"God....of all the places, Cabir ko bhi yahi aana tha." Manik mumbled as he tried to pull the door open.

"Manik...sun mere baat pls." Arjun said. 

"Mujhse aapse koi baat nahi karni hai...kuch nahi sunna hai." Manik replied.

"Rockstall Manik....aap mere Papa se katti ho?" Kuhu asked innocently. Manik didnt want to upset the child so he smiled.

"Nahi beta...woh, hum locked hai na. Isi liye baat nahi karni hai bas nikalna hai." Manik lied. He took out his phone and was about to call Cabir but Nandini snapped and there was a no signal sign on the phone. "What the....yeh signal kaha gaya. Abhi toh tha."

"Main dekhta hoon." Arjun said. He took out his phone.

"Sorry Master ke bhaiya....main aisa nahi hone de sakti." Nandini snapped and now Arjun's phone had no signal.

"Thats weird....mera bhi chala gaya." Arjun looked confused. Manik rolled his eyes and Arjun walked upto him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Chote...."

"STOP!" Manik jerked his arm away. He then lowered his voice so Kuhu wouldnt get scared, "Just stop...yeh natak band kijiye."

"Natak nahi hai yeh....bhai hoon main tera."

"Bhai? (Laugh) Really? 11 saal pehle aapko yaad nahi tha ke main aapka chota bhai hoon!" Manik asked, tearing up. "Mr & Mrs Malhotra ne jo kiya woh kiya....but I expected you and Karan bhai to be on my side....to understand me. Main humesha se aap dono ke zyada kareeb tha but aap dono ne bhi bas mujhe blame kiya."

"Im sorry Manik.....Hum sab ko apne galati ka ehsas hai."

"Yeah well its too late." Manik replied.

"Aisa mat bol-"

"Aapki beti hai yahan, main uske samne kuch ulta seedha nahi bolna chahta so just....leave me alone." Manik whispered.

Suddenly the door unlocked and Cabir entered. "Dude yeh bahar se locked kaise-"

"Oh Noo...Cabir ko bhi abhi aana tha?" Nandini muttered.

"Hi Cabir." Arjun smiled.

"Uh....Hi....Arjun Bhai." Cabir replied awkwardly.

"You done eating?" Manik asked.

"Haan yaar kabse! I was waiting for you lekin tu aa hi nahi raha tha toh main aa gaya." Cabir told him. Manik nodded and walked past him. Cabir followed quickly behind.

Arjun picked his daughter up and went back to eating while Manik & Cabir left the restaurant. Nandini frowned as she watched all this.

*************************************

"Dekha? Maine kaha tha tujhse...itna asaan nahi hoga yeh sab." Navya told her sister as Nandini complained about what happened. 

"Par Di...uss film mein toh sab kuch thik ho gaya tha!" Nandini said innocently. Navya blinked at her in disbelief.

"Tune....tune ek film se yeh idea li?" Navya asked. Nandini nodded with a proud grin. "Kya karun main iss ladki ka....Nandu, yeh REAL life hai....filmon mein jo hota hai woh real life mein nahi hota hai! Ek hi mulakat mein sab kuch thik nahi hoga....time lagega iske liye."

"Its not fair....sab Cabir ke vajah se hua." Nandini pouted like a child. " Woh agar galat time pe nahi aata toh sab kuch mere plan ke according hota."

Navya just chuckled as her when the door opened and Manik returned with Cabir.

"Hey girls!" Cabir greeted them. 

"Hi..." Navya greeted. 

"Hmm!" Nandini turned away, her arms crossed.

"Nandini....kya hua?" Cabir walked to stand in front of her. Nandini turned her head again and ignored him. "Nandini?"

"Nandini....tum thik ho?" Manik asked.

"Nahi Master! Main gussa hoon!" Nandini replied. 

"Kisse?"

"Aapke iss dost se!" Nandini pointed to Cabir without looking at him.

"Par...maine kya kiya?" Cabir asked. 

"Woh-" Nandini turned to tell him but Navya motioned for her to stay quiet or else their plan would be exposed. "Woh....kuch nahi."

"Kuch nahi? Toh naraz kyun ho?" 

"Meri marzi....Mera mood ho raha hai iss liye!" Nandini replied.

"Ehhhh?" Cabir & Manik just looked confused.

"Umm...ignore her. Thak gayi hai bechari." Navya spoke up. "Itna saara shopping kiya na...iss liye."

"Oh yeah...kya karida?" Manik asked.

Nandini's eyes widened and she exchanged a look with her sister. 

"Woooh......kamre mein hai Master." Nandini lied. 

"Cool...lets go look." Cabir & Manik walked to the guest room. Nandini snapped her fingers just as Manik opened the door and a giant pile of shopping bags toppled out of the room, burying Manik & Cabir. "AAH!!!"

 Navya glared at Nandini. "NANDUUU!"

"Oopsi...thoda zyada ho gaya." Nandini said.

"Ya think?" Navya rolled here eyes. 

"Master? Cabir?" Nandini called out looking at the pile in concern.

"Oye...Khajur....Manik? Tum dono zinda ho kya?" Navya asked. Thats when the boys popped out, gasping for air.

"Nandiiiinnnnnni!!!" Manik shouted.

"SORRYY! Main abhi sab kuch mere bottle mein rakhti hoon!" Nandini apologized and snapped her fingers. The shopping bags disappeared.

"Itne  saare bags tumhare bottle mein kase aa sakte hai?" Cabir asked.

