Next Morning

Manik's POV

"What!" Laksh stared at me in shock. Everyone else also had the same reaction. I decided that it was best if I told the family about Nandini's past rather than them finding out some other way...plus Ill be needing their help to patch things up between Nandini and her family. So I got Nandini to go to Alia's house to hang with her and Navya while I told our family everything.

"Lekin...Nandini ne toh kaha tha ki woh anaat hai." Dad said.

"I know Dad, pls dont be mad at her. She must of thought ke aap sab usko accept nahi karenge if you knew the truth." I explained.

"Hum accept kyun nahi karenge? She didnt do anything! Pagal ladki, aane do usse ghar. Aaj bohot dantungi main!" Badima spoke up.

"No, Badima pls dont. She's already very upset...pls mat dantiye." 

"Hai meri bachi...isi liye woh jabse Khannas se mili, itni upset thi. Aur hume laaga ki uski tabiyat kharab hai." Mom said. 

"Koi apni kudh ki bachi ke saath aisa kaise kar sakte hai? Aur woh bhi Nandini jaisi bachi ke saath?" Bade Papa shook his head in disappointment. 

"Main Nandini ko uski family ke saath milana chahta hoon." I told everyone.

"Are you sure beta? Matlab....itna sab ho jaane ke baad?" Dad asked me. "Mujhe toh lagta hai ki woh log Nandini jaisi beti deserve hi nahi karte. Aur hum log hai na, Nandu ki family?"

"Haan Dad, I know aap sab Nandini se bohot pyar karte hai lekin I also think that Nandini really misses them. And when I talked about not forgiving them toh she was upset. Mujhe lagta we should give them at least one chance, after all Nandini unki beti hai."

"Raj...mujhe lagta hai Manik sahi bol raha hai." Mom agreed with me.

"Haan, main bhi Manik ke saath hoon." Dadu added. "Vaise bhi Laksh aur Ankita ki rishta abhi abhi fix hua hai aur woh log humare rishtedar hai...hume parivar ko jodne ki baare mein sochna chahiye." 

"Thik hai....aap sab keh rahe hai toh main bhi aapke saath hoon." Dad finally gave in. "Lekin Manik, isse mere warning nahi, mera promise samajhna....agar unn logon ne meri beti ko phirse rulaya toh mujhse burra koi nahi hoga!"

"Thanks Dad!" I smiled at how much Dad loves Nandini.

"So.....Ankita, Bhabhi ki behen hai?" Laksh spoke up. We all turned and just stared at him.

"Lo...isko dekh lo, puri Ramayan khatam hone ke baad puch raha hai ki Sita kaun thi?" Badima said. We all burst out laughing while Laksh frowned, confused.

"Hum toh bhabhi ki family ke baat kar rahe they...isme Sita aur Ramayan kaha se aa gaye?" 

"Nowhere...jaane de Laksh....chod." Mukti laughed.

"Vaise, Manik...tu Nandini aur Khannas ko milana chahta hai toh plan kya hai?" Abhi asked, once everyone stopped laughing.

"Yeah...I think Laksh aur Ankita ki destination wedding hona chahiye." I replied.

"Oh wow! Destination wedding? So cool...par how will that help Bhabhi?" 

"For a destination wedding, dono families will have to stay in a resort...together toh Nandini zyada avoid nahi kar payegi apni family ko."

"Thats a good idea Manik." Roshni Di said. "Toh kaha kare Destination wedding?"

"Destination wedding?" We turned around and saw Nandini had come back home. "Laksh ki Destination wedding ho raha hai kya?"

"Thank god she didnt hear anything else." 

"Haan Nandu....woh- Laksh ka bohot mann hai Destination wedding ka." Mom lied.

"Yeah bhabhi....I really want a destination wedding." Laksh agreed.

"Aur Choti ki bhi bachpan ki sapna tha...to have a destination wedding!" Nandini added excitedly. Then she realized what she said and looked at everyone nervously. Dadu went upto her and lovingly pet her head.

"Beta...hume sab paata hai. Manik ne bataya, aur hum gussa bilkul bhi nahi hai."

Nandini looked at him and everyone else in surprise. "Really Dadu? Aap log mujhse gussa nahi hai?"

"Nahi hai." Mom said, "Par yeh batao, tumne yeh sab chupaya kyun?"

"Mujhe laaga koi mujhe accept nahi karenge. Mujhe laaga unke taara aap bhi mujhe- Im sorry!" Nandini said. 

"Acha ab bohot ho gaya yeh sab...." Jiju cleared his throat. "Nandu, you said Ankita always wanted a destination wedding? Matlab bachpan mein itna saara planning?"

"Haan Jiju...Choti toh hai hi aisi. Bachpan mein hi bohot saari planning kiya tah usne...kaha shaadi honge, kitne bache honge...sab kuch." Nandini chuckled.

