Final note: As most of you know, and for those who don't, this is the last chapter for this book.
Aug 2018 to Sept 2020, two years, and love so much I can't possibly fathom, or express my gratitude for - every one of you who read this book, voted or commented, have made me smile on unexpected days, and I can't find words decent enough to speak how much of it all have meant to me.
A sincere Thank you, from me to You.

This update is dedicated to i_aleema and was supposed to be updated on her birthday, three days ago, but I couldn't, but here is wishing her a belated, but very happy birthday ❤️ She is one of the sweetest person I know, and I would love if you guys too can take a moment to wish her.

I will now let you read in peace, but be alert enough to read another note in the end of this chapter! Thank you ❤️

~ I face when I close my eyes
I see a glimpse of your own paradise
You came from heaven above
I'm lost in your love
Free as the wind
You give me wings to fly
I feel I could stay
In love forever and a day~

Ten months later :

Abhik huffed and sat down on the newly purchased six seater couch, which technically was still wrapped in polythene, extremely tired. Anushree who was standing near the window started giggling looking at the exhausted form of her husband.

"That's it? That was all?", she teased, walking around filling a glass of water for him and passing it to him. Abhik pouted before gulping down the entire glass, and then looked at his wife.

"You didn't tell me setting a new house is this difficult, and tiring!", he threw his hands in the air and complained, but it didn't melt Anushree a bit.

"You didn't ask, FYI. And please, we chose all the furniture online, Manik got this delivered, Nandini has already settled most things in place, and all we have to do is set the drawing room finely for the Pooja- you can't do even that. Why did I marry you, again?", Anushree rambled, clearing the boxes out of the way. Abhik looked at his wife, and gave his best innocent puppy dog eyes, making her laugh.

"Go dump these in our bedroom, we will arrange these later. And that stock goes in Nandini's bedroom, okay? Clear this out, so that I can began decorating for the pooja. We have just few hours in hand!", she instructed, her hands on her hips and Abhik stood up, saluting her with a huge "Yes Mam" making her grin. She took a few steps towards her husband and looped her arms around his neck before leaning to kiss his cheek. Abhik immediately held her waist and smiled, rubbing her nose with her.

"I can't believe this is finally happening!", he stated, leaving her waist to cup her cheeks.

"Me neither. But this is happening, and I can't be more proud of you!", she returned his smile with a wider one, and rested her head on his chest, hugging him close.

"Now now, let's get to work before I loose control or Manik wouldn't waste one single minute to dig my grave!", Abhik laughed, making her chuckle, and together they set to work, preparing for the happiest moment ahead of their lives as of now.

--------

"Maaaniikkkkk!", Nandini whined, standing in front of her more than half emptied wardrobe, pouting to herself. Manik peeked from the washroom, his shaving blade in his hand, trying his best not to smile. A towel wrapped around his waist, and one cheek half shaved, he was a sight to behold.

"What?", he asked, knowing very well what, yet acting unaware.

"I can't choose what to wear", Nandini turned around, and rested her right palm over his naked chest, looking right up into his eyes, "Help me. I won't have time to change later, so it should be decent enough for the function and flashy enough for the Pooja later"

Manik shook his head and chuckled. Nandini was such a baby when she was nervous, and today he could practically see the nervousness oozing out of her.

"You are always decent baby, after all you are the great Akshara Bahu", Manik winked at her, making her giggle, "Except for our Ice-cream dates, I mean".

Red creeped up her cheeks as she laughed, feeling shy at his words, and that only make him grin wider.

" What? You don't feel shy eating ice-cream, but you feel shy talking about it-"

"Manik!", Nandini spoke mortified, all their adventures roaming like a movie through her mind, and she knew he was thinking exactly about that too, and that only embarrassed her more. Manik laughed out loud, before pushing her aside to take a packet from his wardrobe and handing it to her.

"Because you have the most amazing husband in the world, who knew beforehand that you won't find clothes for the occasion when needed, and because it's your special day, and you deserve a gift, this is for you", he bowed down dramatically, before flipping his invisible collor, and watched Nandini jump in excitement as she hurriedly opened the packet to find a beautiful mixed cotton block printed blue anarkali kurta and plazzo set, paired with an equally pretty dupatta and huge matching danglers, just like she preferred.

Nandini squealed excitedly, and immediately stood on her toes to kiss Manik's half shaved cheek, before beginning to dance around, her happiness evident in the sprint in her steps.

Manik smiled looking at her, it was so easy to make her happy and he could never get tired of watching her smile. In some way, her smile was the trigger he needed to smile. She was infectious that way.

