It was 2 a.m . and the night sky was picturesque. Dark blue was the backdrop to the full moon and the twinkling stars. There was absolute silence, not even a single voice of a single creature could be heard. Everyone in the Malhotra Niwas was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the storm that was yet to come.

Suddenly there was a call on the landline number of the house. Everyone was in a deep sleep and no one was ready to pick up. The phone rang once, twice, thrice and when it was the fourth bell Nandini heard it.

"Karan, dekho na bahar kitni der se phone baj raha hai" she said in a sleepy tone.

Karan didn't get up. So Nandini shook him by his shoulder and repeated her words.

"Arey Nandu, tum dekh lo na bahar jaa kar mujhe bahut neend aa rahi hai" he covered his face with a blanket again.

"Karan!" Nandini shook him again.

"Nandu, please yaar, sone do na, aur waise bhi raat ke is samay kiska phone aaya hoga, jiska bhi hoga apne aap band kar dega, tum bhi so jao" he said.

"Tch! Karan jaaao naa!!" Nandini almost shouts.

Karan woke up and got up from his bed. He rubbed his eyes and moved towards the hall where the landline was placed.

"Pata nahi kaun kambakht is waqt neend kharab karne mein laga hai, arey logon ko akal nahin hai kya, raat ke 2 baj rahe hain" he murmured.

When he reached the hall the phone was ringing but when he was about to pick it up it stopped ringing.

"Arey! Band ho gaya? Khamakha..." He said, sighed, and turned to return to his room but as he was about to step out the phone again rang.

"Arey yaar, is phone ne toh achhi aafat macha rakhi hai" he said and went to pick up the phone. He picked it up.

"Hello, Karan Malhotra speaking," he said on the phone. Suddenly he could hear a crying voice from the other end.

"Hello! Who's this?" He asked on the phone.

Nandini was wondering what her darling husband was up to and why hadn't he returned yet. She came to the hall to check what had happened. She saw that her husband was sitting on the couch, in a shocking state.

"Karan, kya hua, tum aise kyu baithe ho, aur pareshan kyu lag rahe ho" she worriedly asked.

Karan got up from the couch, anxiety written all over his face. He looked at Nandini and said "Nandu...Vo Ani..." before he could speak his words Nandini panicked.

"Kya hua mere Ani ko haan? Kya hua Karan, vo thik toh hai? Usay kuch hua toh nahi" she asked.

"Pata Nahi Nandu uske dost ka phone tha keh raha tha Aniket ka accident ho gaya hai" he spoke.

Nandini was shell-shocked, anxiousness took over her, and tears came to her eyes. She was trembling and her forehead creased.

"Kya? Mere Ani ka accident, hey bhagwan mera bachha kaisa hoga, ye kya ho gaya mere bachhe ke sath" she said, almost crying.

"Bhabhi, bhaiya, Aarav" she screamed and then went to their room, she banged the door, Pooja opened it and she informed her everything. Meanwhile, Aarav also came out of his room and heard this.

"Kya? Ani ka accident, Choti Maa kya keh rahin hain aap? Aapne koi sapna toh nahin dekha?" Aarav panicked and asked.

"Maine koi sapna nahi dekha, abhi abhi Karan ko uske dost ka phone aaya tha" she said.

"Hey bhagwan! Aap aap fikar mat keejiye choti maa, main karta hun phone usay" Aarav said and immediately dialed Aniket.

"Hey bhagwan mera bacha kis halat mein hoga, bhabhi mujhe uske paas jaana hai, mujhe abhi isi waqt uske paas jaana hai" Nandini said in between tears.

"Shaant ho jao Nandini, Ani bilkul thik hoga, hamare Ani ko kuch nahin hoga" said Pooja who too was in tears tried to console her.

"Kaisi maa hai aap bhabhi aapke bete ka accident ho gaya hai aur aap mujhe shaant kara rahi hain, aap ka kaleja kat ta nahin kya" she said in a teary tone.

"Kya keh rahi ho tum Nandini, bhabhi ka beta hai vo..." Karan said.

"Koi baat nahi Karan, Nandini bhi toh maa hai uski, pareshan hai vo" Pooja said.

