Manik couldn't believe himself. He smiled at her. If he had known Nandini's reaction earlier he would have been much happier. Nandini has left from there and Abhimanyu has seen them. "Nandini, did I just hear what I heard?" Abhimanyu asked Nandini and she tried hard not to say anything to him. "Aap ne kya suna tha?" she asked trying to hide her embarrassment. "Manik has got you this saree?" Abhimanyu asked. "Ha, mujhe bhi aaj hi pata chala tha" Nandini said. "I'm not aware of it anytime" Abhimanyu said it to Nandini. "Are you both dating by any chance?" Abhimanyu asked hesitatingly. "No" Nandini didn't even took a second to answer.

"Nandini, jab aunty ne tumhe Manik ke liye select kiya tha, I thought you will be perfect for him, but God has some other plans. Manik has tolerated so much Nandini, life wasn't so easy for him" Abhimanyu continued. "Baahar se wo kitna bh pretend kare, Andar se he is sensitive" he said. "Like a coconut" Nandini commented and Abhimanyu eyed at her. "Now I know why does he always had to fight with you" he said. "How I wished you both were together and now when I know that he gifted you a saree, then I thought you both might be dating" he said. "Usse date karne ki himmat hi nahi hai mujhme" Nandini thought but never knew how she blurted it out. "What?" he asked. "Mujhe Manik se dar lagta hai" Nandini confessed, "I don't know how he behaves at times, sometimes he is friendly caring and most of the time he shouts at me" she said and Abhi burst into a laughter.

"Mom, look at you, you are so beautiful in this saree but mujhe dekhke I myself feel like a clown" Mukti said to Ishitha. "I'm not quite comfortable in this saree mom, it didn't suit me as it to you" Mukti said to her. "Raman ne kaha na that something is missing in you!" Ishitha asked Mukti. "You know what it is! Your smile Mukti, you just don't become beautiful if you wear a saree or a dress, beautiful tab lagogi when you wear a smile" Ishitha said and put kajal behind Mukti's ear. "Kahi mera nazar na lage tumhe" she kissed her daughter.

Alya came late to the party and joined Nandini and Navya. "Thank God function shuru nahi hua" she said. Nandini said that the ring ceremony will start in no time. "Tum iss saree mein bahut achi lag rahi ho Nandini" Ishitha complimented Nandini and Raman came there. "After all South Indian jo hai tumhari tarah" he said. Manik looked at Nandini while Nyonika caught him staring.

"I know tum kya soch rahe ho!" she said. "What?" he asked her. "Ye sab tumhe bhi weird lag raha hai na! This customs and rituals, hum Punjabi log mein aisa thodi hota hai. My God look at their sarees Manik, I thought Kanjivaram Sarees are cool but no, hume nahi karni hai aisi South Indian shaadi hai na" she said to him. "Mom, problem kya hai usme, tradition jo bhi hai, hai tho Shaadi hai na, marriage is all about taking vows to protect and love each other and zindagi bar un vows ko nibhana" Manik said. "Tho tum Nandini ke saath South Indian Shaadi karega" she held Manik.

"Mom, when did I say that!" Manik is astonished. "Kuch kehne ke zarurat nahi bachi hai ab, it's clear that you are looking at her Manik" she taunted him. "Mom, it is the first time I'm looking her in a saree, so genuinely mein appreciate kar raha hu" he said. "Mukti bhi first time saree pehni hai, why don't you genuinely appreciate her?" Nyonika asked him. "Abhi ko acha nahi lagega mom" Manik said laughing.

"Mujhe jaldi jaana hai Nandini, kuch kaam hai" Navya said and is about to leave. "Navya, engagement start bhi nahi hua tum abhi jaa rahi ho!" Nandini said in disappointment. "Agar tum chali gayi tho mujhe company kaun dega" Nandini pouted. "Alya and Cabir are here na" she said as she is about to leave. "But tum itni jaldi kyu jaa rahi ho?" Nandini didn't let Navya go and said that she will talk to her mom for her. "No Nandini, I'm not liking there now, I'm staying with papa now" Navya said. "Papa ke saath! Navya, is everything alright?" she asked with concern.