Half an hour later, he walked out of the room, dressed in a navy blue three piece tux, that he had carefully chose so he could match his wife, his eyes looking for Nandini.

When his favourite fragrance lingered in the air near him, he knew she was here. Sometimes he hated how that she took so much time for a shower that she mostly had to use the spare room to get ready and deprive him of the pleasure of watching her doll up. He tilted his head as Nandini walked out of the room, smiling brightly at him, the dress suiting her fair complexion and accentuating her features.

"How do I look?", Nandini twirled around in her dress, asking Manik who was either way staring at her, charmed with her prettiness.
He held her hand and pulled her to him, and she collided into his chest at the unexpected jerk, but Manik paid no heed as he tucked her hairs behind her ear and leaned to kiss her forehead, making her grin.

She clutched the lapels of his blazer and smirked.

"I didn't put lipstick, instead kept it in my handbag", her eyes twinkled as she teased him, not expecting an answer to her question in words, because she could just see it in the way he looked at her. Manik's lips curved up before he pulled her closer, and dipped in to take her lips into his, kissing her with so much softness like it was his first time kissing her. Nandini smiled into the kiss, knowing pretty well that her otherwise soft husband didn't want anyone to see her swollen lips, for they were supposed to appear in a public function. He was quite possessive that way.

"If I get late to -", Nandini was cut off my Manik's quick peck on her cheek.

"You won't. Let's go. I need to shoot the entire thing, right from when they call your name out", Manik spoke, and Nandini laughed seeing him far more excited than she was and that was something, because was really excited too.

Almost an hour and a half later, Nandini stood on the stage, holding her PhD degree and smiling at the cheering crowd, while her mentor stood beside her, and the HOD handed her the framed memoir. She could see Manik sitting right in the front row, clicking her. Her Appa was right beside him, clapping the loudest, even hooting for her. Mr. And Mrs. Chatterjee sat behind them, and she too was holding her camera up. Nandini could not stop grinning. It was her moment. She had finally earned her doctorate, and she knew Manik was more proud of her than she herself was, she could see it in the way his eyes were shining when he looked at her.

The entire event after that had been a blur. Nandini and three other people were handed their degrees, and then the photo session with all senior and respected colleagues, followed by a small brunch for the invited families. Her students had brought her a huge card and bouquets, and she had received so much love from all of them that it had made her day, grandly.

Right now, they were in the car, driving towards their next destination. The elder clan was sitting behind them, confused at the route Manik was taking.

"Manik, we should go home first. Where are you driving to?", Appa asked, unable to bear the confusion anymore and Nandini turned to face him, only to give him a mischievous smile.

"Patience Appa, patience. Patience bears sweet fruits, you see!", she grinned, making the Chatterjees laugh, while her father made a face at her dramatic daughter.

"I should not have let your mother watch all these dramatic Bollywood films through her pregnancy", he commented, making every one laugh again except Nandini who showed him tongue and turned her face back, making Manik sigh.

Baby, just like he mentioned.

When Manik stopped the car, the elders were surprised to see Abhik's car already parked there. Abhik and Anushree came out, hearing the other car's noise, and the collective grins on the faces of the children made the elders frown.

It was then they noticed where they were. It was one of the posh societies of the city, and the cars were parked outside this double storey bungalow, that had a huge lawn in front. Neelesh knew about this place because it was close to the old age home he was working for, and it didn't took the three of them a lot of time to put two and two together.

Abhik and Manik exchanged glances as they walked ahead to hold their hands. Abhik held one hand each of his parents in his own, while Manik held Mrs. Chatterjee's free hand and Appa's.

"I know this is a surprise to you, but we have been planning this for months. We have answers to every question you have. Like Appa, your old age home is really close by. And Maa, we have a whole lot mini societies here, that includes your previous friends too. Baba, they have chess tournaments, and golf too. And you can learn or join whatever else you like. The house has two separate floors, four bedrooms in each floor. Appa, you can have your library, and Baba can have his game room, along with your bedrooms. You can decide your curtains, and decor freely, we won't mind. Asha Tai would be here to cook for you, if you would like that. Maa, you can cook too, if you want - we won't interfere. We would stay on the first floor, it has a separate kitchen too for our junk food priorities that won't set your temper off. Everything and anything else you guys want, we would do, but please, let's just stay together, as a family, like we are", Manik ranted, clearly very awkward and nervous. Anushree held Nandini's hand tightly, she knew convincing Neelesh Murthy was the major point, Maa and Baba would love it either way.

Abhik looked at his parents with expectant eyes, and watched them exchange subtle glances. The silence was deafening.

