"Manahil uth gayi na!Sab aapki wajah se!"I pushed him and he gave me iss mein meri kia galti hai hai wala look.

"Tou usko washroom jana hai ye meri galti hai?"He tried reading my mind while taking a step towards me and i glared at him more.

"Mughe washroom main le k ana ye galti hai apki ab hum donu ek sath uske samne kese niklenge washroom se?"My angry tone turned tensed and he rolled his eyes.

"Aese!"Without thinking twice he unlatched the door and Manahil who was standing there with crossed legs stopping nature's call gasped seeing us both.

"Mama Baba aap donu ek sath kia kal lahe the wasloom main?"She squinted her eyes at us and i turned my gaze towards her father.

Dekh liya!Apki hi aulad haina itni asani se jaan nhi chorti!

"Ye apko baba btayenge minno."I smiled at him and he showed me his eyes.

"Main...main kia bolun!"He fiddled with his words as Manahil turned her cute eyes at him asking for an answer.

"Btaiye!Tell her Manik!"I smiled more at him and he pursed his lips at me.

"Wo Minno actually.."

"Aley susu nital jayegi mughe jana hai."Manahil squirmed and seeing the opportunity he left the washroom immediately.

Bas dekha Chummi k ilawa kuch nhi ata inhe!Jab dekho bas chummi kar wa lo inse!

After Manahil got free we came out from the washroom.He was there sitting on the bed busy with his phone.The plate which has pasta was empty now.

Chlo inhone khana kha liya.

"Baba jani!"She ran towards him and he kept his phone on bedside table,giving his whole attention to her."Ji jaani!"

"Manahil we are sleeping baby!"I moved towards her and she climbed up on her fathers chest.

I showed him my eyes.

Hamein ice cream khane jana haina so let me make her sleep.

I tried forwarding the message through my eyes and he mumbled an "Ok!"

"Come on minno dekho hum bhi so rahe hain baba mama.It's too late na mera bacha."I tried taking her from her father's arms but she adhered to him more.

"Rehne do na we'll take her with us."He looked at me and I glared at him.

"Whele ale you both going?"She pulled her face out and i tapped my foot on the floor being irked.

Kia zaroorat thi iske samne bolne ki ab nhi soyegi ye!

I glared at him so intensely that he gulped down an ample amount of saliva.
"Abhi aap so jao Manahil mama baba apke liye bhi ice cream le kar ayenge."He spoke briskly and Manahil jumped on his laps.While i tapped my head in annoyance.

Gayi bhens pani main!

"Iscleeem!"She screamed in happiness and licked her lower lip while he too smiled seeing her.

"Hmm go wear your slippers we were going out."He kissed her cheek and she ran towards the cupboard.

Crossing my arms I turned when I felt his arms wrapping around my tummy.

"I'll take care of her don't worry.Tum apni ice cream enjoy karna."He spoke softly from behind and planted a kiss on my puffed cheek making me smile.

"Wese bhi mughe tou kuch nhi khana main tou apna dessert aake khaonga."He mumbled in my ear hoarsely and I removed his arms shyly. "Aap bhi na.."

"Meri jaan!"He kissed my cheek again and i blushed more.

"Manik Nandani dessert k liye hamein abhi nikalna hai subah nhi.Agar tum donu ka kuch kuch hogaya ho tou hum sab bahir intezaar kar rahe hain."Cabir bhai's shout startled us and we immediately straightened ourselves.

"Chalein baba jani!"Manahil came running to us and held her father's forefinger.

"Chalo!"He held her tiny palm and we left the room.

As we were demounting stairs Manahil's eyes located Maddy and she ran towards him leaving his father's palm while yelling,"My Friend!"

Maddy used to come at bhaiya's house every now and then to meet us so Minno was very fond of him.

"Manahil slowly!"Manik yelled from behind but Manahil didn't listen and jumped into Maddy's arms.

"Aap tab aye?"She asked happily and Maddy kissed her cheeks,"Jab meri friend so rahi thi." 

I looked at Manik with the corner of my eyes and his face was pale,emotionless.

"Arey let's go na it's getting late."I held my hubby's palm.

"Haan bhai ice cream wala hamara chacha thori lagta hai jo hamare liye poori raat shop khuli rakhega.Kyon Manik?"Rahul laughed and my hubby faked a smile at him.

