Arjun decided to help Radhika in putting their daughters to sleep. He rocked Anusha sitting on the bed as Radhika paced around with Anya in her arms. 

He smiled watching Anusha's little eyes drooping, her lips parted as she drifted into slumber. He got up, limped to her crib placing her there. The moment he turned, she wailed. ''Is she unwell?'' He asked worried, trying to pat her calm.

''No, just demanding. Guess she doesn't want you to put her down, she wants you to pamper him.'' Radhika said with a smile

Arjun beamed, the thought of Anusha wanting to spend time with him made him the happiest man. He lifted her up, adjusting her on his shoulder he rubbed her back. ''Lets take them to our room.''

Radhika pouted, ''these two are such bones.'' Arjun just shook his shoulder. 

Once in his room, he watched as she made space for 2 babies on their king size bed. He smiled at Anusha in his arms, ''Now happy?'' 

Radhika placed the two on the bed and patted them to sleep.  Once they slept, she pulled a soft blanket over them and placed few pillows around them. She grinned and made her way towards Arjun. ''Are you not going to sleep on the other side of girls.''

''No, they can't turn on their own. Moreover , they have 3/4 of the space while we are just going to squash in 1/4th.  I had big plans about today and these decided to snatch it.'' She said squeezing her body next to Arjun, making a pillow of his arm. He placed a peck on her forehead and then turned his eyes to tiny miracles.'' They are so beautiful''

''Yes, and they take full advantage of that.''

Arjun rolled his eyes, ''They are too tiny to think of advantage. You just love to create drama.''

''Who is the mother here?'' She asked and he pointed towards her. ''Exactly, I know my girls.''

Arjun rolled to face her , ''And I know my wife.''

''And what do you know about her?'' She teased, whispering over his lips.

''That she loves me , and will always love me.'' A smile stretched on to her lips as she buried her face into his chest. he groaned dramatically bringing her on toes, when he laughed she warned against doing it again.

''Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?'' He asked

She exhaled, taking a moment to live that emotion. Her fingers kept drawing small circles over his chest as she recalled the moment, ''I don't know, but I felt you would snatch her from me.''

"You knew me! Do you really think I could have done that? Deprive my child from mother's love, do you really believed me to me that cruel?''

She stayed silent, her eyes on the top button of his shirt as she started playing with it, ''No, I knew you wouldn't do that. But I just didn't wanted to come back to you. I was angry and wanted to punish you.''

He lifted her chin up, ''I missed you...a lot.'' She locked her eyes with his, they shared many unspoken emotions. Lifting her palm, she placed it on his cheek, ''And I missed you. I wondered how you would have reacted after the news of my pregnancy. What would you do to take care of me ? Would you wake up in the middle of night to sooth my cravings? I wondered, how would you handle my mood swings? I often wondered what it would be like to be pampered by you? I even day dreamt you around me.''

Arjun took deep breath and threw his arm around her pulling her to his chest. ''You know, I couldn't do much and its all my fault. I am Sorry!''

''Forgiven! See the brighter part, had I not left, I would have never got Anusha.'' He nodded , together they watched their daughters sleeping soundly. His eyes turned emotional, ''I can do all for them.''

''What about me?'' She asked battling her lashes at him

''You will always be first..after them'' That earned him a punch.

***

Arjun woke up to tiny kicks, he turned his head , smiled pulled his arm off Radhika making her jerk up. He was  alert when found his daughter on her tummy smiling at him. 

''I know I troubled you but that doesn't give you the right to kick me off the bed.''  He wasn't listening,  his attention was on his girl who now had her eyes locked with him squealing happily. Radhika lifted her body up, dropping it next moment on the bed with a groan, ''Now they can roll and turn, they re not sleeping in this room again.''

Arjun shook his head and gathered the duo, ''Daddy is so proud.'' 

''Yes, he is proud about everything, even the way you two poop.''  She mimicked comically. Radhika tried to take one but they refused to leave Arjun. She huffed and took Anya first, ''enough, soon the whole mansion will smell.''

Arjun shook his head and his daughter expressed her anger with a squeal. The mother daughter were exact replica of each other, none was less. ''And are you like me?'' He asked Anusha

She squealed throwing her arms up and down. Radhika walked back to take her, ''That means she is just like me , an angel.''

''Why not?'' Arjun joked. He watched as Radhika got the girls ready and then suddenly froze, Arjun noticed the grim expressions, ''hey what's wrong?''

''I am worried about Neil and Sam. They both are acting stupid. I just don't know how to make them understand what they are doing is wrong. Hurting each other will widen the gap.''

Arjun rolled up the socks on to his babies legs and huffed, ''I know, but what should we do. I spoke to Neil, he says nothing to worry. I tried reasoning with Sam , she says there is nothing to talk.''

''I feel like abducting them , throwing them in a trunk together and lock it for eternity.''

''I wish we could do that.'' They went about doing their chores  making a decision to speak to their friends one last time.

**

''Hey Manya, someone left you a box of cup cakes. I finished most of them leaving your two.'' Cheryl called out from her room when she heard Manya walking in the condo.

''You finished all. But you said it was for me.''

''Yes, I tried one and couldn't resist. Damn the man for making me workout on a weekend.''

''How do you know it's a man?''

''No female will give a big box of grade A cup cakes to another female, unless she isn't straight. PS, I saw him leaving at the door step.''

''Thanks, you can have the other two as well.'' Manya replied in a low voice. She no longer wanted her hopes to go high and get shattered.