"Toh kahan karni thi usko shaadi Bhabhi...we can have the wedding there na?" Laksh asked.

"Turks & Caicos!" Nandini replied.

"Ok then its fixed, main abhi Khanna sab ko phone karke wahan ka resort book kar deta hoon." Bade Papa said.

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

3rd Person POV

Nandini was in her room just putting away some clothes when Manik entered and hugged her from behind.

"Jaanu...tumhara kya sapna tha?" Manik asked. Nandini looked at Manik over her shoulder in confusion.

"Kya matlab?"

"Matlab, Ankita always wanted a destination wedding....and every girl dreams about their wedding at some point na? Lekin humari shaadi ke vaqt Dadi was on her deathbed aur sab kuch jaldi jaldi mein hogaya...toh tumhare bhi sapne honge jo pura nahi hua?" 

Nandini smiled and turned around. 

"Manik....Mere bas ek hi sapna tha...to have a husband and family who loves me alot! Aur woh sapna..pura ho gaya. Humara shaadi perfect tha...usse zyada mujhe kuch nahi chahiye."

Manik looked at Nandini and then stared up at the ceiling and asked, "Kaise?"

"Manik...kaha dekh rahe ho tum? Kisse baat kar rahe ho?" Nandini asked looking up with him.

"Bhaghwanji se....puch raha hoon ke mujhe itni pyaari, itni itni innocent, itni perfect biwi kaise mil gaya?" Manik looked down to Nandini, "Like...logon ki biwiyan usually kya kya demand karte hai...diamonds, jewelry....expensive gifts, aur tum? Tumhara toh koi demand hi nahi hai."

"Achaji." Nandini smirked and tiptoed so she could hook her arms around Manik's neck. "Toh Manik Malhotra ko demanding biwi chahiye?"

"Vaise, I love you just the way you are...lekin agar tum koi demand karte bhi ho toh I dont mind. You deserve the world so tumhara har demand sar aankhon par." 

"Thik hai phir." Nandini let go of Manik before pointing to the clothes on the bed. "Baaki ka laundry tum kardo, Im tired."

Manik raised his eyebrows and watched as Nandini sat on the bed and lifted her legs. "Also, get me a cold drink na? Im so thirsty."

Manik smiled and then turned to leave but Nandini grabbed his wrist. "Arre Manik...kaha jaa rahe ho?"

"Cold drink laane." 

"Main bas mazaak kar rahi thi Manik. I wasnt serious!" Nandini started to get up but Manik took her shoulders and gently pushed her back. He then left the room and came back a few minutes later with a glass of pepsi with ice.

"Yeh lo madam." Manik bowed. 

"Manik...I was just joking." Nandini said, taking the glass.

"But I wasnt, kaha na...tumhari har demand sar aankhon par. Aur bas cold drink laane ke liye aur laundry karne ke liye bola hai na? Usme kya hai, Ill can do it everyday." Manik replied. He then stared at the clothes for a second before taking a shirt and folding it.....very badly. Nandini held in a laugh as Manik continued taking the clothes and badly folding them into a pile and then he took them to the cupboard looked around trying to figure out where they went, finally just stuffing them in and closing the doors before looking at Nandini so proud of himself. "Done!"

Nandini, still holding in her laughter walked to the cupboard and opened the doors. All the clothes fell out on top of her and she doubled over laughing. "Manik...tum na cold drink laane ka kaam hi karo....laundry main hi karti hoon."

"Yeah...well, I tried." Manik frowned cutely.

"Aww! Mera baby!" Nandini turned Manik's face to the side and kissed his cheeks. "Mujhe paata hai ki you tried. Its the thought that counts."

"By the way Jaanu..." Manik said as Nandini started folding the clothes again.

"Hmm."

"You know this destination wedding plan was sort of last minute so Bade Papa couldnt book a resort...he just booked a villa."

"Haan toh?" Nandini asked. 

"Toh...villa mein Khannas and we will have to stay together." Nandini froze and looked at Manik. He just gave an innocent look. "We had no other choice....I know, you want to avoid them the most you can par..."

"Nahi...thats ok." Nandini sighed. 

"Dont worry...shaadi hai, its not like you'll be left alone with them or anything." Manik said, "Main hoon na."

"Main hoon...and Ill make sure ki Laksh aur Ankita ki shaadi khatam hone tak tum aur tumhari family phirse pehle jaise ho jaaye..." 

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

Note: Hey Readers! Just a reminder to those of you who keep commenting "Update Soon", my parents have restricted my time on my laptop so I will update each of my stories one by one...pls have patience. Anyways...what did you think of this update? Next chapter, they will be in the same house as the Khannas and Manik will try all sorts of tricks to reunite the daughter with her family.