As I open my eyes an adorable and smiling face welcome me with some soothing words.

"Good morning Nandi...it's 6 o'clock and if you want to spend the entire day with your brother then you have to leave the comfort of your bed and come with me."

Bhai says in a frolic tone. I make a face and pandiculate to show my unwillingness to follow his order. This is no weekend or holiday but both I and my big brother are in no hurry during this rush hour of the early morning.

"Bhai...I wanted you to take leave for a day so that we can spend some quality time but that doesn't mean you can spoil my morning sleep."

I frown and pout my lips. He is the only place of mine to throw these kinds of tantrums. Bhai affectionately pats my cheek and says,

"I spoilt your morning sleep or you planned to spoil my entire work for the day? It was your idea to take a leave...now when I have taken the leave I will not let you spend it like a sleepy sloth. Come...get up..we are going for a walk."

Bhai pulls my hand and keeps on pulling until I come out from the comforter and stand on the floor. He gestures towards the washroom and taps on his wristwatch. He and his torturing punctuality. With a grumpy face, I hit the washroom and as per his warning come out within a couple of minutes. It takes 15 minutes altogether for us to come out on the road. It is mid of November. Summer has gone long back but the winter has to wait to come.

"Bhai...what is the most important thing in our life?"

I abruptly question while trying to match his stride. Bhai put his hands inside his pockets seems he is preparing himself to answer.

"It depends on the situation and phase Nandi...in our childhood, playing, doing fun and simple things were the most important things in our life. But in present time they are replaced with more complicated things like responsibility, stability, opportunity etc.. etc...But one thing in common...we consider those things the most important which we priorities the most. Like in childhood you used to prioritise your payasam over your homework and now you are prioritizing my opinion for your decision over your professional commitments."

Bhai smiles at me and I return it back with a mortified grin.

"Come on Nandini, he is your super talented brother. You can't hide anything from him for a long time. And it's a good chance to discuss it. Go for it."

My inner Goddess encourages me. Bhai arches his brows at me waiting for the answer.

"Ummm...Bhai...I know you don't like to discuss this topic but I am in a dilemma and I am not being able to understand my feeling...There is a guy..."

I hesitantly start but Bhai interrupts me.

"Nandi, before you say anything let me tell you...don't judge and prognosticate your life and future on the basis of my life and experience...we live our life once...we love a person once. So if there is any chance...give it a chance."

I am looking at my brother with sheer love and respect. I know how much pain he continuously bears in his heart but still, he is ready to give a chance to love for his sister.

"Bhai, I love him but I fear the word love. It didn't do any good to us in past."

I say with a diffident voice.

"Nandi, I loved the wrong person...but that doesn't mean you will also remain unlucky in this emotion. I don't believe in love anymore but that doesn't mean love is not in other's life. They are lucky..I was not...and you could be... So why not give it a chance?"

Bhai rests his hands on my shoulder and says every word with the same intensity which is in his eyes. I couldn't hold my emotion and ask,

"Then why don't you give your love a second chance. I don't know HER. You never introduced me to HER. Neither you told me HER name. I only know that you used to call HER by a pet name, 'Madhubala'...that's it...maybe I could have helped you to find out the real reason behind HER leaving. Why SHE left you...why SHE never tried to contact you and why SHE wrote that letter is still a mystery to me."

Bhai clenches his jaws and turns back facing the opposite side. Maybe he doesn't want to look at my eyes.

"That letter was enough for me to solve the mystery, Nandi. SHE only came in my life to give me pain...to take away all my belief in love. Perhaps Ajja was right SHE came in my life only for my money...and SHE fulfilled it and threw me out of HER life like a tissue paper. And never utter that name in front of me. I hate that name...I hate HER."

Bhai's voice chokes. I place my hand on his quivering shoulder.

"Sorry, Bhai...I didn't mean to hurt you...it's just I can't see you like this. You don't know how it affects me. My doubt my dilemma about loving someone...all are related to this. That's why I can't admit my feeling to Man..."

