As per his mother's instructions, Aarav had left Manvi at the coaching center. Manvi got off the bike and just when Aarav was going to take his helmet again she said "Suno"

"Phooto apne muh se" he said pasting a fake smile and added.

"Dekho aaj" but before Manvi could say anything Aarav cut in between and said

"Aaj main koi shopping pe nahi aane wala samajhi, aaj meri bahot important meeting hai"

"Puri baat sun liya karo fir jaake ye apni itni badi chonch khola karo samjhe" she said.

"Haan toh bolo na bolne ke kya paise logi ab" he replied annoyingly.

"Dekho aaj ghar mein mehmaan aane wale hain na, tum hi ne bataya tha haina, toh mujhe time par lene aa jana" she said.

"Haan thik hai" Aarav said and left for his office.

Malhotra Niwas

Pooja received a call from Aarav, she picked it up.

"Haan Aaru"

"Maa vo Manvi ka number nahi lag raha hai, us se aaat ho toh kahiyega meri bahot important meeting hai main usay lene nahin aa paunga" he said in a go.

"Achha thik hai main bata dungi" Pooja said and disconnected the call. She too tried to call Manvi but her phone was unreachable.

The day passed and soon it was evening. Manvi was waiting at the coaching center but Aarav hadn't arrived yet. She called him but he didn't pick up. She thought he might be busy but he still didn't come up. Manvi had waited for more than half an hour still there was no sign of him.

Malhotra Niwas

The guests were there at the house. Pooja Nandini, Anoop and Karan welcomed the elderly woman.

"Arey Kaushalya Maasi ji aaiye na" said Nandini

They touched her feet and welcomed her inside. They all settled in the hall.

"Maasi ji kaisi hain aap? " asked Anoop.

"Main toh bilkul thik hun beta lekin tujhe kya ho gaya hai ye din pe din sookhte kyun jaa raha hai tu Anoop, Pooja bahu tera khayal nahi rakhti kya" she asked in a stern tone.

"Kuch zyada hi khayal rakhti hai maasi ji isliye ye haal hai" Anoop commented and Pooja glared at him.

"Vo Maasi ji ghee mana hai na inhein" Pooja tried to explain.

"Arey Pooja teri nai bahu kahan hai?" she asked

"Vo Maasi ji bas aati hogi" Pooja replied.

"Ye kya ghar mein mehmaan aaye hain aur teri bahu gayab hai" Kaushalya commented.

"Tab tak bete se mil leejiye Dadi" said Aarav with a smile, who had just entered the house. He stepped up to her and bent to touch her feet, he also gave her a warm hug.

"Arey jug jug jiyo Aarav beta" she said blessing him.

"Main toh teri maa se puch rahi thi ki teri naye khayalon wali patni kahan hai bhayi, ab tak nahi aai" she asked

"Jaanbujhke nahin aai, maine kaha bhi tha ki ek din manage kar le lekin nahi" Aarav thought and he just smiled.

"Hey bhagwan Pooja, tumne apni nai bahu ko bataya nahin tha kya ki hum aa rahi hain" she asked

"Masi ji chai le aaun?" Asked Nandini interrupting in between.

"Samajh gai, sab samajh gai, jaan bujhke nahi aai vo apne mayke chali gai hogi, arey Pooja apni bahuon pe lagam lagakar rakhna kahin tumhare haath se na nikal jayein, varna tumhari bahuyein sar par chadhke naachengi" Kaushalya again commented.

"Aapke yahan aisa hota hoga Dadi ji, yahan nahi hota" a voice echoed in the hall. All of them were surprised to find Manvi coming from the kitchen.

"Humare yahan toh bahuon ko sar aankhon pe baithaya jata hai, haina Maa" she asked looking at Pooja with a wide smile and Pooja smiled back.

Pooja said "Chaliye na Dadi ji khana lag gaya hai khana kha leejiye"

"Maa, main lagati hun khana" Manvi said, and then all settled at the dining table. Manvi started serving food to everyone.

"Khana toh bahot achha bana hai, zaroor Pooja bahu tumne banaya hoga varna ye Nandini aur tumhari bahu Manvi ke bas ki toh baat hi nahi hai" Kaushalya commented.

"Nahi Maasi ji sara khana aaj Manvi ne banaya hai" said Pooja

"Haan Dadi aaj sara khana maine banaya hai, lekin mujhe sirf Maa ne nahi balki choti maa ne bhi sab kuch sikhaya hai, dekhiye na sabzi banana mujhe maa ne sikhaya toh kadhi, jo aapne 3 3 cup katori mann bhar ke khai hai vo choti maa ne sikhai hai" Manvi explained with a smile

She further said "Sach me Maa, choti Maa aap jaisa khana toh koi nahi bana sakta"

Kaushalya got up from the dinner table and went to the hall.

