~ Love is an answer, and you know that for sure.
Love is a flower, and you have to let it grow.
- John Lennon.~

It had been one month to their marriage, and the awkwardness between them had decreased, to a greater extent. Well, specifically, Nandini was never hesistant to begin with, she had accepted Manik as her life partner the day she agreed for the marriage. But Manik had, a lot of it in his plate and it had taken a lot from Nandini's side to soothe him out of that unwanted gestures. He had stopped being frozen Everytime she would help him put up the blazer, or be surprised when she would pack him lunch. They had fallen into a routine, and Nandini had rejoined her job at the college too. They spent the alternate weekends with either her Appa or The Chatterjees, enjoying brunch or a light dinner, while the remaining weekends they would spend in their own home, being cozy and lazy, together.

It was one such Friday, when Nandini called Manik from her college.

"Hey!", She greeted him, adjusting the strap of her watch on her hand.

"Hi! Everything alright?", He asked immediately, since it was not everyday she would call him at 5 in the evening.

Tujhe paaya nhi hai, fir bhi, khone see dar rha hu,
Chup chup k tujhse tera chehra Mai padh rha hu!

Nandini giggled at his tensed voice.

" Yup. Just to inform you, I am going shopping with my colleagues, and I think we might get late. Pick me up from Infinity Mall, while returning?", She spoke, and simultaneously elbowed Suman, her friend and colleague who was teasing her.

" Oh, yeah fine, alright. See you in the evening then!", Manik relaxed, and they ended the call.

Fifteen minutes later, Nandini received a message of her bank account being credited with some money.

Before she could react, her Whatsapp pinged.

" Don't make faces, have fun!".

These small, subtle gestures made Manik, Manik and also, made Nandini adore him. She knew it wasn't because she couldn't afford her shopping, or he was being generous. It was simply his way to show he cared.

Thode aansu, thodi yaadein,
Thodi chahat, thode vaaden!

Suman danced as she caught Nandini smiling into the phone.

" I think I brought wrong company, for Mrs is busy with her mister!", Suman teased again, and Nandini laughed.

" Just wait till you get married baby!", Nandini teased back, and the friends started laughing, walking towards the mall.

Midway shopping, it struck Nandini that she could buy Manik a shirt or something too. So, she ran her hands through the men section, hoping something would catch her eyes, but she didn't find anything worth it. Disappointed, she was about to exit that shop when her gaze fell on a customizing shop, who were making coffee mugs, keychains and other similar stuff on custom demand.

Nandini dragged Suman with her to the shop, asking her to help with the gift. Fiddling with a long list, Nandini finally zeroed down on a key chain, and she was told she could ask them to write anything in that key chain!

" Suman, help me, shall I make a keychain of his name? Or a quote? Hakuna Matata or something?", Nandini asked Suman who started laughing, watching her fret.

" I didn't know Nandini Murthy knew how to be nervous. The way you handle your students, I thought you don't know what anxiety is", Suman continued to laugh, while Nandini hit her with her handbag.

" It's Nandini Malhotra by the way! And help me na!", She stomped her foot, and Suman rolled her lips in to not really giggle again.

" How about 'MaNan'?", Suman suggested, and Nandini raised her eyebrows at her.

" What?"

" Are, Manik and Nandini, together as MaNan", Suman shrugged at her dumb friend, whose face was now glowing like a Diwali night.

Mujhme baki, ab talak, ye Kyu Tere jajbat hai!
Ye pyaar nhi toh Kya h?
Pyaar nhi to Kya h?

"Perfect", she exclaimed, happily asking the shopkeeper to make a keychain with the words 'MaNan: forever'.

The girls then spent some time window shopping before actually buying outfits and stuff, and then made their way to the food court.

Sometime later, Nandini's phone rang. It was Manik, waiting for her outside. She immediately rushed to collect the keychain, and then made her way down, bidding bye to Suman, almost running to the black BMW that was standing at the parking lot, with her husband waiting for her.

Manik stood straight when he saw Nandini running towards him, somehow handling the shopping bags, and a smile made it's way on his otherwise tired face.

"Hey!", She flashed her teeth at him, while Manik smiled back, taking the bags from her hand, dumping them on the backseat of the car.

" Let's go home?", Manik opened the car door and she sat in happily, opening the deck to find her favorite chocolate lying there, as usual.

Saaya banke sang Tere dhoop me chalna,
Khud see hi tarrefe Teri, raat bhar karna!

Manik closed her side of the door, laughing at this child like Nandini, before sitting on the driver seat.