"Ek toh ye ladka pata nahi kya karta rehta hai, kaise accident karwa baitha" Anoop commented.

" Aap is waqt kya usse kos rahe hain, kuch kariye na"

"Maa , Papa bilkul theek keh rahe hai, na toh uska koi phone utha raha hai aur na hi uske doston ka phone lag raha hai, pata nahin kahan hai" Aarav said.

Just then a doorbell rang and all went suspicious.

"Ye is waqt kaun aaya hoga" Anoop said.

"Aap jaakar kholiye, shayad pados wali auntie ko kuch zarurat hogi" Pooja said.

Anoop opened it and was shocked to see the person standing before him.

"Mujhe abhi ke abhi Ani se milna hai bhabhi" Nandini said.

"Toh mil lijiye choti maa" she heard someone saying and she identified the voice.

"Ani!" she exclaimed when she saw him standing at the door.

Aniket was standing at the door with a wide smile on his face. The family members rushed to him and he was stepping forward to hug them all.

"Wahin khada reh, dekha tumne Choti Maa, ye sab is nautanki ka kiya dhara hai, ye hum sab ko pareshan karne ka plan is dramebaaz ka tha" Aarav said.

"Arey Dada, main toh bas..." Aniket tried to explain.

"Main toh bas ke bachhe, tu ruk main vahin dhunai karta hun teri" Aarav said and came after Aniket to beat him. Aniket ran inside the house and Aarav was behind him to chase him. It looked like a Tom and Jerry chase.

"Daada, Daada chhod do" Aniket yelled when Aarav caught him and slapped on his back.

"Nahin Aarav, maar, isay meri taraf se bhi do thappad maar" Pooja said, she was irritated with this mischief of him.

"Aur meri taraf se bhi do" said Anoop.

"Aur meri taraf se bhi " added Karan.

"Choti maa, choti maa bacha lo mujhe" Aniket said and came running to her, he hid behind her.

" Choti maa ke peeche kya chup raha hai, ruk tujhe toh main batata hun" Aarav again said.

"Bas karo Aarav, bahut ho gaya" Nandini said, she was trying to protect him.

"Aapke hi laad pyaar ne bigada hai isay choti maa, arey aise koi mazak karta hai kya" Aarav said irritatedly.

"Bas ho gaya na Aaru" Nandini stopped him.

"Meri toh bas Choti maa hai, baki sabko toh meri parwah hi nahi hai" he said, hugging her. Nandini jerked his arms and stood aside.

"Kya hua choti maa" Aniket asked.

"Choti maa ke bachhe, tu idhar aa" Pooja pulled Aniket's ears and made him stand in front of Nandini.

"Maa, maa lag rahi hai"

"Lag rahi hai, aur aise koi mazak karta hai kya apne parivar se, dekha nahi Choti Maa ka chehra, ro ro ke kya halat kar li hai isne, arey ek pal bhi chain nahi aaya hai isay jabse teri accident ki khabar mili humein" Pooja said.

"Chod do bhabhi," Nandini said slowly.

Pooja left him and said "Tumhare hi laad pyaar ne bigada hai isay Nandini"

"Dekha Maa, choti maa mujhse kitna pyaar karti hai" he said again trying to hug her but Nandini stood aside.

"Bhabhi is se keh do mujhe is se baat nahin karni" Nandini muttered in anger.

"Ab mana ke dikha apni choti maa ko" Aarav said.

"Daada, choti maa ko toh main yun mana lunga" he replied, standing in front of Nandini.

Nandini turned again and he stood before her again and smiled and said "Maa"

Nandini smiled and he hugged her.

"Dekha, isne maa bola hai aur choti maa kaise pighal gai" Aarav commented.

"Dekh rahi ho bhabhi, apne chote laad sahab ka charm" Karan commented. Aniket turned to him, he touched Karan's feet and then Anoop and Pooja's.

"Aur mere?" Aarav asked, raising his eyebrows. Aniket came to him and was about to touch his feet when Aarav stopped him and gave him a tight hug.

"Kaise ho Dada?" Aniket asked

"Main ekdam thik, tu kaisa hai mere bhai, wahan thik se toh rehta hai na? Aur agar aa raha tha toh bataya kyun nahi parso, jab Maa ne phone kiya tha" Aarav replied

"Agar batake aata, toh aap logon ke chehre pe aai ye khushi kaise dekh paata"

"Khushi? Ya pareshani" Anoop commented and everyone laughed.