"Yeah everything is fine Nandini, don't worry. Papa akela pad gaya tho maine socha ab usse meri zarurat hai so I shifted there" Navya left after talking to her. She reached home and saw her father drinking at home. "Oh aa gayi Maharani! Where were you all this time? Hospital ko itni ready ho kar kaunsi doctor jaati hai?" he asked while she was still at the door.

"Papa" Navya tried to say something but he interrupted her. "Don't you dare to call me that! I'm ashamed to be called that, you killed my dreams, you killed my wife and you killed the father in me, khooni ho tum" he said in a drunken state. "Where were you till this late hour? Stethoscope kaha hai? Kiske saath so ke aayi ho?" he slapped Navya. She got scared and couldn't talk. "Aisi ladkiyon ke liye mere ghar mein kuch jagah nahi hai, nikal jao mere ghar se" he threw her out of the house. Navya pleaded him to let her in but he didn't budge.

*****************************
Mukti and Abhimanyu were on stage. Abhi couldn't believe his luck as he saw his bride. Pandit has chanted few mantras and after which Nyonika-Shrikant and Ishitha-Raman blessed both of them. They brought the rings for the ceremony. "Blue Sapphire" Abhi exclaimed seeing the ring. "Yes I know that you like it" Mukti murmured so that only he could hear. "How do you know it?" Abhi asked her. "Pyaar karna mujhe bhi aata hai" Abhi smiled at her and Mukti put the ring on his finger.

"Chalo, meri ring do!" Mukti extended her hand and Abhi stopped midway. "Don't say tum bhul gaya" Manik teased him. Mukti looked at Abhimanyu tensed. "Tho ring pehnao na" Mukti asked him. He slowly took out a box and opened it. "Mukti, I know you might be not liking it please mere liye ab ye pehen lo, this is my mom's ring" he said and Mukti looked at him. "I promise I'll buy you a ring of your choice but engagement mein ye ring pehno please" he pleaded her.

Ishitha-Raman looked at each other while others looked at Mukti who didn't utter a word. "How could you think like this Abhimanyu?" Mukti's words scared Abhimanyu. "What made you think I will not wear it, ye ring mere liye sab se zyada kheemti hai" Mukti smiled and Abhi went on his knees to make her wear it. Everyone clapped for the new couple as he made her wear the ring 💍.

"Wow, never thought lady Bheem bhi aise heart touching dialogue bolegi, dil jeet liya aaj Mukti ma'am ne! Hence proved, Pyaar can change any insaan" Cabir has shared his gyaan on love. "And how romantic of Abhi sir, going on knees and all, I so love and adore them together" Nandini said. They were having dinner. "Alya, you know Abhimanyu sir since college na, why aren't you talking anything about him? Wo pehle se itna romantic tha ya abhi kuch naya" Cabir asked Alya.

"Abhimanyu was my senior Cabir, more than a senior I know him as Manik's friend. Romantic side ka pata nahi but zarur usne mujhe bahut rag kiya, and Manik always fought with Abhimanyu to save me" Alya continued as Nandini looked on. She had tears in her eyes and Cabir calmed her down. "Alya!" Nandini showed her concern. "I'm sorry guys, ye sab dekhke mujhe meri engagement ki yaad aa gayi, leave all this, where is Navya?" Alya asked. "She went home" Nandini said. "Kab?" she asked again. "Navya is now staying with her father, so she went off soon" Nandini said. "Tum dono abhi bhi baat nahi kar rahe hai?" Alya asked Cabir but he chose not to answer and found an excuse to go away from them.