Jab tak Maddy hai tab tak mughe bohot dhyaan rakhna parega in ka.

We all moved towards Car Porch and Maddy came towards me with Manahil in his arms.
"Candyfloss come with us."He chided and i heard the turning knuckles beside me.

"Ummm No!Main inke sath ati hn aur Minoo aap bhi mama paas aajao.Mama will make you eat ice-cream."I raised my arms towards Manahil.

"Ok Mama!"She came in my arms,happily.

"Mera bacha!"I kissed her ballooned cheeks.

"Come Nandani!"Manik opened the car door and i sat with Manahil in my laps.He smirked at Maddy and i sighed.

Ye donu to kuch ziada hi bhir rahe hain apas main!

"Wese main kia soch raha tha k hum do gariyon main bhi tou ja sakte hain.Maddy aur Rahul mere sath aajao aur Cabir aur Shahid Manik k sath!"Harsh bhaiya came with an opinion and everybody nodded.

Soon everyone settled in the car and drive to the nearest shop which was on the distance of 15 minutes started.

"Aley I forgot something!"Suddenly Manahil tapped her forehead gaining everybody's attention.

"Kia minno?"Her father asked.

"K aap aul mama ek sath wasloom main kia kal lahe the?"She muttered in sheer innocence and my eyes came out of their sockets.

How embarrassing Aiyappa!

After a momentarily silence Cabir bhai and Shahid bursted into laughter and i felt the need to hide myself.

Dekha bohot shauq haina chummian karne ka ab bhugtein aap!

I cursed my husband who was blushing.Yes!He was blushing.

"Tell me na mama!"Manahil nagged and i felt my mouth dry.

"Manik bta na yaar bachi kuch puch rahi hai tughse."Cabir bhai laughed again and my hubby glared at him through front mirror,"Shut up Cabir!"
I could see him controlling his smile.

Nhi Nandani gaali nhi.Mian ji ko gaali nhi dete.

"Minno see stars!Chlo count them and tell mama how many stars are there in the sky."I tried diverting her mind and thankfully she got indulged in counting.

"Wese aaj kal water shortage chal rahi haina isliye Manik bhai..."Before Shahid could laugh more Manik turned his eyes towards them and the both men behind went quiet.

We reached the shop and thought of eating ice-cream in our cars.

"Aapki double chocolate aur apki mint chocolate?"Manik asked lovingly and we both nodded.

"Aur mere liye Vanilla aur Shahid tu konsi lega?"

"I'll have cookies and cream!"

They both ordered from behind and my husband turned towards them, "Do i look like waiter to you both?"He smiled sarcastically and they laughed making me giggle too. 

"Nhi asal main tu teri biwi k liye ja raha tha tou humne socha hum bhi tou tere chote bhai jaise hain?"Cabir bhai muttered sadly and Manik rolled his eyes before saying, "Shut up and come with me!"

They were going towards the shop when Manahil pulled out her neck from the window and shouted,"Louble scoop for me baba!"To which her father turned and smiled.Keeping a hand on his chest he nodded,"At your service mam!"

"I love Baba jani Mama.He is so good!"Manahil gushed and I smiled seeing her love for Manik.

"Yes!He is the best father in the world!"I settled her disheveled hair.

Bhaiya's car stopped behind us and the all men came out of the car while Sunaina was sitting inside.

"Kuch chahiye tughe?"Harsh bhaiya came to my side along with Maddy and Rahul.

"Nhi bhaiya ye gaye hain icecream lene."I smiled at him and he nodded before going towards the shop.

Soon the boys came with ice creams.

"Minno come here!"Manik called Manahil after sitting in the car.

"Ye apki double scoop double chocolate."He thumped her the cup."Thantyou baba!"She clapped in happiness and started relishing it.

"You aren't eating?"I asked my hubby after taking a spoonful ice-cream and he shrugged.

"Nhi tum kha lo phir baad mein main tumhe kha lunga."He answered plainly while wiping Manahil's chocolate smeared face and a blush caressed my cheeks understanding his meaning.Thankgod Cabir bhai and Shahid were having their ice creams with bhaiya.They all were standing near bhaiya's car and were talking randomly.And Manahil was too busy to hear something.

