Nandini's POV

After checking the gas off, windows closed, I walked to the sofa and sat down picking the file from the side table.

It's Manik's medical file; recent one!
I've forced him to go n have a checkup and finally today morning he listened to me and went.

Right now, I'm dressed up in my new dress which I shopped lately, and waiting for Manik to come down so that we can leave for the party in Malhotra mansion, my in-laws home.

Oh no- Are you thinking, there is a role reversal; like every time boys wait for girls and here I'm waiting for him?
Then let me tell you, He just came from the office and went to his room to get fresh, while I'd no extra classes today so I was home since early evening.

Turning the page, my eyes caught the number; 31% unreactive.
Well, if I'm not wrong it was 36% in previous reports, means there is an improvement.

I felt sudden happiness, that this improvement has some of my contributions; after all, I'm the one who's helping Manik to maintain his diet, exercise, and routine.

Then the below note grabbed my attention: Tips for a person with ED and his partner!
Okay, let's see what it says.

1. It's not the end of sex. Erectile dysfunction (ED) doesn't have to signal the end of your sex life.

What? Who's even thinking about it!
Skip!

2. Communication is key.

Yes! This is right. And I feel, Manik & I have good communication.
Point Check!

3. Try to relax. 

I'm always relaxed. Mujhe kya problem? This must be for Manik. But who will encounter his monster mood?
Of course, it's you Stupid Nandu!
You have to bell the cat! My Poor Nandini!

4. Rediscover each other.

'Rediscover'? Aab iska kya matlab hai?
Ek minute. Discover kahan hua ki rediscover ke bare main soche, right!

So, Manik & I have to get to know each other better. It will be more easier to interact then.
Point noted!

5. Avoid unhealthy habits.

Okay, I'm taking care of it.
Point check!

6. Lose weight and exercise regularly. 

Hmm... Manik is not at all over-weight, but perfect. Aur rahi baat exercise ki toh woh toh hum kaar rahe hain.
Point check!

7. Get playful with your partner.

Now, what does this mean? 'Playful'? Hum bache thodi na hai ki we'll play.
Saaf-saaf kyun nahi likhte what to do & what not to? Offphoo!

8. Don't give up.

Of course, I'm not giving up. It was Manik, but now no one is giving up.
Done!

That's it. I thought it will have some very helpful points. 'Koi nahi, Google kar lenge!' I thought to myself when I heard the click of the door indicating Manik's coming.

I put the file back and stand up while he jogged downstairs wearing a deep-blue t-shirt and ripped jeans, still looking as handsome as ever!

"Chalen?"

His voice made me conscious that he's right next to me and here I'm lost in checking him out.
Oh My!
My cheeks heated up while I nodded looking down and hurriedly walked ahead.

-----------------

The Malhotra mansion is decorated beautifully with Diwali lights and the hall with flowers. There are quite a number of people around apart from the Malhotra family.

"You didn't tell me there will be so many people?" Nandini whisper asked as she & Manik walked in the door.

Manik looked around at Mr.Sharma's family, Mr. Khurana's family, and many more family friends of Malhotra are present there. "Even I didn't know. I thought only Mukti's in-laws will be there" Manik whispered back.

Yes! This is the party thrown on the occasion of pregnancy news from Mukti.

Two days back only all got the news and Nyo had called Manik to give him the news. Manik was so delighted with the news that he instantly dialed Mukti's number and congratulate her, along with Nandini. Then they had bro-sis talk for quite a long time before some other call disturbed Mukti and she bid byes.

The party is scheduled today as today early morning only Cavya returned from their sweet honeymoon to be part of this celebration.

"Hey bro! Congratulations" Manik hugged Abhi as soon as he found him amidst the crowd.

"Thanks, bro" Abhi chirped with the constant blushy smile playing on his lips. He's more than happy to be a  soon-to-be father after almost 3years of his arranged marriage with Mukti. He's now well settled with perfectly paying job as a senior doctor, an understanding beautiful wife, a happy family with good parents & in-laws and now a baby's coming. What more did he want?

"Congrats, Bhai!" Nandini cooed stating her presence besides Manik and Abhi smiled at her muttering thank you.

Then Manan made their way towards Mukti who's being encircled by Nyo, Dadi, Raj, Navya, Alya, Abhi's parents, and few more ladies.

"Areyy side please. Mujhe apni behen se milne do." Manik voiced from back making everyone around Mukti acknowledge his presence.