"Arey inhe kya hua" Karan wondered.

The family members followed her to the hall. Pooja asked " Dadi ji kya hua? Aap aise uthke kyun chali aai"

"Ye tumhari bahu hai na, bahot lambi zuban hai iske, main dekh rahi hun, jab se aai hun tab se meri har baat kaate jaa rahi hai" she glared at Manvi.

"Maasi ji wo nadan hai aap..."

" Meri baat puri nahi hui hai Pooja, bahot achhi bahu mili hai tumhein" she said. Everyone was astonished by this statement of her.

"Arey aaye huye 2 hafte nahin huye aur itni tarafdari kar rahi hai apne gharwalo ki, mere har taane ka jawab bina mera apmaan kiye deti rahi" she explained with a smile.

"Yahan aao bitiya" she called Manvi and removed the karas from her own wrist and gave them to Manvi.

"Ye meri taraf se muh dikhai"

"Arey Masi ji iski koi zarurat nahi hai" Pooja tried saying but Kaushalya stopped her.

"Hum badi hai na"

"Kaushalya masi matlab itni der se aap sabko taane nahi de rahi thi" asked Karan.

"Arey nahi bhaiya nahi, main toh is bachhi ki pariksha le rahi thi" Kaushalya said.

The family talked to Kaushalya for another couple of hours and then she left as Anoop dropped her home.

"Arey lekin Manvi tum toh ghar par thi hi nahi fir tum kaise andar aai " asked Nandini

"Vo choti Maa jab mai ghar aa rahi thi na tab maine chote papa ko phone kia ye puchne ke liye ki kahin dadi ghar aa gai hain kya, mujhe dadi ki aawaz sunai di toh maine chote papa se help mangi"

"Matlab?" All asked in unison

"Andar aane mein chote papa ne meri help ki, unhone apne kamre ki khidki khuli rakhi thi, jis se main koodkar andar aa gai" she explained

"Karan tum" the ladies were surprised and peered at him.

"Arey toh kya hua Manvi ne help mangi maine kar di" he replied and then left the hall all embarrassed.

The ladies and Aarav laughed at it.

"Vaise tumhe pata nahi hai Manvi, tumhare chote papa ko ye sab kaam karne mein bada maza aata hai" said Nandini laughingly.

"Matlab?"

"Arey ye Kaushalya Maasi ke bade pote vo Vishal ki shadi ki baat chali aur ladki ke ghar wale maan nahi rahe thay, toh pata hai Vishal aur uski hone wali patni Sunita dono ne bhaagne ka plan banaya tumhein pata hai usme pandit ka intezam kisne kiya tha?" Asked Nandini

"Kisne ?"

"Arey tumhare chote papa ne" she said laughingly and they all laughed as she narrated the incident.

"Vaise ek baat toh hai Manvi, aaj tumne kamal kar diya" she said with a smile. She hugged Manvi and kissed on her forehead.

"Ye sab na meri galti hai, Aarav ne phone kiya tha mujhe lekin maine jab tumhe phone kiya laga hi nahi aur phir main kaam ke chakkar mein bhool gai" Pooja said

"Maa kaisi baatein kar rahi hain aap, aapki toh ismein koi galati nahi hai, aur vaise bhi aaj agar aap nahi hoti toh bhala itna achha khana mai kaise bana paati" Manvi asked with a smile.

"Hmm, sari mehnat raat ke 3 baje tum kar rahi thi aur credit mujhe dena chahti ho" Pooja asked and then she warmly hugged Manvi.

Later that night.

ArMan's room

Aarav was too impressed with Manvi. Manvi was taking off her jewelry but her necklace was stuck in her hair and she was trying to take it off. Aarav came up to her and said " Main kar deta hoon"

He helped Manvi with the necklace. Somewhere he was trying to steal glances at her while doing this as she looked the prettiest in his eyes. Finally, when the necklace was removed, Manvi got up to change.

"Manvi ruko"

Manvi turned to him.

"Thank you, aaj tumne choti maa ka bhi dil jeet liya aur jis tarah se tumne sabka maan rakha, thank you so much" he said politely.

Manvi smiled and said " Ek baat puchu?"

"Hmm?"

"Tum poore parivar mein sabse zyada apni choti maa se pyar karte ho na?" She asked

"Haan, kyunki vo bhi mujhe poore parivar mein sabse zyada pyaar karti hain" he replied with a smile.

"Aur Maa?"

"Unki jagah koi le sakta hai kya? Aur vaise bhi hai na unka ladla Aniket" he said laughingly. Manvi too laughed at it.

"Sach mein Aniket bhaiya bahot cute hain" she said with a smile.

