Geetanjali: namaste

All: namaste.

Niranjan: bethiye na

They settled on the sofa.

Dadi: (to anika) puttar yeh tumhara beta hai?

Anika: haan wahi samj lo.

Shivaay: what?? Tum ne kabhi bataya nahi ke tumhari shaadi ho chuki hai

Anika(shocked to see him): aap? Om aapka bhai hai?

Shivaay: haan.

Pinky: tum dono ek dusre ko jante ho?

Anika: haan hum business partners hai. Aur friends bhi

Jhanvi: oh great.

Mahir: par anika tumne bataya nahi ke tumhari shaadi ho chuki hai.

Anika: aree maine kab kaha ke meri shaadi ho chuki hai?

Dadi: toh yeh....

Sahil: woh kya hai na meri Anika di ne mujhe bachpan se pala hai. Issiliye kabhi kabhi main inhe mumma bula ta hun.

Shivaay felt like his soul is back. While the rest smiled.

Anika: aap log nasta lijiye na mein Gauri ko bula ke lati hun.

Geetanjali served them. Anika, Bela and Soumya brought Gauri. Om's eyes were glued to her. While Rudra was shocked to see Soumya and Bela to see Mahir.

Bela: Mahir tu yahan?

Mahir: Om mera bhai hai.

Rudra: Sumo tum yahan?

Soumya: mera ghar hai

Tej: ab tum chaaron bhi ek dusre ko jante ho?

Rudra: dad yeh Soumya hai meri classmate

Bela: and mom yeh mahir hai. Woh nanu ka Jalandar wala ghar tha na. Usske baju mein aata tha yaad hai.

Geetanjali: aree haan Sumitra (Mahir's mom) ka beta right? Woh meri bohat achi dost thi.

Pinky: tabhi main sochu maine aapko kahin dekha hai. Par yaad nahi aa raha tha.

Anika: lo bhai. Sab ek dusre ko pehle se hi jante hai

Dadi: yeh toh achi baat hai.

Sahil: aisa lag raha koi daily soap dekh rahe hai. Jis mein bichde hue kuch dost saalon baad mil rahe hai.

All laughed.

Jhanvi: chalo ab bohat baate ho gai. Jis baat ke liye yahan aaye hai woh karle?

Om: finally kisiko toh yaad aaya ke hum kyu aaye hai

He murmured to himself.

Jhanvi: Gauri beta yahan aao

She came and took her blessings.

Dadi: haaye kinni soni kudi hai. Bhai mujhe bohat pasand hai.

All smiled.

Pinky: humari taraf se toh haan hai. Aap bata dijiye.

Niranjan: yeh faisla Anika ka hoga.

Anika: mera?

Niranjan: haan bhai. Tumhi ne toh pala hai dono ko.

Shakti: batao beta kya yeh rista tumhein manjoor hai?

Anika: haan. Manjoor hai. Maine toh pehle hi approve kar diya tha.

Geetanjali: toh theek hai phir rista pakka.

Om and Gauri smiled like anything. All talked for sometime.

Geetanjali: Pinky Shivaay ki shaadi ke baare mein kya socha hai?

Shivaay's facial expressions changed and Anika noticed it.

Pinky: woh abhi toh shaadi nahi karna chahta. Par hum dhund rahe hai koi achi ladki.

Shivaay was getting annoyed so he excused himself by a call and went out. Mahir sighed. Anika went behind him. He was standing under a tree in the garden. Anika came to him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

Shivaay(without turning): I am fine mahir.

Anika: and I am sorry.

Shivaay on hearing Anika's voice turned wiping his tear.

Shivaay: tum?

Anika: I am sorry woh chachi ne...

Shivaay: nahi it's alright

Anika: ek baat kahun?

Shivaay: yaa

Anika: aap Aditi ko kyu itna hurt kar rahe hai?

Shivaay(confused): kya?

Anika: jab bhi Sahil ki ya Gauri ki ya main jis kisi se bhi pyaar karti hun. Unki aankhon mein aanshun dekhti hun na toh mujhe bohat hurt hota hai.

Shivaay: mujhe bhi. Jab apni family ke aankhon mein aanshun dekhta hun.

Anika: same Aditi ko bhi hota hoga. Jab aapki aankhon mein woh aanshun dekhti hogi.

Shivaay thought that she is right. Anika sat on the swing there and ask him to join him.

Anika: aapko unki yaad aati hai I agree. Par aap rote kyu hai?

Shivaay: kyu ke woh mere saath nahi hai

Anika: kisne kaha? Woh yahin hai. Aapke aas pass. Infact aapke dil mein hai. Hai na?