Mukti smiled brightly finding her dearest brother and they shared a tight hug. Everyone admires their bonding smiling lightly.

Manik, after finishing her congratulating session, turned back at Nandini who's standing with the gift they brought. he nodded making her walk forward with the gift and they together presented it before Mukti saying "This is for you"

With twinkling eyes, Mukti took the gift unwrapping it instantly with excitement  & curiosity as to what her brother got him. "You got this??" Mukti asked astonished looking up at Manik.

"Yeah!" Manik shrugged confused as to why Mukti is looking at him in disbelief.

"I mean, are you sure you are the one to choose this gift; no one else?" Mukti again asked briefly eyeing Nandini.

"Ya, actually she chose it and I paid."

"Wahi main bolun ki tumhari gift choice itni improvise kaise ho gayi" Mukti muttered before shifting her eyes to the new Limited edition rare Hermès handbag on her hands. Manik made a bad face while the ladies giggled hearing it.

"But, Nandini! How did you get it? I heard it had only 4 pieces which got sold within 2hours" Mukti questioned.

"I had thought to gift this to you when I found its advertisement on net. So, I got the first piece at the very start of the sale." Nandini replied grinning.

"Namaste Mom... Dad" Nandini then got the space to greet her in-laws and touched their feet.

Raj patted her head lovingly while Nyo hugged her in a motherly embrace. Mukti's in-laws, the Thakkar couple do know about Manan marriage as they are their direct relative while rest have no idea about who this girl is, who's getting so much love from Malhotra family.

"Pranam Dadi" Nandini bends to touch her feet making her smile "Jeete raho, Puttar!" she kept her hand on her head blessing her.

The party goes on with many people joining, Manik got busy attending to the relatives and family friends while Nandini who apparently know only Malhotra family none else felt a little bit left out.
There are young girls talking n gossiping in the group, but she didn't know them and felt quite awkward with their high-class gossips so decided to sit close to the one she knew.

Sitting near the table with Mukti and all ladies surrounding her, guests coming with gifts n wishes, Nandini sipped her juice looking around.

"Nini! Yahan kya kar rahi hai? Chal na sabke sath baithke baate kar." Navya voiced appearing in front of her out of nowhere. She's wearing a glittering expensive mermaid gown hugging her body perfectly making her look more gorgeous.

As she's from a higher-middle class family and very outspoken n extrovert, she clearly gets gelled up with all these high-class fashion-queens really quick. But It's not the same case with Nandini.

"Nahi. I'm okay here" Nandu voiced looking at the group of girls having drinks and snacks while gossiping around the table.

"Arey but-" Navya was going to argue but luckily someone called her name and she had to leave. nandu sighed before concentration on her pineapple juice.

Nandini is roaming her eyes around the hall when her eyes get caught by Cabir at the far end talking to two men. He passed a slight smiled during his talk before excusing himself and walking towards her.

"Hey Sister! Why are you sitting all alone?" he chirped taking a seat beside her. "Where is Manik, by the way?" he added looking around in his search.

"He was around here attending the guests." Nandu replied nonchalantly "So, how are you? And how was your honeymoon? I don't even get to talk with Navya Di." she added pouting.

"What will you do knowing about our honeymoon?
Don't tell me, you both are planning a honeymoon soon." He added with teasing wide eyes.

"Jiju!" Nandu faked anger at him making him laugh.

"Okay! ok! I won't tease you more.
But on a serious note. Are you happy with him? I mean, is he creating trouble or being ba-"

"No Bhai! Manik is taking good care of mine" Nandini cut him honestly. Cabir smiled.

"Par hai kahan yeh Gaddha? Tumhe akele chodke kidhar rah gaya!" Cabir yelled looking around the crowd along with Nandu.

"Oh no!" Cabir suddenly voiced looking at a particular direction.

"Kya hua?" Nandu asked confused n worried.

"Chipkali jarahi hai humhare patidev ke taraf" He added.

"Chipkali?" Nandu made a confused frowning face following the direction of Cabir's stare.

"Haan! Soha, The Chipkali! Always have her eyes on Manik Malhotra." Cabir voiced before turning his eyes on Nandini, who's now glaring hard at the scene ahead.

Manik is talking with a couple at the far corner when Soha is walking towards him swaying her hips with her short skirt and off-shoulder crop top on.