They stopped laughing and went to the bed on their respective sides. Manvi switched off the lights. In a few minutes, Aarav switched on the lights again.

"Kya hua?" Manvi asked

"Kal meri office party hai, tum aana pasand karogi ?" Aarav asked.

Manvi peered at him and replied " Nahi Aarav, actually main aisi parties mein bore ho jaati hun, isliye Dad ki business parties mein kabhi nahi gai"

Aarav smiled and said " Koi baat nahi"

Manvi turned to the other side and laid down. Aarav too turned to the other side and laid.

"Soch raha hoga wo hai isliye saath nahi jana chahti, par main sach mein business parties mein bore ho jati hun " Manvi thought.

"Kitni aasani se aur kitne saaf mann se apne dil ki saari baat keh gai, ye ladki itni bhi buri nahi hai jitna sochta hun, aaj dono maaon ka dil jeet liya isne" Aarav thought, he smiled and closed his eyes.

NEW YORK, U.S.A

Nitya was just coming back from her university, she was walking along with Ruhaan, talking to him and laughing at his stupid jokes. Meanwhile her roommate Tina too joined them.

Nitya was dumbstruck when she saw Aniket standing in front of her. He was standing right in front of the cafe which was near her apartment. She blinked her eyes many times to make sure that she wasn't dreaming. Aniket saw her and waved to her.

"Ye cartoon kaun hai?" asked Ruhaan. Nitya lightly slapped his arm. She walked up to him.

"Aniket aap yahan?" She asked.

"Haan main yahan" he replied with a smile.

"Par kaise?" she asked.

"Ab aap ke paas waqt nahi tha toh main chala aaya aapse milne" he replied.

"Aap yahan itni door mujhse milne aaye hain?" She asked

"Koi shaq?" He raised his eyebrows.

Ruhaan and Tina came to her. Tina pulled her aside

Tina whispered to her "How cute ye Seattle se New York sirf aur sirf tujhse milne aaya hai"

Ruhaan whispered "Seattle se New York 5 ghante ki flight lekar sirf tujhse milne Nitya, ye aadmi pagal hai kya?"

Tina said " Pagalpan nahi Ruhaan isay ishq kehte hain"

"Haan agar aapke koi aur plans hain toh" said Aniket looking at Ruhaan and Tina. Nitya who was still astonished, kept staring at him

Tina whispered in her ears "Khade khade usay aise ghoor kya rahi hai, vo itni door se sirf aur sirf tujhe milne aaya hai, jaa na uske saath"

Nitya was still stunned and kept her eyes on him.

"Thik hai tu nahi jaa rahi toh main chali jaati hun" Tina said and was about to walk up to him but Nitya held her hand and stopped her.

"Coffee?" Nitya asked Aniket. Aniket nodded his head and they walked inside the cafe. They took a table inside it.

"Aap yahan sirf mujhse milne aaye hain?" Nitya asked.

"Aap ye sawal dusri baar puch rahi hain Nitya, jawab nahi badlega" Aniket replied.

"Lekin kyun?"

"Kuch sawalon ke jawab aapko khud samajhne honge " he replied. Nitya smiled and then they ordered coffee.

"Aap samajh gaye thay na ki main bahane bana rahi hun " she asked.

Aniket nodded with a smile and Nitya hits her head all embarrassed.

"Ferry ride par chalenge?" asked Nitya as he finished the coffee.

"Sure"

Aniket and Nitya immediately got up and went for the ferry ride. Aniket got the tickets for two of them and then stepped on the deck. Nitya was about to fall but Aniket held her from the back. Nitya blushed and lightly smiled at him.

They got inside. Flowing breeze touched their skin. The sound of the waves cooed in their ears. Nitya's face brightened up with this.

"Bahot sundar hai na" Aniket asked looking at Night's face.

"Kya?"

"Ye behta paani" said Aniket turning to the river.

"Bahot" Nitya replied with a smile.

Nitya pointed to the statue of liberty and said "Vo dekho statue of liberty"

"Kisi sundar murat ko main kya dekhun jab sabse sundar movie mere saamne hai" he thought looking at her.

"Aapne kuch kaha?"

Aniket was surprised as she could almost hear his thoughts. While returning back Aniket saw that she was shivering so he took off his jacket and placed it around her. Nitya smiled at him.

"Thank you for this lovely date Nitya," Aniket said smilingly at her. He left him at her place and then took a cab to the airport.

NEXT DAY

Delhi, India

Aarav returned home and as he saw Manvi he was awestruck. She was wearing an ivory white saree with shining zari work on it. She looked like a princess in that entire attire.

"Tum kahin jaa rahi ho?" He asked.

"Kyun office mein party nahi hai?" She said looking at him in the mirror. 

To be continued..