Alya and Nandini had their dinner and sat together. "Life is so unpredictable Nandini, agar mein uss din wo galti na kiya hota tho mein aaj Manik ke saath hoti" Alya said sadly. "Kab hui thi engagement tumhari?" Nandini asked Alya. "2 years ago in the month of October. Manik ko ek big fat wedding chahiye tha, he said jeena ek baar, marna ek baar tho Shaadi bhi ek baar karte hai, he always believed that marriage is a celebration of a lifetime. He himself looked after all the arrangements, venue, food and theme bhi tha, fairytale wala" she smiled sheepishly. "Fairytale wala?" Nandini asked in doubt. "Ha, zyada log ko pata nahi hoga but Manik believes in fairytales, he likes them. Aunty ne bachpan mein usse kaha ki wo ek prince hai and she said that an angel will come for him to marry him, to be with him always" Nandini smiled at her. "How are you going home by the way?" Alya asked Nandini. "I'll get a cab" she said. "No no, I will drop you home tonight" Alya offered. "But we both stay far away Alya, it'll be late, don't worry I can go" Nandini said but agreed reluctantly on Alya's insistence. They both walked to the car and Alya saw Manik talking on his phone near the driver seat.

"Manik!" she said and Nandini saw him. "Alya! Where were you main kabse tumhe call kar raha tha, I searched you everywhere and then I came to the car waiting for you" Manik said and then he looked at Nandini who was beside Alya. "Sorry phone purse mein tha, but why were you waiting here?" Alya asked. "Because I don't want you to go alone" he said. "But I'm taking Nandini along with me" Alya defended herself. "Nandini doesn't know how to drive. Moreover you can't drop her and go, her house is very far away from yours" he said. "Alya, I said mein khud chali jaungi" Nandini said to Alya. "Manik please don't say like that to her, ab main car se nahi jaungi tho kaise Abhi can't come today with me, uska hi engagement hai, tum aunty uncle ke saath chale jaoge" Alya said.

"Not at all Alya, we'll drop you. Manik got his car here, he will drop Nandini" Nyonika said who heard the conversation. "Mom, aap Alya ko?" Manik hesitated. "Don't worry Manik hum pehle se hi Alya ko jaante the, and it's not the first time I'm going to drop her somewhere" Shrikant said. "Hi uncle" Alya wished him. "Hi, glad to meet you again" Shrikant said. "Shrikant, this is Nandini" Nyonika introduced Nandini to him. "I didn't forget her yet Nyonika" Nandini gave an awkward smile to him. "Manik, shall we start now? I'll drop Alya and you can drop Nandini, take home safely" Shrikant guided Alya to his car.

"Shrikant, thank God tumne situation awkward hone se pehle aage bad gaya" Nyonika murmured. "But ye kya tha, you promised me to properly introduce me to Nandini, usne tho awkward feel kiya mere wajhe se" Shrikant said. "Aunty uncle aap log chale jayiye please I will go home" Alya said. "It might rain now Alya, it's not safe to go alone or to drive now. Tum aaj bhi humare saath utna hi safe rahogi jaise pehle thi. Don't keep any doubts, come with us" Shrikant's warm smile eased her tension. She got in the car.

"I've booked a cab for you Nandini, don't worry I will be coming behind you" Manik said to her. "Why will you come behind me then?" she asked innocently. "Because you don't want me to drop you" he said without looking at her. "I stopped Alya when she said she will drop me not you" Nandini's boldness surprised him. "Mujhe aap ke saath jaana hai" she said looking at him. "Kyu?" he asked and she smiled. "You will know" Nandini said getting in the car. He got into the car.

"Tumhari harkatein aaj kuch theek nahi lag rahe hai Nandini" he said to her. "Aur aapka?" she added fuel to the fire. Manik didn't speak. "Why are you silent now?" she asked him. "If I say anything you have a problem, and now if I'm silent you have a problem too" Manik sighed.

"Manik, why can't we just act normal? Hum baaki logon ke tarah kyu nahi hai? Tell me why are we always beating around the bush?" she asked stopping him driving.