"Jadu se..." Nandini replied.

"Woh chodo....tumne itna shopping kaise ki?"

"Hum dono ek ek shops mein gaye aur jo jo pasand hai woh kharid liya. Phir hum yahan ghar vaaps aa gaye." Nandini explained. Cabir chuckled while Manik got annoyed.

"No I MEAN....ke itna paise kaha se aaya? Did you use my card?" Manik asked.

"Nahi." Nandini shook her head.

"Tum dono ne chori ki kya? OH NO....Manik, police aata hi hoga. Inko country se bhagana parega! Police ko agar paata chala yeh genies hai toh?" Cabir asked dramatically.

"Chup kar...nautanki." Manik said. "Seriously Nandini...how did you buy all that?"

"Mere paison se." Navya said. "Mere paas bohot saare savings hai."

"Yeh log savings se pura mall karid lenge toh save kya karenge?" Cabir whispered in Manik's ear.

"Paata nahi..Im not in the mood to question anything right now." Manik shrugged and he went into his room. Nandini started to follow him but Cabir stopped her.

"Nandini...let him be. Thode der ke liye akela chod do usse."

"Akela chod diya toh main apne Master ko khush kaise karungi?" Nandini asked.

"Dont worry...Manik khush hi hai. He'll be fine." Cabir said. Nandini didnt like this and snapped her fingers. Cabir disappeared.

"Nandu! Khajur ko kaha bhej diya?" Navya asked.

"Sahara Desert...woh mujhe mere Master ke paas jaane nahi de raha tha Di!" Nandini said.

"Arre par..."

"Dont worry Di, Cabir ke saath main bohot saara paani aur khaana bhi bheja hai. Main pehle Master ke paas jaati hoon, uske baad vapas le aungi." Nandini replied. She then entered Manik's bedroom.

"Nandini...leave me alone."

"Master...aapko meri aur Di ki bachpan ki kahani sunni hai?" Nandini asked. 

"No.." Manik gumbled.

"Ok..so kya hua na...." Nandini ignored him and started the story. Manik looked at her annoyed. "Main, Di, humare do bade bhai aur ek choti behen ke saath khel rahe they. Aur ek Jinn ne na, Di ko propose kar diya-"

"Ek minute...bachpan mein propose?" Manik could not control himself from asking.

"Haan....actually, 1000 saal se pehle hum bache hi hote hai par shaadi ke umar ho jaati hai especially ladkiyon ki." Nandini explained. "Toh..main kahan thi? Haan...toh ek bewakuf jinn, Uday ne Di ko propose ki. Aur humare yahan kya hota hai ki ladki se seedha propose nahi kar sakte, permission mangna parta hai ghar ke badon se. Aur humare dono bade bhai, Omkar Bhai aur Pavan Bhai BOHOT BOHOT zyada gussa ho gaye they."

"Phir kya hua?" Manik asked.

"Phir...Omkar Bhai ne Uday ko ek chote se galli mein dewaar bana diya.." Nandini replied.

"Kya? Dewar? Thats it?"

"Thats it kya...Master, har roz uss dewar pe galli ke kuttey aur kabhi kabhi aadmi bhi wahan susu karke jaata tha." Nandini told him. 

Manik burst out laughing and couldnt control. "Susu? Hahaha haha haha! Poor guy....woh...woh abhi bhi dewar hai kya?"

"Nahi...abhi nahi hai." Nandini replied.

"Oh...so tumhare bhai ne thik kar diya usse?"

"Nahi....Master, ek jinn ya genie ki jadoo ko thodne ke liye sirf do tareeke hai. Ya toh phir jis jinn/ genie ne jadoo kiya hai woh thik karta hai ya phir.....agar woh...Jinn/Genie marr jaata hai toh uske kiya hua harr jadoo toot jaata hai." Nandini said sadly.

"Oh...." Manik realised what she meant. "Matlab tumhare Omkar Bhai..."

"Nahi...sirf Omkar Bhai nahi, Ma, Papa, Omkara Bhai, Pavan Bhai...aur Antara bhi. Humari aur Di ki puri family ab nahi hai." Nandini said.

"Can....Can I ask....kaise?" Manik asked.

"Ek aur Jinn tha, Uday jaisa tha par...nahi bhi tha." Nandini replied.

"Matlab?"

"Matlab....ke jaise Uday ko Di se pyar ho gaya tha aur usne Jinnlok ke rules ke khilaf jaa ke propose kiya vaise hi ek Jinn...Agni ko mujhse shaadi karni thi. Par....fark yeh tha ki Uday ek sadaran sa jinn tha, usne jaise galati ki thi waise apni galati maan ke sazza bhi maan liya lekin Agni waisa nahi tha. Woh ek bohot powerful aur burra jinn tha. Jab mere family ne usko sazza dene ki koshish ki tab usne sab ko marr diya." Nandini told him. "Uska ek power hai....ke woh jab kabhi ek jinn ya genie ko marta hai toh uska powers bhi uske andar absob ho jaata hai. Aur Agni ek wanted criminal hai....bohot saare jinn ko maara hai usne iss liye woh mere family se zyada powerful tha....kisi tarah main aur Di wahan se bhaag gaye par humari family nahi bhaag paaye."

Nandini looked down sadly, a tear rolled down her face. Manik reached out and softly wiped the tear. He then pulled Nandini into a hug, comforting her.

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Thoughts on this chapter?

Do you feel bad for poor Cabir?

What do you think happened with Manik & his family?