Things moved fast in the following weeks. Navya moved in with Mukti, and Cabir had the apartment to himself. Alya was still awed by her boss-boyfriend and was busy with her fashion career. Dhruv went on two-three dates with different girls and still didn't find anyone compatible enough. Aryaman's state of mind was understood by everyone so they accepted Soha's return and went back to being on good terms with him. Soha joined Space, being in the same class as Navya and Nandini, much to the girls' annoyance. Manik busied himself with the album formalities.

The album launch was scheduled to launch two weeks before the end of the vacation. The days passed quickly and finally, it was a Friday evening, the day of the launch.

The banquet hall of Hyatt was rented for the event. By 7 PM, everyone had arrived at the venue. Nandini and Navya reached early because of Nandini's punctuality. Aryaman brought Soha with him, as he didn't want to sideline his sister.

Nandini saw her Chacha, Chachi and Rishabh walk in. She squinted to look at the person behind them and she was shocked, it was her Amms!

"Oh my god! Amms!" Nandini ran to her beloved grandmother and hugged her.

"Nandu kanna! You are looking very pretty!" Amms said, kissing Nandini's forehead.

"Amms, aap yahan?!" Navya asked, hugging Amms.

"Haan beta! Fab 5 are also like my grandchildren. Hai na Shanno?" Amms smiled.

"Aur nahin toh kya? Yeh meri taraf se bachhon ke liye surprise! Pata hai Nandu, Amma ko toh manaana bhi nahi padha! Fatt maan gayi." Shanno exclaimed.

"Wow, they'll be so happy! Aap toh Dhruv se bhi mil lengi! Also Amms, you remember Aryaman? That's him, and his sister Soha. Soha, she's my grandmother." Nandini said politely.

"Nice to meet you." Soha smiled and stood with Aryaman. Amms met up with Cabir's and Dhruv's mothers and chatted with them.

Around 8, Fab 5 made an entry. The paps clicked hundreds of pictures after finally clearing the way for them. They looked very happy and excited. Nandini proudly watched them make their way to the stage.

----

The background had one of the songs of the album playing while everyone talked. Manik had spotted Nandini when he was at the stage and rushed to meet her as soon as he got down.

"You look hot." Manik huskily whispered in her ear, grabbing her slim waist. He checked her out in her blue gown.

"Manik!" Nandini whisper-yelled and pushed him.

"What? Ab kya kiya maine?" Manik got annoyed.

"Manik kanna!" He heard a very familiar voice from behind. He turned and saw Amms in an elegant Kanjeevaram saree.

"Wait what? Is this for real?" Manik asked Nandini.

"It is." Nandini smilingly replied.

"Amms! This is great! Wow." Manik hugged Amms affectionately.

On the night of Nandini's birthday, when Manik was told by Amms to talk with her alone, the equation had changed between them. Amms understood how terribly wrong her judgement had been, regarding Trilok Chaurasia and Manik Malhotra. When she first met him, she saw him punching his own best friend. But when she knew what actually happened, she regretted it and immediately apologized to Manik.

Manik knew it was a genuine misunderstanding and let it go. Thereafter, Amms talked about Nandini's life before Space. How she was the apple of her father's eye, how her Amma was her best friend, how Rishabh was completely normal. And after the miserable accident, changes in Nandini's personality and her lifestyle.

Flashback-

"Tumko pata hai Manik, Nandini ke parents bohot well-to-do the. Mera Ashok, ek bahut achha scientist tha NASA mai, aur meri bahu Khushi, ek singer. Bahut pyari jodi thi un dono ki. College main mile the dono. Ashok ne zindagi mai kabhi kuch nahi pucha. Jo usko diya, vo usne accept kiya. Lekin uss time usne ek request kiya, Khushi se shadi karne ki permission, naa nahi bol paayi. Do saal baad Nandu ho gayi. Itni khush thi main. Phir Rishabh. Dono apne parents jaise smart aur talented hai."

Manik listened to Amms as she narrated everything. He didn't realise that he was holding her hand to provide comfort.

"Jab Nandini 7 saal ki thi, meteor shower ke kaaran, accident hogaya. On the spot, dono Khushi and Ashok were declared dead. Nandini aur Rishabh ko unke maasi ne Mangalore drop kiya. Maine kabhi Nandini ko utni khoyi nai dekhi. Rishabh itna chota tha, us bichare bachhe ko kuch samajh nahi aaya. Shock ke kaaran uska voice chala gaya." Amms spoke as her voice trembled. Manik noticed her moist eyes.