They all talked for a while more and then all of them went to their respective rooms to sleep.

The next morning, all of them were at the breakfast table to have their breakfast.

"Arey wah ye paranthe, pata hai kitna miss kiya hai maine U S mein maa" said Aniket who took one from the plate.

"Vo paratha tere Papa ka tha Ani" Pooja said.

"Khane do na bhabhi, main fatafat bhaiya ke liye aur bana dungi" Nandini interrupted and said from the kitchen. She came outside and tore a bite of Paratha and fed it to Aniket.

"Wah, itne pyaar se toh humein kabhi nahi khilaya" Aarav commented and further added "hamare toh bas chote Papa hai"

Karan took a bite and fed it to Aarav. He enacted it in the same way Nandini did by caressing Aarav's forehead.

"Acha? Ye baat hai badmash" Nandini pulled Aarav's ears and then fed it to him as well.

"Kuch bhi kar lo Daada Choti maa mujhe zyada pyaar karti hain" Aniket teased him.

"Nahi wo mujhe zyada pyaar karti hai" Aarav argued.

"Arey, bas karo tum dono, main apne dono bachhon ko barabar pyar karti hoon" Nandini said, caressing both of them.

Aniket and Aarav smiled and then she too took a seat.

"Vaise Ani, tu ekdam se kaise aa gaya, chhuttiyan bhi nahin hai abhi toh" Aarav asked.

"Vo Daada, actually meri university ki taraf se ek project hai aur uske study ke liye mujhe IIT Delhi mein jana hai" Aniket explained.

"Arey waah, IIT Delhi, chal isi bahane Papa ka tujhe IIT me phirse padhte dekhne ka sapna bhi poora ho jaega" Aarav said laughingly.

"Tu phir bola, Parathe kha chupchap" Anoop scolded him.

"Vaise Aniket, tu sach mein sirf apne project ke liye aaya hai na" Aarav asked.

"Haan Daada..." He looked away and added "aur kya wajah ho sakti hai"

"Samajh gaya, choti Maa" Aarav eyed Nandini.

"Arey kya choti Maa, meri taraf aise kya dekh raha hai" Nandini asked.

"Ye aapki saazish hai na Aniket ko yahan bulane ki, taaki vo bhi aapki madad kar sake mere liye ladki dhundhne mein" Aarav replied, staring at her.

"Main Parathe leke aati hu" Nandini got up, she was trying to avoid his questions.

"Sach sach batao choti Maa"

"Haan, maine bulaya tha Aniket ko lekin..."

Aarav interrupted in between and said " Lekin kya choti Maa, main shaadi nahi kar raha isliye mujhe manane ke liye aapne isey mangwa liya, aur ek minute, kya aap jaanti thi vo kal aane wala tha?"

"Nahi nahi, maine isay bulaya zaroor tha lekin ye kal aane wala tha ye main nahi jaanti thi" Nandini replied.

"Arey ye kya aap logon ne mangwaya mangwaya laga rakha hai main kya koi cheez hun kya" Aniket asked in confusion.

"Cheez nahin beta, tu bahot pahunchi hui cheez hai, Choti Maa ne bulaya aur tu dauda chala aaya?" Aarav peered at him.

"Arey toh kya hua, Aarav, tumhein aaj nahin toh kal shadi karni toh hai hi, ab Aniket tumhare liye ladki select karne mein hamari madat kar dega toh bura hi kya hai, vo tumhara bhai hai tumhe achhe se samajhta hai, toh isliye maine usay bula liya" Nandini explained.

"Main dekh raha hoon, khoob planning karte rehte hain ye Maa bete mere khilaf" Aarav said, all annoyed.

"Ma...Ma..Maa, Choti Maa main chalta hun, deri ho rahi hai" Aniket said and got up trying to avoid Aarav's anger and then he left the breakfast table. He kissed the cheeks of both the mothers and slowly left the place.

Hope you like it... ❤️

Will Aarav get ready for marriage? Stay tuned... ❤️ ❤️