~ Happiness can be found in the most unexpected places, you should just have the audacity to search for it~

Manik and Nandini giggled amidst themselves when they sneaked into their own house, way past midnight, like two teenagers in love. But then wasn't it true? Their infinite love had initially been so curbed by insecurities and baggage that it was actually now that it was flourishing in true sense. Nandini hit his arms when he tried to sneak in his hand on her waist, as they climbed the stairs. But Manik was in a naughty mood today. He slided his hand again and gently squeezed her waist and Nandini bit her lips. She somehow managed to push him away and ran towards their room followed by a laughing Manik. Nandini stood in front of the room ready to go in when she heard some voices, from the adjacent room. She looked at Manik who was again, smirking at her, ready to have an opportunity and kiss his bride and though she blushed at the thought, she raised her eyebrows and asked him to listen to those muffled voices. And a few minutes later, it clicked her- it was Navya singing.

Nandini was taken aback at the realization. Manik raised his eyebrows at her astonished face. What's wrong with a girl singing? Nandini didn't answer, instead sushed him and leaned towards Navya's door to confirm her suspicion. It was definitely her.

Hum cheez h bade kaam ki, yaaram!
Hume kaam pe rakh lo kabhi,
Yaaram!
Suraj se pehle jaayenge,
Aur akhbar ki sab surkhiyan hum gungunayenge,
Pesh karenge garam chai bhi,
Koi khabar aayi na pasand to end badal denge,
Muh kholi jamhai per hum bajaye chutkiyaan,
Dhup na tumko lage, khol denge chatriyaan,
Peeche peeche dinbhar ghar daftar me leke chalenge hum
Tumahari filen,
Tumhari diary,
Gadi ki chabiyaan,
Tumhari aenekaen,
Tumhara laptop,
Tumhra cab phone,
Aur apna dil!
Kawara dil,
Pyaar me haara,
Bechara dil!

Navya stopped and giggled, enough for Nandini to realize that she was singing on phone. She heard claps and a line or too of appreciation, but in a male voice. Seconds later, the same manly voice echoed and Nandini pushed open Navya's door lightly to see she was on a Skype call.

Ye khne me kuch risq h yaaram,
Naraz na ho ishq h yaaram!
R

aat savere shaam ya dophari,

Band aankhon me leke tumhe ungha karenge hum,
Takiye chadar maheke rhte h,
Jo tum gaye, tumhari khushbu sungha karenge hum,
Zulfo me basi hui khol denge baliyaan,
Kaan kheech jaye agar khale meethi gaaliyan,
Chumte chale pairo k nishan ki unpe aur na paav pade,
Tumhari dhadkane tumhra dil sune,
Tumhari saans me lagi kapkapi
Gajre bune, juhi mogra toh kabhi dil!
Hamara dil!
Pyaar me hara bechara dil!
Kawara dil!
Pyaar me haara bechara dil!

Nandini heard someone singing, precisely some male singing and her sister giggling to him. All her overprotective sisterly instincts rose and she was about to barge in and teach a lesson to whoever he was when Manik held her hand in horror. Gripping her wrist tight, he dragged her to their room while she wriggled in his hold.

" Nandini! Have you gone mad?", He finally scolded her to bring her in senses.

"No! You have. Why didn't you let me teach him a lesson?", She shouted back, ready to go again to Navya.

"Lesson? For what? For loving?", Manik stopped her way and Nandini stopped in her tracks.

" Love? Manik, Navya is a child. What if he is a wrong guy?", Nandini asked, this time Manik could see fear in her eyes again.

" What if he is the right guy Nandini? You don't even know him", Manik came forward and cupped her cheeks. Nandini looked at him, her eyes the epitome of innocence.

" I don't want her to be hurt. She is my baby Manik.", Nandini said and Manik smiled at her before making her sit on the bed.

"She will always be your baby Nandini. But that's does not mean that you don't let her explore love. We are here for her. And we should give her the chance to let love flourish her life, the way it has done ours", Manik explained and she calmed down but wasn't normal.

"Nandini, we will ensure first that there isn't anything wrong with him. He won't be the dark grey of her life Nandini. Don't worry...", Manik said directly, expressing what she was afraid to and Nandini looked up at him.

"Don't you remember our trip to that beach Nandu, when we clicked a picture of them to tease Navya later? How happy she had looked that day? Love is a beautiful emotion Nandini. It is always special.", Manik spoke as kept her head on his chest and circled her shoulders. Nandini snuggled closer into his warmth, his smell intoxicating her senses.

"But love hurts too", she mumbled and Manik kissed the top of her head.

"Never Nandini. Love never hurts. Its the wrong choice of people, unfavourable circumstances, wrong decisions that hurt. Love is an emotion of happiness. It can never hurt", manik said and Nandini looked at him. For a moment, all the conversation they had flashed in her mind and she felt like he was explaining to her. Navya and her concern flew away from the window and all she knew was this man in front of her loved her to death. There was nothing that could snatch this love from her. In that one moment, she felt happiness rushing in her circulation, instead of blood. She felt elated and she wanted to make him feel the same.

Nandini stood up and Manik followed her. She went to her cupboard and fetched a diary. Holding his right hand in her left, she opened the middle page of the diary, and looked up at him.

  "Sitting beneath the endless sky,
I had spent nights talking to the stars,
And asking him if they would bring me my Augustus or Mr Darcy a little soon.
I had dreamt of those sweet moments, those whispers of love, the happily ever after!
And after a while I realized all these were fantasies, dreams that do not come true.
But to my sheer luck, I didn't meet either of my heroes.
Instead I met you,
And you fulfilled all my said and unsaid dreams my love.
Thanku for coming into my life,
Manik Malhotra!"

Manik had tears in his eyes at the end of her monologue. He knew nandini wrote Diaries, but he had no idea how much of her diary writing was confined to him. And toady, when she let him know, he was ecstatic. He kissed her forehead and Nandini pouted in annyoance.

"You are irritating me", nandini said and Manik was taken aback at her mood swings. Wasn't a moment ago she was being all sweet and proclaiming her love?

" A minute before you said you loved me, and now i am irritating you?", Manik was amused. Nandini slapped her head.

"You sure you are a man?", She raised her eyebrows and Manik was, well shocked.

"What? Which other man kisses his wife on forehead, after she claims her love?", Nandini questioned pouting and as Manik understood what she wa saying, he started laughing.

" You could have directly asked me to kiss you", he winked coming closer to her and she made a annoyed face. But before she could reply manik held her  close, cupped her cheeks and kept his lips on her petals. Only when Mr oxygen knocked them both that he left her, her lips now swelled with his torture. She took deep breaths while manik showered all his attention on her neck, enticing a moan out of her. And the rest of the night passed in a blur for both of them, as they rode on passion and desire, navya and other matters long forgotten.

Sometime, love is the force that leads to wounds, and at times the same love, is the bandage to all.