~ When you realize that you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you want 'The rest of the life' to start as soon as possible~

That night marked a new beginning in the relationship of Manik and Nandini and the change in both of them was quite visible to their families too. Padmini and Nyonika quite a few times, talked to each other about it on phone,  laughing at their respective children and their behaviour. Nyonika sometimes pouted and complained how still they don't behave like couples. Neither they both were seen messaging whole day nor any late night long calls were heard. But then sometimes, love does not need late night conversations but it can nurture well on the pillars of understanding and care.

It was already two months since Manik met with Padmini with his mother and now since even Manik's dad, Raj Malhotra also knew about Nandini and also he approved of her even without meeting, the families wanted to atleast have them engaged as soon as possible. Hence, with mutual agreement, The Engagement date was decided to be  finalized ASAP.

Manik was too happy with the news while Nandini was a little anxious and scared with the decision. She was sceptical about leaving her family and going to an all together new environment. In her scaredness she called up Manik one night before the priest was to be called for the finalization of date.

" Manik!", An anxious Nandini spoke, her heart beating faster.

"Nandini?", Manik was a happy mix of surprise and shock for Nandini rarely called him on her own.

"Umm...actually I wanted to ask something!", She spoke hesitantly and he frowned.

"Yes, say?", He asked confused with her anxious voice.

"I would continue to do my job right?I mean since I am going to be a Malhotra wife, you won't expect me to leave my job na? And my salary, if I gave it to amma, just like now, it won't be an issue right?", She aksed all questions in a go and Manik was astounded. Everytime this petite girl managed to hurt him in someway or the other, although unknowingly, but every damn time instead of making it an ego issue, he tried to understand the depth of her insecurities. For the world she was indeed a normal, middle class and practical girl, but deep inside her, there was another Nandini, the one others had no idea about and the one even she herself didn't know properly. And he wanted to know exactly that Nandini.

" Nandini, when I say I am marrying you, I am accepting you as a whole. Your individuality is a priceless jewel that you are meant to sustain! So, your job is your choice, always and do whatever you feel like with your salary! No boundation or forceful approach from our side, I promise!", He explained her, again and she listened everything but didn't speak a word. She just hummed and though to others, it might seem rude, Manik somewhere knew she was just overwhelmed. He had grown good at reading her.

As they kept the phone, Manik couldn't help but wonder what had made her this way- so aloof and so skeptical about others, especially men. Sometimes he desperately felt the need to uncover her thick veil but he knew it wasnt right. She was too fragile though she portrayed herslef as strong! And obviously needed to be handled with care.

Exactly three days after their phone conversation, Padmini was dolling up her daughter for her engagement ceremony. The engagement was to be held in a private ceremony with only the immediate familes in Malhotra mansion itself and after a month, the wedding date was finalized. The wedding was going to be the Malhotra style - a big, fat indian wedding kind of wedding but the engagement ceremony was going to be a simple affair. Nandini looked at herself in the mirror and was actually astonished at the beauty gazing back at her. She never took time to dress herself up and today, when all these years were compensated at once, she was definately looking like a angel descending down.

And on the other hand, manik was looking nothing less than a Greek god, and the smile on his face was making him more alluring.

As both the families collected in the decorated garden of the malhotra mansion,  Manik stood awaiting his lady love and as she came, gazing down, a small blush on his cheeks with her colour coordinated yellow and pink lehenga, for one moment he stood paralyzed just gazing at her. His face had a bright 32 inch wide smile and an idiotic blush.

"She is looking gorgeous I know and she is yours. So stop staring!", Nyonika elbowed him and he looked at his mother, embarrassed but still the smile didn't go. Few seconds later, she stood by him and he was still staring at her.

" Stop staring at Me like a hopeless romantic, Manik!", Nandini spoke under her breath, loud enough for him to hear, while she could not fight her own smile and this time he obliged but still didn't stop smiling. Nyonika couldn't help but smile with misty eyes recognizing the happiness in her son's eyes and so did Padmini. And finally it was the time to exchange the rings.

Nandini hadn't chosen Manik's ring. Both the rings were decided by the groom himself and now she knew why. She knew it was a silent promise that he is giving her.

Engagement is not only the courtship period before you actually get married but for most of the couples, this is the time they know each other more intimately and also develop a loving relation with the in laws. Science says that the direct connection with the heart is only via the vein of the ring finger, other fingers have branches here and there and a ring in that finger promises a heart to heart connection for the couple. But Manik sealed the promise with more assurance as he pushed the infinity ring down her finger. And when she reciprocated the act, an unknown satisfaction made its way in her measure-and-do heart and it could be seen on her face. After they exchanged the rings, others clapped and congratulated each other and also the couple. Joy was seen everywhere as Kabir and Rishabh chatted about their respective plans for future or when Padmini and Nyonika finalized the rituals and stuff for the upcoming marriage. Navya was busy lingering around in her pretty dress while Raj malhotra was busy in sharing his happiness with his buisness delegates over phone. And amidst them, sat the to be couple, beside each other.

"Nandini...?", Manik spoke and she looked up at him.

" You are happy right?", He asked and she looked at him with wide eyes. He chuckled at his reaction and didn't interrogate her further. Nandini was a little skeptical about him, mostly about how she wasn't perfect for this out of the world man. But she restrained herself from saying anything because somewhere she had accepted his love for her.

"Manik...?", This time she spoke and he hummed.

"You chose this infinity ring right?", She asked and he laughed.

"You noticed? I thought you didn't!", He chuckled scratching the back of his neck.

"Thank you for the promise. It means a lot..", she added and his heart did summersaults at her words.

She noticed.

She understood what he wanted to implied.

She expressed too.

What more did he want?

" I meant it too...", He spoke and she looked at him and nodded, unable to say something. Her eyes filled up but she didn't want to show it and hence she simply wiped the drops before they could fall, trying best to escape his gaze. He noticed but didn't say because he knew she doesn't want him to.

"Bhabhi....!!!", Kabir came screaming and Nandini and Manik smiled at him.

"Photo session...", He smiled showing his camera and finally they had many and many and many pictures in different permutations and combinations. Know the best part about it? Though their faces started aching with the continuous smiles, it all came to them naturally and they enjoyed it.  In one of those random pictures , Navya pushed Nandini and she directly landed on manik's chest. For a moment his world stopped finding her so close to him.

"Dont worry, I won't let you fall...", He spoke and she smiled at him.

" I know you won't...", She replied.

And the photographer got his best shot for the evening!

Note: MaNan's wedding festivities are going to start. How excitied are we?

Happy New year 2020 Fam! I hope this year becomes what we are expecting it to be, for each one of us. 💓