Shivaay: bikul hai.

Anika: toh phir? Aap khush rahenge toh woh bhi khush rahenge. Aap dukhi hokar aise rote rahenge toh woh bhi hurt ho jayenge.

Shivaay: par mujhe unki kami khalti hai. Main kya karun?

Anika: aap un palon ko yaad kijiye jab aap unke saath khush the. Unke saath bitaya waqt yaad kijiye. Be happy apne aapke liye nahi toh unke liye hi sahi. Zindagi mein agar rote rahenge toh kuch nahi milega. Aur agar ho sake toh just move on.

Shivaay(shocked): what??

Anika: yes Shivaay try to move on.

Shivaay(angry): you're trying to say main unhe bhool jaun?

Anika: nahi bikul bhi nahi. Main yeh nahi keh rahi ke aap unhe bhool jao. Aapke dil mein jo unki jagah hai woh koi nahi le sakta. Par...

Shivaay: mere dil mein kisi aur ke liye koi jagah nahi hai

Anika: Par aap jagah bana toh sakte hai na?

Shivaay looked at her.

Anika: look Shivaay main aapko bas advice de rahi hun that you should move on. Past mein jeene se koi fayda nahi hai. Infact even Aditi will be haapy that you've moved on. One more thing naye riste banne se purane riste toot nahi jate.

Shivaay: main tootne bhi nahi dunga.

Anika: woh toh pata hai. I just wanna say that be happy in your life. Aise mar mar ke jeene mein kuch nahi milne wala.

Shivaay: aisi baat nahi hai.

Anika: acha?

Shivaay: haan I am happy. Jab bhi mein apni family ke saath hota hun

Anika: main dikhava karne ki baat nahi kar rahi. Asal mein khush rahene ki baat kar rahi hun.

Shivaay was silent as he didn't have any answer.

Anika: samje ke nahi?

Shivaay: samaj gaya..... waise mujhe ek baat batao tum itni philosophical aur deep meaning wali baaten kaise kar leti ho. Kahan se sikha ye sab?

Anika: aapne kabhi cycle chalai hai?

Shivaay: kya?

Anika: chalai hai ya nahi?

Shivaay: haan bachpan mein

Anika: toh jab pehli baar chala rahe the ya jab sikh rahe the kya aap gire the?

Shivaay: nahi main nahi par Om ek baar gira tha. Jyada chhot nahi aai thi. Phir usske baad kabhi nahi gira

Anika: hmmm thokar lagne se woh sikh gaya right?

Shivaay: exactly par tum yeh baaten kyu kar rahi ho. Maine kya pucha aur tum kya keh rahi ho?

Anika: wahi bata rahi hun. Jaise ek thokar lag ne par Om sikh gaya. Waise hi maine bhi zindagi ki thokaren kha ke sab sikh liya.

Shivaay was looking at her. She smiled and said "chaliye jab andar wait kar rahe honge". He nodded and went inside.

Dadi: chalo rista pakka toh ho gaya. Ab Gauri yeh lo

She forward a box.

Gauri: Dadi yeh...

Jhanvi: shagun hai beta. Ab tum humare ghar ki bahu banne wali ho. Issiliye

Gauri looked at Geetanjali. She nodded and Gauri took the box along with their blessings.

"Yeh humari taraf se" she said forwarding a long rectangular box to Om.

Shakti: ab yeh batao ke kab karni hai engagement?

Anika: what about next week?

All agreed.

Dadi: toh theek hai. Agle hafte tai raha. Ab hum chalte hai

Bela: aree aise kaise? Aap sab ko dinner kar ke hi jana padega.

Pinky: par....

Soumya: par war kuch nahi aunty. Aapko dinner toh kar ke hi jana padega.

Jhanvi: theek hai.

All settled in the dining room. Anika Bela Gauri and Soumya were serving them.

Shivaay: umm bohat acha hai. Kis ne banaya hai?

Sahil: Anika di ne

Shivaay: really nice. Mujhe isski recipe please batana

Anika: aapko khana bana na aata hai?

Rudra: haan anika di. Mere bhaiyaa best chef hai. Infact O aur Mahir bhaiyaa bhi bohat acha khana banate hai

Soumya: aur tum?

Om: yeh bohat acha khana khata hai.

All laughed.

Rudra: yeh batana zarrori tha?

Shakti: girls tum bhi beth jao.

Soumya sat beside Rudra, Gauri sat beside Om. Bela sat beside Mahir and Anika sat beside Shivaay. All were having their food while Anika was looking something or someone. Shivaay noticed it. He hit his elbow with her and ask her through eyes. She came near him and whispered in his ears.