"Do you need anything else?"From nowhere Maddy came and I rolled down my window shield.I smiled at him genuinely,"No thakyou!"

"Bhai Tu apna khyaal rakh le ye bohot hai.Mere biwi bachon ka khyaal rakhne k liye main hn."Manik smiled at him but it was tinted with anger.

"Ofcourse wo tou main dekh hi raha hn!"Maddy too answered in the same tone.I looked towards Maddy.What is wrong with him?Why is he behaving so different with Manik.

"Acha Candyfloss try this you'll love it."He spooned some lava cake with vanilla ice-cream and forwarded it to me.

"Hmm it's tasty."I loved how it tasted and Maddy smiled.

"Fleind!Mughe bhi khilao na."Manahil too opened her mouth and Maddy laughed while forwarding her a spoon too.

"Yummy!"She moaned and we chuckled.All the time Manik was sitting rigid.

"Arey minno ye kia kia apne.This is how you eat ice-cream?Baba ki poori shirt apne khrab kar di."I spoke a little loudly as my eyes fell on Manik's shirt.

"I'm Sorry baba."Manahil mumbled with her lower lip out and Manik shook his head at her.

"It's fine baby.You don't need to cry."He caressed her cheeks and she looked at me with corner of her eyes.

"Mama gussa kalengi."She cried and i glared at her before wiping her mouth and hands with wet wipes.

"Nandani stop scaring her."Manik looked at me and I turned my head towards window where Maddy was standing.

"Chill Candyfloss!"Maddy chuckled seeing me annoyed and i rolled my eyes.

"Friend?Mere paas aaogi aap?"He raised his palms towards Manahil and before Manahil could react Manik pressed the horn,asking Cabir bhai and Shahid to sit in the car.

"Let's go home.It's so dark now."Manik spoke while looking infront and Maddy sighed taking his palms back while Manahil laid her head on her baba's chest.She was sleepy now.

'So rude'. Maddy murmured and left but i heard him.

"Sunein aap ziyada possessive ho rahe hain.Maddy is a very good friend of mine wo aesa wesa larka nhi hai."I tried making his heart good for Maddy.

"Yeah I've seen his friendship.Uske liye yhi behtar hai k wo dur rahe tum se.Main bardaasht kar raha hn par mere sabr ka imtehaan na le wo tou ziyada acha hoga.Arey hota kaun hai wo hamare beech main bolne wala."He growled suddenly and I closed my eyes being tired.

Aiyappa!Abhi tou use aye hue ek din hua hai aur ye aese react kar rahe hain.Aage kia hoga.

Cabir bhai and Shahid joined us and drive back to home went all quiet.Maybe they had noticed the change in Manik's behaviour.

My husband carried a sleeping Manahil in his arms and went upstairs without talking to anyone.
Everybody else went to their respective rooms including Maddy.He looked little down too.The room in which Manik used to sleep was given to Maddy as now Manik and i were staying in the same room.

I sat down on sofa when Harsh bhaiya came and sat beside me.
He took me in his arms and i laid my head on his chest being tired.

"Ssshh!I know."Before i could utter something he hushed me.

"Everything will be fine don't worry.Tu janti haina Manik ko he is so possessive about you aur jabse tu use chor k gayi thi uske baad se tou aur bhi ziada pagal hogaya hai tere peeche."Bhaiya chuckled at last making me smile too.

"He is so kharoos bhaiya!"I scrunched my nose and bhaiya tapped my head from back.

"And who used to cry buckets for this kharoos?"He teased me and i laughed.

"Anyone up for black coffee?"Maddy came downstairs changed into night pyjamas and shirt.

We looked towards him and i nodded hastily at him while bhaiya denied.

"Achi bnana!"I screamed as he went towards kitchen.

"Ohk Madam!"He screamed back and i looked towards bhaiya,"Maddy ne mera uss waqt sath diya hai jab maine apne liye sab darwaze band kar liye the.Aap tou jante haina bhaiya k wo dil ka kitna acha hai."

"I know Nandani but think from Manik's pov also.To be honest I literally felt some change in Maddy's behaviour too.
I mean there should be a line which he shouldn't cross with Manik." I was busy determining the meaning behind bhaiya's words when we heard a loud shrill from kitchen.

Maddy!

.....
Do leave your reviews.I'll be waiting.
Yours,
New Wanderer.