In Malhotra Mansion

Arjun's Bedroom

Arjun was reading a book while sitting on his arm chair when he felt a presence nearing towards him. He looked up to see Manik standing there with his head bowed down.

Arjun ( sighed ): Kya bath hai, Malhotra. Kamra bhool gaye kya..Ye aapki girlfriend ke kamra nahi hai..

Manik ( nervously ): Wo..mein aapse milne keliye hi..aaya hoon..

Arjun ( raised his eyebrows ): Mujhse..?? Aur wo kyun..??

Manik, finally looked up at Arjun and spoke while looking directly in his eyes..

Manik: Kyunki mere hisaab se, mein aapka potha hoon..

Arjun ( expressionless ): Ye sirf aapke nahi balki poore pariwar ke hisse se, aap mera potha hi hai, aur mere ye pothe se, mene pehle bhi bath kar chuka hoon..tho phir..??

Manik ( nodded ): Ji haan, bath kar chuke hain. Par mein jo aapse poochna chahtha tha, wo abhi thak poocha hi nahi..

Arjun ( frowned ): Elaboration, Malhotra..

Manik ( hurt ): What was my mistake..??

Arjun looked at Manik in surprise..

Manik: What was my mistake that you couldn't be the real Arjun Malhotra with me..?? I always considered you to be a rude and heartless person but when I got to know about you from Nandini, I was like, no, she can't be referring to my grandfather. But then, when I saw you here, the way you speak with everyone over here, I understood that I was at fault and you didn't want to be yourself with me..Mera kya kusoor tha..?? Kya mein jaan saktha hoon..agar nahi tho shayad poori zindagi mein aapse dhoor jaane ka rastha doondoonga, so that you don't need to face me, ever..

Arjun looked at him with his softened eyes and then patted the place near to his knees and Manik knelt down in front of him. He always does it and he thought, his place was near Arjun's feet but only his grandfather knows why he does that..

Arjun: Do you know why, I always make you sit here..??

Manik nodded in yes..

Arjun: Tho bathao..

Manik: Kyunki..mere jagah..aapke pairon mein hain..

Arjun simply smiled faintly. He had hurt him so much..

Arjun ( calmly ): Acha..Aur ye baath kisne kaha tumse..??

Manik: Koi bhi nahi..Bas, samaj liya..

Arjun ( softly ): Ithna hurt kiya hai kya mein tumhe..??

He snapped his head at Arjun to see him sitting calmly but there was a faint smile on his face. It looked like more of a guilty one. Arjun leaned backwards and stared at the ceiling..

Arjun: Jaanna chahthe the na tum, ki mein kyu tumhe apne aapse door kiya..Mein kyu tumhe hamesah daanta..

He looked at Manik and he immediately nodded in yes..

Arjun ( sighed ): Nyonika...

And that name was enough for Manik to gasp in shock. He, never have thought in his life that Nyonika could be the reason behind Arjun's behavior towards Manik..

Manik: Ny..Nyonika..??

Arjun nodded and stared back at the ceiling..

Arjun: Haa..Nyonika, your so called biological mother. Your Dad's first ever love, in fact, that guy has never fallen in love with any other woman. Na jaane aise bhi kya dekhliya uss naalayak ne uss aurath mein..Aur tumhara Dad ki wahi galathi hum sabki zindagi barbad kiya tha. Jab thak hume uske asliyath ke barein mein patha chala, thabk thak you were already born in this world, and that kept her in control of us. She had a powerful control over us, kyunki jithni bhi galath kaam kare, at the end, she always used her triumph card with her, which was you. Hamesha, tujhe use kiya tha wo, pehle tho tum bacha tha isiliye she used your innocence that you always kept yourself with her and finally, she crossed her limits by trying to separate Chhavi from Raj as she was like a little sister for him. Uske baad, she got your custody by using her fake tears in front of the court but she still was Mrs. Malhotra. But..that was the second biggest mistake that Raj has ever done. I had loved you, Manik. I really did.

Manik, who was till now trying to control himself after hearing about Nyonika, snapped his head at Arjun with a stunned expression on his face. Sure, he did know that Arjun loved him but he didn't expect him to accept it..