"Maa, I know our previous home was probably sufficient too, and that we have a truck load of memories there, but I didn't want you to miss your other son anymore too. Having Manik in front of your eyes would atleast keep your BP in control", Abhik's words made Mrs. Chartterjee laugh and she tilted her head to look how proud her husband was feeling about both their sons.

She freed her hand and cupped their cheeks.

" A house doesn't make memories, the people living in it does. And I can't be more proud of you - all of you", she patted their cheeks, and Nandini exhaled in relief, her expectant eyes now focused on her father, who said nothing, but when he raised his eyes to look at her, the tears glistening in them told of his approval. Before he knew Nandini had rushed to embrace him, and few seconds later, it was a full blown family hug.

Manik and Nandini had never felt happier.

When they pushed open the gate, the elders walked in first followed by the two couples, neither of them could stop grinning. The preist welcomed them inside and soon they had all settled in for the house warming ritual to be performed. As the sounds of the mantras echoed in the house, and the fragrance of the incense sticks lingered in the air, all of them knew - it wasn't a house anymore, it was the beginning of a mansion becoming their home.

-------

It took almost two weeks for them to properly shift to this house. Even though it was majorly furnished, some last minute changes had to be made. A few of the furniture, frames and show peices were brought from Murthy and Chatterjee Residences, as well as from Malhotras, to bring in a sense of familiarity in the air. While the Chatterjees put their old house on rent, the Murthy house was given to Asha Tai, and her family. Nandini could not be happier about the decision, she knew nobody else could nurture it better than her anyway. Manik didn't sell or rent his flat though, he had too many memories there, and the last essence of his dead parents.

They decided to leave it as it was, fully furnished. Maybe they could visit it on weekends and spend some time here too. Manik could not express but Nandini knew how much this idea of hers meant to him. She had just kissed him and let him know she respected his gratitude.

It was the first weekend after their shifting. Right now, all of them were sitting in the drawing room, playing Ludo. Manik and Mrs. Chatterjee were a team, and were competing with Abhik and Neelsh. Anushree and Nandini were sitting on the couch, laughing holding their stomachs watching them fight like kids.

When the doorbell rang, Nandini offered to open the door, but when five minutes later she excitedly screamed, everyone paused the game and rushed to the door, only to find Nandini happily jumping around, flaunting what had just came in.

One look at it, and Manik had gone still, his heart fluttering with joy at Nandini's unbound happiness. And why should it not? It was their achievement, it was a moment to celebrate.

Because what Nandini was holding was YouTube's silver play button, for their channel 'MaNan's musical tie'.

When eight months ago, Anushree had suggested Nandini about opening a youtube channel during one of their random hangouts, after she had listened to Manik's song recording on Nandini's phone, the idea hadn't let Nandini sleep until she convinced Manik.

And it had taken them hardly six months to reach 100K subscribers, for Nandini's lyrics and Manik's vocals together was a bomb combination. Initially they used to record on their phones, but later they had brought speakers, karoke set and other required instruments too.

Manik had never believed he would sing, and sing for public at that, but Nandini's unwavering confidence in him had given him the push. A couple of black screened songs later, he had let her record his video too, and now he had the social media swooning over him, quite literally, and he didn't have to say but his wife was his craziest fangirl.

Even when she was the lyricist of all his songs.

Her crazy included running a fanpage for him on Instagram too, by the way.

So when Manik found himself walking towards Nandini, mesmerized, the rest of the family quietly left to their rooms, hiding their wide grins.

Nandini stopped dancing when she felt Manik behind her and her eyes widened in surprise when he wrapped his arms around her from the back, and pulled her closer, her back to his front. Resting his face in her neck, he kissed the hollow of her nape, and she found herself grinning before wrapping her arms around his, as she leaned back into him further.

"Thank you Nandini, thank you for being my star, thank you for shining so bright for me", his words made her giddy, and she turned in the hug itself to face him.

Raising her eyebrow mischievously, she smirked at him.

"Should not we have this conversation in the confinement of our bedroom?", her giggle made him slightly blush, but before she could comprehend, he was dragging her to the first floor and in a few seconds the door to their room was bolted from inside.

Holding her hands, Manik first kissed the crown of her head, followed by her eyes, and one by one her cheeks.

Putting two fingers below her chin, he jerked her face up, and smiled, the very smile he was aware Nandini loved to see on him.

"Nandini.... I LOVE YOU.... Humesha!"

Nandini didn't know if she grinned first or jumped first, she only realised what she doing when she was already kissing the living daylights out of her hand.

"Humesha? Meaning you