~Sorrowful they were, during her absence and the happiest they were, during her presence~

After a month!

At MruNi's Home

Nandini's Room

"Back to London? No way! She still need some more time to heal completely, Uncle. Aap aise soch bhi kaise sakthe hain?" Mrunal exclaimed with her eyes almost ready to pop out of her skull.

Shekhar let out a sigh of defeat, before taking a seat beside Nandini. "I'm not asking you to pack your bags right now, Mrunal. Mene Aadit se baath ki hai and she's fit to travel if her next scheduled checkup turns out all good." He started to feed soup to Nandini, who was staring at her father with her eyes narrow.

"And that's in two weeks. Sab teek hai tho uske baad ke ticket book karenge. In my opinion, hame Yaha nahi rehna hai. Zaroorath nahi hai." He stood up to fetch a napkin to clean Nandini's face which had soup stains.

"Jis kaam keliye Aaye the Tum dono, wo hogaya na." He stared at his daughter accusingly, who let out a sigh. "Aur aapne uss kaam keliye ham dono ko maaf bhi Kiya hai."

"Yeah, unfortunately." Nandini crooked her eyebrows which was ignored by Shekhar. "Jo bhi ho, ab mein decide Karne wala Hun. We're leaving this country for good."

And he stood up to leave the room, ending the discussion. Mrunal sprinted towards Nandini to sit beside her. "Fluffy! Tere Appa ko amnesia hai Kya? You wanted to stay here na. So tell him about it."

Shekhar ignored the girls and opened the door to move out.

"Mere bhayyus hai Yaha, Appa." Nandini voiced out, halting Shekhar. "They can come and visit you in London. I will not stop them."

"But I'm in love with Grumpy coffee."

And that statement did wonders!

Mrunal stared at Nandini with her jaws almost falling off, while Shekhar turned around to face Nandini in shock.

"Wh-what?"

Nandini let out a sigh before closing Mrunal's mouth and got down her bed with Mrunal's help.

"I'm not asking you to get me married to Grumpy coffee now. Mujhe pehle poore tareeke se teek hona hai and that might take another month or two. But yeah, I love grumpy coffee. Aur mein usse poochna chahthi Hun ki wo mere Saath London jaayega ya nahi. Aur waise bhi mujhe mere bhayyus ke Saath rehna hai. I know London is my home, but I've grown attached to this place, Appa. Aapke ye chote se jagah mein ek Ghar banaun tho mujhe aur bhi acha lagega Appa. Kyunki ab mere pariwaar ithne chote nahi hai, jaise mene pehle Socha tha."

She went and hugged her father, staying in his arms.

"Ab Ghar nahi wapas jaana Appa." She looked up at her father, who was staring down at her. "Kyunki ye jagah ab Ghar bann chuke hain."

Mrunal stared at the father daughter duo smilingly before moving out of the room and got to find Shamishti standing with tears flowing out of her eyes.

"I hope he says yes." She whispered to Mrunal who went ahead to hug her from sideways. "He will, Aunty. Finally you're home."

Shamishti patted at Mrunal's cheeks lovingly, before muttering. "We are home. All of us."

***

"Rishta pakka ab?" Nyonika questioned Manik, while sitting beside him platting food for him.

"Huh?" He looked at her confusedly. "Badi Ma pooch Rahi hai ki ham sab Nandini ko Bhabi officially bulaoon ab se?" Dhruv intervenes while smiling playfully at Manik.

Manik had his lips pressed before peeking at his mother and smiling sheepishly.

"Yeah, Sharma gaya. Badi Ma, Dulhan Sharma gaya, ab fix keejiye. No more doubts." Manik glared at Cabir, who smirked at his brother. "Oops, I meant Dulhe raja. You were shying so bad that I mistook you to be the bride,Bhai. Sorry na!"

And that was it before the Tom and Jerry race begun.

"Arey ruko tho Sahi. Hame Nandini ke Ghar bhi jaana hai." Nyonika laughed out, halting Manik and Cabir.

"Aur wo kyun Mom?" Mukti chimed in, and Nyonika smirked at her son. "Kyunki reality mein aapki Dulhan ko Sharmana nahi aathi aur uske Appa ko batha diya ki that she'll only marry you."

Manik had his eyes widened at that comment while others were hooting for him.

"Damn, Shekhar Uncle is gonna have my head. Marwaegi ladki." Nyonika laughed out at her son's comment, while Raj shrugged at smacked in Manik's head. "Learn something from my bahu."

And listening to him, others were also laughing at Manik, whose face started to turn pink.

***

"Ma, I'll wear this. I can show off in front of Manik wearing red, which means I'll kill you if you hurt my sister." Rudr said while folding his shirt's sleeves.

"Yeah, that also will have a meaning, Oh Manik I love you and I approve of your relationship with my sister." Karan mocked and Rudr looked up at him in shock. "Really?"

Others rolled their eyes and Rudr glared at Karan. "Kya hain! Behen ki roka hai, tujhe ready hone ke zaroorath hi nahi. Wo samjha kar pehle." Siddharth intervened before separating this boys who were ready for a fist fight.

"Ab chod sab Kuch aur ready hoja. We need to leave in ten minutes." Vandana announced while glaring at the boys who smiled sheepishly at her and then nodded in affirmative.

"Roka hai?" Dharmendr stared at the boys in shock, before looking at his wife who stared at her husband almost hopeless. She looked at Yashjeet who had his back facing them. He was looking outside the window.

"Aaj Nandini ke roka hai aur ham sab jaa rahe hai kyunki hamareliye wo apne hain." Hema said, before walking out of the house followed by the boys. Viren walked towards Yashjeet.

"Ye uske voicemail hai. Aapko aur papas ko sunane keliye kaha mujhse."