Arjun ( smiled faintly ): Haa, mein tumse bohath pyar kartha tha and you know what, I still do. Par Nyonika...wo sab kuch apne isharon pe chalaya..including you. You, probably remember a sweet Daadu who used to pamper you in your childhood and that irked Nyonika a lot. She wanted everything in her control. And she did, what she's good at. Spreading negativity. She spread negativity in you. I still remember the day, when I came to Malhotra Mansion after 2 years of my father's death. My father was so dear to me that I couldn't bear the fact that I lost him, isiliye sabse dhoor tha mein aur dho saal ke baad jab mein pehle wala Arjun bann gaya, thab sabse pehle mein apne bachon se milna chahtha tha, M5 and Fab 5, though your friends didn't know me. I came to you first, and you were 14 years old at that time, aur jo mene waha dekha...( he chuckled sadly ) that was the day I felt like killing myself, Manik, for letting Raj marry Nyonika. I saw you getting hyper at a worker who was of your father's age. You didn't pay heed to what he was saying, instead you were lashing out at him, you were angry at something and you vent it out on that poor soul. I taught all my kids to respect elders but it wasn't present in you. Still, I ignored it, thinking that you were still a child, I might need to put some brain in you and you'll be fine again. But, I was proved wrong. I saw you speaking with Nyonika and you were speaking exactly like her. Like how life was for her, the same way, everything was a give and take, even relationship. You said the same line, Manik and that day, I got to know, that she made you like her.

Manik, wiped his tears. Yes, it was true, Manik was exactly like Nyonika or precisely he learnt what she taught him and he was made into a male version of his mother. He never cared for relationship except for friendship, like how she taught him. He was no more the little Manik whom Arjun used to adore. 2 years were more than enough for Nyonika to get the innocence out of him and she did it, because she knew, that was the golden opportunity to get her own son a bad guy when Arjun wasn't present as he was always a threat for her.

Arjun ( sighed ): Uss din..uss din mene faisla kiya ki jab thak mujhe mera Manu wapas nahi miltha thab thak mein usko uske Daadu nahi balki Arjun Malhotra banke dikhaoonga. Isiliye, I was never good with you, I always searched for some or the other thing to taunt you, because I thought, being gentle with you can never make you a better person kyunki tumhara umar aisa tha. A teenager, that's an age where you won't feel like obeying to someone, especially when you used to be someone whom people dislike. Aur mujhe darr tha, kahi tum kabhi bhi mera Manu nahi banega, kahi tum bhi Nyonika jaise kisiki zindagi barbad na kare, isiliye..I did..what I felt like doing. I scolded you every time I see you thinking you might learn something from it..Par..shayad mein galath tha, kyunki tum nahi sudhra. Shayad, pyar ke hi zaroorath tha tumhe, tabhi tho Nandini Dixit ne mujhe mera Manu ko phirse dekhne ka mauka diya..

He was right again. Nandini entered in his life as the ray of light in his dark life. She taught him the meaning of love and life. The innocence which Nyonika took out of him was gradually getting inside again by her presence.

Manik ( smiled ): She did, light up my life..

Arjun looked at Manik and found him in tears and he immediately cupped his cheeks..

Arjun: Kya apne Daadu ko maaf kar paoge, tum..??

That was it..!!

Manik crashed into Arjun's arms and sobbed like a kid, who patted his hair and himself was in tears..

Manik: I'm sorry, Daadu..I'm really sorry. I..I never knew..the meaning of Love. All I knew was..give and take. That's what she taught me. Mujhe, pyar..ya rishthe ke barein mein..kuch bhi nahi patha tha. I do..I do remember that childhood of mine where I used to have fun with you..but, patha nahi kab mein uske tarah bann gaya. Mujhe..patha hi nahi chala, kab bura bann gaya..I'm sorry, Daadu..I'm sorry..

Arjun smiled in content to see his grandson whom he badly wanted to have, finally. He broke the hug and wiped Manik's tears and kissed his forehead which made him smile in joy.