He had not even realized when did his house become home, or since when had he started liking going home sooner. He didn't know why did he kept her favorite chocolates in deck of his car, always, or why did her laughter make him smile back.

He knew he loved her, he had always loved her. But love didn't mean so many other things too, or did it?

Bhoolu kaise, beeti baatein,
Dhoondhe tujhko bheegi aankhein!

Nandini on the other hand, munched on her dairy milk, her mind going back to the day she had asked him to bring one for her the first time. He did bring, but a silk. She had fought with him that day, and cried too, lecturing him about how not every girl loved silks. Some love the plain dairy milk too. And since then, he had made it a routine, to have them stuffed in their fridge, as well as in the car.

Also, she knew he was the one who sneaked them into her handbag every morning too.

Goonjti kaano me ab Tak, bus Teri awaaz h!
Ye, pyaar nhi toh Kya h?
Pyaar nhi toh Kya h?

She looked at him, his concentration on driving, and somehow, she felt a rush of emotions inside her, for him. She wanted to kiss the hell out of him, that very moment, or maybe ruffle his hairs, or trace her finger over the contour of his jaw.

"Why are you starting at me, that creepily?", Manik's voice broke her trance, and she rolled her lips in, to hide the blush that erupted on her cheeks. She could feel the heat.

Manik started to laugh at her, but again, she was mesmerized by it.

" Have I told you, how addictive your laughter is?", She asked, and Manik laughed harder at her question. Having your wife acting smitten with you, is not a everyday scene, anyway.

" You tell that to me, everyday Nandini!", He answered her either way, and then looked ahead, not revealing the reason why he laughed more these days.

You don't boost your wife's ego everyday too!

Reaching home, Nandini quickly freshened up first, making some light dinner for them. Manik came out, fresh, and they had their food, watching the daily news, chitchatting in between. The dinner was followed by some ice cream, which was their three days a week ritual, and then finally, Manik went to the room, while Nandini attended to the small works here and there, like switching off the gas, and checking the door knob.

Once done, she entered the room, and found him sitting on the bed, his back on the headrest, legs extended in front, and some case file in his hand.

Hai tujhise vaasta bus, gair Sara jahan!
Tu mile, bus tu mile, aur kuch bhi chahun na!

Nandini stood at door, for quite some time, watching him, unbazed, unblinking. Her heart swelled up with so much of emotions for this man yet again who was literally trying to lay the world at her feet with his simple caring attitude. She felt blessed to have him, in her life. There were days she was so much touched with his care, like today, and yet never expressed it.

She walked up to him, and sat beside him on the bed.

" It's late!", She eyed the file when Manik looked up at her.

"I know, you sleep, I will wrap up in few minutes!", He shrugged, and was sure she would lay down like every other day, when he felt her snatching the file.

Tute tute khwab sare, bujh gye ahsas ye sare.
Yaad fir bhi, ab talak, mujhko Teri har baat hai!

Sitting up on her knees, she pulled him towards her a little, such that she could move into the space between his back and the bed. Pressing her fingers subtly on his shoulders, she pressed them, and Manik was flabbergasted.

" Nandini?", He called out, surprised.
She paid no heed.

She continued to press his shoulders, before pressing his scalp a little too. Manik felt utterly relaxed and closed his eyes. She could see that in his body language. She then, bent to drop a kiss on the top of his head, at which he jerked opened his eyes.

Nandini moved back to her part of the bed, and half lay down, dragging Manik, such that he fell on top of her with his head on her chest.

Manik was completely still, unable to grasp what she was doing. But Nandini knew was she was up to. She held him close, and then continued to run her fingers through his hair, calming him down, and simultaneously patting him, urging him to sleep.

Manik felt tears stinging his eyes. No one had ever done that to him. No one had ever cajoled him in that way, especially when he was okay as such, not even low or vulnerable. Nandini could feel her kurta getting wet after a few minutes.

She tightened her hold on him, kissing his hairs again. Manik gave in, relaxed in her hold, wrapping his arms around her waist, and finally welcomed sleep, on her chest.

Nandini watched his breathing getting slower, and rhythmic. She kissed his eyes when she was certain he was asleep. She didn't know what to name those jittery feelings she felt for him, but she knew she wanted to protect him all her life. She wanted to be in his arms, and let him hold her close.

For the first time since their marriage, Manik and Nandini welcomed sleep in each other's arms, holding on to each other, subtly, but strongly.

Their was progress, both knew that, and they could not be happier.

Ye pyaar nhi toh Kya hai?
Ye pyaar nhi toh Kya h, ye?
Pyaar nhi toh Kya hai?