"Hi. Nandini here. Waise starting nahi hai iss message ko, kyunki I don't know how to say this. Meri roka hai aaj. Jab Meri transplant ke Liye waha hospital mein ek haftha bas aiveyi days ko push karthe rahi, tab mujhe Mr. Yashjeet Murthy se beintehaa nafrath thi. Because after all this, he was not approving of my Ma. Jo iss dunya ke sabse best wife aur Ma hain. Unhe sabse best beti banke prove Karne keliye mauka hi nahi diya Yashjeet Murthy ne. Isiliye I hated him so much. Aur papa, dad and sohesh papa bhi unke khilaaf nahi bola. And that made me hate them too."

Dharmendr, the toughest guy felt his heart getting bled while hearing her words.

"Lekin Meri transplant ke baad realize hua ki Zindagi bas ek Baar hothe hain. Logon se nafrath Karke Kya milega? Logon ko door Karne se dard ke Siwa Kuch nahi milega. And if I'm gonna hate you just like how you guys hated my mom, phir mein bhi aap jaise bann gayi na? Ithni nafrath nahi Dena mujhe kisiko. Isiliye bula Rahi Hun. Beti banane ke zaroorath nahi hain. Ye samjho aaj Aapke bete ki ek keemthi cheez ko wo Kisi aur ko dene keliye ready ho raha hain. Aaj apke Bhai apni iklauti beti ke shadi apne best friend ke bete ke Saath fix Karne wala hain. Ho sake tho bless us. Ho sake tho aayiye. Thank you! Aur haan Viren bhayyu, jaldhi aaaa."

Viren smiled before looking up at his fathers and grandfather.

"I'll take my leave. Ab bol ne keliye Kuch bacha hi nahi tho, it's all up to you."

And Viren left the place, while Yashjeet stood with tears flowing out of his eyes.

***

"Wow! Ladki bann gayi hai tu yaar!" Mrunal whistled at Nandini, while hitting her head playfully with hers.

Nandini was wearing a mustard yellow saree with her hairs tied in a single braid, and long earrings dangling in her ears. She also had a lightweight necklace around her neck that matched with her saree.

Smiling at her reflection in the mirror, Nandini looked at her best friend.

"Wo tho grumpy coffee ke Pyar dekhke hi patha Chala. He's straight na. Visible truth." Nandini shrugged and Mrunal rolled her eyes. "Tu khud apni gender pehchaan nahi Sakthi. Kyun?'

"Bas Tere jaise har minute mein apne aapko dekhthe nahi na ithni ki har Baar khudko bathaun ki hey, ladki hai tu aur Tere prince charming can be coming any minute now." Nandini mocked and Mrunal let out a dreamy sigh.

"Hayee! Kab aayega Mera shehzaada!" And Nandini nodded along. "Jis din tujhe real life ladka samne dikhega. Ussee din ek faltu prince charming will also be there and if you happen to be intelligent, you'll choose the real guy who also happens to be a green flag, instead of the walking talking red flag prince."

"Kya hai! Why don't you let me dream. A girl gotta have dreams!" Mrunal let out her irritation and Nandini nodded. "And a girl gotta have brains, babe!"

Mrunal sighed before closing her eyes.

And like the last fourthy ninth time, she got to see his face smiling at her. That calm strange smile.

"Damn you, time bomb." And yes, that was Arijit. It's been a while now, for Mrunal.

"Kyu, usne ab Kya Kiya?" Mrunal sat up and walked towards the door. "Aaj Tere din hai. Jab baathaana hai I'll tell. I'm not gonna have you talk like Monica Geller to me because I don't wanna steal your thunder." And she left the room, while Nandini stared at the door,before looking at herself in the mirror.

"That should mean something related to a GUY, yeah?" Her eyes widened. "Wasn't she talking about grumpy coffee's best friend irritating machine?"

Beep Beep

She looked down at her mobile and answered the call.

"Ready hai Kya Aapke Appa to cut off my head?" Manik asked and Nandini sighed. "Dramatic hona bhi koi tumse seekho pehle. Like really, pehle kill you, have a guilty face in front of his best friend for killing his son, apologize to his daughter for killing her love, and then going to jail and maybe get imprisoned for about twenty years. Tch, my Appa is not gonna waste that many years of his life for you. Ithna bhi important nahi ho Tum."

Manik let out a chuckle before smiling softly.

"Hass Kyu rahe ho coffee wale?" Nandini stood up to straighten her saree. "I missed you."

She bit onto her lips on hearing him and smiled lightly at his comment. She was a little tired for a while now. It's been only a month after her surgery and that was taking a toll on him. He was worried about her health and wondering if she's fine or not because she wasn't being herself lately.

"Kabhi kabhi aise lagtha hai ki Tum Bolna bandh karoge tho teek se din chalega bhi nahi. Din guzarne keliye ab har din sunna hai, madam. Sunaaoge kya?" Manik asked gently and Nandini smiled.

"Ab mein nahi sunau tho Kaun kar sakthe hai ye kaam coffee wale? I mean, Tumhe sunne keliye ek century intezaar Jo Karna hai. Aur agar mein bhi aise niklun tho aadhi Zindagi uss intezaar mein hi rahenge." Manik laughed out hearing her and nodded along.

"So it's a yes?" She frowned on hearing him. "Indirectly pooch raha tha Kuch. Mere Saath poori Zindagi guzar sakthe hai Kya?" Nandini smiled and let out a soft laugh. "Aur kithne Baar haan bolun, grumpy coffee?"

Manik smiled and let out a sigh.

"Aa raha Hun mein."

"I'm waiting, Malhotra!"

***

Hey guys,

How was the Chapter?

Hate to tell this, but we're nearing to the ending of this book. I'm so gonna miss writing about grumpy coffee and Lilliput.

With love,
Affu.