Arjun: Tumhe maafi maangne ke zaroorath nahi hai, beta. Aur na hi tum bure the, bas, tumhare achai kahi kho gaye tha Nyonika ke wajah se. Mera Manu kabhi bhi bura nahi ho saktha..Hai na..

Manik bobbed in yes while smiling amidst his tears much to Arjun's happiness.

Manik ( softly ): Aap..mujhse..nafrath tho nahi karthe ho na..

Arjun ( glared ): Ek aur baar bolo phir mein tumse bath nahi karoonga..

Manik ( pouted ): Fine..bye..

And he got up and was about to move when he heard Arjun..

Arjun ( smirked ): Waise..ek bath bhool gaya mein..

Manik ( frowned ): Kya..??

Arjun ( smiled ): I love my Manu, Manu..

Manik grinned like a kid and hugged him tightly..

Manik: I love you too, Daadu..

He kissed Arjun's cheeks who laughed his heart out..

Manik: You need to rest, hum raath mein bath karenge..

Arjun ( smirked ): Teek se kyu nahi batha sakthe ki tujhe apni girlfriend ke saath kuch adult scene karna hai..

Manik widened his eyes while Arjun had a carefree look on his face..

Arjun: What..?? Mera bhi tho shadi hui thi, wo bhi love marriage, so I know all these stuffs, tera baap kaisa paida hua phir..

Manik ( palmed his face ): Daadu....fine..don't talk about your bedroom secrets..Bechari meri Daadi sharma rahi hogi ab..

Arjun ( bad face ): Wo kabhi sharmaya hi nahi..ulta mujhe sharmane ka koshish karthe rehthi thi..

Manik ( shocked ): What..?? Mathlab Daadi Nandini Dixit se bhi bold hai..??

Arjun ( stunned ): Wo sharmathi hai..??

Arjun palmed his cheeks and looked at Manik with bulged out eyes..

Manik ( smirked ): Of course, aakhir Manik Malhotra ki girlfriend hai woh..

Arjun ( smirked ): Mujhe laga shayad tujhe Nandini sikhayegi kam se kam kiss kaise karthe hai..

Manik ( glared ): Aur wo kyu, Mr. Malhotra..??

Arjun: Kyunki tu dikhne mein ek namuna hai..

Manik ( huffed ): Daadu..like really, ithna handsome munda hoon aur aapko mein koi namuna lagtha hoon..

Arjun: Can't help it, tu bilkul apne baap pe gaye hai, mujhpe nahi..

Manik ( chuckled ): Dad should really hear it..

Arjun ( chuckled ): Din mein har roz mujhe uski beizati karna hai warna chein se neend hi nahi aayega, isiliye uskeliye ye sab kuch bhi nahi hai..

Manik ( pity face ): Bechara, mera Dad..

They started to laugh..Soon, Manik made Arjun to sleep and got out of the bedroom only to see Nandini pacing from here to there while biting her nails.

Oops, he just forgot that she'll be standing outside with a lot of tension filled inside that petite body..!!

As soon as the moment, her gaze fell on him, she ran towards him and bombarded with questions..

Nandini: Manik..kya hua tha andhar..?? Daadu ne kuch kaha..? Mathlab, tumhe daanta tho nahi..?? Ab tum kuch bol kyu nahi rahe ho..?? You became dumb in such a short span of time or what..??

He held her shoulders and picked her up making her squeal in shock which he ignored and kept her on the nearby couch..

Nandini: Manik, ye tum..

Manik: Shh...chup..ekdum chup, kabse chapak chapak keh rahe ho tum..Saanse rukega phir, mathlab metro train bhi ithne fast nahi hoga..

She huffed in anger and looked away and he smiled at her and made her look at him but she turned her head again to the other side..

Mnaik ( smiled ): Daadu aur mere beech ab koi tension nahi hai..

She snapped her head at him as soon as those words left his mouth..

Nandini ( excitedly ): Really..?

He nodded in yes making her smile. She simply jumped on him and he took her in his arms and twirled her around still in the hug..

Nandini: I knew it..I knew one day, everything will be solved. Oh my God, I can't believe it, finally everything is sorted between you both..I'm so happy. I love you, Mani..