"Teen saal lage mujhko, Nandini ko normal karne ke liye. Bahut independent banaaya maine usko. Mumbai bhejne ke liye usne kitna ladaai kiya mujhse." Amms laughed.

"That's Nandini for you." Manik laughed.

"Haan, bilkul. Manik, mujhko pata hai, life easy nahi tha Nandini ke liye, Mumbai mai. Usko jab bhi mai call karti thi, vo uske troubles ko chupaati thi, lekin vo yeh bhul gayi ki main uski Amms hun." Amms said.

Manik looked away, in guilt because he was the major reason why Nandini was troubled.

"Kya hua Manik?" Amms asked.

"Amms ...vo ...mere vaje se...."

"Kya?"

"Amms, Nandini ke aane se pehle, hum, Fab 5, juniors ko rag karte the. Nandini aur Navya bhi ko bhi." Manik felt ashamed.

Amms sighed and let him tell everything before expressing herself.

"Mera buddy Dhruv, jisko maine punch kiya tha?"

"Haan."

"Usko bhi vahi meteor shower ne hit kiya. Usko tab se attacks aane lage. Nandini ne usko attack aate huye dekha. Hum dono ne socha ki hum saath main cure karenge Dhruv aur Rishabh ko."

Amms smiled and nodded.

"Phir.....I started liking her. Musicana ke opening night par maine usko bataya meri feelings ke baare mai. She was too shy to say anything. Lekin uske baad, Dhruv said he loved Nandini."

Amms frowned because of the Dhruv guy. She wanted to meet this person.

"Maine Dhruv ke liye Nandini ko chhod diya. But it was the biggest mistake of my life. Tab mai samjha kitni stubborn hai vo. Bohot time laga mujhe usse manaane ke liye. Eventually vo maan gayi."

"Manik....mujhko lagta hai Nandini Mumbai jaakar bahut responsible ban gayi hai. Tumhara bhi role hoga isme."

"I think uske aane se main responsible ban gaya hu." Manik laughed.

"Shaayad." Amms smiled.

"Amms.....Nandini ka life Space main easy nahi tha. Mere vajese usko bahut problems huye hai. Pehle toh main hi trouble karta tha. Phir Soha, jo mujh se obsessed thi, aur uske vaje se usne Nandini ko harm kiya."

"Aiyappa! Yeh tum kya bol rahe ho Manik?!"

"Amms, she was saved. Please don't worry."

"Aur phir vo Trilok! Meri bachi!" Amms started sobbing and Manik didn't know what to do. So he caressed her hands.

"She is very strong Amms. Very strong. I am glad I have her in my life. Amms, vo itni strong hai, usne mujhe do baar punch kiya. Actually yeh punching ka trend Space main usi ke vajese start hua. Pehle Nandini ne mujhe punch kiya, phir Dhruv ne mujhe, phir Nandini ne, phir maine Dhruv ko."

"Tum bachhe kya karte ho college main?" Amms asked.

"Nandini jab gussa hoti hai, uska first thought yehi hota hai ki vo mujhe punch kare. Main kya karu Amms?" Manik shrugged.

"Achha ...iska solution hai mere paas. Jab vo chhoti thi, 3-4 saal ki, vo uske Amma aur Appa ke saath aayi thi Mangalore, Venkatesh aur Shanno ki shaadi ke liye. Tab usne payasam khaane ki bahut zidd ki thi, lekin uska tabiyat theek nahi tha. Maine usko nahi diya, isiliye vo gussa ho gayi."

"Phir?" Manik asked, interested. He didn't know a lot about Nandini's childhood.

"Maine ek chhota sa gaana banaya. 'Laal laal gaal jaise tamatar, Nandu ka gussa chadh gaya chhat par. Kaise manaoon, usse lagta hai darr, kahoon kuch toh roegi vo baalti bhar bhar." Amms sang. Manik chuckled.

"Really? It worked?"

"Haan! Hamesha smile kardeti hai vo end mai. Tum bhi try karna. Lekin yeh secret sirf hum dono ke beech hai, thike?" Amms asked.

"Promise. But Amms, yeh sab aap mujhe kyun bata rahi ho? Don't you dislike me?"

"Nahi. Nandini ke life main tum bahut important ho. Isiliye maine bhi tumko accept kar liya. Manik, humaara lifestyle aur background bahut different hai. Tum mujhko yeh promise karo ki tum Nandini ko hurt nahi karoge."

"I promise Amms. I will never break her heart." Manik spoke honestly. He looked at Amms but his vision got blurry.