Anika: aap nahi lagta in dono ke bich kuch pak raha hai?

Shivaay(whispering back): kon dono?

Anika: aree Bela aur Mahir.

He looked at them. Bela was blabbering something whereas Mahir was staring her. Shivaay smirked.

Shivaay: kuch kuch ho raha hai.

Anika: hai na?

Shivaay: mujhe lagta hai Gauri ke saath saath Bela bhi humare ghar ki bahu banegi.

They giggled and gave a high five to each other. Which was noticed by an old experienced eyes. She also saw something.

After dinner the Oberois went back.

At night Anika went Bela's room and sat on bed opposite to her.

Anika: kya kar rahi hai?

Bela: kuch nahi.

Anika: parivaar acha hai nahi Om ka?

Bela: yaa. Gauri'll be happy.

Anika: Om ke bhai bhi ache hai. Teenon.

Bela: haan

Anika: par woh Mahir....

Bela snapped her head to her

Bela: kya Mahir?

Anika: mujhe toh zyada acha lagta hai.

Bela: kyu?

Anika: kyu kya? Young hai handsome hai. I think I like him.

Bela(shocked): kya???

Anika: haan kal na main usse propose kar dungi

Bela: no you can't

Anika(controlling her laugh): kyu?

Bela: cause I love him

Anika smiled broadly. While Bela realizes it was prank and blushed.

Anika: aaye haaye meri blushing queen.

She blushed more and hit her playfully.

Anika: pehle kyu nahi bataya?

Bela: mujhe bhi kahan pata tha

Anika: achaa?

Bela: haan. Par usske taraf se kya hai, pata nahi?

Anika: jo bhi ho. I am happy for you.

Here at Oberoi Mansion

Mahir was sitting near the poolside. ShivOmRu joined.

Shivaay(sitting beside him): kya soch raha hai?

Mahir: kuch nahi

Om: toh aise akele kyu baitha hai?

Mahir: tum teenon ka hi wait kar raha tha

Shivaay: achaa?

Mahir: haan

Shivaay: chal ab hume sach sach bata. Kya chal raha hai tere aur Bela ke bich?

Mahir was shocked.

Mahir: k....kuch nahi

Shivaay: acha toh aaj usske ghar par dinner ke waqt kaise usse nihar raha tha

Rudra: haan bhaiyaa maine bhi dekha tha.

Mahir: guys aisa kuch nahi hai. We are just friends

Om: sab pehle yeh hi bolte hai.

Shivaay: look Mahir. Tu mujh se jooth nahi bol sakta. Pata hai na?

Mahir: haan par main jooth nahi bol raha.

Rudra(dramatically): bhaiyaa. Ab Mahir bhaiyaa humse apni baate share nahi karte. Unhe humari koi padi hi nahi. Chalo

ShivOm understand his motive so they also joined.

Shivaay: exactly. Chal Om chalte hai.

Om: chalo

They got up to go

Mahir: okay enough. Betho chup chap. Batata hun.

They sat again.

Shivaay: pehle hi maan jata

Mahir: sunoge?

Om: haan bol

Mahir: ya I love her.

Rudra: wohooo

Shivaay: pata tha mujhe

Mahir: par mujhe usska nahi pata.

Shivaay: toh pata kar

Mahir: kaise?

Om: woh bhi hum bataye.

Rudra: aur bhaiyaa aapke aur Anika di ke bich kya chal raha hai?

Shivaay: kuch nahi. Main usse theek se jaanta tak nahi hun. Bas business ke wajah se dosti hui hai aur kuch nahi

Mahir: par woh toh tujhe ache se janti hai.

Shivaay: wahi toh mujhe samaj nahi aa raha usse itna easily sab kuch kaise pata chal jata hai? Maine toh kabhi nahi bataya

Om: cause woh apni umar se jyada hi badi hai

Rudra: matlab?

Om: Gauri ne bataya tha ke jab Anika di kuch 15-16 saal ki thi tab unke parents ki death ho gai thi. Aur tab se ab tak woh Gauri aur Sahil ko palti hai. Ab itni si age mein do bhai behan ki responsibility utha na easy thodi hai. Bohat kam age se hi unhone duniyaa dekhana shuru kiya hai. So insaan ki parakh hai unhe.

Rudra: par aapne toh kaha ke woh Niranjan uncle ke saath rehti hai.

Om: haan rehti hai par unke parents ke death ke 4-5 saal tak uncle aunty ko pata bhi nahi tha iss incidence bare mein. Woh log yaha nahi the. Kaha the pata nahi par India mein toh nahi the.

Shivaay was surprised that she have faced alot still she is full of life.

********