~ He took her in his arms and that was all she had ever needed~

Nandini came back upstairs to wake up Manik but before she could enter her room, she heard a weird noise from Kabir's room. Confused and curious, she entered his room to find Kabir standing by the window, panting hard. His white shirt was out of his jeans, the overcoat lying on the bed and his hair messed up.

"Kabir?", Nandini called out to him who was startled to find his dear bhabhi.

" Bhabhi??", He exclaimed and ran to her, closing the door behind her.

"What's wrong?", Nandini asked and he stood silent, scratching his head.

"I went for clubbing last night and the drinks got too much. So I passed out there and came back just now, by the window...", He spoke in a breath, holding his ears, like a small school kid, nervous of his teacher. Nandini who wanted to sound angry at the moment could not help but burst into laughter at the adorable and embarrassed yet not guilty expression of her brother-in-law.

"Bhabhiiii", Kabir whinned seeing her laughing and Nandini kept laughing more at his expense.

" Bhabhi promise me that you won't tell mom-dad please. Save me from the three hours extra lecture intended please....I will be careful next time", Kabir begged and Nandini  nodded and asked him to frsehen up but before she could close the door behind her she found him already on the bed, sleeping on his stomach.

Still laughing she came in her room to wake up Manik but found him already awake, though still sitting on the bed, sleepy but with a cute smile lingering on his face.

" Good morning....", She wished him with a smile and he looked up at her.

" Mooornning...", He almost sang wishing her back, yawning in mid too and smiling like a fool. Nandini was confused with the over chirpiness of Manik but she couldnt help but chuckle at him.

" Someone is in too good a mood?", She asked him folding the duvets and making the bed while Manik made his way towards the washroom.

"Someone woke up with the best sound and the sweetset voice...", He shouted from the washroom, brushing his teeth.

Nandini frowned as she didnt really understand what Manik said.

Alarm couldnot be sweet, could it?

Shrugging it off, she took out his clothes from the cupboard and cleared the messy room. Manik came out few minutes later, freshly showered, his signature smell lingering in the surrounding, intoxicating her.

"You really didn't understand what I said earlier, did you?", He asked and she turned to see him smirking at her, his upper body bare. Though any other girl would blush under such circumstances but Nandini was Nandini. So she shrugged and turned back, focusing on her work. Also, she was kind of mad.

" Dumbo...", He laughed and this time she turned with a what-the-hell face and before he could answer left the room. Manik burst into laughter at his wifey who just felt the first pangs of jealousy without even realizing it.

The whole Malhotra clan had the breakfast together, few hours later, where everyone questioned Kabir about his puffy red eyes and Kabir made the lamest excuses in return until finally Nandini and Manik burst into laughter.

But ohh ooo, Nandini was still not talking to her hubby. Manik tried talking to her over the breakfast, but she ignored and it continued until he left for office.
The afternoon and the evening went in with his calls taking her phone by storm, though she didnt pick up even one and neither she replied to the two hundred seventy three messages that he sent her.

She was angry. But why?

She was basically confused now. Why was she acting this way?

And now to confuse her further,  cupid Nyonika came with two mugs of hot chocolate and her favorite potato chips to enjoy the warm evening with her daughter-in-law but she found her busy in her own thoughts, few frowns on her forehead.

" Nandini!?", Nyonika called out to her and Nandini rushed up to her mother-in-law taking the tray from her hands.

" So what's keeping my daughter so lost?", Nyonika asked casually and Nandini pouted at her. She had opened up quite well to Nyonika in a short time, and treated her the same way she treated Padmini.

" Anger and confusion and Manik...", Nandini answered.

"Great combination....", Nyonika laughed and Nandini again pouted. And within five minutes Nandini was telling Nyonika how she became angry for a reason she herself doesnot understand and how she had been avoiding his calls and messages. Nyonika listened and then finally ruffled Nandini's hairs.

" Beta, we get angry over people who mean something to us. Have you ever been angry on a stranger?", Nyonika questioned and Nandini shook her head.

"See. It's just that you have every right to be angry at your husband. However and whatever, he is yours. And so you can be angry at him, throw your tantrums, feel lovesick and everything else. That is it. No need to think so much into it...", Nyonika explained and Nandini nodded, feeling really silly for acting so weird.

"But beta there is a limit for a simple rubber band to stretch, similarly don't test your loved ones beyond a limit. Knowing Manik you also have a fair idea how caring he is for his special ones while you top that list. So think how much he would have been worried and guilty by now, since you have ignored him like that? That wasnot right on your part na...", Nyonika said and Nandini  felt bad. It now struck her how childishly she had behaved.

"I am sorry maa..", she apologized and Nyonika laughed.

"Donot apologize to me. Save it for him. Sometimes a word as simple as sorry can do wonders...", Nyonika said before picking up the empty mugs and the tray. But just before she could exit the room, she turned towards Nandini with a wink.

"And just so that you know, for my romeo son, the sweetest voice and the best sound can be only of his Juliet...", She winked at Nandini and ran downstairs laughing leaving a blushing Nandini behind.

It was 10 pm now. Usually Manik returned by 8 or 9 pm. Even his cell phone was switched off. Nandini was getting worried by now. She was already guilty of acting cold towards him and now his absence was getting on her nerves. Before this moment, she had never realized how much she needed him in her life, for her existence. She didnt realize when these three weeks of marriage had turned to be that precious to her. She until now didnt know that she looked forward to spend her time with him. His laughter, his Care, his stupid jokes, his chessy lines and  his eyes. His heart could be clearly read in his eyes. She turned towards the bed only to find their wedding picture on the side table. Every thing was reminding her of his memories and her stupid childish tantrum. She was growing impatient by each passing second. But before she could have a panic attack out of her worries, the door to her room opened slowly and there stood him- Manik . 

Her Manik.

A bouquet of white orchids decorated with dairy milks, her favourite chocolate, a warm yet nervous smile and a small blue box in the pocket of his coat, he was all ready to woo his angry-wife. As he stood at the door, afraid of her reaction, afraid that would she accept his gifts, afraid that what if he failed to manofy her, he judged her expressions as she turned at the balcony to look at him. The worried look with frowns that turned into a pout before becoming teary, he was confused with her changing expressions.

But before he could read her, a storm hit him, or so he felt, as he stumbled a few steps back, colliding with the closed door of their bedroom. The bouquet fell down and so did his coat, but when he heard the 'i-am-so-sorry' mantra,he realized that it wasn't the storm, it was her. Nandini was in his arms, hugging the life out of him,chanting sorry but not releasing the grip. Coming out of the shock, even he tightened his hold around her, with love and happiness of their first passionate moment. While for nandini, she felt safe and happy in his arms. The kind of safety you feel when you reach home after a tiring and exhausting day. And whoever have said that his arms feel home to me, isn't entirely wrong.

"I am so sorry. I should have not been so childish. I am sorry...", She murmured in between the hug and he laughed at her.

"But I loved it. It gives me a legitimate chance to pamper you...", He said kissing het hairs and she snuggled more into him. After few long minutes, she parted and he bent to pick up the bouquet and his coat.

" This my lady is for you...", He presneted it to her and her face broke into a wide smile seeing the orchids and the dairy milk. She excitedly took a bite of the chocolate and savoured the taste while he adored the baby side of his mature wife.

"Waise I have something else too...", Manik said scratching the back of her neck while she looked at him, arching her eyebrows..!