Manik ( smiled ): I love you too, love. All thanks goes to you..

He dropped her on the ground and she looked at him while frowning..

Nandini: To me..?? What did I do..??

He narrated whatever happened inside and at the end, Nandini kissed his forehead making him sigh in her touch..

Nandini ( smiled ): Everything is fine, now, Mani. Nyonika is your past but now we, our family is your present. Live in it, just forget her, you're yet to get happier when you follow your heart instead of your mind.

He smiled at her and nodded..

Manik ( smiled ): And I'm living in it. She was never my mother, she just knew to use me but now, I really have 4 mothers over here. Tho kya hua apna nahi hai, Ma tho hai na..

She grinned at him and hugged him while keeping her head on his chest..

Nandini: I'm simply falling hard for you, Manik Malhotra..

Manik ( grinned ): Feelings are mutual, Love..

And they stayed in each other's arms..

Post dinner

Everyone were having their sweet dish after having their dinner when Viren initiated the conversation..

Viren: Waise Papa..Aap kuch bathana chahthe the na..

Ravi: Haa Papa, phone pe tho kehna nahi chahiye isiliye aap yaha aake bathayenge, yahi tho kaha na aapne..

Arjun: Arey khothe, sabr naam ka ek cheez hai, wo patha hai ki nahi..??

Elder men: Nahi..

Arjun ( sighed ): Poochna hi nahi chahiya tha wo sawal..

Raj: Dad, ithna bhi nakhre kyu kar rahe ho..Bathatho sahi..

Rohit: Papa, mujhmein sabse zyada kam hai, pressure, isiliye fatafat kahiye na..

Sid: Pressure kam hone keliye pressure cooker nahi hai, Papa..

Arjun: Ye hui na baath, beizati aise hi karlo..

Cabir: Arey par, pressure cooker ko zyada pressure bhi hona zaroori hai na, warna khana kaise ban paoge..

Arjun: Abey, khane ka fikar kyun ab..??

Cabir: Arey Daadu, bina khake jeeyenge kaise..

Arjun: Ye bhi tho ek point hai..

Cabir grinned at him..

Arya: Waise, hum pressure cooker ke barein mein bath kyu kar rahe hain..??

Cabir: Ye paida hi aisa tha kya, Nandini..??

Nandini: Mujhe kya patha, mein tho iske baad paida hui thi, bas dho mahine ke baad..

Arjun: Bhai tho tera hai na, isiliye poocha hoga..

Cabir: Sahi pakde hain..

Arjun and Cabir hi-fied while Nandini rolled her eyes..

Nandini: Arya ka tho patha nahi, par ye dhono paida hone ke baad apne doctor ko bhi nahi choda hoga..

Others simply laughed..

Vishal: Daadu..waise topic kuch aur bann gaya par ab mein bhi excited hoon, kya bathana chahtha tha..

Arjun: Tum sabke barein mein hi bath karna chahtha tha..

Abhi ( jumped in his place ): Don't tell me, finally you got a girl for Vishal Bhai..

Vishal ( scowled ): Shut up, Abhi. Tujhe meri hi shadi ki padi hai..

Abhi: Arey, mujhe meri Bhabi chahiye, baaki sab tho mujhse chote hain, sirf aap hi tho bade hain, isiliye badi Bhabi ki zaroorath hai hume..kyu guys..

Youngsters: Yes...

Vishal simply ignored..

Arjun: For a record, this time, Abhimanyu Dixit is right..

" What..." echoed everyone except for Vishal who was looking at Daadu in shock..

Arjun ( smirked ): Wo kudi mujhe pasand aaya tha, Mr. Dixit..

Vishal ( widened his eyes ): Kudi..?? Kaunsi kudi..??

Arjun ( innocently ): Wahi kudi, jisse aap ghoor ghoor ke dekh rahe the jab aap pichle baar mujhse milne keliye India aaye the..

Vishal avoided eye contact while the youngsters were smirking now..

Nandini ( excitedly ): Mathlab, aapne uss ladki ki saare information nikala..??

Arjun: Oh yes..And Mr. Dixit, I must say, she's one hell of a good choice..