"Tum batao apne baare mai, tumhaare-" Amms said but stopped as she saw Manik was trembling.

"Aiyoo! Tumko fever kaise aaya? Rama! Rama!!" Amms shouted for Rama. She noticed that Manik had closed his eyes and his head was on her lap.

"Manik!" Amms exclaimed as his body was burning hot.

"Aiyyo Amma? Yeh kya ho gayi Santok ko?!"

"Ambulance bulwaao! Rishabh kanna! Nandini ko bulao abhi ke abhi!" Amms noticed Rishabh at the door and ordered him.

---

Amms spent some time interacting with Fab 5. Mukti, as soon as she noticed Amms, ran to hug her.

Mukti was kind of jealous of Nandini for having a family, who genuinely cared for her without any conditions. When she went to Mangalore, she felt a positive vibe from Amms and hence developed a soft corner for her.

"Amms! What a surprise!" Mukti screeched and hugged her tightly. Alya also became happy and joined the hug. Everyone saw the bond and smiled as they witnessed the sweet moment.

"Very proud of you two! May Aiyappa bless you!" She said, cupping their cheeks. She noticed Cabir standing and watching the scene.

"Cabir! Aao." She called. Cabir walked to Amms and touched her feet.

"Koi zarurat nahi. Tum bhi Nandini jaise hi ho. All of you are like my grandchildren. Thode 'out of control' ho, lekin chalega." Amms said. They laughed.

"Dhruv...tum ho na." Amms said, when everyone got distracted.

"Haan, nice to meet you, Amms," Dhruv spoke nervously.

"Hmm...pata hai mujhko tumhaare baarein mai. Bahut log ko hurt kiya hai tumne. Lekin mujhko lagta hai ki yeh baat tumko pata hai. Life main sab mistakes karte hai, lekin yeh mistake ko apne life ko control nahi karne de sakte."

"Yes, you are right. I hurt the ones I love." Dhruv said, looking at Alya. Amms followed his gaze and smiled.

"Toh jaakar sorry bolo. Life bahut short hai. God bless you." Amms smiled and joined the others.

"It is very short. I need to get closure." Dhruv said.

----

Manik and Nandini snuck out of the banquet hall and went to the hotel garden.

"You must be so happy...finally Fab 5 made an album," Nandini said.

"I am, finally we completed our dream. It feels great." Manik said.

"Manik...why don't you sound happy?" Nandini asked.

"Aisa kuch nahi hai Nandini." Manik smiled and looked ahead.

"Mujhse jhoot mat bolo tum."

Manik sighed and looked at her.

"I don't feel it, Nandini. I don't feel the same with Fab 5. Music-wise." Manik threw a bomb.

Nandini halted in her tracks and gaped at Manik.

"But why?"

"Itna kuch hua Nandini...it affected our music. It took us days to figure out a song, there is hardly any compatibility. Alya, Dhruv and Cabir have different things."

"Tumne Fab 5 ke saath iss baare main baat kiya?" Nandini asked.

"Nahi. Lekin productivity nahi hoti. But I think everyone knows this."

"Ab kya?" Nandini was scared, as she never thought this day would come.

"Dad has offered to arrange an MBA course in Pune. Next year, I will have a major share in Malhotra Industries."

"Manik?! No music?!"

"I will keep it aside. Dad aur thode saal main retire ho jaayenge. I need to step up, being the heir." Manik answered.

"Okay, I think you need to talk about this to Fab 5 first," Nandini said.

"What about you? You're my girlfriend, you can have a say in this."

"I don't, Manik. Your career is not linked to me being your girlfriend. Fab 5 is. Talk to them first."

Manik was disappointed that Nandini refused to comment. He thought she'll support him.

"So, you're against this?"

"No, why would I be? Tum successful hoge toh main khush ho jaungi." Nandini replied.

"Even if it means it's going to be long-distance?" Manik asked.

"Our love is not that weak, Manik." Nandini said, looking straight into his eyes. She sounded so determined that Manik felt assured. They will power through this.

----

Author's note-

Yayyy, Fab 5's album has finally been launched and Amms is here too! I always wanted to know what Amma and Manik must have talked about, and considering the lack of proper maternal figures in Manik's life, the poor guy needs Amms to knock some sense into him and even shower him with some affection, you know?

Also, Manik's decision regarding music...I mean after all the drama that happened; I personally didn't see the point of Fab 5 trying to be together again. To me, it looked like they were all flourishing individually. Besides, who doesn't want sexy and handsome Mr CEO Malhotra...

Next chapter - A new entry...or two?