Manik's Family

"Kya? Girlfriend? Yeh kab..kaise....tune bataya kyun nahi?" Raj asked.

"Oh thank god!" Nyonika sighed in relief.

"Thank god?" Manik was confused.

"Actually, mujhe laaga ki tujhe....you know." Nyonika replied.

"MOM! Im not gay!" 

"Haan, I know that.....now." Nyonika said. "Anyways jo bhi hai...main toh bohot khush hoon. Lekin tere Dad sahi keh rahe hai...tune bataya kyun nahi, ek baar milwaya bhi nahi. Aise reporters ke through paata chal raha hai humme." 

Aryaman punched him in the shoulder. "Dude...at least mujhe toh bata dete! Tabhi main sochu tujhe shaadi kyun nahi karni thi."

"Oh this is so exciting! Manik...tum kab milwane wale ho humme usse?" Mukti asked.

"Um...Kal?" Manik said. Navya, Cabir & Abhi were silent through all this as they already knew the truth

"Haan...usse kal gharpe bulana.Maine bhi toh dekhu mere bete ki pasand." Nyonika said.

Nandini's Family

"Really Nandini...mujhe tumse yeh umeed nahi thi. Devyani Khanna ki beti ho ke tum aise raat ko kisi ke saath bhi...chi!" Devyani shook her head in disgust.

"Mem saab mujhe lagta hai ki-"

"Maine pucha kya?" Devyani interrupted Jaya. "Beech mein mat paro...yeh meri aur meri beti ki personal mamla hai."

"Jaya Kaki se aap aise kaise baat kar rahi hai? Aapse zyada unhone mujhe paala hai...unko purra haq hai beech mein bolne ki." Nandini argued.

"Acha! Toh ab yeh naukrani mujhse zyada important hi gayi!"

"Mom...maine woh nahi kaha lekin Jaya Kaki bhi mere liye important hai. And...Manik mera boyfriend." Nandini lied. Jaya smiled while Devyani rolled her eyes.

"Huh tumhare paison ke piche hoga. Khub jaanti hoon main iske jaise gaana bajane walon ko....musicians humesha successful nahi hota hai beta."

"Aapne puri news nahi dekhi kya? He is Manik Malhotra!" Nandini said. Devyani's mouth dropped open in shock. "He is a rockstar aur uske family ke paas bohot paisa hai....so no he isnt after our money."

"Manik Malhotra? Matlab mashoor businessman Raj Malhotra ka beta? Woh Manik Malhotra?" Devyani asked.

"Haan...."

"Oh my god! Sweety thats amazing! Yeh hui na meri beti jaisi baat! Tune Manik Malhotra ko apne pyar mein phasaya liya?" Devyani cheered.

"Mujhe uske paison se koi lene dena nahi hai." Nandini told her but Devyani ignored her and started calling her friends to brag that her daughter was dating the most eligible bachelor. "Mom!"

"Jaane de pari...khush hai tere liye." Jaya Kaki said as Devyani walked away.

"Mere liye? Nahi Kaki, Mom mere liye nahi apne liye khush hai. She can brag about me to her kitty party wale friends now. Unke liye paise hi sab kuch hai." Nandini sighed. "Main raat bhar bahar thi lekin unhne mujhe call sirf tab kiya jab mere news channel pe dikha rahe they. Unki image pe ban aayi thi tabhi unhone call ki mujhe."

Jaya sat Nandini down on the couch and Nandini placed her head on Jaya's lap.

"Meri Mom mujhse pyaar kyun nahi karti hai Kaki?" Nandini emotionally asked. Jaya carrassed her hair slowly.

Jaya decided to change the subject. "Acha woh sab chod...yeh bata tune uss ladke ko...kya naam bataya tha? Haan Manik...usse paata hai kya?"

Nandini knew what she was talking about and shook her head.

"Tu apni Ma se kyun chupa rahi hai yeh toh samajh aata hai par tu manik ko kyun nahi baata rahi hai? Tu toh pyar karti hai na usse? Pyar mein secrets ki koi jagah nahi hoti bacha." Jaya explained. Nandini stayed silent as she knew that all of this was fake. "After all woh tere boyfriend hai aur...'

"Boyfriend toh tab hoga jab main approve karungi!" A girl's voice said from the main entrance. Nandini sat up and was surprised to see her cousin, Ishani Thappar.

"Ishu!"

"Nandu!" The girls ran towards each other and hugged. "Omg I missed you so much! Aur vaise...how could you get a boyfriend and not tell me?"

"Uh woh..."

"Ishani...kaisi ho?" Jaya asked.

"Main thik hoon Kaki. Aap?"

"Bilkul thik...acha you girls talk. Mujhe kuch kaam hai." Jaya then left the girls alone.

"Girl...you cant imagine my reaction jab maine tujhe tv pe dekha woh bhi with Rockstar Manik Malhotra! I mean, I didnt think he was your type but wow...he is hot!" Ishani gushed. "Maine toh bohot badi fan hoon uska...milwane kab wali hai tu mujhse?"

"What?"

"Haan I mean like I said I have to approve him first then mujhe autograph chahiye with a selfie to post on my blog and THEEENNNN he can be your boyfriend." Ishani stated. Nandini couldnt help but chuckle.

