Arranged Bhasad

5.

It's been a week since their 'not-so-usual' date and Manik and Nandini were coming more closer via the invention of the modern era, cellphone. They didn't had much time to meet each other since all the preparations had already started, one by one and Manik had full fledged work. Nandini though had holidays till three months, but was busy in studying for her PhD.

It was around 2:30 am and both had just stopped talking due to low battery in her phone. She kept the phone on charger and sat on her bed with her book studying.

A knock disturbed her and she hummed, keeping her spectacles beside. It was her Baba.

"Baba, aap?" She smiled at him who smiled back and sat beside her with a cup of coffee.

"Aapne kyu taklif ki? Main bana leti?" He caressed her hair "Aap parho beta!" After around twenty minutes, she kept the book beside and moved to her father "Aapko neend nahi aarahi?" Her father shook his head and she smiled.

"Aapko ek baat bataye?" He asked to which she quickly nodded "Aap humara guroor hai Nandini. Aap jaisi betiyaan bohot bhagyawaano ko milti hai aur humein pata hai, aap bohot acchi patni bhi banengi Manik ke liye, aapki mummy jaisi!" Nandini slowly wrapped her arms around his body and smiled "Aap bhi best baba ho!"

"Beta! Aap bohot talented ho isliye kabhi apni parhai mat chorna" Nandini's eyes snapped at her "Aapki Shaadi itni kam umr me ho jaa rahi hai lekin aap apni PhD zaroor puri karna. Agar Manik ke parivaar se koi rok-tok aaye tab Hume batana!" Nandini smiled and hugged him closely "Nahi, Manik ko koi aitraaz nahi! Wo toh khud hume ek list de kar gaye hai best colleges ki!" Mrityunjay smiled widely "Hume pata tha aap jaisi pari Manik jaisa rajkumar hi deserve karti hai! Humesha khush rehna aur sada khush rehna unke saath!" Nandini wiped the pile of tears forming in her eyes and nodded.

"Aapko Abb so jaana Chaiye na beta? Abhi 3 bajne aaye hai phir 4 baje uthke sargi bhi khaani hai, aapka pehla karwachauth hai na!" Nandini nodded and he, kissing her forehead went away with the cups.

She lied on the bed thinking of Manik.  How lucky she was to get him as her husband. He was the sweetest one could ever get. He was so supportive of her decisions and only wanted her to prosper.

Her eyes slowly closed and she slept but soon at around 3:55 she was being called. She never nudged and silently got ready in a red saree and ate the sargi sent by Sreelekha.

Wiping the sweat forming on her forehead, she sighed and turned towards her bed to sleep. She hardly had energy to keep her eyes open when a call disturbed her.

"Hello? Kaun?" She spoke yawning to which her man on the other side grew tense "Nandini, Tum thik ho na?"

She smiled "Haa Manik main thik hu! Aap itni subah?"

"Ha.. Han Wo Tum fast rakh rahi thi toh maine socha call karlu.. Tum aaram se so jao and rest lo, thik hai?"

"Thik hain!" She smiled at his care and slept again.

It was around 6 pm when even after continuous callings, Nandini didn't wake up.

Jaya grew tensed and started shaking her to which Nandini nagged "Maa, aap jaayiye! Main baad me chali aaungi please!"

"Lekin Nandini hume Malhotras ke ghar jaana hai beta! Wo kya sochenge?" Nandini shook her head "Aap jaayiye na Maa! Main aajaungi! 10 minute hi toh door hain!" Jaya sighed and said "Theek hai! Jaldi aana!"

It was around 8 pm when Manik insisted Sreelekha to let him get Nandini home. Sreelekha nodded genuinely but Divya held her hands "Jeeji, aap kaise use akele?"

"Are Divya! Nandini ko laane hi toh jaa raha hai aur phir Shaadi toh ek mahine me ho hi jaa rahi hai! Tum fikr mat karo!" Divya nodded and moved to her husband.

Manik unlocked the house and entered Nandini's room to find her sleeping. He smiled and sat beside her, caressing her hair "Nandini! Nandini!"

She moved in her sleep "Nandini! Uth jao! 8 baj gaye hai, aapko puja nahi karni?" She slowly opened her eyes which felt the heaviest at the moment and looked at him. Finding him, she jumped and sat up "Aap?" Moving her eyes to the clock, she fumbled "s**t!! 8 baj gaye!! Manik.. Manik.. Main jaan bujh kar nahi soyi.. Wo.. Kal!" All of sudden, she started crying and hiccuping to which he grew tensed and cupped her cheeks "Are.. Areey! Hogaya bas!! Bas!! Nahi rotey aise! Aapki koi galti nahi..!"

Nandini was still scared of her in-laws. She was shivering a little due to the sudden crying when he pulled out his phone and called his mother "Maa, Wo Nandini weakness ki wajah se behosh ho gayi thi!" Sreelekha widened her eyes "Thik hai Nandini?" Manik smiled while Nandini kept looking at him with confusion "Jee Jee Thik hain!" Caressing her hair and cheek, he spoke "Uski toh Shaadi abhi tak hui nahi toh katha-path me toh Wo waise bhi nahi baithengi toh kya yehi main vrat tod du uska?" Sreelekha nodded "Haan Haan zaroor!! Dhyaan rakh tu!" Manik nodded and hung up the call while Nandini kept looking at the perfect piece made by God.

"Chalo! Abb tum thal ready karo, hum yehi apna karwachauth manaenge!" Nandini smiled with a blush and moved to the Puja room to arrange the thaal while Manik kept noticing the room and gave an impressive look.

"Jee Chaliye!" He looked behind and saw her ready in a red saree and found his chest heating up. His heart was beatin, double it's usual speed and with a blush he moved to her balcony while she too followed him.

She slowly did the aarti with the sieve and all the required items and he made her drink water. He then passed on a sweet for her to eat and she ate it with a smile and blush. She was about to keep the thaal away when he pulled her by her elbow. Widening her eyes, she looked at him to see him biting his lips "Kya hua?" She asked slowly.

"Woh.. Wo maine bhi fast rakha hai toh..!" Shock was an understatement for her since never had she seen a man fasting for his wife. Her father did love her mother but even he never fasted or thought of something like that.

"Aap kyu?" She asked to which he smiled "Shaadi toh dono ki ho rahi hai na toh dono hi surakshit rahenge!" She smiled as her heart beamed with joy and she slowly made him drink water and some sweets. His hands made their way around her neck till her hair bun and he slowly pressed his lips against her forehead skin, leading both of them to close their eyes.

THOUGHT OF UPDATING THIS ON KARWACHAUTH BUT THEN! ENJOY! ❤❤