I abruptly hold my tongue. Bhai turns at me. Now he is more composed.

"Look Nandi...relationship doesn't come with any guarantee card. There is no certainty that he will be good enough for you but if you ask me, I would say, listen to your heart as you always do...leave the rest on destiny. I am not the ultimate example of your life. Your life is yours and your destiny is yours."

The soothing morning sunray is now increasing its heat. We both look at the sky with squinted eyes. It's time to go back home.

...................................................

One week passes like a boring month. In between, I tried so many times to defy Nandini's instruction of taking rest and go to the office but she sometimes behaves like a real dominating and intimidating boss. But as my nature, I don't like to be dominated and especially intimidated. Eventually, she had to make me swear on her. Smart girl. She knows my weakness. However, she didn't keep her promise and didn't come to my place second time throughout this week. Though we have talked on the phone for hours...everyday...especially in the late night when the whole world goes to sleep...we awake like night owls. However, today is the special day when I am again going to join my office..again going to see her angelic face. I smile like a fool and come out of the lift.

"Oh...Manik..good to see you fit and fine. I was so scared to know about your accident. Hope everything is normal now."

The ever clingy Ayesha shows her concern with her sugar-coated lines while tries to touch the cut mark on my head. I immediately move my face. Who wants to provoke that jealous tigress? I look around...if Nandini is there.

"I am fine...thanks for your concern. Ayesha, can you please update me about the ongoing clients' name and the offers so that I can start my work as soon as possible. This one week was total wastage."

I wobble in discontent.

"Sure, but first you meet Ma'am Nandini. She asked me to tell you as soon as you entered."

She informs me but her expression is worth watching. As she is jealous but at the same time afraid of someone. Did Nandini threaten her to stay away from me...could be...everything is possible for my jealous tigress. I chuckle in my mind and proceed to her cabin.

"Come in..."

A melodious voice comes from the other side of the closed door as I knock. I enter smoothly. She is sitting on her chair engrossed in the laptop screen. My presence may alert her as I observe a tint of pink on her cheeks. She eyes at me. Her eyes are glowing with delight as after a long time a kid gets her desired toy.

"Hi..."

I greet. Before I can say anything further I feel a strong hit on my chest. Her tiny frame is nestling into me. For a moment I am taken aback as I never saw her showing her emotion so explicitly. I slowly encircle my arms around her and shallow my tone.

"Nandini, what happened...I said I will come..."

I am confused about her restlessness.

"I know, but I was scared...this week was the worst time of my life."

She says with her quivering lips eyeing at me..intensely. Her eyes are brimming with tears.

"Hmmm...that's why you didn't come to meet me...not a single time."

I deliberately try to tease her but I didn't know about its impact. Her tears overflow. She says in a breaking tone,

"If I had come you would have been adamant to join the office as soon as possible. But your cure was more important to me than your physical presence."

Her plumpy cheeks and pouty lips are alluring me. I smile and caress her cheeks with my knuckles to wipe those precious teardrops.

"Relax...I was joking..I know how much you were eager to meet me. But tell me one thing, what is the reason for this sudden change?"

I ask, furrowing my brows. She mirrors my expression in confusion.

"I mean, in last week there was not a single day when we didn't talk but you still haven't said those three magical words. And now you are snuggling to me like I am your long time boyfriend. Why do you always behave like a paradox?"

She gazes at me for a moment and suddenly snakes my nape with her both hands.

" Because I believe in action over words.."

Before I could understand something she captures my lips in a soulful kiss. My all worry, all uncertainty melts down. I travel my hands to her cheeks and cup them to deepen the kiss. We don't know how long we osculate...until it tastes insipid. Finally, we separate the contact and join our foreheads. Both of us are slowly panting.

"I love you Manik Malhotra..."

Her honey-coated whisper make me open my eyes with surprise. Finally, she says those three magical words to brighten up my world.

Author's note: The lines in Italic and bold are the thought of the character. Plz do inline comments.🙏🙏❤❤❤