Ting!

At that moment Nandini got a text on her phone so she read it.

M: Come to my house tomorrow. Main address msg kar dunga.

N: Kyun?

M: Meri family tumse milna chahta hai.

N: Acha aur Pls aur Thank bolna nahi sikha kya tumne?

M: Manik Malhotra doesnt say those stupid stuff.

N: And Nandini Murthy does take orders so...nope, main nahi aa rahi tumhare ghar.

M: ARGHH! Fine...PLS kal mere ghar aao.

N: Much better....okay.

M: Good.

N: Excuse me???

M:...Thank you, HAPPY!

N: Very! 😄😄😄

Finally Nandini put her phone away and Ishani was staring at her.

"Kiska msg tha? Your lover boy?" Ishani teased.

"No..woh Navya ka tha. I told you right she lives nearby...woh actually Manik ki bhabhi hai." Nandini said.

"Woah! Really? Thats so cool." Ishani stated.

"Actually main na kal Manik ki ghar jaa rahi hoon to meet his family. Tujhe aana hai?" 

"Yaahh! Of course mujhe aana hai!" Ishani squealed. "I cant wait...we have to go shopping!"

"Kya? Shopping? Kyun tere paas kapre nahi hai kya?"

"I do...lekin Manik Malhotra aur uske family se milne wale hai uss type ke kapre nahi hai. Its has to be special. So lets go." Ishani grabbed Nandini and dragged her out.

The Next Day...

Malhotra Mansion

"Manik...I cant believe you two are doing this." Navya said. "Matlab...Mom aur Dad isse sach mann rahe hai....how can you play with their emotions like that? Yeh galat hai."

"I know Navya lekin this is just temporary. Aur koi tareeka nahi tha na, to save both our reputations. Aur tum toh uss din apne dost ke saath thi na? If you had kept an eye on her or if my idiot brothers had kept an eye on me then yeh sab hota hi nahi na?"

"Seriously? You are blaming us now?" 

"Guys..bas karo. Jo ho gaya woh ab ho gaya. Navya...I know we might not like this lekin Manik aur tumhari dost dono adults hai, they can make their own decisions. Lets just support them." Abhi stopped them from fighting.

"Hey...I think she is here." Cabir who was looking out the window said. Navya & Manik went to look to.

"Haan yeh Nandini ki hi gadi hai."

Nandini & Ishani got out of the car and went upto the front door ringing the doorbell.

"Hello Nandini beta. Im Nyonika, Manik ki Mom." Nyonika greeted her.

"Namaste Aunty."Nandini bent to touch her feet.

"Betiya pair nahi chootey" Nyonika said and then gave her a hug. Nandini was surprised as her own mother had never hugged her. Jaya Kaki always hugged and comforted her but this hug was different, it was motherly and warm and also protective. Nandini almost didnt want to let go.

"Um...yeh meri cousin hai, Meri Maasi ki beti Ishani." Nandini introduced Ishani who was super excited to meet everyone.

"Ishani!" Navya came over and hugged her. "Nandini told me you were in Rome."

"Haan I was there but as soon as I saw the news I came back." Ishani replied. 

"Arre sab yahan darwaze pe kyun khade hai? Andar aao." Raj spoke up.

"Nandini...come and sit with me." Mukti took Nandini with her to a couch. "Bohot baatein karni hai mujhe...tell me everything. Tum dono kaise mile?"

"Concert."

"Class trip."

"Eh?" Raj Nyonika, Mukti & Ishani looked confused.

"Woh actually Im a music teacher toh I took my students....on a class trip.......to Manik's concert!" Nandini mashed the two lies together.

"OOH!!" 

"Aur I love you pehle kisne bola?" Mukti asked.

"Manik." Nandini said immediately before Manik could say anything.

"Haaye....so sweet!" Nyonika gushed. After that they talked for a bit more and then sat for dinner. Nandini really got along with Manik's family well and they liked her alot.

Then while eating, Nyonika decided to announce something.

"Vaise hum soch rahe they ki jald se jald tum dono ki shaadi kara de."

Nandini started choking on the food she was eating while Manik spit out the water in his mouth.

"Arre tum dono itne surprised kyun ho? Shaadi ka plan toh tha na tum dono ka? Jab reporters ne pucha tha tab toh kaha ki shaadi karni hai." Raj asked.

"Haan Dad...of course karni hai." Manik lied.

"Then its decided! Ghar mein shaadi hogi!" Mukti cheered. Navya, Abhi & Cabir were in shock while the others were very happy.

"Nandini tum apni Ma Baap ko do din baad le ao, hum aage ki baatien unke saath kar lenge."

"Actually aunty, Nandini ki Dad nahi hai...sirf Mom, matlab meri Maasi hai." Ishani told them.

"Oh sorry...phir apni Ma ko le aana." Nyonika corrected herself.

"Baaj gaya Band...ab hum kya karenge?" Nandini thought to herself. She looked at Manik who had the same expression on his face as her.....one of pure panic.

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

Note: Hey! So how was this chapter?

What do you think will happen next?

Will they get out of this marriage or will they play along till the end?