his personal life and just concentrated on work.

Little did he know, that what she hid from him was her real self. She molded his life towards positivity, towards his passion, towards his friends, towards his family and he couldn't even realise it.

And when he found her real self in her love towards his family and his servants, he couldn't just stop himself from moving closer towards her. He got to know her and no one could stop him from falling for her. She had her charm, she had her pure soul, she had her love.

And now, may it be his work, his passion, his dreams, his friends, his family..... He wanted her to be there, by his side.... Always!!

He hugged her tighter and kissed her forehead, digging his head into her hair.

He didn't know when he feel asleep smelling her hair, wondering maybe this is how HEAVEN tastes like....