Cabir watched the look on Nandini's face and added "Keep your eyes on your husband, Jamana bahut bura hai. ...Bachke rehna re baba...bachke rehna re..." he walked away singing the song leaving a furious yet confused Nandini behind.

Nandini is just glaring hard at Manik's direction with something unknown feeling. She's definitely not liking how Soha greeted him with her seductive smile and stick by her side.

"Why is he not shooing her away?" She murmured to herself looking at them.

"Don't tell me he's liking it?" As this thought crossed her mind she made a bad face huffing at them and stood up to walk to the kitchen.

"Chipkali! Kaisse chipak-chipak kar khadi thi! Aur Manik, even he didn't push her away. Ulta he was talking happily with the guests with her on his side.
Acha hai... Haste raho aur chipakte raho.. Mujhe kya?" She muttered under her breaths before crunching the snacks furiously making loud crunch to which the servants in the kitchen pass her a look.

She walked away awkwardly munching the snacks she grabbed from the kitchen. "Aur yeh Jiju kya 'Bachke rehna' gaa rahe thae. Yahan toh Jamana nahi Manik bura hain!" she huffed in annoyance.

"Me?"

The voice from her back made her jump at her place and choke at her snacks making her cough.

Manik who came looking for Nandini when not finding her sitting at the chair anymore, got worried seeing her choke and patted her back. "Are you ok?" she voiced concerned as she stopped coughing.

Nandini passed him side glare lifting her eyes with an angry pout "What are you doing here? And where is your Chipkali?"

"Chapkali?" Manik asked amazed at her face.

"Soha!" she added in duh! turning her face away. Even she herself doesn't know why she is behaving like this?

Manik watched her face and processed everything and a playful smirk came on his face "Ohh! Soha! She's such a sweetheart!"

"Han... toh jao na usske pass. Why are you standing here?" came the instant reply from Nandini's mouth before she could think.

Manik grinned inwardly and added "Am-I smell something burning here? Are you jealous?" he asked dramatically sniffing near her.

Nandu rolled her eyes at him 'Am I jealous' a part of her brain questioned but she denied 'Nonsense!'. And she started to walk ahead turning back.

Before she could, she felt a tug at her wrist and the next second she got dashed into Manik's firm chest in a back-hug. Manik lazily encircled his arms around her petite figure as they stood close to each other around the corner of the hall with no eyes on them.

"I didn't get to hold you properly today!" he whispered near her ears making her feel the jitters.

"She's indeed a Chipkali, but she's not my Chipkali." he paused "You're mine!"

It would be a lie if I say, Nandini didn't felt the tiniest hair raise at the back of her neck, getting all sort of goosebumps hearing his husky words right above her ears with his breath hitting on her side cheeks and her body wrapped in his arms... tightly!

"L-leave me!" She manages to mutter the words "Someone might see us"

Knowing she's telling correct; the guest could see them like this and question her. So, reluctantly he loosens his hands letting her slip.

Nandini didn't waste a second before running into the crowd leaving a grinning Manik behind who's actually grinning stupidly at his cute wife.

Tell it unfortunate or not; their small lovey-dovey act got noticed by someone who actually had noticed them entering together at the party...
It is...

Mrs. Khurana, Soha Khurana's mom and Nyo's kitty party friend.
She always wanted her daughter to get married to some rich high-class bachelor, and who could be a better option than Manik Malhotra?

She had seen this girl (Nandu) at Cavya's wedding but never knew she's any close to Malhotras. With a plan to start gossip about this mysterious girl, she walked to her friends' group.

No sooner, it spread like fire and almost every ladies in the hall started to talk about the girl i.e; Nandini. Who she is? What is she doing at this party? How she's connected to Malhotras?

Nandini, Manik, Cavya, and Raj & Nyo too heard it. Nandu started getting uncomfortable with the constant unwanted stares on her while Manik couldn't do anything knowing none should know their relationship in public before Nandu's studies completion.
Neither of them has thought there would be so many people at this party, rather they thought it would be a close-relation party.

"Nyonika! Who is this girl? She & Manik seem close to each other?" one of the ladies finally asked it aloud.

Nyo looked briefly at Manik and Nandini, before turning ahead to reply...

**********

Okay! so, what do you think, Nyo will say? truth or lie? What exactly?

How many of you have guessed the good news as 'Mukti's pregnancy'? Honestly!