''Thanks! As I am keeping the full box, can I keep the note as well?'' Cheryl asked , leaning against the door she gave Manya a smirk.

Manya frowned, ''What note?''

''A pink one.'' Cheryl replied fanning her face with a pink envelope. Manya leaped and Cheryl ran off taking the note along. ''Give that to me or you don't get any cup cakes.''

''I won't till you tell me who that tall guy was?''

''A friend"

''None of my friends ever offered me a single cup cake , let alone a box. Not to forget the note.'' Cheryl quirked a brow, Manya took advantage of her distraction snatching the note, ''Stay away from cup cake.'' Cheryl poked tongue at her as Manya walked out with a smile on her face.

With rapidly beating heart she pulled out the note from the envelope.

'I hope either you or your room mate finish that box and decide to work out over the weekend. If it's you, I am available to join you for a walk and if it's her, then we can spend quite time while she is out loosing the extra calories.'

On the corner of the note was his number and she quickly added it to the contacts. Manya read it again and giggled. She carefully folded it , locking it safely in her drawer. She made her way to the kitchen to have a bite of left over cup cakes.

Manya felt a typhoon of flavours as the dessert melted in her mouth. She knew , he won over her with that. She decided to call him that very moment and he answered just in a single ring, ''Thanks for calling!''

''So when do we meet?'' She asked

''Now! I am here at the café across the street.''

''I thought you left''

''Was waiting for you to call, I knew my cup cakes would work.''

''That's over confidence.''

''No, that's belief.'' His reply made her smile. She disconnected deciding to take a step ahead. She really like him and wanted to give her life a chance.

Ankush grinned wide when his eyes met that of Manya, she replied with a shy one lowering her eyes. He got up and pulled a chair for her , walking back to his once she was seated.

''So...do we talk about the promises.'' She asked little confused

''No, we start as friends. We try! I believe in efforts and not promises.'' She nodded, happy that it was moving. She decided to let him know about her travel plans to India, not aware that he had his plans to visit his aunt

Above all, they weren't aware about the common connection between them and disapproval they were going to face

***

Khanna residence was buzzing with excitement with Sam approaching engagement. She had a week more of freedom before a man would claim her with a ring around her finger.

Sam wondered if in this one week she could relive the all moments with Neil again, while other side of her brain asked if he wished the same. He hadn't made an attempt to reach out to her. It pained that he believed her to be the reason of all his problems. Her mistake was that she never realised that he had loved her all along. But then he never expressed it too, yet she was to be blamed.

He went ahead and got engaged, not bothering about informing her. Prerna too blamed her for Neil's misery. Why couldn't she see that her son even after being engaged was coaxing her to come back.

Sam huffed defeated, for days she went about reliving the reasons to move forward , yet her heart desired Neil. She was thankful that her fiancé knew about it and was ready to give her time. The only problem was, she wasn't sure she would be able to get over Neil in this one life, or she knew it but wasn't ready to accept.

Neil was no better, the mere thought of Sam in someone else's arms was making him mad. He knew even he was at fault for pushing her away but he never imagined Sam taking such a drastic step. He had been looking for one chance to catch her alone and he finally got that chance.  He had been pleading to Teji and Zubin but duo refused to budge. The same words worked on emotional Kritika , she decided to help after taking numerous promises against hurting Sam.

She had messaged him that Sam was out with her future family for wedding shopping. She had given him her location and Neil had decided to corner Sam.

Neil walked into the huge designer outlet, he looked around and enquired about the bridal section. he was being directed to to the third floor towards the bridal section.

Neil froze when his eyes fell on Sam dressed in a golden bridal attire. She wasn't wearing any make up and had a messy bun on the top of her head . She looked lifeless as everyone treated her like a mannequin to try any outfit on. She would smile occasionally when someone asked her something and then go back to her gloomy self. Someone pushed a red outfit into her hands and she made a turn like a zombie towards the changing room. Neil made his way towards the changing room making sure to avoid Piyali. he took the dresses from the sales girl stating he was with Sam. 

As Sam turned to take the dresses, her eyes widen in shock. Neil didn't give her any chance, pushing her inside. He locked his lips with hers kissing her in a passionately. Sam stood frozen, not sure how to react. Neil broke the kiss and pecked her lips again, ''Our first Kiss.''

''Its too late Neil, you should leave. I don't want my parents ashamed or your mother affected.''

Neil lifted his palm, ''Its about us. Are you with me.''

''Its too late Neil. I won't break my parents heart.'' There was a knock and Sam replied she would be out in 10 mins

''You need to leave.'' She said . He smiled against the wall, he pointed towards the door stating the presence of her mother. Sam cursed, turning around she threw the the skirt over her head carefully undoing the one she was wearing. She then wrapped her self in the heavy stole and started changing her blouse. Once done, she adjusted the stole around and turned to face him. He smiled and took a step, ''You changed in my presence because you knew that you are more than just a body for me.''

''How does that matter now. You are engaged and I will be in few days.'' She replied flat.

Neil huffed , pulled out the ring stuffed it into his pocket. Leaning close he pecked her lips again, ''Have you forgotten that I can do all for your smile , and your smile lies with me.'' he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. She didn't respond but absorbed the moment. Releasing her , he slowly unlocked the door hiding behind it. He heard everyone praising her and decided Sam wasn't going to wear the red one for their wedding.

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Happy weekend.