And for the first time, the entire family witnessed Vishal Dixit blushing..

Ritesh: Oh my God......Bhayyu blushed..Bhayyu blushed..Bhayyu blushed..

Rishab: Someone please pinch me..

Ritesh: Lo..pinch kiya..

And he pinched Rishab hardly making him hiss in pain..

Rishab: Abey ithne zor se nahi..

Ritesh: Sorry, but you should have said it before, meri galathi nahi hai..

Rishab: Forget it..

Ritesh: Who's gonna remember it, duh..

Rishab: Di....

Nandini: oho, ab tum dhono ka ladai ki waqt nahi hai..Daadu..aap bolo..ladki kaisi hai..

Arjun: Ekdum achi bachi hai. Uske pariwar bhi bohath ache hain. Haa, thoda shy type hain, traditional, she's a professor in one of the college of Punjab. Age 25. Ladke ko doond rahe hain. Uske Papa Raj ko janthe hai, isiliye uss din ghar aaye the aur tabh apni beti bhi sath mein aayi, mein jantha hoon ladki ko, phir bhi uske saare information nikala, from schooling to her job and guess what, she's a very good and reserved girl..

Youngsters: Mathlab Bhabi pakki hogayi..whoaaa.....

Viren: EK second..ye sab..kab, kaise hua..??

Dev: Mein bathatha hoon, mein bathatha hoon. Jab Vishal Bhai pichle baar Daadu se milne gaye the, around 7-8 months back, thab hume Daadu ka phone call aya aur keh rahe the he was behaving weird in front of a girl aur Daadu ke umar ke wajah se unhe patha chala, wajah kuch aur nahi..balki pyarrrr tha..

Vishal: What..pyar..no..wo tho bas..mein..

Nandini: Kya Bhayyu..hum sab ko patha chala hai, ab tho hide math keejiye..

Viren ( concerned ): Papa...

Arjun looked at Viren and he got to see the elders curious eyes, their worried faces for Vishal and he smiled in return..

Arjun: Ladki achi hai..

And they breathed a sigh of relief and then looked at each other with wide grins..

Viren: So, Mr. Dixit..??

Vishal looked at Viren and then looked down..

Vishal: Dad, I'm sorry. I know I should have said it but, I'm so new to these feelings so I..I didn't know how to say it..isiliye..I'm..

Before he could continued, he was taken into a warm hug by Swayam and Lalith..

Lalith: Tumne koi galathi nahi kiya hai..bas pyar kiya hai..

Swayam: Aur pyar karna gunah nahi hai, ye tho tumhare Papa se behthar kaun jaane..

Vishal smiled and looked at Viren who opened his arms for him and he hugged him tightly..

Viren ( smiled ): Dad isn't mad at you..I know, you shouldn't have hidden it from me but I know how my son is, agar ye bath Abhi ne chupaya hotha tho it would have hurt me because I know Abhi isn't a reserved guy but you're, isiliye Dad tumse naraaz nahi hai..

That was the moment, Abhi's face went pale and he looked here and there while Nandini was already looking at Abhi with a tensed face..

Vishal ( smiled ): Thank You, Dad..

Raj: A baaki ko bhi hug kardho yar..

And he was hugged by the rest too, including the youngsters..And at the end, he moved towards Arjun and hugged him..

Raj: Dad, ab ladki ke photo tho dikhao..

Arjun: Photo dikhaoonga par mujhe uskeliye ek condition hai..

Soha: Condition..??

Arjun: Yup..

Navya: Kaunsi condition..??

Arjun ( grinned ): Vishal ke shadi ke saath saath, mujhe, abhi jithne couples relationship mein hain, wahi couples ki shadi bhi dekhna hai..

" WHAT...." the youngsters shouted in shock while elders were quiet surprised with the sudden condition of Arjun's..

Arjun: Oh not to forget, I need to see Abhimanyu Dixit and Sidharth Kapoor getting married too..

And Abhimanyu simply wanted to faint somewhere and wake up only after everyone gets married, excluding him, while for Sid, he was thinking how is he gonna get a girl within 1 second so that he could be at least in a relationship with her before marrying her..

To be continued..